Outputting 5.1 Channel Surround Sound from your Mac

What about connecting to the Thunderbolt port on an Apple Thunderbolt Display? I've connected the Thunderbolt-to-HDMI adapter to the back of the ATD and an HDMI cable to my Yamaha A/V receiver and System Information is showing status as "No device connected." MacBook Air is connected via Thunderbolt port to ATD otherwise I would connect directly to that.

What is available to convert stereo audio into 5.1 surround? All of my speakers are configured as described here, but I don't use this system to watch DVD. Editing audio in Logic, surround sound works fine with stereo content, but what about when I'm listening from iTunes, or any other music player? Mostly, I want my subwoofer to be activated.

hello ,

i used the same trick as u mentioned, i have 7.1 channel system when i connected to macbook air and go to midi setups testin sound comes from the same speaker whenever i switch the speakers in midi, pop up says to routing the speakers but system is working fine with dvd player and with macbook no dolby surrond is coming,

hi

i have macbook air and onkyo HTS 7705 when i connected to my macbook to AV receiver via pro link thunderbolt to hdmi cable and then hdmi cable to TV to watch movies in surround sound from my music system, i cant get sound from rear speakers,i opened the midi setup in mac book and configure the setup but popup came that speakers routing is to be required, although home theater is working perfectly with DVD player,

i also tried playing movie from vlc player to force vlc to produce sound as dolby digital or( 5.1 channel) but i cant hear any sound from rear speakers,

displays shows input as 2.0 pcm and output as 5.1 surround still no sound is coming from rear speakers kindly help me out, and arc is not working whenever i connected macbook to receiver.

thanks.

THANK YOU marital 😉 95!!! I have been searching for an answer for days here. I FINALLY typed in THUNDERBOLT with my search this time and got yer CORRECT ANSWER/SOLUTION. To START with the OP (Parker) did NOT word the title properly! It should read...."Outputting 5.1 Channel Surround Sound from your Mac USING AN A/V RECEIVER"(or external equipment). I changed my HDMI Output settings to what you said and FINALLY, I have 5.1 instead of stereo sound now and it sounds AWESOME! Cheers......Nick 🙂

I go through the steps and when i get to the Click on each speaker to provide a test tone

all the surround speakers are silent. only LEFT and RIGHT speakers play the test tone.

I have a SONY STRDH520 Receiver, i use HDMI coming out of thunderbolt on my iMac.
Seems everything is set up correct , but i never get my Surround audio with the

Audio/Midi Setup Utility by clicking all the Multichannel speakers.

I am frustrated.

I just SOLVED my issue.

I use a StarTech TB2DOCK4KDHC and when I output TB/MiniDisplay to HDMI from the StarTech Surround fails.
I plugged my TB/MiniDisplay to HDMI adapter to muy iMac then in to my Receiver and SURROUND Works.

My StarTech TB2DOCK4KDHC is not working right.. 😟

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…

Sounds like a winner, but I am using a Sony HT-NT5 sound bar and sub with wireless surround speakers - only hdmi connections are available. I have movies in iTunes playing 5.1, but music is a no go.

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