Tips to open DSS file

Can't open the DSS file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open DSS files as well as a list of programs that support DSS files.

DSS file extension

File Name Digital Speech Standard Format
File Developer International Voice Association
File Category Audio Files

The DSS file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the DSS files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the DSS file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is DSS file?

The file with the extension DSS is the Audio Files file type. The creator of this file is International Voice Association. In addition to this file, the Audio Files category includes 771 related files. Digital Speech Standard Format is supported by 2 operating systems. The file will work on Mac OS, Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. This file type can also be opened by 4 other programs. The DSS Player, DSS Player Lite programs will also handle the file when the ViaVoice program does not fulfill its role.

How to open DSS file?

The most common problem when using Digital Speech Standard Format is that a specific DSS is not associated with the program. Thus, when you open DSS, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the DSS file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install ViaVoice

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that ViaVoice is installed on the computer. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name ViaVoice in it. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open DSS files.

Step 2. Create association of ViaVoice with DSS files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the DSS file still does not use the ViaVoice program, it means no association. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the DSS file with the ViaVoice application.

Step 3. Update ViaVoice to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the ViaVoice program, it is possible that Digital Speech Standard Format requires a newer version of the program.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the DSS file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The DSS file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to DSS files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the DSS file that we want to open. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover DSS files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the DSS file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular DSS file corruption.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted DSS files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move DSS to a different directory.
This problem usually affects more complex files. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Just close unnecessary programs. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file DSS to close. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If nothing helps, please reset the device.