Audio formats deliver different sound experiences depending on the source material and your setup.

Dolby and Digital Theater Sound offer a variety of options in terms of quality.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X provide immersive, three-dimensional sound throughout your space.

Navigating all the acronyms, phrases, and trademarked names that make up all your smart TV's entertainment ecosystem takes some work. There are a lot of technologies to learn that TV manufacturers don't necessarily make easy, and once you figure out what everything means, then you need to make sure you have all the compatible pieces.

You may have the best screen technology, but it's important to understand what your smart TV can do when it comes to audio formats. You don't really want to be forced to use your smart TV's speakers, however impressive they seem to be compared to others. Instead, you'll want to create a sound system that utilizes the formats you most often use. Here's what you should know about the common audio options available for watching TV and movies.

Two of the more common simple audio formats are Dolby Digital (DD) or Digital Theater Systems (DTS). They both offer compressed audio formats that deliver 5.1 surround sound and are compatible with a wide range of devices, with support on just about every recent TV and/or most streaming services.