Dolby Atmos on MacOS
- Thread starter Franck
- Start date
Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:
you can get to 9.1.6, as it is defined in coreaudio. It is just the AudioMidi setup utility which is limited.
I have 5.1.4 working at home
This utility opens more options:
https://github.com/deweller/switchaudio-osx/pull/68
I used loopback, I created a virtual 16ch interface, that I connected to my real interface. Loopback is smarter than Blackhole, which is not really developped. Apple Music recognizes loopback as Atmos capable.
You can try loopback for free, see if it works for you.
JediJoker
Audio Engineer/Enthusiast
Loopback is a very powerful, easy to use, well-supported, and relatively inexpensive application. The developer, Rogue Amoeba, has been in the macOS audio space for a couple decades now. I think it's well worth the money.
Yes my question was misplaced. Was it, how do I configure a virtual device like BlackHole 16ch in 9.1.6 configuration so as to use all 16 Atmos channels?
I have read that link but I am not very hacker honestly. Could you kindly indicate step by step how to do it?
Sorry
I did a search and maybe figured out how to do it:
I take the .h and .c files of that pull request and compile them with gcc, then install placing in use/local/bin, chmod +x to check it is executable, SwitchAudioSource -h to check it is correctly installed, and finally ./AudioSwitcher -l 9_1_6 -p 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 -t output to set the config.
Is it correct?
M
Far easier to just clone his repository:
https://github.com/franckhlmartin/switchaudio-osx.git
Just use “make” and then go down into the Release directory tree to get to the executable.
The modified AudioSwitcher works great, thanks @Franck!
Far easier to just clone his repository:
https://github.com/franckhlmartin/switchaudio-osx.git
Just use “make” and then go down into the Release directory tree to get to the executable.
The modified AudioSwitcher works great, thanks @Franck!
Yes, with XCode utilities it is relatively easy to build. I wish the utility owner would continue to maintain it, merge the PR, and provide executables. I don’t feel maintaining this utility, but may be there are some volunteers to take over?
Also all configurations were in MacOS Ventura AudioMidiSetup and then Apple removed them. I spoke to some engineers and I never got a good explanation why they removed it.
see:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/dolby-atmos-on-macos.31880/post-673860
If you can all open a bug with Apple, may be that will convince them to put it back
EDIT. I was able to compile and set 9.1.6.
If I stream from Apple Music all 16 BlackHole channels are playing so I suppose it is in 9.1.6.
It is not clear to me how to correctly identify the channels in the DAW though.
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I've played a bit in 9.1.6 with Apple Music and with downloaded IAA tracks in Infuse. Although the 16 channels of Loopback are engaged, Lw/Rw/Ltm/Rtm are always silent. Is this a limitation out of Atmos (eac3-joc) handling in coreaudio? Or just that the tracks I tried had metadata that did not result in those speakers being illuminated?
I need to try and see whether this is the same on my A16 with those eac3-joc IAA tracks.
Rectification, I had checked badly.
The device is set to 9.1.6 but loopback channels 9, 10, 13, 14 do not receive anything from Apple Music.
They should be Ltm Rtm Lw Rw (wide and top middle speakers, as per Dolby nomenclature)
It's strange because looking in Console app Apple Music records a log where among many things it indicates that the original is 16 channels.
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The loss of Ltm/Rtm/Lw/Rw is evidently part of coreaudio’s rendering of the Atmos eac3-joc files. I’ve just verified on my A16 that the same files behave as expected in large speaker count Atmos rooms (10.1.6 and 15.1.8 for example). In particular the Atmos decoder on the A16 uses Ltm/Rtm/Lw/Rw when available and when the metadata is such that sound is directed towards them.
