[Clint Hernandez]

Why would I need to output in 5.1 via hardware?

I actually have no clue about mixing what so ever. Though I know it is complicated.
But I do know most mixing takes place in large facilities, where one guy or girl does effects, another music, another adr, etc, I don't need a complicated system like that.

I only desire to work on my own films, where I will have the m/e and dialogue on the same Mac tower system. Being said, I want to create my own approach to mixing, or learn that the complicated 5.1 is indeed necessary, more worth it, and more expensive.

Correct me if I am wrong, is this how most people are doing it? Lucas sound, other good sound studios.

1 - l - Music / Effects /
2 - c - Dialogue only
3 - R - Music / Effects /
4 - LS - Some Effecst and Dialogue when needed
5 - RS - Some Effecst and Dialogue when needed
6 - LFE - Bass Mix Effects only/ Bass from Music

This is what I want to do;
Bring in all my elements into the protool le 6.9 I have. For the surround sound, for the desired and effects I wish to surround the audience in, simply copy and paste from channels 1,3 into 4,5 and not even enter the mixing module. Then once my mix is complete in the protools le recording module, export as 6 files, one for each track, then assign them in Apack, and I got an .ac3, wallah?

This may be amateurish, but will it even work? Is the hardware 5.1 outputting even necessary at all?

Im using an MBox, I been told to use an mbox pro with the 6 channels, but do I need that? I wish to go all digitally using files, etc.

Yay or nay? Any advice would be appreciated greatly.

Thanks! Happy new years.