Simply hook up your Mac to your HDTV, and settle in to watch your favorite movies orTV shows.
Some users are unaware, however, that they can configure their Macs for surround sound.
The information in this article applies to any 64-bit Intel-based Mac running macOS or OS X 10.7.5 or later.
Robert Daly / Getty Images
Here’s how:
Download and install VLC, if you haven’t already, then launch the software.
VLC can be found in your Mac’sApplicationsfolder.
From theFilemenu, selectOpen File.
pick the video file you want to watch from the standardOpendialog box, and then selectOpen.
Start your video by selecting thePlaybutton on the VLC controller.
The audio will now pass through your Mac’s optical output to your AV receiver.
Configure VLC to Use AirPlay
Here’s how to set up VLC with Apple AirPlay.
From theApplemenu bar, select theAirPlayicon.
From the dropdown list, pick the name of your Apple TV underAirPlay Toto turn on AirPlay.
From theVLCmenu, selectAudio>Audio machine, and then poke the name of your Apple TV again.
When you start your video, the audio should play through your Apple TV.
If you don’t hear surround sound, confirm the video is playing the right soundtrack.
From theVLCmenu, selectAudio>Audio Track.
If there are multiple audio tracks, look for one designated as surround.
If none is designated as surround, try each track to see which one is the surround track.
However, movies you purchase or rent usually do include surround sound information.
iTunes can pass the surround channels to your AV receiver via your Mac’s optical audio connections.
A pop-up menu will appear, allowing you to grab the audio format to pass to your AV receiver.
before you roll, connect and configure the surround speakers or AV receiver to your Mac.
If using surround speakers, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for setup.
DVD Player has existed in a lower-prominence, legacy form since macOS Catalina (10.15).
Depending on which version of the operating system you’re running, the following options may not be available.
From theDVD Playermenu, selectPreferences.
Use theAudio outputdropdown menu to change the audio output to your surround speakers or the built-in digital output.
Play your DVD via the DVD Player app and enjoy the surround channels.
