Outputting 5.1 Channel Surround Sound from your Mac

Hello,

I have a follow-up question to this original post... I haven't tried any of this yet since I just ordered a new iMac and haven't received it yet, but will definitely try it out once it arrives (on my cheap RCAreceiver haha). I know it has poor reviews on Walmart, but honestly, I've had this for about a year now and absolutely no complaints. If configured properly, the device works flawlessly. Not the best speakers, but not bad... Definitely loud. Just don't know if it'll work with the new computer.

ANYWAY, my question is: As long as the setup from the original post works and 5.1 audio is outputted from the Mac, has anyone tried using a surround project with FCX with this setup and if so, how stable is it? This is my only reason for wanting to output in 5.1, but I just want know if anyone has encountered any problems with it.

Thank you for your time!

Thanks for the response! I haven't been able to output in 5.1 because my iMac won't read the receiver correctly. It usually lists my recevier as "LCD TV" and only gives me the option of two channels. I guess I can fool around with it. It may be due to my TV actually being hooked up to the receiver at the same time as the iMac, so instead of just decoding audio, the computer thinks I'm trying to use my TV as an external monitor (which only uses two channel audio). In fact, now that I'm writing this I think that's my issue. I'll play around.

Anyway, even if I'm only able to get two channel audio, everything still sounds great using the speakers!

Looks great for DVD player, but how do I get iTunes to recognize the multichannel settings? Testing speakers in the midi setup worked to get test tones out of my surround and sub but no go with iTunes.

I have tried this with my Panasonic TV/Bluray. It shows up as it should in the Audio MIDI Setup but it only accepts 2 channels as an option. If I go to the speaker settings and select multi channels the 5.1 option is greyed out (as are all options except stereo).

Hi here. I have had the same problem but have fixed it so hope this works for you. When you are in the AUDIO MIDID SETUP, select HDMI and then on the right next to when you can select the FORMAT, use options 48000.0 HZ and 8ch-16bit Integer. You can then select Configure Speakers, Multichannel and 5.1 Surround from the drop down. When testing the speakers you may have to use the drop downs under each speaker to change the numbers for which speaker is where. Good luck :-) hope it works

This device works for me. I have it connected to my Macbook Pro and AV 7.2 Surround sound receiver via a tos-link optical cable. This device works vanilla with OS-X, MS-Windows, and Linux.

Plug and play. Just plug it in and it works.

My AV receiver can process the tos-link digital signal in 7.2 Surround sound ( DTS, Dolby digital, THX, Cinema , 7-channel stereo, etc...) they all work.

Behringer UCA202

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KW2YEI?ref_=pe_527950_33920250

Optical cable

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Toslink-Digital-Connectors/dp/B004CAPCLG/re f=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&q…

It appears that the Retina HDMI port has a problem when attaching an ext. display like my thunderbolt display. When I attached the HDMI cable and turn on the Denon receiver my thunderbolt display goes blank or at least no menus and folders are visible. If I turn off the receiver it goes back to normal.

Here is the thread - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4312536?start=0&tstart=0

Not sure what my options are... not use the HDMI port? But why should I buy a thunderbolt-hdmi adapter when I alraedy have an HDMI port? This a terrible bug.

I use HDMI for video and the behringer toslink connection to AV receiver for audio.

I have the same problem of Dudikowski, I got a Samsung bluray player and LG TV and I have only Stereo output enabled. 5.1 is not.

And I can connect my xbox with 5.1 enabled in the home-theater.

Any ideas?

Hi here. I have had the same problem but have fixed it so hope this works for you. When you are in the AUDIO MIDID SETUP, select HDMI and then on the right next to when you can select the FORMAT, use options 48000.0 HZ and 8ch-16bit Integer. You can then select Configure Speakers, Multichannel and 5.1 Surround from the drop down. When testing the speakers you may have to use the drop downs under each speaker to change the numbers for which speaker is where. Good luck :-) hope it works

I have been using my MacBook Pro via HDMI into my pioneer av amp which is set up for 5.1.

I have been able to output 5.1 audio with Logic Pro and FCPX no issues at all after you setup the audio midi utility for 5.1. This setup is via PCM 5.1 audio not to be confused with Dolby 5.1.

It works great. If you want to play your edited exported movies from Final Cut Pro x in surround then it gets a bit tricky. I export the movie with FCPX as master video with the 5.1 audio then use HandBreak set to atv3 to encode / compress the video. This is great because handbreak folds the 5.1 into a stereo AAC track and also encodes the 5.1 mix into Dolby 5.1 AC3 track so both stereo and surround tracks are embedded in the movie file. So if you have an Apple TV it will play the movie with its surround track. If you play the same HandBreak compressed movie out of your Mac via hdmi to your surround amp it will only play the stereo track if you are using iTunes or QuickTime and I believe this is because of copy protect and Dolby license issues. iTunes will play a purchased movie from the itunes store in surround via your Macs hdmi to receiver setup but will only play the stereo track of the movie you exported from HandBreak even though it is set up just like an iTunes movie. To get your HandBreak movie to play in Dolby surround from your Mac all you need is VLC player, then you have to go in and select the Dolby track and the output in VLCs audio settings and bingo your HandBreaked movie then plays out of your Mac in Dolby surround. Once you set your Mac up for 5.1 mixing your amp will show your outputting 5.1 via the mac but again this is PCM audio 5.1 and apps like FCPX, Soundtrack Pro, Logic Pro will work.