Surround Sound

[Warren Eig]

You need more hardware then just optical out. Optical out supports encoded 5.1 but then you need something to decode it (Dolby or DTS). You want to mix discreet channels and do your own 5.1 mix, if I am understanding you correctly. That is, they are not encoded into a 5.1 stream yet.

To do this, I had to install a Tascam DS-M7.1 in my suite so I can assign discreet channels to each speaker and mix and work in 5.1. I can go up to 7.1 with the DS-M7.1

Warren Eig
O (424) 293-1164

email: info@babyboompictures.com
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompictures

For Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.com

[Terry Flaxton]

Thanks Warren – My assumption was that if I do a mix in FCPX and then playback the timeline I should be able to hear that output via optical out straight into an amp that accepts optical in. You’re saying not so – it’s got to come into a usb device (say like Behringer converter) to then go into a surround sound system (even though sound in preferences offers that optical out as an output?) – do I understand that correctly?

Terry

Made my first video in 1976, A long term programme maker, DP, editing etc – changing with AR/VR/MR media –

[Warren Eig]

It’s coming out of FCPX as discreet channels it is not encoded in Dolby so if you go optical out to a receiver, the receiver is not going to know what to do with the audio channels because it is not properly encoded in a way it is expecting to be– Dolby Digital or DTS.

You have to map each output from the Mac to a discreet powered speaker. You need hardware to do this. A Kona Card or Blackmagic card supports AES/EBU audio with each channel supporting a stereo pair. This get sent for me, to my Tascam DS-M71 and then routed out to the proper speaker.

How you do this depends on how you output audio from your Mac. You can go optical out to a device that accepts TOSLINK and properly map the channels. You just need the proper hardware to receive the Toslink audio.

Warren Eig
O (424) 293-1164

email: info@babyboompictures.com
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompictures

For Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.com

[Terry Flaxton]

Thanks Warren – got it!

Thanks for taking the time and having the patience.

Best, Terry

Made my first video in 1976, A long term programme maker, DP, editing etc – changing with AR/VR/MR media –

[Terry Flaxton]

Hi yet again – this is a few months later and I now have a set up for surround sound from Final Cut Pro X using a Behringer USB router to send all channels via a 5.1 surround amp. System preferences recognizes this and send s both in and out.

NEXT PROBLEM: So I can set up a mix for surround sound and then I have to export. I haven;t tried making a blu ray yet but imagine simply using FCPX to burn will produce he corrext muxed file that will run from a blue ray player.

Because I create exhibitions I run my Pro res 4k files from Quicktime Pro 7 through a mac mini to keep quality up – So my question is how do I route the surround sound into the quicktime pro file on output from FCPX?

I’ve tried various options but it ALWAYS defaults to a stereo mix. I’ve tried MXF files but I don’t know of a programme like Quicktime pro which will start up each day and send the right image out and the right 5.1 sounds out. And as an aside is there anything I should do to make a DVD with 5.1 out work – any tricks?

Made my first video in 1976, A long term programme maker, DP, editing etc – changing with AR/VR/MR media –