Update to 10.6.8 broke my optical audio - any help?

FYI

http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=91767&start=60#p306620

Regrettably, there is no temporary fix since the bug is within the AppleHDA kernel extension. Regrettably, you cannot simply copy the fixed kext from a Snow Leopard installation to Lion to solve the issue, because the kext API changed, so the extensions are not interchangeable.

To have S/PDIF output working in VLC as soon as Apple fixes the OS, download a current nightly build of the 1.1-branch from http://nightlies.videolan.org or wait for the 1.1.2 update (there's no ETA for it at the moment, though).

Thx for the info. No statement from Big Apple? I'm a little disappointed.

It was not working for me.

Problem still remains!

I am on MBP early 2011 + Lion

so will an update fix the fix I did with the 1.1 kext file or did I screw myself by not backing it up? on another note, does anyone have the lion kext file that was changed while trying to fix this issue?

I just bought a Mac mini (mid 2011) and the no stereo sound after playing 5.1 problem is true ofr Lion too. i hope Apple fixes this in the first update.

It seems, that a clean installation of Lion works on my Mac Pro (Mid 2010) - no more drop outs, no issues with stereo/5.1/DTS/etc. I used the "InstallESD.dmg" in the "Install Mac OS X Lion.app", burned it to DVD and installed the OS from scratch, whereas I erased the HD completely prior to the installation process. AFAIK an USB stick can also be used to copy the image there and boot from this device.

My impression of that issue is, that due to the different scenarios described in this thread where some solutions work, some not, there are still legacy dependencies/incompatibilities in the systems which are not resolved properly by the updates of the OS. The 10.6.8 supplement showed the audio problems on my system as well.

On the other hand, it does not seem to match the intention exactly, when an OS is sold as "downloadable only", and the only workaround for audio problems which works for me is to reinstall everything from scratch.

I too have just got a Mac Mini (Mid-2011) and I'm having the same issues described here. Once you play DTS or Dobly Digital content, Stereo will stop working. A sleep brings it back to life. I assume this is something that will be fixed in Lion as people are suggesting that an update fixed SL? Is there a way to log a bug report with Apple? - I'm more used to linux and adding these things to bugzilla.

I was having the exact same issues with my mini/Plex combo and it appears that this 10.6.8 supplemental update has resolved my mp3 playback issues:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1429

hope it works for you!

Re-installed snow leopard 10.6.4, then updated to 10.6.7, now the audio dropout is gone!

Snow Leopard fresh install (from 6 or so months ago) got the issue with a HDMI reciever from my MBP.... Updated to Lion on launch day (love it) and still had the problem...

Today, I downloaded the 10.6.8.1 Supplemental patch, extracted the file using Pacifist (works fine for me in Lion, I had it installed when I updated however), and used Kext Helper b7 to install the fixed Kext.. Kext Helper doesn't run great in Lion, I had to do it twice and double check that the file was the correct size.. When I had tried it before, the 8.3mb file only copied/installed as 6.6mb... Think it's a Kext Helper issue.

After installing the new Kext, rebooted, and get lovely HD audio as well as mp3 audio with no issues. Switching back and forth from 2 different audio format files in XMBC (My HTPC proggy of choice) gave no errors.

Backup the Lion original, and double double check that Kext Helper puts the file correctly in it's place, and that it's the right size.. I bet that's the issue some people are having..

Good Luck folks! Hope Apple fixes it for Lion correctly soon!

That's the solution.

Download :

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1429

Mount the .dmg

the open the DMG in pasifist and extract the file located in:

>System>Library>Extrensions>"AppleHDA.kext"

extract it into the same location on your system drive:

>System>Library>Extensions>

reboot

Hopefully this will be addressed in a Lion Update

Nope!

The update pack is not compatible with Lion.

After making all steps described in clemus thread two postings above i have finally:

STEREO AND SURROUND BACK IN OSX LION

Thanks!

The 10MB supplemental update pack from Snow Leopard is really working with Lion when the AppleHDA.kext is extracted with Pacifist 2.6.4 and then installed with KextHelper_b7 in Lion. After reboot stereo works again after surround out.

Do save the old AppleHDA.kext first in System/Library/Extensions.

Bugs still present in Lion as well as Snow Leopard:

- Original iTunes movies do work when the movie is paused, then switched to surround or stereo and then the playback is started again. If the audio is switched while the movie is playing iTunes will crash. Was present in Snow Leopard too.

- Movies with AC3-stream or Subtitles made with Handbrake or other conversion tools will not switch to Surround and no subtitles can be activated. This Subtitle-bug is present since Snow Leopard.

- VLC will not output Surround 5.1, maybe VLC needs an Lion update.

-XBMC for Mac plays everything fine, Surround, Stereo, Subtitles, switching between Surround & Stereo. All is working with XBMC, but only with XBMC. So i'm using XBMC now for all movies and i will avoid buying or convert iTunes m4v-movies because i don't want to run into problems ever again.

😐

Glad to help, PAPPL!! 🙂

My experience:

I detected a problem with the optical output. It blinks continuously when it's not playing any sound. When I play a song or a sound of the system, it work properly, until a minutes after the last sound played.

I have restored the applehda kext from time machine: the optical output works perfect... but now I can't use the remote of my headphones with remote and mic. The mic works well.

If I apply again the upgrade to 10.6.8 v.1.1, the optical problem comes again, but i can use the remote again...

Any idea? I'm downloading the 10.6.7 update. I'm going to try to do a manual "downgrade".