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Generate true 5.1 channel surround sound output
Authored by: Alrescha on Feb 18, '09 11:04:36AM

"Your Mac can not do real surround sound from its built-in optical audio port; in fact, not even your Apple TV can. "But Wait!" you say, "Yes it can, Apple even advertise surround sound as a feature of the Apple TV!" or "I can play a DVD and I'm hearing surround sound."


I find this a bit overstated. Lots of people are playing DVDs, or recorded TV from an EyeTV device on their Macs. The audio output (select the appropriate output device from within the the application) is Dolby Digital 5.1, exactly the same as from a DVD player or a digital television set. It's not Pro Logic, it's not watered down in any way.

In addition, lots of people are ripping DVDs with Handbrake and producing AppleTV content with Dolby Digital (AC3) tracks. These play fine on an Apple TV. Indeed, the power-up movie on an Apple TV is a 'real' Dolby Digital track (actually there are two - the stereo AAC track and an AC3 track).

It would be nice if Quicktime would natively support AC3, but I don't have hopes of that happening soon.

A.



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Generate true 5.1 channel surround sound output
Authored by: jaysoffian on Feb 18, '09 02:55:20PM
Also, some video content from the iTunes Store now has both a stereo AAC track and a 5.1 AC3 track. For example, I opened an HD episode of Lost from the iTunes Store in QuickTtime Player and noted the following tracks:

Name          Format
------------  -------------------
Main Program  AVC0 Media
Stereo        AAC (protected)
Surround      AC3 (protected)
Clicking on the AAC track, then Audio Settings shows two tracks (left and right). Clicking on the AC3 track, then Audio Settings shows all 5.1 tracks. Playing this on an AppleTV hooked up to a DD receiver would result in proper 5.1 surround sound. Renting movies on the AppleTV, you are also informed when movies contain 5.1 surround sound at the time of the rental.

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