Topic: VLC Player and the Mac

[indie boi]

I just read that newer Macbooks have a dual use jack that doubles both as an analog and digital output.

I tried to tinker with my macbook by inserting a toslink cable to the audio jack and connecting it to my receiver and then played Terminator Salvation on VLC. The movie is an x264 file with 6 channels but whenever I play it, the receiver only plays audio on the center channel and it reads PLC II Dolby Prologic.

Do I need to tinker with any settings? Can VLC read 6 channel audio and send it through the connection? Or is the file not real 6 channel audio?

[Verbl Kint]

What type of file (container, aac/mp3 ac3/dts audio, etc)?  Do you get to hear multichannel audio using quicktime or other media players?

[scifi-fan]

Multichannel audio is not possible using the Macbook's toslink jack. It's only capable of 2 channels.

Newer macs (late 2010 and up) are now capable of Multichannel audio using the mini displayport.

You will need of course the new Macs and a Kanex Mini Displayport to HDMI with Audio

[Dan]

I just read that newer Macbooks have a dual use jack that doubles both as an analog and digital output.

I tried to tinker with my macbook by inserting a toslink cable to the audio jack and connecting it to my receiver and then played Terminator Salvation on VLC. The movie is an x264 file with 6 channels but whenever I play it, the receiver only plays audio on the center channel and it reads PLC II Dolby Prologic.

Do I need to tinker with any settings? Can VLC read 6 channel audio and send it through the connection? Or is the file not real 6 channel audio?

Aside from scifi-fan's info, there's an option on VLC player to switch to multichannel audio. I don't have it in my office computer now but at home I used to switch on the spdif option when I wanted to hear multichannel.

[Verbl Kint]

Multichannel audio is not possible using the Macbook's toslink jack. It's only capable of 2 channels.

Newer macs (late 2010 and up) are now capable of Multichannel audio using the mini displayport.

Macbooks can output multichannel audio through toslink, earlier than 2010 models. 

I asked indie the container and audio file type as there multichannel audio streams which only output in stereo unless a bit of tweaking and installing is done.

[scifi-fan]

Yes my mistake... I remember now;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEdtxaquGXI

It's the new macs that can passthrough HD Audio as well.

[indie boi]

I already turned on the SPDIF option VLC. Here are the details:

Video              : H.264/AVC       
Audio              : AAC (6 Channel)     

[Verbl Kint]

Would you mind trying an AC-3 or DTS file to see if it can do multichannel?

[scifi-fan]

AAC is tricky. There's hardly any receiver that can decode it.

I am unsure if the optical port can accept multichannel PCM streams because optical are limited to 2 channels for LPCM.

[indie boi]

Ok, I'll try to look for an AC-3 or DTS file. I'll keep you guys posted.

[indie boi]

Okay, found a DTS encoded file and it worked!

Now, here's the next logical question. In case I can only get an AAC encoded file, how do I get it to work? Or there's really no chance?

Do you guys have any other recommendations for HT-related software for the Mac?

I'm toying with the idea of just turning Mac into an HTPC but then I also have a netbook that has an HDMI out and handles 1080p flawlessly. Which do you guys think is a better road to take?

1. Mac since it has built in digital output so I just need to buy a mini display port to HDMI adapter
2. Use a netbook with a built in HDMI out and buy a USB to digital out adapter.

The adapter in option 2 is more expensive than the adapter I need for option 1.

[Verbl Kint]

Okay, found a DTS encoded file and it worked!

Now, here's the next logical question. In case I can only get an AAC encoded file, how do I get it to work? Or there's really no chance?

Do you guys have any other recommendations for HT-related software for the Mac?

I'm toying with the idea of just turning Mac into an HTPC but then I also have a netbook that has an HDMI out and handles 1080p flawlessly. Which do you guys think is a better road to take?

1. Mac since it has built in digital output so I just need to buy a mini display port to HDMI adapter
2. Use a netbook with a built in HDMI out and buy a USB to digital out adapter.

The adapter in option 2 is more expensive than the adapter I need for option 1.

Try this out for multichannel AAC: http://www.plexapp.com. 

As for the 2 options above, I think both are fine. 

From a hardware perspective, I would probably go with which adapter would have a lower failure rate -OR- which of the 2 would look better from an aesthetic perspective (if mixed in with the other HT gear). 

From a software standpoint, you would have to admit that you will have more choices with Windows (which you can run on the mac) in terms of applications and customization.  You will generally survive with OS X.  I can't fully recommend linux as an HTPC OS at this point as I've never had great success with it.  Lagi may kulang.

[nerveblocker]

I can't fully recommend linux as an HTPC OS at this point as I've never had great success with it.  Lagi may kulang.

I totally agree! The drivers for the newer videocards specially those with HD audio are still immature and still has a lot of workarounds to make it work.  Also had problems installing XBMC in Ubuntu.  Had some problems making the videos work.  I think the best option for a media player for Linux is still VLC.  In HD audio pass through I guess a lot of work is yet to be done.  Not to mention playing BDs.  Hay!