Mac Mini 2011 Digital Audio Output with HDMI Video?

Can you plug in a pair of headphones and see if "Line Out"

shows up is sound prefs? Do you have another optical cable

to try? You may have coincidentally damaged it when putting

the new setup together? Rare, but happens.

Something else you may try, configure the hardware the way

you want then to a PRAM zap. This can sometimes force the

system to rediscover hardware.

Failing relief from any of the above, I would take it back and

check it out in the store you got it. If it doesn't work there,

demand a new Mini, because it's broke.

The mini does have digital audio out. You need an optical toslink cable to connect the mini with your receiver. This one will work.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/H6745ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=MjQzNDQ4MjE

It has two toslink to mini-plug adapters. You just need one that will go into the mini. The other end with no adapter goes into the optical input on the receiver. You can use Prefs/Audio to select this as the output on the mini. You have 3 optical inputs on your Onkyo.

The new VLC 1.1.12 handles DTS and DD in Lion.

Hi,

Voila!!! Breakthro!!!

My mac mini (2011) went through a software update today, now running OS X 10.7.3, iTunes 10.6.1 DVD S500.26.4

After making settings as stated in Apple article (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4072), I can get 5.1 output when running 5.1 channel media through DVD player!

I am still unable to get 5.1 channel output through iTunes. The "speech bubble" as stated in apple article is missing irrespective of media played thro iTune.

I think that is the same issue:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3267201?start=30&tstart=0

Just found this thread here. Very interesting, but has anyone fixed without workarround with different cables?

In my case its a Samsung TV LE40C650 and all comes out is Stereo. With my windows box everything works fine. Very strange, would there be a bugfix from apple? I just bougt the mac mini to use it as a media PC and now i lost my 5.1 Sound?!? Very sad.

Is there a possibility to get help from apple? Im totaly new in the mac world), and everything looks really nice, but without sound the mini goes to ebay 😉

Greetz,

Doc

Then, it seems like there has been a flip over in

the 2011 vs. the 2010. In my 2010, if I had an optical

connection, it would take over all audio and could get none

over HDMI until I removed the optical.

Hi.

Just wanted to ask what should one do if there is no Optical Audio Out in ones HDTV. I have a Sony Bravia but unfortunately theres no optic out. After reading your post, I'm wondering how I can get Digital Audio playing on the surround system if I have the following setup:

1) Sony Bravia V series 52 inch

2) Mac Mini 2011

3) Digital amp/receiver (with no HDMI input or output)

4) Speakers (Klipsch)

Please help because I don't think I'll get to change my HDTV anytime soon!

Thanks!

Hello dfbills,
I'm facing the same problem with my mac mini.
I bought a new mac mini about 15 days ago.
I tried to connect it to my AV digital receiver (ONKYO TX-SR608) via HDMI in order to get 5.1 audio output. But the only thing I obtained is a stereo output.
In midi configuration all the multi channel audio options are disabled. The only one that is selectable is the stereo option. On the other hand in VLC audio set up the multi channel option is selectable but if I click on it the program (and the played dvd) hangs up.
Yesterday, tired of making continuous efforts in order to get the multi channel signal from the HDMI interface I bought an optical (toslink) cable. It was also suggested to me at the GENIUS BAR by an Apple operator.
I connected the optical cable to the audio output of the computer and then I connected it to my AV Receiver.
At the same time I disconnect the HDMI cable from the AV Receiver and connected it directly to my HDTV.
Unfortunately nothing has changed. I only obtained a 1080p video output (and stereo audio output, of course) via HDMI and no audio output from the optical output.
When the optical cable is connected, an audio encoded option appears in the menù of the midi configuration (internal audio output) but there is no way to obtain multi channel output in speaker configuration.
I notice that in this configuration also the stereo signal via optical output is not working and no light is visible across the optical fibre. Note that I tested the cable with other devices and its working fine.
Although Apple claims that the mac mini supports all the multi channel audio output both via HDMI and internal audio output I could not get it in any way despite the various configurations attempted.
I do not think it is a hardware problem but rather a software problem, driver or other software devices released with new Lion OS. I saw from many other forums that at least the optical cable solves the problem in previous versions of the MAC OS.
Note that after upgrading to version 10.7 of LION OS I had problems with video output after restarting the OS.
Sorry for the many words but I tried to be as accurate as possible in order to give you all the elements to help solve the problem.
Waiting for someone who can give me the right solution (configuration or suggestion).

