Kanex iAdapt 51 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI w/ 5.1 Channel Digital Audio Cable

greglake,

I too am looking to get the exact same thing that you got there, the Kanex iAdapt 51 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI w/ 5.1 Channel Digital Audio...

I'm glad i found this post before i purchased it, but i think there is an easy solution.

You have to go into your System Preferences>Displays...then click on the Arrangement tab and click the box to "Mirror Displays".

If the sound isn't that good, go back to the System Prefs into Sound>Output, and see if you are able to change it.

Let me know if that works because i am ready to buy it. Thanks!

tool: If you opt to mirror your MBP display on an external monitor or TV set, that monitor or TV will be limited to the same maximum resolution that is available on your built-in display. That's generally lower than the native resolution of the external display, and will result in an unsharp image on it. When using an external display that has a higher native resolution than the MBP's own screen, you will generally want to use it in Extended Desktop mode, not Mirrored mode. That allows it to operate at its native resolution.

Greg: You will need to consult Kanex and/or Onkyo tech support for advice on how to pass the video signal through your receiver to your TV set when feeding the receiver with the Kanex adapter. If they can't help you, the solution is probably to return the Kanex adapter for a refund, buy a simple mini-displayport-to-HDMI adapter like this...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=5311&x=0&y=0

...with which to feed the video directly to the TV set, and use a mini-TOSLink-to-TOSLink cable to feed the audio separately to the receiver.

But I hope Kanex will be able to sort the problem for you. Let us know how it turns out.

eww,

How do i use it in Extended Desktop Mode? I didn't even see that as an option in the Display Prefs.

I just want to make sure i got this straight because you responded to one of my other posts in my thread about basically the very same thing.

I had purchased previously the Mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter & a DVI to HDMI cable to plug into my 46" flatscreen. This did the video, but no audio. So i ended up taking it back and got my $ back on that because i was directed to this Kanex iAdapt 51 Mini DisplayPort to HDMI w/ 5.1 Channel Digital Audio instead.

http://kanexlive.com/products/item.aspx?id=3495

If i get that, then i'll need to get an HDMI to HDMI cable to get that to work and that will do the video and audio, unless i run into another problem like greglake has.

However, if that does not work, then if i get the Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, found here http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&pid=5311&seq=1&format=2, and an HDMI to HDMI cable to plug into the TV....

and then get the Toslink to Mini-Toslink adapter found here http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&pid=1556&seq=1&format=2, and plug that into the back of the TV, will that take care of the audio and video both into the TV and through the surround sound system which is hooked up with HDMI from the TV to the Surround Sound?

If i avoid the Kanex Adapter, will getting the rest of that do the job? Thanks!

tool: Even if I knew exactly how your surround-sound system interacts with your TV set, I'm not sure I would be able to answer all your questions. There are obviously many different AV products on the market configured in many different ways.

What greglake is trying to do — i.e., run both audio and video to an AV receiver, with the receiver sending only the video to his TV set, and the audio going to the receiver's amplifier section and then to the speakers connected to the receiver — should, I think, work straightforwardly. My hunch is that there's some setting he has missed, and Kanex or Onkyo will identify it for him. I hope that's what happens, anyway.

Your situation sounds a bit different to me. You don't mention using an AV receiver as the hub of your AV system, so I presume the TV set itself is the hub of your system. If that's the case, and if your surround-sound system was packaged with the TV set, then I would expect the Kanex adapter and a standard HDMI cable to link your MBP and your TV set, and the TV set to send the 5.1-channel audio signal to the surround-sound system, exactly the same as if you were just connecting an ordinary DVD or Blu-Ray player directly to the TV.

But if the surround-sound system was manufactured by someone other than the maker of the TV, then it may not be such a simple matter to get them to work together, or to handle the Kanex adapter's output properly. This is about as much as I can tell you (and maybe more than I should, given my limited knowledge) in response to your query.

Message was edited by: eww

To toggle between Display Mirroring and Extended Desktop modes, press Command + F1.

Message was edited by: eww

glad you got that working greg,

I haven't bought anything yet, but that's the route i'll probably take...

Sorry i didn't mention the equipment i had. It's a Sony Bravia 46" flatscreen, and the surround sound and everything that it's hooked up to is Sony.

Thank you all too for all of your input.

tool,

did you buy the Kanex iAdapt 51 in the end and does it work with your Sony setup? I have a Sony tv and surround system and want to connect my macbook through the AV unit. Did you encounter any issues?

How to connect this product? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc1zI7LMlls

Only the adapter with Toslink can supports the 5.1 Channel audio. You can get the product through the Link: http://www.cablematters.com/pc-56-26-mini-displayport-male-and-toslink-audiousb- male-to-hdmi-female-adapter.aspx

I just had success making the computer - TV and sound system connections. Hooray!

MacBook Pro 13"
Kanex MiniDisplayPort + Toslink Audio to HDMI Adaptor
Sony TV
Bose sound system

I couldn't get sound on the TV (from the computer) to go to the Bose, so I split the connection:

HDMI to TV
Toslink audio to Bose
The second needed a system change in the Bose. I assigned the digital input to "TV"

To play a video from the computer:
Use Displays in System preferences to "place" the computer and TV
Drag the video to the TV screen
Tell Bose the input is TV

Play.

It works. Cool.

I am a bit confused with your grand solution? Isn't the two connections scheme (HDMI to HDTV and optical audio to AV receiver) is what we try to avoid? In your solution, where is the Kanex iAdapter fits in?

You are right that I've got two connections. Mac video to Kanex to HDMI to TV, and optical audio out from Mac headphone jack to AV system.

I tried both signals to the TV, but I don't have a TV to AV sound connection. My double output puts the video where I want it, and the audio where I want it. Works well for this system.

Phil

Good luck using the Kanex iAdapt 51. It worked for a while but now it isn't working at all:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11267927&#11267927