Getting sound from Mac to Vizio TV

Question

Level 1

9 points

Getting sound from Mac to Vizio TV

I use a 2008 Macbook Pro with a 17 inch monitor and using OS X 10.5.8. I am connecting it to my Vizio 47" with a DVI to HDMI cable. The connection works fine. That is, the dispaly works just fine.

I'm having a sound problem. I have connected my computer to the TV with a jack from the headphone jack on the computer to to the audio jack on the back of the TV. No sound. The cable works with external speakers (again from my computer to the external speakers).

On system preferences I have gone to Mac Help for "Changing your computer's sound device output. Among other things, the help box says, "To listen though your display's built-in speakers, select Display Audio." Of course, my TV has built-in speakers, so I'm wondering if I need to make a selection like that. If so, that's problematic because my System Preference give me only one output option: "Headphones" bulit-in output.

Any suggestions on how to get sound from my computer through the built-in speakers on my Vizio TV?

Thanks in advance.

MacBookPro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Dec 24, 2011 1:15 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 24, 2011 1:22 PM in response to redzone1a

First of all, in your version of the MacBook Pro, sound is not transmitted through the HDMI connection to your TV. So, you're right, you have to go through a jack from your mini-stereo plug to your TV's speakers (or an amplifier, or external speakers). There is nothing to do about that.

The sounds output should be through "Headphones", because the Mac can't tell what's plugged in there. The sound won't go through the "Display Audio."

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Answer 2

Dec 24, 2011 1:24 PM in response to redzone1a

One more thing. The MacBook Pro's audio out is both analog and optical. If you want to get really good sound, you could run the optical out to an optical in (usually on your amp, but could be on some TV's). This takes some work for adjustment, but the sounds is digital. Just a choice, and by no means the highest recommendation.

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Answer 3

redzone1a Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 24, 2011 1:50 PM in response to OrangeMarlin

Thanks, but what do I do if I'm not getting sound through the TV's speakers, using a jack from my headphone jack to my TV?

Is this a Mac problem or a TV problem? I've also tried using an RCA adapter for RCA plugs with no success.

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