Many thanks in advance!

To pass Dolby or DTS to your receiver or TV, you must

go to Audio Midi Setup and select your HDMI output and

set it to 24bit, stereo. This will allow pass through of

these signals to the receiver/TV.

This is because, Dolby and DTS are streams encoded

into a stereo digital stream. There is a flag in this stream

to tell the the receiveing device to decode it.

No software to my knowledge on the Mac platform decodes

any Dolby or DTS into multichannel PCM and sends it out

digital to HDMI or optical.

Hello,

yes my receiver upscales digital inputs, but the problem is that no signal is coming from the mac mini via optical output.

Via HDMI the maximum I obbtain is a stereo signal reprocessed by my receiver in Dolby Pro Logic II.

I'am very disappointed for this issue. I spent a lot of money for the mini relying on the specifications stated by Apple.

I hope they provide a fix as soon as possible or the mac mini will never be able to perform as a media center or simply as a dvd player compared with other devices at lower price.

And at least but not the last Apple is declaring characteristics that are not really supported by the actual mac mini.

I agree with your choice if you are searching for a (full optional) media center.

From my piont of view it's a shame that the new version of the OS does not fully support multichannel audio output as it was in the old version (see Leopard) despite of the upgradated hardware of the new mini.

We just have to wait for Apple...

When DVD player has multichannel enabled, it just

passes through DTS or Dolby, it does not and mostly

cannot decode to multichannel. Codec licensing issues. It does

however select stereo tracks.

Not sure about the new systems, but I know my 2010 Mini

does not support TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. This has something

to do with "protected" audio path required by the industry for

these formats.

I do however, watch movies daily with DTS and Dolby passed

through to my receiver.

I to have a simular problem .My mac mini is setup as follows 24 bit 6 ch 192,000 multichannel .When I test the speakers in the speaker configuation-midi setup they all respond to pink noise and In the right order burt apart from that I only get stereo .For digital material and for everything else .

I I have sent a ticket and they have forwarded it to a apple tech. As soon as they come to an outcombe Ill be sure to post it .😢

Hello,

I come back to you after many days of testing various configurations and connections (both hdmi and optical) of the mini with my receier and HDTV. After many failures (and frustrations), during one of these test i magically obtained a multichannel 5.1 digital output from the mac.

The configuration that is working now is:

- connect the mini to the receiver both via hdmi and optical cable (toslink). This is the only way (despite the numerous attempted) I obtained the possibility, in midi configuration, of switching to more than 2 channels (stereo) in the hdmi speaker configuration

- in the midi configuration window enable 44800 bit rate (or 44100) and 8 channels 24 (16) bit for the hdmi and 44800 (44100) 2 channels 24 (16) bit for the internal output speaker

- at this point all the icons indicating the output preferences will desappear! Don't worry (this is the trick) all will work fine at the next step.

- playing a dvd with the mac dvd player: with a standard setup you will obtain a PCM multichannel output but 2.1 channels coded. You have to select from the audio preferences of the dvd player the receiver connected via hdmi and you will magically obtain a real dolby digital output.

- playing a dvd with VLC: selecting the hdmi audio output in the VLC audio preferencies you will obtain a PCM multichannel output that is 5.1 channels coded (DD). Pay attention to not select hdmi coded option! If you do this your output device will hang and no audio will be audible any more. Furthermore VLC will hang too and you'll have to force exit of the program.

Notice the need to link the mini with both cables, optical and HDMI, to the receiver. Neither of them works separately in 5.1 configuration . I think is an audio driver issue and hope Apple will fix it as soon as possible. There is no logical reason to use both cables connected simultaneously but this is the way things work.

I hope this post will help you to hear multichannel audio from your 5.1 speakers system connected to the mini.

Hi marco964,

Thanks for providing the input. I am sure it'll solve the long outstanding issues for many!

Just wanted to ask if this option works for DVD's only or can you play MKV files via, lets say, Boxee for mac and still get 5.1 digital audio?

Cheers