The solution works with less than 2 months in alpha-testing mode. This solution allows you to integrate any sound processing algorithms into the MacOS. The plugin is lightweight and is used by others applications that work with sound. In this way, we can create on Mac devices any surround, 5.1, 7.1 or other. In the example above, it’s not a problem to bring a 2-channel headset into virtual surround. Finally a listener gets rich and volume sound.
#MAC DOLBY 5.1 SOFTWARE#
Then, the software is mixed these several audio channels in certain way. This number doesn’t depend on real channels in a headset. Briefly, this is a solution that interacts with the Mac’s System mixer and forces it to change number of audio channels to the required number. That’s why we were forced to find a solution. Obviously, there is no ability to organize Virtual Surround. Then these 2 channels input to the USB Audio plugin. Because it “thinks” no more channels are needed. The Apple’s System mixer gets the 5.1 sound and downmixes it into 2 channels. Your headset supports only 2 audio channels. Originally, the audio track from the movie contains 5.1 surround sound. This solution still does not allow us to regulate the number of channels in a third-party application. So what developers try to do is customize AppleUSBAudio and vendor specified DSP processing to input and/or output audio streams. This number is equal to the number of audio channels on a multimedia periphery connected to the PC. The System mixer defines the number of audio channels automatically. MacOS modifies the original audio stream by itself. But there is a way to modify the original audio stream.
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Unlike Windows with sAPO, MacOS doesn’t allow integration of third-party audio processors into the audio stack. That means developers may create a software with Virtual Surround effects and inject their own audio effects for Windows audio devices that support less audio channels than the original audio source. Windows OS suggests well documented APIs created for interaction between third-party applications and the Windows audio stack. Now we can develop media software for Macs with good virtual surround regardless of how many audio channels your multimedia device has. But we found the solution that allows us to generate virtual surround for MacOS. There is no way to do this for MacOS X in some circumstances. We need to port a headset application from Windows to Mac X platform. In our case we needed it for software that customizes lighting, buttons and some others profiles for keyboards, mice, and headsets. It helps you enjoy a richer audio experience, more similar to what you’d get at a theater.
#MAC DOLBY 5.1 HOW TO#
This post covers topic how to create good virtual surround on a headset that doesn’t normally support stereo sound.