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HDMI audio stops when screen sleeps

Setup:

Mac mini 2010 connected to Denon AVR 2311 via HDMI; video out from AVR to Samsung LED TV.


Background:

With Snow Leopard 10.6.8 installed, when the screen sleeps, the audio (from iTunes, Spotify, etc.) over HDMI would continue to function, even with no video output to the AVR.


Issue:

With Lion installed 10.7.2, when the screen sleeps, the HDMI audio is now stopping too. To prevent the audio from stopping, I have to set the screen sleep to never, which is undesireable.


Is this behaviour expected with Lion and HDMI output? Are others experiencing this issue?


Many thanks,

Daryl

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Nov 5, 2011 5:28 AM

Reply
39 replies

Jan 30, 2012 1:24 PM in response to bbqchckn

I have exactly the same problem.

My setup is MBP early 2011 >> MiniDisplay/Thunderbolt to HDMI-cable >> H/K AVR 255 >> LED flatscreen.


I hadn´t this problem with SL installed, but when i upgraded to Lion the sh*t hit the fan.


I have solved the issue temporary by setting the screen to never go to sleep but activated the screensaver after 5min.


I really hope that Apple solves this issue very soon.

Jan 31, 2012 3:33 AM in response to Planis83

Well, I'd like to share my workaround as well. I left everything as it was (5, 10 mins for saver and off). Everytime I play music through the HDMI I turn on a little gadget called Caffeine. It temporarily disables all the above settings and pumps your Mac with "caffeine". Therefore it never goes to sleep or screen saver. One click then and it's turned off, I am back at normal, no need to reset anything.


I think you can even download the Caffeine from the official Mac website, not sure.

Feb 25, 2012 10:20 AM in response to bbqchckn

I have the exact same issue.


I've never posted to a Mac forum before. Does anyone from Apple respond here or is this just a conversation?


On a side note:


If you have the display (an computer by default) to never sleep and let your screesaver activate, but select "put hard disc to sleep when possible" in energy saver how does that differ from the computer going to sleep?


Thanks!!

Mar 4, 2012 3:27 PM in response to solidem

Thaks!!! I found you and found the problem, I was getting crazy!!! I think my system was broken....


But now I unplugged the HDMI and itunes doesn't stop anymore.


Why does apple do this ?

Monitor sleep is not meaning HDMI audio sleep...... to me. If you write MONITO SLEEP must be monitor SLEEP not HDMI SLEEP. It's 40 minutes that I try to undestand this, because I was beliving the cause was itunes o the playback or lion...


The problem is Lion.. the worst MAC OS, EVER

Apr 1, 2012 12:53 AM in response to bbqchckn

+1 with the same issue.


Display goes to sleep and audio stops, wake display up and audio starts.


There was a fix for sleep issues in 10.7.2 so I'm guessing part of this fix was to shutdown the hdmi port in addition to other things.


Is it the same with the Thunderbolt/Minidp?


Has anyone logged a support call with Apple linking to this thread? I very much doubt anyone there reads these forums

HDMI audio stops when screen sleeps

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