MP All Models Any GFX cards support 5.1 channel sound?

[DearthnVader]

I keep my main Mac connected to an HDTV and use a toslink from the TV to a 5.1 Channel sound system.

I only get 2 channel sound out of the RX580, and I'm just wondering if the sound chip on the card only supports stereo sound, or if it's a limitation of the macOS drivers?

 

[Ritsuka]

Toslink is too limited. It hasn't got enough bandwidth for uncompressed 5.1 audio. It can do 5.1 only if the audio is compressed to ac3, and macOS can't encode all the output to ac3.

 

[DearthnVader]

Toslink is too limited. It hasn't got enough bandwidth for uncompressed 5.1 audio. It can do 5.1 only if the audio is compressed to ac3, and macOS can't encode all the output to ac3.

Thanks, my soundbar only has 1 Toslink connection, so I'm limited to allowing the TV's input/output to manage the sound.

When I use Prime Video via my FireStick I get 5.1 channel sound, but not in Netflix on the Firestick. So I know the TV's HDMI will pass 5.1 channel sound via the Toslink to the soundbar, I was just hoping I could get it to work in the macOS, as I watch Youtube TV on my Mac for live sports.

 

[goMac]

Thanks, my soundbar only has 1 Toslink connection, so I'm limited to allowing the TV's input/output to manage the sound.

When I use Prime Video via my FireStick I get 5.1 channel sound, but not in Netflix on the Firestick. So I know the TV's HDMI will pass 5.1 channel sound via the Toslink to the soundbar, I was just hoping I could get it to work in the macOS, as I watch Youtube TV on my Mac for live sports.

The content you’re watching has to be encoded as Dolby Digital. Otherwise it’ll just play in stereo.

Most streaming content on computers is not Dolby encoded. Netflix and Amazon will not do Dolby Audio on a computer. I don’t think YouTube TV does either.

So no 5.1. But because your sources don’t support it on a Mac or PC.