HDMI Audio Extractor was working, now isn't - help!

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Level 1

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HDMI Audio Extractor was working, now isn't - help!

I bought an HDMI audio extractor to link my 2018 Mac Mini to a big screen and Bose system.

So Mac > extractor with HDMI > TV via HDMI and Bose via optical

TV doesn't have optical output (or it doesn't work) so this seemed the only way. AND IT WORKED!

Then after 10 days of good performance I moved my system around for a more permanent setup, and reconnected in the same way and it didn't work.

I tried the Bose with the same optical cable and another source and that worked so I assume cable is OK
Picture is fine on TV so both HDMI cables seem OK
I even got the supplier to send me a replacement unit, but that didn't work either so unlikely that the issue is the extractor
I've been through settings on my Mac and the TV and can't find anything (not that there is much)
I've tried all the channel options on the extractor (passthru/2.1/5.1) to no avail

Am I missing something? It worked. Now it doesn't.

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Mar 11, 2022 9:11 PM

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Answer 1

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Mar 11, 2022 10:45 PM in response to Scienceboy7

What version macOS? What make-model TV? Most likely macOS has “wisened up” to your extractor, which is not unusual. For example, Airplay to the mini 18 worked briefly even though officially it’s not supposed to. It later got yanked. So your best bet is to rethink a solution which avoids 3rd party unsupported dongles.

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Answer 2

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Mar 12, 2022 11:33 AM in response to Scienceboy7

You're mistaken. HDMI is a 2-way digital protocol complete with secure authentication, content protection, encryption etc. There may be amateurish dongles that claim to work around these protections, buy/believe at your own risk. Apple's implementations are extremely strict, designed to prevent such workarounds, and when they don't they usually get plugged in due course.

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Answer 3

Scienceboy7 Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 12, 2022 9:51 AM in response to hcsitas

Thanks for your feedback.

There is no feedback back through the HDMI signal as far as I'm aware, there's no ARC, it's one way AV traffic where the audio part is copied and outputted as optical digital. How and why could the OS (10.15.7) wisen up even if it was aware? There are many examples of this setup working.

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Answer 4

Scienceboy7 Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 13, 2022 4:12 AM in response to hcsitas

Many thanks once more.

The Mac Mini recognises the TV (it shows Samsung in the Display, Sounds and Midi) and is sending the audio to the TV which is outputting it through its internal speakers. I cannot see how and why Apple would be able to stop a tool copying out the audio, but as you point out, I'm no expert.

I lean to believing there's something in the setup I've missed/changed rather than Apple spending time and money creating something to stop a legitimate fix with no nefarious application. A fix only necessitated because they took the optical audio out of their equipment. I would have assumed there would be a document about it in Apple support but I couldn't find anything pertaining to that. It's not like it's streaming illegal content (ref Airplay).

I hope someone has a different insight that doesn't include shelling out on all new kit.

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Answer 5

hcsitas

Level 6

13,964 points

Mar 13, 2022 5:36 AM in response to Scienceboy7

I wouldn’t hold breath. Until then, save for the new kit, you’ll probably need it. All the best!

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HDMI Audio Extractor was working, now isn't - help!

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