barrylev Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 For some time I've been searching for a solution to be able to play an audio / video file and be able to stream to all channels of my sound card (ALC 883). Most of us do have multiple channel (5.1 / 7.1) soundcards, but OSX players (Quicktime, iTunes, VLC) doesn't let us to use all channels.. It's possible to use 'Audio MIDI Setup' to configure an Aggregate Device for multi channel, but this is only good if you want to watch a movie with multi-channel audio, which is mostly not the case.. (Please check the end of this post for 'Audio MIDI Setup') Well the solution comes from the linux guys, the MPlayer. Download and install the MPlayer Extended MPlayer Extended Website player, and add this line to Preferences / Advanced / Additional parameters: -af channels=4:4:0:2:0:0:1:3:1:1 and you can play Stereo sound from 4 channels (Audio & Video) You can change this configuration for 6 or more channels. Just read the F.A.Q. pages of Mplayer Mplayer FAQ Watch & Play any stereo media (music, movies, series, radio) and hear from all your speakers How to configure multichannel output using 'Audio MIDI Setup' If you have 2/3 outputs working you can setup multichannel audio using Audio MIDI Setup found in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder. On the menu bar select "Audio>Open Aggregate Device Editor". Click on the "+" square and it will add a new aggregate device. Now select "Use" next to each output you want to add(usually the first 3) and click "done". Change Default Output to the "Aggregate Device". Now select "Aggregate Device" in the Properties For: box and click on "Configure Speakers". Click "Multichannel" and select Quadraphonic or 5.1 Surround. When your done configuring your speakers the way you want them, make sure you click "Apply" before "Done". You should now have 5.1 surround sound working. (If it doesn't work, please check the sampling frequencies of the devices first be selecting the devices and checking their properties. They should be the same) ps. Mplayer is an OpenSource Freeware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simsim Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Thanks, this is great info. I never even opened that "Audio midi setup" before. I have a newbie question regarding multi channel sound. I'd like to make my own 4 channel compositions, make the sound go round the room etc. How do I get the sound separated into 4 channels from the outputs? I've got 2 old stereo amps and 4 speakers and my motherboard is the dual atom called d945gclf2. It's got Intel HD audio w 5.1 and a spdif 3pin header and also a 9 pin audio header. heres a pic of the headers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
382jsl881 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 thanks barrylev, an addition: if you have a 6 speakers (=5.1), the commandline should be -af channels=6:6:0:0:0:2:0:4:1:1:1:3:1:5 perhaps we can loop the audio input from itunes through mplayer somehow? edit: Just found Soundflower and http://olorin.info/blog/2009/08/advanced-c...l-mixing-on-mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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