In news via noted UK-based TV Reviewer Vincent Teoh, it appears that LG has stealthily dropped DTS support from its 2025 TVs. Teoh discovered this during his routine review of the recently introduced LG G5 OLED TV by examining the TV’s EDID settings.
In addition, eCoustics Editor-at-Large Chris Boylan confirmed the removal of DTS from LG’s 2025 TVs with LG representatives at a recent workshop he attended. We contacted DTS parent company Xperi for a comment and a spokesman for the company told us this: “LG remains a key partner and we will continue to collaborate with them across multiple technologies within their diverse product lines. DTS’s robust audio solutions are found in numerous consumer electronics and automotive devices, providing premium immersive sound experiences for consumers globally.”
What makes this interesting is that LG previously dropped DTS support from their TVs in 2020 and brought back DTS support back in on its 2023 and 2024 TVs.
However, with DTS support gone, LG TVs do not lack surround sound audio support as Dolby audio formats are still supported, but with Google’s recent introduction of Eclipsa Audio, you might see a move by LG and several other TV makers in adopting that system.
Apparently, Google has demonstrated Eclipsa Audio on an LG TV not destined for consumers (at least, not yet). Samsung has indicated that is going to aggressively implement Eclipsa Audio on its TVs and soundbars – and its Q-990F soundbar is the starting point.
The Bottom Line
LG dropping DTS from its 2025 line is unexpected, especially since there was no formal announcement. It is also puzzling since Xperi (DTS parent company) promised support of IMAX Enhanced/DTS:X Profile 2 (aka DTS:X for streaming) for LG TVs may not be not happening. One fallout from this is that LG’s 2025 model year TVs won’t be able to take advantage of IMAX Enhanced content on Disney+. Although LG did support DTS in 2023/24 TV models, DTS:X IMAX Enhanced (DTS:X Profile 2) was never supported for Disney+. For those looking for IMAX Enhanced support, currently only a select number of recent TCL, Hisense and Sony TVs/projectors support it.
This state of affairs follows LG’s decision in 2024 to drop built-in support for ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV. On the other hand, LG is still incorporating WiSA support into its higher-end TVs, which provide compatible wireless speaker support.
However, another question arises: Will LG be dropping DTS from its soundbars? We have no evidence that it will, and no real reason to believe that it will. There is enough DTS content out there on physical media (DVDs, Blu-rays and UHD Blu-rays) that it probably isn’t in the company’s best interest to remove it from future soundbars, just to save a few bucks on licensing.
Related Reading
- Here’s Why LG’s 2025 G5 OLED TV is So Much Brighter than Last Year’s G4
- LG’s UltraGear GX9 Bendable 5K2K Gaming Monitor Will Prove to Be a Game-Changer: CES 2025
- LG’s Transparent OLED TV Arrives At $59,999
- LG Announces QNED evo 4K TVs for 2025 with Wireless and AI
- LG S95TR Soundbar Review: Real Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Much More
Ian White
March 31, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Anton,
I find the format wars to be intensely dull. I still have my Toshiba HD-DVD player and over 100 titles. Still works. Until it doesn’t. My brother who worked in film editing has multiple pro Beta machines in a rack. Gathering dust at this point.
DTS and Dolby fought the good fight. I always bet on Dolby.
IW