Optical Out

I have a Macbook Pro (early 2008) and I was wondering if there is a Driver / Program that lets you output 8 channels over the ADAT Optical. I know it will do Stereo by default. Not having to haul an Interface around would be nice.

AFAIK you'd need something like this to still only use the digital audio jack on the MBP. Apart from bussing a FW or USB interface.

i have the cables, i guess u didnt understand my question.


my question is; is there a driver or program that lets u send 8 channels of audio thru the macbook pro's optical output?

link to Apple thread

The port is fully capable of sending it. Any program that plays multi-channel content will funnel it through. Playing a movie in Quicktime for instance that's encoded in DTS 7.1 will send 7.1 off to a receiver, if that's where it's going.

I know it is fully capable, and my point is that i dont want to only be able to send encoded 5.1 or 7.1. i want to be able to send 8 channels of audio / receive 8 channels of audio in to Logic, or send 8 channels of audio from Q-Lab via the optical out of my macbook pro.

drummerguy626 said:

I know it is fully capable, and my point is that i dont want to only be able to send encoded 5.1 or 7.1. i want to be able to send 8 channels of audio / receive 8 channels of audio in to Logic, or send 8 channels of audio from Q-Lab via the optical out of my macbook pro.

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Are you recording 8 channels (i.e. drum recording such as overhead, kick, snare, toms) into the MBP? If so, what are you using to go from say XLR to the port?

I take it you haven't had luck running 8 channels into Logic. Personally I haven't know anyone to run Logic, Cubase, DP or Pro Tools without an interface.

deus_ex_machina said:

Are you recording 8 channels (i.e. drum recording such as overhead, kick, snare, toms) into the MBP? If so, what are you using to go from say XLR to the port?

I take it you haven't had luck running 8 channels into Logic. Personally I haven't know anyone to run Logic, Cubase, DP or Pro Tools without an interface.

Click to expand...

all i wanted to know is if there is a program or driver that switches the optical out from SPDIF to ADAT.

It will automatically output multi-channel from a source that has multi-channels.

No, there is no way to output more channels than the source you are playing. If playing a DVD with 5.1 for example, it will output the 5.1 signal to an appropriate device. There is no manual manipulation of the driver required, nor is there any available that I'm aware of.