5.1 Audio Interface for Macbook Pro

I am a theatrical and cinematic sound designer. I own a Macbook Pro (Mid 2012). I would like to start working with 5.1 surround audio, but I have no idea what kind of interface would allow me to use 5.1 audio. Can anyone give me a good recommendation?

Answer from Parker612 on 5.1 surround on macbook pro:
OUTPUT SURROUND SOUND FROM YOUR MAC: (simplest way)
(*Check first to see if your Mac is capable of outputting surround sound through the Mini Displayport. Most models before early 2009 are not able to output multi-channel audio)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
- Use a Mini Display Port to HDMI cable and connect the HDMI into the Blu-Ray/DVD HDMI input on the receiver and the Mini Display to the Mini Display Port on your Mac.
- Go to System Preferences on your Mac. Click on the "Sound" icon. Then in the "Output" tab, select SONYAVAMP - HDMI
- Then go into Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup. On the left side of the window select HDMI. On the right side it then should say "Source: SONY AVAMP"
- Click the "Configure Speakers..." button in the bottom right of the window. Click the "Multichannel" tab. Then select "5.1 Surround" from the pull down menu. Click on each speaker to provide a test tone to make sure each is connect properly. Then click on "Apply"
- Last set is to go into the DVD Player to test it. Go to "Preferences" and click on the "Disc Setup" tab. Under Audio at the bottom of the window select "Digital Out - SONY AVAMP" from the drop down menu for "Audio output" *You now have 5.1 Channel Surround Sound from you Mac!

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your question is easy to get lots of responses, but difficult to come up with any truths... mainly because much of this question is very very qualitatively different for different people.
where to start with some of the questions...
do you need low latency - do multi-track recordings, or simply audio down in independent takes?
how many channels do you need to record at any 1 time?
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http://www.gracedesign.com/products/V3/lunatecV3.htm
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Apogee Mini-Me USB option
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/miniseries.php
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Apogee also has the firewire option card coming up and the reason that I suggested the Mini-Me with USB option vs. FW, is that you could also get a Mini-DAC equipped with FW and then when you need to, can plug the digital output of the Mini-Me into the Mini-DAC and use the FW interface (with up to 96k up / 192k down) to the computer... so would basically have the choice of USB or FW with this combo.
obviously the above options are very limited and hardly qualify as "interfaces" in the traditional sense, unless you have very minimal I/O requirements, but my application requires only 2 channels and battery power for me is a must.
my idea of portable might also be different than yours. that expresscard solution looks good if you can afford it.

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Mike Boreham wrote:
You can download the 2.1 drivers separately from here....I think
http://files.geoffgarside.co.uk/bootcamp/Drivers/IDT%20SigmaTel/
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Message was edited by: Mike Boreham

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What is the best antivirus for MacBook Pro?

1. This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.
If you find this comment too long or too technical, read only sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
For the reasons given above, App Store products, and other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. OS X security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is presumably effective against known attacks, but maybe not against unknown attacks. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. XProtect, Gatekeeper, and MRT reduce the risk of malware attack, but they're not absolute protection. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.
That means, in practice, that you never use software that comes from an untrustworthy source, or that does something inherently untrustworthy. How do you know what is trustworthy?
Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
Software that purports to help you do something that's illegal or that infringes copyright, such as saving streamed audio or video for reuse without permission, is unsafe. All YouTube "downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily harmful.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe.
Even signed applications, no matter what the source, should not be trusted if they do something unexpected, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.
Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself from malware.
7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. Any database of known threats is always going to be out of date. Most of the danger is from unknown threats. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free anti-virus products in the Mac App Store — nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?
Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
8. An anti-malware product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An anti-virus app is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exe
Anti-virus software may be able to tell you which particular virus or trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use the software unless a network administrator requires you to do it.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
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I recently purchased an Onkyo stereo receiver with a wireless USB adapter, UWF-1, and want to stream audio from my MacBook Pro through my stereo system. The receiver tells me it is connected to my wireless LAN, but I cannot get music to play?

New to the community here, thanks for your patience. I recently purchased an Onkyo TX-8050 Network Stereo Receiver with the UWF-1 USB adapter with the intent to stream audio from my MacBook Pro to the stereo. I have gone through the setup instructions for the adapter and the receiver gives me a message saying that it is connected to the password protected network, but that is as far as I can get.
I have gone into iTunes and clicked on the "Open Stream" option, but I just get a pop up box labeled "URL" that is empty. I have Home Sharing turned on and File Sharing turned on, but I am not seeing the receiver in my Finder window or as a iTunes device.
I would appreciate any and all advice and assistance.
Thanks so much.
Dan

So I have been searching the iStore for Airplay and I find lots of information about what it is, but nothing about how much it costs, how/where to buy it, etc.?
Fortunately, AirPlay does not cost anything as it is a streaming protocol used by Apple. Currently, the AirPort Express and Apple TV are AirPlay-ready. A number of other companies, like JBL, iHome, Denon and Klipsch are also rumored to be working on AirPlay versions of their products.
Your other option would be to get an AirPort Express and connect it to your Onkyo analog or optical digital audio input and stream from iTunes that way. I currently do this with my 10+ year old Harmon Kardon HT receiver.

How can I know if my new internal hd for macbook pro is compatible?

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Your machine has a SATA 2 interface and I'm sure the new drives are SATA 3. They should still step down and work though. It's possible your SATA cable is marginal and the newer drive is trying to demand more out of it than the old one did. A good test would be to put the new drive in an external enclosure and see if it works ok from there. If so, it's probably the cable.
http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Aluminum-Enclosure-EC-TB4P/dp/B005EIGUD4/ ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1394657992&sr=1-2&keywords=2.5+enclosure
How did you install Mavericks on the new drive?

HT4241 Will this work for Macbook Pro (mid 2009) laptop

Will the mini display port to HDMI adapter work for Macbook Pro (mid 2009) laptop. I mean, will both audio and video be transmitted through the same adapter.

See
About Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters
iMac (Late 2009), MacBook Pro (Mid 2010), MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)- HDMI audio doesn't work with some adapters

What Blue Microphone is best for MacBook Pro?

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Hi Melophage,
Thanks for your helpful reply
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I am wanting in input audio to a MacBook Pro running 10.9.4. Since there is only the internal microphone as an input choice, how do I accomplish this?

Not something I've ever done, but I found a 9-year-old article from MacWorld -> http://www.macworld.com/article/1041790/tapetocd.html - that explains it a bit. Apparently the only software that you need is GarageBand and a hardware interface. Just Google "copy audio cassette to mac" and you'll get tons of hits.
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Audio interfaces for STP

Has anyone used any of these audio interfaces with soundtrack pro? I want something to monitor surround and also be able to take it out and record surround.
Focusrite Saffire Pro 10
Presonus Firestudio Project
MOTU 8pre
Thanks,
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I'd go with MOTU 8pre. The sound quality is very good for the price and the drivers are probably the most stable in the business.

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The audio on my macbook pro cuts out after a few minutes. It sounds like all the low end is removed. I still hear audio but it is MUCH lower and sounds filtered. I can barely hear it maxed out. Nothing attached (no external drives, no speakers, etc) and it's only a few days old.

Apple store pronto. If need be (if less than 14 days from purchase) exchange for a new one!
Ciao.

5.1 Audio Interface for Macbook Pro

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