5.1 Surround support on MacBooks?

[50thVert]

Hey every1,
I'm having a problem with my MacBook's optical out. It will recognize the mini-Toslink connector just fine and output beautiful sound...the reciever even displays that it is coming over an optical connection. However, i can't get it to play any kind of surround. The reciever is set to auto-format-decode just like it was with my G5 Powermac, yet whenever i throw in a DVD which i KNOW has dolby 5.1 on it, it will not utilize it. DVD player even refuses to switch languages or type of sound whenever i click the speaker button.

Anybody know what is wrong?
-Zach

 

[howesey]

Go to Audio MIDI setup and change the format from 16 or 24 bit to Encoded Digital Audio.

Or, in DVD Player, go into prefs, Disc Setup, and change audio to 'Digital Out - built in Audio'

 

[JFreak]

in DVD Player, go into prefs, Disc Setup, and change audio to 'Digital Out - built in Audio'

Does this also support DTS passtrough? I guess it should.

 

[steelfist]

zalman has a usb 5.1 external surround card dedicated to surround sound for a notebook computer. not sure if it's capatible with osx though

 

[50thVert]

Thanks Howesey, worked like a charm!

 

[howesey]

Does this also support DTS passtrough? I guess it should.

Yes, anything you throw at it.