Mac Mini (Intel) - No audio via digital optical

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Mac Mini (Intel) - No audio via digital optical

My audio was working fine previously with a standard stereo cable, but today I've tried switching to an optical cable and the sound no longer works. If I watch the Sound preference pane as I connect and disconnect the optical cable, I can see it switching between Headphones (old/stereo cable) and Digital output. Based on some other threads I've found on this subject I've also tried launching Audio MIDI Setup, and in the output section it just has the message "Output is not supported".

Has anyone come across this issue?

For reference it's a 1.83ghz Intel Mac Mini running Leopard 10.5.2.

Thanks,

Tom

MBA 1.8 SSD, MBP 17" HD C2D 2.4ghz, Mac Mini CD 2.16, Mac OS X (10.5.2), AppleTV, Airport Extreme, Touch

Posted on Mar 29, 2008 10:33 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 29, 2008 5:25 PM in response to tomwynne

In Audio MIDI Setup switch the "Properties For:" to Built-in Output.

You do have a digital audio decoder connected, right?

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Answer 2

tomwynne Author

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Mar 29, 2008 5:29 PM in response to Cup of Tea

Yes, I managed to work that out after posting and now the options are visible, sadly none of the options there made any difference. And yes, it's connected to my digital amplifier (Pioneer VSX-D912).

Unlike most components that I've used optical connections with, I don't see any light emitting from the output jack on the Mini. Is that normal?

Is there anything else I can try?

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Answer 3

Mar 29, 2008 6:10 PM in response to tomwynne

Are you sure that it's not the Pioneer? That sounds like a silly question, but it's meant in earnest. Also, are you confident that the new digital cable has a plug long enough to engage the digital features of the port?

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Answer 4

tomwynne Author

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Mar 29, 2008 7:03 PM in response to Steve Baird

I'm reasonably certain it's not the Pioneer as I have other digital components (1 optical, 2 coaxial) connected to it and working perfectly. I'm also fairly comfortable that the plug is activating digital as I can see it change in the preference pane when I insert the plug (removing it goes back to internal, and inserting the stereo cable switches to Headphones).

I'm concerned by the fact that no light is visible from the port, even when the optical mini adapter is inserted by itself (without the toslink plugged into it). On the Macbook Pro red light was always visible when the port was active, as it is on other components I have. Can anyone confirm if you can see the light emitting from yours?

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Answer 5

mc0rp

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Apr 3, 2008 12:20 PM in response to tomwynne

Positive - the light's on when I look at the optical mini-jack plug. Make another simple test: plug in the optical jack and see if you're still able to pump the volume up/down with the apple remote (should show the audio regulation feature disabled).

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