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No sound over Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter

I bought a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter (http://www.cables2u.co.uk/mini-displayport-hdmi-socket-p-844.html) and this adapter should allow the transmission of both video and audio. Video works fine but no audio is transmitted when I connect my MacBook Air to a HDTV, and there is not even an option to do so under System Preferences > Sound > Output (Internal Speakers is the only option available). Any suggestions?

MacBook Air 11.6 (1.6 GHz, 4GB), Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Nov 7, 2010 6:24 AM

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Posted on Sep 12, 2011 1:09 AM

DisplayPort to HDMI Sound is actually set up by using the MIDI setup utility found in :


Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup.


If you purchased an iWires cable direct from Apple the instructions are in the printed booklet that comes in the packaging. Most people don't read this as it's normally the case that when you plug a cable in to anything it just works (VCR, TiVo, Xbox, video camera etc). In this instance Apple are failing to live up to their catch-phrase as final setup is NOT intuitive; "it just DOESN'T work".


The booklet instructions basically say do the following,


Video


System Preferences > Displays. There are 3 tabs in the window; Displays, Arrangement and Color. Be sure you are on the Displays tab. Bottom left of the window tick "Show displays in menu bar" and then bottom right click "Detect Displays".


Now click on the tab named Arrangement. Bottom left of the window tick "Mirror Displays".


You should now only see 2 tabs, Display and Color. Be sure you are on the Displays tab. Select the desired resolution for your TV (probably 1080i). leave all other settings at their default values.


Sound


System Preferences > Sound. There are 3 tabs in the window; Sound Effects, Output and Input. Be sure you are on the Sound Effects tab. Middle of the window select your TV where it says "Play sound effects through:".


Select the middle tab named Output.


Select your TV from the drop-down list next to HDMI, below where it says "Select a device for sound output".


Using either Finder or Launchpad go to Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup.


On the left-hand side of the window you should now see HDMI. In the middle of the window, on the Output tab, where it says "Source:" select your TV from the drop-down list.


This last action below is NOT described in the iWires notes but was required in my case, it may also be required in yours. If you CANNOT see a speaker icon next to HDMI in the list on the left, do the following:


Bottom left of the window select the wheel icon with the down-pointing triangle. Make sure that sound output is selected and that you can now see a speaker icon next to HDMI in the list of devices.


If you still cannot hear sound, log out of your account and then log back in.


You will now have sound coming out of your TV from your computer 🙂


You may have to do some or all of the above to get sound out of your TV from your computer using the DisplayPort to HDMI cable. On my Aug 2011 MacbookPro I had to do ALL of the above. If you take your laptop to a different TV you will have to do it all again so be warned.


Hope this helps.

121 replies

Mar 27, 2013 5:32 PM in response to Johnny112

I've heard back from Apple on the bug I filed on this.


Not sure who's to blame here, but it sounds like more poor design from consumer-electronics vendors and stardard-setting bodies.


There are two collections of display formats for monitors: Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) modes and DMT modes. I can't find any definition of what DMT stands for.


Audio over HDMI will only work in CEA modes. You can find a list of these modes here:

http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5021


From the quick reading I've done, it seems that monitors might select DVI operation when in non-CEA modes, and DVI doesn't carry audio. Of course, this is bad design, because who knows what resolutions future monitors may use. And what about audio-only devices? Most A/V receivers today have HDMI inputs, but don't have any "resolution": Why should they not extract audio from an HDMI stream regardless of resolution?


The question for Apple is why audio-compatible modes aren't indicated in the Displays dialog.

Mar 29, 2013 11:25 PM in response to SlugBlanket

Hello O wise one!


Thanks heaps for the info regarding getting the output audio to my Samsung SmartTV.
It worked a treat for everything apart from one, the audio that plays from my FIFA 12
game still comes from my computer speakers, I personally think this has something
to do with the games capabilities but would really
like the sound to come out the tv speakers while playing.


Considering your knowledge any assistance would be great.

Apr 1, 2013 8:12 AM in response to PiotrAustralia

Hmm, that's strange to say the least re: your FIFA game. I don't game on my mac so I can't even try to replicate your issue with an(y)other game. I would be sceptical about the issue being caused by your game however since I think any program is using the basic routines and system calls to the sound system to output sounds. When you hook the mac up using any HDMI cable, all that we are doing is telling the system to route sound along the cable in order for the next device to handle it i.e. your TV.


Try this... play a movie or itunes music on your mac with the HDMI cable hooked up to the TV in the usual manner to ensure that sound is coming out of the TV. Once you are sure that all is fine, stop the movie / music and then start your FIFA game. If you then get sound from the FIFA game then all is well and you were just suffering a glitch. If you don't get sound, stop the FIFA game and immediately start to play the same movie/music and see if you get sound. If you do get sound then it's definately the game, if you don't then it's a mac system issue. You could also try logging out of your mac account and then logging back in before you start the FIFA game and see if that helps.


I'd be interested in hearing if any of these solutions worked for you.


Regards,


SlugBlanket

Apr 6, 2013 6:09 PM in response to Matis

⚠⚠⚠ READ THIS ⚠⚠⚠


It might be your solution!


first ill share my problem, maybe its the same as yours. my problem was i was not getting audio out to my tv. i changed the setting to output form Internet to my tv but it did not work.


TO FIX MY ISSUE THIS IS WHAT I DID.


