Blackmagic Forum

Hi everyone,

I'm a Avid Media Composer editor, and would like to ear surround sound.
Viewing the Intensity Extreme (Thunderbolt) specification, HDMI 8 channel output... well, does it mean that I can ear, and affect spatialization and monitor surround sound on Media Composer 2018.8 ?
I'm not a sound designer, i just need sometimes to ear and control surround sound without investing into a billion dollar device

Thanks in advance for your interest.

PJ

I am not an Avid user , but assuming for sake of argument that Avid supports sending multi channel audio over the intensity extreme , which some avid user might be able to confirm, you would still need to invest in a lot more equipement before you get there.

First you would need a special surround capable amplifier + multiple speakers + subwoofer .
A 5.1 capable consumer amp's can be had from relatively cheap to more expensive , but if you go higher like 7.1 it starts adding up fast even for consumer models.
Also you need to either find an amp that can handle HDMI multichannel audio directly , which would be the easiest or get a so-called audio de-embedder (or a breakout box that you find on some alternative BM models) to take the audio from HDMI from the intensity and make it available via multiple individual analog outputs , which you can then feed into a multichannel surround capable amp that has direct analog inputs (which are very rare and more expensive)
And the resulting quality is of course entirely related to how expensive you make the amp and speakers.

Thanks for your answer.

I already got an HDMI amplifier with a quite good quality multiple speakers, and sub.

So The thunderbolt Intensity Shuttle (and not the old Intensity extreme aluminium-look box) should be enough, if I understand, do I ?

Yes.
The only thing i personaly can not advice on is the Avid part as not an avid user.

As i posted in a post recently, i monitor 5.1 using avid through a similar setup Glenn has described.

Audio (SDI) to Teranex to hdmi to sound receiver to client monitor and surround speakers.

Are you trying to monitor, or "work" in 5.1? Are you trying to move the sound around the room yourself?
That I have not tried in Avid, as i only use audio from sound houses for layback. I don't edit the surround myself.