Davinci Resolve - Surround Sound Studio Output Setup - How to play Surround files in Resolve

Open Audio MIDI Setup

Click on HDMI > Output and make sure

The Source is Crestron

Format is 8 Ch 24 Bit 48kHz

Or in some studios The Source is Extron HDMI

Format is 8 Ch 24 Bit 48kHz

Check on Configure Speakers at the bottom

Notice that in the latest versions of the OS - Sequioia

HDMI output to Crestron or Extron

Center and sub are switched

Should be Center =3 and Sub = 4 but not in the latest OS

Currently Center = 4 and Sub = 3 

If you click the little speaker at the side to test you'll hear the audio going out the right speaker

Open Davinci Resolve

When you get trough the prompts

Open a New Project or Existing Project

Click on Media Tab and add 5.1 clips to media pool

Find the 2K clip with the 5.1 interleaved audio that was exported

Right click it and choose "Add into Media Pool"

Choose to Change the frame rate

Click "Change"

If you have a .mxf that AVID exported it is a surround file but we have to tell Davinci that it is 5.1

If your file is not an .mxf then skip the next 4 steps and go to creating a timeline

MXF Only

- Right click the MXF File and choose >Clip Attributes

Everyone follow the rest of the workflow

Make a new timeline

Next - Go to the Edit Tab

Right click in the Media Pool area

>Choose >Timeline>CreateNew Timeline

Set the Timeline to be 1 Video Track

1 audio track that is 5.1

Uncheck Empty Timeline

Click on "Create"

Next go to >Fairlight>Bus Format

Choose Format 5.1

Click on OK

choose the Fairlight tab at the bottom of the application to enter the Fairlight mode

In the Fairlight mode click on Fairlight>Patch Input/Output

Choose Source Bus Out  

Next select source channels L, R, C, Lfe, Ls, Rs in this order by clicking on the channels bus out or Track Direct seem to work

Then on Destination click on channels 1-6 in order

They will have a white border around the boxes like this

Then click on Patch

Next we need to fix the channel routing for Channels 3 and 4

Select Crestron/Extron HDMI

3: Buss 1C and 4: Bus 1- LFe

Choose Unpatch

Choose Bus 1 - C and 4: Extron/Crestron HDMI

Choose Patch

Choose Bus 1 - LFE and 3: Extron/Crestron HDMI

Choose Patch

Now you see the patches are correct

for 5.1 monitoring

close the window

Note every timeline you make you have to do the bus format and the patching or else it won't play right.

UNPATCH everything and the RE-Patch kinda buggy

Now play the timeline

you will see the 6 channels playing back

like this

On the Crestron Touch Panel to test the output

Choose Advanced and then Surround Sound

If you don't see this button

You are not in a surround sound room that will play in 5.1 multi channel

Keep at Auto and you should be able to mute channels as needed to check the audio.