Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Digital Audio to HDMI

bmorris

bmorris

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 8, 2007
434
0
ATL
I'm trying to find the easiest and most affordable way to get digital audio and video to HDMI from my Mac Mini to my Sony TV.

Right now I have Mini Display port to DVI to a DVI/HDMI cable with the audio being an analog Y cable.

Would this converter work?


It shows DVI and SPDIF on one side, but HDMI AND SPDIF on the other.
Is the SPDIF output optional? Does it get transferred with the HDMI?

I've seen the Kanex DVI/TOSLINK to HDMI.
That would be ideal, but it's gone up to $70 now.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Your Sony TV doesn't have an optical audio input?

I admittedly don't know the answer to your specific question...but you will get arguably better sound quality off of optical anyway...HDMI allows the potential for some line loss based on it being a signal travelling on a wire. Optical is light on fibre with no loss.
 
I don't know it doesn't have a optical in next to the HDMI, it only has analog.

I'm looking at Sony home theaters too.
Basically one that has at least one Digital Audio in for the Mac Mini.
My DVR/Cable Box has HDMI.
And PS2 would be nice with Digital Audio, but not a huge deal.

Maybe a HTS with a Blu-ray player and the S-AIR wireless rear speakers.
 
mstrze said:
Your Sony TV doesn't have an optical audio input?

I admittedly don't know the answer to your specific question...but you will get arguably better sound quality off of optical anyway...HDMI allows the potential for some line loss based on it being a signal travelling on a wire. Optical is light on fibre with no loss.
Click to expand...

There is no loss of audio quality with HDMI. The signal is digital. Unless the line loss is so great that the ones and zeros can't be read properly, there will be absolutely no loss of quality.
 
I didn't think it lost quality.

So would the above converter work?

Mac Mini--<--DVI & TOSLNK-->--converter--<--HDMI-->--TV
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Many TVs have great pictures for video, but relatively poor speakers for audio. Might want to consider connecting the audio from the mini directly to a Digital A/V receiver, or even some high end computer speakers for audio. I have a mini-DP to HDMI adapter for sending video to my Sony TV, and send the audio to an A/V receiver. I keep the Sony TV sound turned off.
 
dbwie said:
Many TVs have great pictures for video, but relatively poor speakers for audio. Might want to consider connecting the audio from the mini directly to a Digital A/V receiver, or even some high end computer speakers for audio. I have a mini-DP to HDMI adapter for sending video to my Sony TV, and send the audio to an A/V receiver. I keep the Sony TV on mute.
Click to expand...

What he said. No sense in spending money to get digital audio to your stereo TV. So either save your cash and keep the analog setup, or get an optical audio cable with a mini-plug at one end and plug it in to your receiver. That way you can get 5.1 surround (if you have the speaker setup) if you like, but you don't have to keep your receiver on to watch movies or tv shows. That's what I do.

If you get an optical audio cable, get one from monoprice. They have the best deals on cables and adapters.
 
Monoprice is where I usually go.

Yeah, I was looking to upgrade to a 5.1 AV Receiver with TOSLINK in.

I have a Philips 5.1 setup, but it's meh.
I can't believe the Philips doesn't have TOSLINK...
It's bought for 5.1 SURROUND SOUND!
My old shelf stereo I got when Service Merchandise closed had TOSLINK-in!!!

I would love a Sony with wireless S-AIR and Blu-ray.
 
paduck said:
Most TV's won't do 5.1 digital audio - I think for DRM reasons. It may pass it through though. Circling around - no, I don't know the answer!
Click to expand...

I emailed tech support, only does PCM audio.
I asked about another solution, haven't heard back.
 
I have your exact same setup .... mac mini, sony tv. I was going to go with the Kanex Mini DisplayPort to HDMI as well because like you were thinking that this would work perfectly because I also have a sony home theatre. My thought was to take the optical digital output of the tv and go right into the sony home theatre optical digital so that any audio coming through an HDMI cable would "pass though" the tv and right to the home theatre. The Kanex would have been perfect but after some research and a call to sony tech support, I found out that the optical port on the tv does not pass 5.1, just stereo. That seemed crazy to me since they are both sony products and it says in the manual "to enjoy digital sound, use the optical ... bla bla bla". It's digital, but only stereo. If you are going to get a home theatre, don't waste your money on the Kanex. The sony home theatre has a spdif, optical, and analog inputs, but they all use the same setting on the home theatre. One has priority over the other, so there are ways to make everything work if you go this route.
 
RooDBwoY said:
excellent, just what i need for my new iMac to be plugged into my HD amp and TV.

cheers!
Click to expand...

monoprice has an exact same type connector like kanex, but $20 cheaper.
ill be getting one from them whenever I get a surround sound with a digital audio in port.
 
itsjustmeee said:
I have your exact same setup .... mac mini, sony tv. I was going to go with the Kanex Mini DisplayPort to HDMI as well because like you were thinking that this would work perfectly because I also have a sony home theatre. My thought was to take the optical digital output of the tv and go ....
Click to expand...

WHAT?!?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!
THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!!

That is so absurd!
I wish I didn't know, so at least I thought it was.
Ahhhhh!
 
I believe paduck it right about the DRM issues with TVs passing 5.1 through ... at least here in the states and with a sony! If you have a Harmony 1 remote, it's pretty easy to set up the 5.1 system with the sony home theatre. Like I said, there are 3 inputs in the back(2 digital and 1 analog) but they all are activated by the same audio setting. Since one has priority over the other, I just told the Harmony 1 to turn off my cable box when the mini is being used, therefore the digital signal from the cable stops and the mini has "priority" now and goes through. It's kind of wacky, but it does work great!

I know that Harmony 1 remotes are a bit pricey, but after while and you end up having to use 5 remotes, it turns out to be quite a bargain.
 
itsjustmeee said:
I believe paduck it right about the DRM issues with TVs passing 5.1 through ... at least here in the states and with a sony! If you have a Harmony 1 remote, it's pretty easy to set up the 5.1 system with the sony home theatre. Like I said, there are 3 inputs in the back(2 digital and 1 analog) but they all are activated by the same audio setting. Since one has priority over the other, I just told the Harmony 1 to turn off my cable box when the mini is being used, therefore the digital signal from the cable stops and the mini has "priority" now and goes through. It's kind of wacky, but it does work great!

I know that Harmony 1 remotes are a bit pricey, but after while and you end up having to use 5 remotes, it turns out to be quite a bargain.
Click to expand...

I use the Harmony 520, I like the rechargable idea w the Harmony One tho.

Right now I have my surround sound and TV connected with RCA audio cables but I get certain sounds in the rear and certain ones on the front, is it just faking surround with the sounds pitches?
 
I'm no expert on this like many here, but I think it just might just be faking surround (unless the RCA cable you are talking about is actually a spidf cable. They pretty much look the same as an RCA). The best way to tell is if you need two RCA cables to be plugged in (right and left), then it's analog and not digital, therefore not 5.1.
 
itsjustmeee said:
I'm no expert on this like many here, but I think it just might just be faking surround (unless the RCA cable you are talking about is actually a spidf cable. They pretty much look the same as an RCA). The best way to tell is if you need two RCA cables to be plugged in (right and left), then it's analog and not digital, therefore not 5.1.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know it's not the orange spdif, it's the analog red and white.
It does a decent job of faking then.

I don't understand the point of not having 5.1 thru the tv out. Ubsurd to have the port and not support 5.1.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back