Applications>Utilities> Audio MIDI setup


i selected the HDMI tab on the left side. my source was my Toshiba -TV


under source there is a FORMAT tab with different options. i went down the list and tested each one. when i say down i mean from highest to lowest. to test each sound hit "configure speakers" then click on the "left front" be prepared to jump, it scared me the first time. after testing if you did not hear a sound click done, under the format tab select the next size down and test it until it works.


this might change the setting for all HDMI TVs you plug in and some might be able to pick up the 96000.0 Hz.


I hope this helps cuz it took me 2 nights to find info on the Internet and use some personal experimenting to figure this out 😝

Apr 11, 2013 2:45 PM in response to Matis

Just had this same problem (as OP) with a 2011+ Macbook Pro (Lightning port).


Excellent advice here to check Mac settings - all ok but no sound on a Panasonic TX-P42GT50B plasma TV with Panasonic soundbar using Display Port to HDMI cable that should carry audio.


Turns out you have to plug the HDMI cable into the TV when it's off/ on standby. Plugging it in when TV is on cuts all the sound off! Maybe for other brands too???


Now works fine when plugged into Macbook - computer prompts to switch sound to HDMI output - volume contolled through TV. Sweet. Just the video buffering now......

Jun 28, 2013 4:49 AM in response to Stokestack

I have a macbook pro from end of 2010 + hama mini diaplayport to hdmi + osx lion 10.7 + sony bravia '50

My mac only detects the Sony TV, i don't see hdmi sound options anywhere (sound options/midi control).

My TV and macbook pro resolutions differ, i dont have one that matches.


So, do i have to live with this problem because i dont have osx 10.8?

Does this happen only with a hama adaptor? If so, i will buy a apple adaptor!

Jun 28, 2013 11:13 AM in response to Metallion

I don't have an Apple-brand adapter either. I have an inexpensive one from some online source.


The problem isn't that the resolution of the TV doesn't match the computer; before Apple fixed the bug, the OS wouldn't send audio over HDMI if the secondary monitor was set to something other than the canned "1080p" or "720p" resolutions in System Preferences. For example, mine is 1920 x 1200, so the OS shut off HDMI audio.


If you don't even see HDMI sound options, you appear to have a different problem. It's as if the HDMI connection isn't even being detected. I don't know what issues there were with 10.7. Also, there were MacBooks that didn't support audio over HDMI, but I don't know when that ended. I think that's mentioned higher up in this thread, or you can search the Web for that specifically.

Jul 18, 2013 6:08 AM in response to Matis

I rencently bought a Moshi Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. My TV displays my imac perfectly fine but there is no sound.

The HDMI is not an option in either sound output (sound<<system preferences) or Audio Midi Setup.

But in bootcamp sound output works perfectly fine. I'm using the imac 27' mid 2011 (iMac 12,2) (os 10.8.4)

I've tried many NVRAM and PRAM reset, also SMC reset.


1. TV is displayed as an output for Display

2. TV is NOT displayed as an output for Sound


I had a new workspace so i bought a new 1.4 Hdmi cable (15 meter)

First, I think the problem is my hdmi cable so i bought another one which it had the same result.


Then, I've tried to connect with my friend's mid 2011 mbp (older os than me) which it works perfect on both cable and also show my TV as a sound output.


LastIy, I found my old 1.3 Hdmi cale (2 meter) so i tested it which surprisingly i've got a sound output to choose.




Is My problem came from the Hdmi cable or the adapter though?


If it caused by the cable, why is that MBP detected my TV sound output but my imac can't.


Any other way for it to be detected? It's working with video however.

Aug 15, 2013 2:26 PM in response to softworm

For me, with our LCD LG TV, sound is adjusted via our TV remote, not the computer. If you see your computer sound icon greyed out, then use your TV remote for sound adjustment, Cha ching!

With the purchase of a mini port > HDMI adapter for less than $5 from Amazon, I was able to connect my computer to a HDMI > HDMI cord to our TV and had NFL Football game up and playing on the TV in about ten minutes! We cut the cable cord and now use our Roku for Internet TV. NFL games are available through nfl.recount.com on a 24 hour delay and play perfectly through the computer to the TV seamlessly. So Monday night football is now Tuesday night football and my hubby gets to watch every game of his beloved Raiders or any other team of his choice.

I have a mid 2011 Macbook Air so no Thunderbolt, dont need it to view on TV. Freedom from cable TV, whats not to love?

Oct 13, 2013 8:25 PM in response to Matis

I had the same issue and tried a dozen different things, even purchasing several different cables and adapters. In the end, the solution was stupidly simple. I disconnected the HDMI cable from the side of the TV and reconnected using the second HDMI port located on the back of the TV. The sound worked perfectly fine after that, even using the cheapest cable and adapter I purchased on Amazon.

Oct 21, 2013 6:19 AM in response to JonnyBoy101

I have a fix for those who cannot select their TV/HDMI as the output setting through Audio Midi.


Applications>Utilities> Audio MIDI setup > Right click your TV/HDMI output > Select as output device *****If this option is not available*********> Click the Gear icon at the bottom left > Choose Create Multi-Output Device > Make the HDMI your Output source > After creation it will show on your list of outputs--Right click your multi-output device and choose as the output.


Voila your TV is now pushing sound....

No sound over Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter

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