Optical Audio output format?

The Optical Audio out from my Apple TV is not being seen by my stereo. My theory is that my stereo Dolby Digital converter is old (circa ~1997? Yamaha DDP-2) and may only accept Dolby Digital AC-3. Is the Apple TV optical audio format sending a different signal? The audio is coming through HDMI to my TV just fine.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Apr 11, 2011 5:52 PM

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6 replies

Apr 12, 2011 11:46 AM in response to Poguelife

For stereo audio it outputs linear PCM 16 bit 48 kHz (AppleTV 44.1kHz).

Dolby digital 5.1 is output as a 5.1 bitstream.

Does your processor handle linear PCM audio? If so, does it support above 44.1 kHz - for example have you ever connected a CD player to it or played a CD to it via a DVD player?

You can get the manual at yamaha usa if you don't have it but it requires registration so I didn't look at it.

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/amps/ddp-2/?mode=mod el

Apr 12, 2011 1:08 PM in response to Poguelife

I'm having the same problem. I have an HDMI hooked directly from Apple TV to the TV and optical audio to my receiver/dvd (sony home theater system dav-fx80). I do see a red light at the end.

I tried just air playing music with my iphone to apple tv and there's no sound. There's only a sound if the TV is turned on, meaning HDMI connection is working, but if I turn off the TV, audio is cut off, meaning my optical audio is not working. I'm not sure if this setup will actually work. Any ideas?

Apr 12, 2011 11:33 PM in response to socalspartanrunner

socalspartanrunner wrote:
I'm having the same problem. I have an HDMI hooked directly from Apple TV to the TV and optical audio to my receiver/dvd (sony home theater system dav-fx80). I do see a red light at the end.

.... There's only a sound if the TV is turned on, meaning HDMI connection is working, but if I turn off the TV, audio is cut off, meaning my optical audio is not working.


I think you have a different problem.

In reality HDMI is probably working too well - it's probably sensing TV is off and then rather stupidly going to sleep when you're trying to play audio over optical. Is it only when TV powered off or in standby too? I need to test this but my AppleTV2 needs moving to the room with hi-fi so I can check if i have the same issue - I'm sure it used to work with TV off, AppleTV 1 does (at least in standby mode).

AC

Message was edited by: Alley_Cat

Apr 13, 2011 11:43 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Hmmm, what would be the best setup if you just want to air play music to the home theater system. It would be too much trouble if I have to remove HDMI output to the tv each time I just want to listen to music without the tv on. My sony only has an HDMI ouput. I can't plug the HDMI cable from apple tv to the sony, I can only go from apple tv to tv.

Then again I'm not even sure if my optical audio is working or not, although, I do see a red light at the end before I plug it into the sony system.

Apr 13, 2011 12:55 PM in response to socalspartanrunner

socalspartanrunner wrote:
Hmmm, what would be the best setup if you just want to air play music to the home theater system.


An Airport Express perhaps.

If you haven't done so unplug the AppleTV from the mains and leave for a few mins before restarting - you should at least be able to determine if the optical out on AppleTV works with the TV on before testing with it off.

If it's not working with TV on then consider faulty amp input/optical cable too, and try to find a CD/DVD player with optical out to test various combinatiosn to work out what's not working.

AC

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Optical Audio output format?

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