DTS® (Digital Theater Systems), one of the leaders in digital audio for cinema, pro audio, consumer products and broadcasting, unveiled the new DTS-CSS Cinema Subtitling System, a global subtitling and captioning system for the motion picture industry. The new system projects subtitles directly onto the screen instead of etching or overlaying them onto the film itself. For several years, DTS has provided foreign language discs with original version prints in many territories. Now, with the DTS-CSS system, they can provide the same capability for subtitled and captioned prints.

Essentially, this means that a single inventory of prints can easily be used along with the appropriate DTS disc to provide a foreign language audio track, subtitling, or captioning information to project on the screen. DTS discs can hold up to 40 languages to facilitate different subtitles for different shows. This means a single-print solution that virtually eliminates the need to produce, distribute, store, record and junk additional print inventories.

For those countries with multi-language laws, the DTS-CSS system can play foreign language discs and/or subtitles. For instance, in Spain you could play Castilian Spanish language discs while projecting local Basque subtitles. In fact, this technology could easily be adapted, should a theatre operator want to show an English-language print in the morning in an El Paso theatre, and then run a Spanish subtitled print for a different audience in the afternoon – again accomplished with a simple switch of a CD-ROM disc.

Captioning can be presented in the same manner with the DTS-CSS, just by switching to a disc containing the caption information. DTS technology also affords a unique ability to present access programs like DVS® Theatrical for visually-impaired moviegoers and the Rear Window™ Captioning System for hearing-impaired patrons. These programs enable exhibitors to reach wider and more diverse audiences than ever before.