Mini Displayport to HDMI, how to enable sound? What model MBP is required?

You need the Griffin MDP to HDMI adapter. It seems to be the only one that supports audio to HDMI

http://store.apple.com/us/product/TY600VC/A?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

If your MBP is a 2010 model, it should work fine. But not with the adapter you have.

I don't think so. Google is your friend I guess... When it works, you will see the Make/Model of the TV show up in the sound output prefs.

Should the option exist regardless in sound preferences...

I should have been more clear. No the option will not show up until the the cable is connected and a TV is connected to the HDMI port.

I bought the cheap Mini DisplayPort -> HDMI adpater for less than USD5 from Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HU629E/ref=oss_product

The model which I get is Z08, which claim it can stream the audio through HDMI.

At first, I connected it to Samsung Plasma TV, and I can see pictures, but NO audio, usng OSX 10.6.4, and so disappointed. But wait, I also installed GNU/Linux Slackware64 13.1 in this MBP 15" Hires.

Here is the dmesg output...
$ dmesg | grep HDMI

HDMI hot plug event: Pin=5 Presence_Detect=1 ELD_Valid=0
HDMI hot plug event: Pin=5 Presence_Detect=1 ELD_Valid=0
HDMI hot plug event: Pin=5 Presence_Detect=1 ELD_Valid=1
HDMI: detected monitor SAMSUNG
at connection type HDMI
HDMI: available speakers: FL/FR
HDMI: supports coding type LPCM: channels = 2, rates = 44100 48000 88200, bits = 16 20

and how GNU/Linux's ALSA see the audio devices?

$ aplay -l | grep NVIDIA
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]

Ooo.. there are 4 HDMI audio devices listed... so which one? Not need guess, just try them all 🙂


Ok, I am a 'hardcore' MPlayer user, and here how stream the sound through HDMI

$ mplayer -ao alsa:device=hw=1.7 movie.mkv

means: mplayer plays movie.mkv with sound streamed through alsa device= card1.device 7.

Previously, I tried 1.3, and no luck, so I tried 1.7 and, viola.... sound from the Plasma TV!!!. Yes, MBP HDMI audio stream IS WORKING, even with less USD 5 adapter.

BTW, if you dmesg using OSX 10.6.4, you will can see, OSX also can detect the HDMI audio out, but, at the same time, it also showing errors while initializing it.

So, others, do, post your dmesg output (related to the sound) here, and hope OSX developers can investigate this issue.

Thank you...

FYI, I am using MBP 6,2 (Mid 2010 model)


Here is the OSX kernel log message 'error' when I connect the HDMI to Samsung plasma TV.

Jul 20 17:52:02 penguin kernel[0]: Sound assertion ""Graphics vendor supplied 'audio-codec-index' property by 2nd kIOHDAMessageIOFramebufferDidChange!"" failed in "/SourceCache/AppleHDA/AppleHDA-187.4.1/AppleHDAController/AppleHDAController.c pp" at line 2080 goto handler

Thank you.

Your MBP does output audio through its Mini-Displayport. You will need to get an adapter that really does support it, rather than just claiming to do so. Try the Moshi or Griffin adapters recommended by Apple.

Yes, I know there are adapters which support OSX and MBP, out of the box.

But, in this case, I have proved that, the OSX have problems to stream audio out through 'cheap' adapter. Refer to OSX's system/dmesg log which I posted earlier. OSX did detects HDMI audio!.

By using GNU/Linux, I can use the 'cheap' adapter. with just few options. So, in this case, nothing is wrong with the 'cheap' adapter.

So, I think with proper 'adjustment' or tweaks or software updates in OSX, I think we can enjoy HDMI audio using HDMI audio capable 'cheap' adapters.

Pleasecorrect me, if I am wrong.

Thank you. 🙂

You may be right. But given a choice between a slightly more expensive product that does what it's advertised to do without any rigmarole, and a cheap product whose manufacturer makes claims for it that it doesn't fulfill without my having to perform a bunch of voodoo, I'll spend a little more to support the honest manufacturer every time.

You are right. If you can spend a bit, just get the Apple approved adapters.

BTW, I have freedom of choices. 🙂 I can get and try any of these 'cheap' adapters, and make it works on MBP. I don't know whether Apple had the intention NOT to 'support' the 'cheap' adapters, because, OSX can detect it already. So, what the 'cheap' adapter's product claim is true, eventhough I have to use GNU/Linux to make it workable. Does this means, GNU/Linux has BETTER HW support than OSX ?

I asking/plead Apple to update the OSX and make it working with these 'cheap' hdmi audio capable adapters, and prove that OSX is better than GNU/Linux (in this particular aspect) on Apple's own's HW. 🙂

Thank you.

Apple has no need to prove that OS X is "better" than GNU/Linux, because very few users are interested in wrangling with GNU/Linux when OS X is so much simpler to use and is supported so much better (by Apple and by these forums). The vast majority of MBP users aren't bothered at all by a one-time investment of $5-$10 extra for an adapter that works with their preferred operating system. The few who want to learn GNU/Linux are welcome to do so, and can apparently save a handful of dollars on their HDMI adapters as a reward for their extra work.

Excellent point.

Yes, Apple not need to prove anything, but at least Apple can make users happy. Remember what Steve Jobs said in the latest press conference? "We're not perfect" (I know, the conference is for iPhone 4". Yup, nothing is perfect, but, Apple can make it better and make users happy. Steve Jobs also said in his slide "We love our users", "We try very hard to surprise & delight them" , and I am also ONE of Apple's users, and make us surprise and delight, in this matter.

This is not about which OS is better, but, urging Apple to make OSX has better compatibility with wider varieties of hardware, 'if they care'.

Thank you.

Ref:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/live-from-apples-iphone-4-press-conference/

In a different thread here yesterday, two of our regular contributors — Dave Sawyer and Network 23 — commented thoughtfully on the lack of HDMI ports on MBPs (and, I would add, the same comments probably explain the lack of an Apple-made mini-Displayport-to-HDMI adapter):

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2523255&tstart=100

It doesn't seem that Apple is interested in actively supporting or promoting HDMI connections to most Mac models, preferring to focus on the much more capable and flexible Displayport standard instead.

It seemed that iMac users also faced the same problem with OSX 10.6.4, and even using the 'APPROVED' adapters.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2467284&tstart=30

So, let's wait and see how fast Apple can solve this problem, "IF THEY CARE". 🙂