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Attaching 2 extra HDMI monitors to my M2 mini?

I have a 32" TV and a 24" Benq monitor both equipped with HDMI ports.


I have also got two USB-C to HDMI converters.


Using a converter with the TV plugged into one of the USB-C Thunderbolt sockets works fine but when I plug the Benq into the second Thunderbolt socket nothing happens.


Is this normal - only one socket can be used to power an HDMI monitor? Or am I doing something wrong?


My primary 27" monitor is plugged into the mini's HDMI socket.

Mac mini

Posted on Oct 15, 2024 8:16 AM

Reply
14 replies

Oct 16, 2024 3:40 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Ian R. Brown wrote:

I have decided it was one of those things that sounds like a good idea at first sight but proves not to be.

Much better to simply use the best speakers for everything and in any case I have just noticed the little dropdown menu in the menu bar that allows instant changes to the output devices.

Which brings me to one minor point. After downloading the trial version of SoundSource I discovered an open source alternative called Background Music.

Although I deleted everything from both apps, the name Background Music persists in the menu bar dropdown and also System Settings.

Any ideas of how to remove it?


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/0504d039-f843-4c81-bc67-9c85b1219549


Since the software does not come with an uninstaller, you'll have to do it manually. The only thing left is to figure out where it installs things. I had to search a bit, but that was not too difficult.


In Finder, press Command-Shift-G and paste


/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL



Then drag the "Background Music.driver" folder (*)

to the trash, and Restart your mac.


(*) The name may not be exactly that, as I have uninstalled it already, but in any case it starts with Background Music and has extension .driver

Don't delete anything else there.



Oct 15, 2024 9:00 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Hi, Ian. Do you want:

a) all audio to come from all speakers at once, or

b) audio from one application coming from one set of speakers, and another application to come from a different set of speakers?


If it's a), you just need to create a new "Multi-Output Device", including both displays.

This is done in Audio MIDI Setup.

Then just select this new audio device as your audio output.


If it's b), I think you will probably need some third party application that can redirect audio from each application to a different device.I don't have an answer right now, except that it must exist. If this is what you want, let me know, and I will search a bit more.

Oct 16, 2024 2:53 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

I have decided it was one of those things that sounds like a good idea at first sight but proves not to be.


Much better to simply use the best speakers for everything and in any case I have just noticed the little dropdown menu in the menu bar that allows instant changes to the output devices.


Which brings me to one minor point. After downloading the trial version of SoundSource I discovered an open source alternative called Background Music.


Although I deleted everything from both apps, the name Background Music persists in the menu bar dropdown and also System Settings.


Any ideas of how to remove it?


Oct 16, 2024 5:30 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

You are partly correct but there's rather more to it that has just dawned on me as I started writing the reply.


Yes, I looked incorrectly into my user Library but on finding it "empty" I then went to the Macintosh HD Library which was also empty.


A few moments ago I suddenly realised that as I am booting my mini from a Crucial SSD, that is where I should be looking for the Library not the Mac HD and of course that is where the HAL folder is situated!



Oct 15, 2024 8:36 AM in response to Phil0124

Thanks Phil. It's the basic M2 as you guessed.


Reading that article carefully I now realise that 2 is the maximum . . I thought it was 2 in addition to the primary one!


I do have another query.


I want to use the secondary monitor to view video tutorials whilst I follow them with FCP/Resolve on the primary. However, when I play the tutorial on the secondary monitor the audio comes out of the primary speakers. If I change the setting in System Settings I can get the audio from the secondary speakers but not from the primary ones.


I am sure that a few months ago when I was using a different monitor I was getting audio from both as appropriate.


Is there some setting to allow both sets of speakers to work simultaneously?

Oct 15, 2024 9:27 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I think it's b I want.


A few months ago I was using a tiny 17" USB-C monitor along with my primary 27".


When I was playing a tutorial video on the small monitor the tutor's squeaky voice came from its speakers and when I was working FCP the audio came from the main monitor automatically with no input from me.


When I got the 2 adaptors today I plugged in the TV and immediately the sound came from its speakers but now it has to be one set or the other. Unless my previous recollections were mistaken!

Oct 16, 2024 1:36 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Brilliant suggestion as always Luis.


I now have FCP playing its audio on my primary setup whilst QT Player is mapped to play "tutorial" audio on my 32" HDTV . . . there's just one problem, the audio from the TV sounds crap compared to that from my Harman/Kardon speakers!


Maybe having all the sound coming from the H/Ks is not such a bad idea . . .

Oct 16, 2024 4:02 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

It worked! Yet another brilliant response . . . is there anything you don't know?


HOWEVER, before I received your reply I discovered some info about the HAL folder and holding down the Option key I navigated to Go/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins BUT there was no sign of a HAL folder, so it was with some doubts that I followed your instructions . . . but there it was!


Why didn't it show up when I navigated there originally (twice!)?

Attaching 2 extra HDMI monitors to my M2 mini?

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