France Télévisions trials DTS 5.1 surround sound for sports broadcasts

They may still be licking their wounds after France's 2-0 defeat against Mexico last night, but sports fans across the Channel can at least experience matches on France Télévisions' channels with DTS 5.1 surround sound.

The national broadcast group – which runs channels France 2, 3, 4, 5 and O – has been piloting DTS surround sound technology for the last fortnight. The broadcaster claims this is the first time DTS has been used on live sports programmes, including the World Cup.

The DTS 'Neural Sound' technology allows TV broadcasters to produce multichannel audio on their existing infrastructure, delivering 5.1 channels from a stereo feed from outside broadcast vehicles.

Viewers with DTS 5.1 home cinema systems "experienced the matches as though they were in the stadium with the players and supporters", says France Télévisions.

It's not just French TV viewers who are benefitting from the system. Live webcasts on the internet @ francetv.sports.fr and on Apple's iPad also benefit from DTS 5.1 surround sound in conjunction with HD video streaming.

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