How to export a Quicktime file with 5.1 audio?

Hello,

How do you export a Quicktime file with 5.1 audio from Final Cut Pro 7?

You would think this would be pretty simple, do x, do y, export and walla you
have a 5.1 audio file.

However, I'm running into a few issues and I'm unsure how to verify if it is indeed 5.1

Here's a couple of instructions I found:
[fcproducer.com]
[discussions.apple.com]

I followed the first one.

The first thing I noticed is that once I set my 6 tracks to dual mono, I could not hear the dialogue
track anymore within Final Cut 7 program, however I can see that it is present in the waveform.

I'm not sure why this happened maybe because I don't have a 5.1 setup, so my
computer can't output all 6 tracks to 2 speakers?

Then when I export, how can I verify if it is 5.1? When I go to inspector I get



I would think it should indicate this



So I'm confused on the right way to export and verify it.

You are correct about only having two speakers. You can't monitor 5.1 on that. But if you can see it in the waveform that's a good indicator.
That list looks like 5 monos - are they assigned to the correct speakers? I'm no 5.1 expert, by the way, just kicking in about the speakers, really.

Hi Jude,

How do I assign them to the correct speakers?

I assigned each track (6 of them) to their output, so track 1 is 1, 2 is 2, 3 is 3...etc...
I didn't pan anything.

My order of operations:

1. Got the 5.1 .wav file from sound team. It is clearly a 5.1 track,
when I open it up in properties I see



2. Brought it into final cut and synced it with my video.

3. Open up sequence settings
I left audio channels as grouped, not sure if I need to change it to discreet,
but from what I've read grouped is ok.

I select the 5.1 preset in the audio output tab.
What's interesting about this, is it is actually different from
the recommendation in the article. It keeps a couple of the tracks as stereo.

However, I follow the article and change everything to dual mono, and assign each
track it's own output. I don't pan or anything.

The resulting file shows this


I just have no idea if this is correct or not? I'd be a much happier camper if it showed
5.1 audio.

Does the DVD author, then take this file with the mono tracks and create the 5.1 stream?

"I just have no idea if this is correct or not? I'd be a much happier camper if it showed 5.1 audio. "

isn't that what it IS showing?

there are, i believe TWO ways to format 5.1audio, and L R C LFE Ls Rs is one of them
(Left, Right, Centre, Low Frequency Effects or subs, Left Surround, Right Surround)
the other, from memory, is L C R Ls Rs LFE

L+R can be a stereo pair, as can Ls+Rs, and that's the benefit of the 1st layout.

when you set up FCP to have multiple audio outputs there is an option to down-mix the audio for playback.
if you don't do that, and if you have the LRC format, then the Dialogue, which is predominantly in the Centre track, wont be audible.


if you don't have a 5.1 system, it's not impossible to check your results in FCP
by listening to each track separately (put it in a standard timeline, option double click individual tracks into the viewer)

L+R wil be fx & music,
C will be fx & a lot of dialogue,
Ls+Rs wil also be fx & music, just a lot lower, and the music will be somewhat reverb-y,
and the subs will be hardly there at all, and be what they are called: Low Frequency Effects.

if there are obvious panning effects (a car passing for instance, or an obvious off-centre sound) then you should also be able to gauge if the L+R are the correct way around.


nick

Oh man, I actually had the pictures switched, I edited the above to show the correct order.

i see!

well you can still check it the way i described.
also, Compressor has a 5.1 options.
i used them ONCE ONLY to help make a DVD, so i'm not sure if they can also work to correctly format a 5.1 AIFF or WAV.
check it out.

plus: i'm not sure, but i'd imagine that STP should do the job.


nick

I'm pretty naive when it comes to 5.1, can anyone confirm the following:


1. First is it possible to create a digital Pro Res file, with 5.1 audio, that will play back 5.1 via quicktime or VLC, or is 5.1 strictly done when creating a DVD/blu ray ?



2. Is there any way to end up with a 5.1 audio and Pro res video within FInal Cut or must it be run through compressor to create the 5.1?



Ideally I'd like to end up with a Pro Res file with 5.1 audio direct from the FCP7 timeline,
instead of having to create the 5.1 in Compressor but if I have to then I have to.

You can make a QuickTime file that has 5.1 audio but you need STP or Compressor to set the position AFAIK. Here's a short tutorial.





You can only monitor your success with a system that can play back 5.1 audio though, so don't be surprised if it doesn't sound great on your stereo computer speakers

Thanks Jude, I'm going to give this tutorial a shot.