Using Arraysync with 5.1 or 7.1 dolby surround sound?

[a_olga]

I'm in the process of preparing a 4 channel video installation with multi-channel sound, played back hopefully with mac mini's using array sync, which i've used several times in the past with great success. I'm wondering if it's possible to playback the following files using array sync:
1) a prores quicktime file with AC3 audio and be able to go out of the line output with an optical cable to an amp/decoder
2) a quicktime file with an interleaved multichannel audio file that could then be mapped to an external sound card

Granted in these scenarios, only one of the 4 videos has the audio files on them.

I'm trying to think through my set-up to figure out what is possible, it would be great to get feedback on this.
Thanks in advance!

[Turboladdade]

I honestly have never tried multi-channel sound with ArraySync. I believe it might be possible since QuickTime is handling the video playback and audio playback, ArraySync is only sending it instructions on where to place the video. Your best bet is going to be trying it out via a process of trial and error. I would try to use Apple Intermediate Codec instead of ProRes though, if you can. I find AIC to have better results — ProRes seems to breakdown with the constant minor adjustments to play position that ArraySync makes while synchronizing the videos.