surround mixing

[misterjay]

Hi I am trying to configure pro tools so that I can mix in 5.1 but have a way of monitoring the fold down in stereo. I have worked out that I need a 5.1 aux to send all the individual channels to. I figured that I could have six mono aux i/p's and make the i/p 5.1 but i can't seem to monitor the output. Has anyone done anything similar or have any bright ideas.
many thanks.

[CCash]

Your question's a little convoluted, and I don't know what an i/p is, but you could try setting it up like this:

Create 6 mono aux inputs like you said, each one being part of the 5.1 bus (you'll need to make sub-paths in the I/O setup window for busses). On each of these aux tracks, set up a send to a stereo bus.

For the left and right, pan them respectively and keep the level at unity (zero).
For the center, pan center and reduce .5 dB. (Pro Tools lowers 2.5dB when panned center; add .5 for a total of 3dB).
For left and right surround pan respectively and lower each 6dB.

This is off the top of my head... so trying to work out the monitoring situation... you could make sends from the 5.1 auxes to the stereo bus pre-fader, monitor the stereo aux out of the L and R of the 5.1 main out (unless you have a slick monitor controller), and mute either the 5.1 or the stereo bus to A/B.