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

Sound from Mac Mini to TV is really low

A

arachn1d

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 7, 2006
67
0
Am I doing something wrong? I got headphone to RCA (white/red) into my T.V from the Mac Mini.

The sound is *really* low. If I change my source to my Xbox 360 the sound is really high on my t.v at volume level 20-30 (never have to go above 40 usually) - This is on a Samsung 40 inch t.v

Now when I'm on my Mac Mini I have to put my volume output all the way full and then go all the way to like 90 on my t.v and it still isn't that loud... it's loud but almost sounds like it's being too loud without too much oomph (feel no bass or anything yet on the 360 I definitely feel bass of off my t.v)

Is this just the sound card quality off of the mini? Not that great? What do I do to improve this?
 
arachn1d said:
Am I doing something wrong? I got headphone to RCA (white/red) into my T.V from the Mac Mini.

The sound is *really* low. If I change my source to my Xbox 360 the sound is really high on my t.v at volume level 20-30 (never have to go above 40 usually) - This is on a Samsung 40 inch t.v

Now when I'm on my Mac Mini I have to put my volume output all the way full and then go all the way to like 90 on my t.v and it still isn't that loud... it's loud but almost sounds like it's being too loud without too much oomph (feel no bass or anything yet on the 360 I definitely feel bass of off my t.v)

Is this just the sound card quality off of the mini? Not that great? What do I do to improve this?
Click to expand...

You using VLC by any chance ?

If so there is a volume booster built in that I use, you can boot it by up to 400%
 
Well sure I could use VLC but I'd like the sound to work all around the same level on the Mac... so it seems more like an overall setup fix rather than a software hack.
 
Your system output sound is up, your software sound is up, your TV sound is up and you're connected to the correct input on your TV? (Usually there are several audio inputs to choose from.) I don't know what else to suggest. I use a mini with my TV and there's no volume issue. :confused:
 
more than likely its your tv. do you have your mac mini video hooked up to your tv? some newer tvs won't broadcast audio if it is not getting a video signal. what input do you have the rca hooked up to? could you accidently have it hooked up to the tv audio output?

i'm not sure what kind of stereo you have, but it is better to just hook up your mini to the stereo and not the tv. its actually nicer to have all your a/v needs hooked up to an a/v reciever and select what you want to do from there.

so, play around with the connections and see where the problem is coming from. thats the best way to find out.

but i can deffinently tell you that you are not getting any sound from the input you have it plugged into. what you are getting is bleed from the sound source. aka no bass and you have to have everything turned up. be careful not to blow anything dude.

seriously just hook up to the stereo. you don't want to have your tv on whenever you are just listening to music do you? such a waste of energy. plus your getting some tv preamp sound ****. if your stereo is lacking audio inputs you can by a 3-way rca switch from amazon on the cheaps.
 
autumnmike said:
more than likely its your tv. do you have your mac mini video hooked up to your tv? some newer tvs won't broadcast audio if it is not getting a video signal. what input do you have the rca hooked up to? could you accidently have it hooked up to the tv audio output?

i'm not sure what kind of stereo you have, but it is better to just hook up your mini to the stereo and not the tv. its actually nicer to have all your a/v needs hooked up to an a/v reciever and select what you want to do from there.

so, play around with the connections and see where the problem is coming from. thats the best way to find out.

but i can deffinently tell you that you are not getting any sound from the input you have it plugged into. what you are getting is bleed from the sound source. aka no bass and you have to have everything turned up. be careful not to blow anything dude.

seriously just hook up to the stereo. you don't want to have your tv on whenever you are just listening to music do you? such a waste of energy. plus your getting some tv preamp sound ****. if your stereo is lacking audio inputs you can by a 3-way rca switch from amazon on the cheaps.
Click to expand...

Well I did what #3 said in this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/817308/

Umm... it looks like it's the proper area to plug it in? It's right next to where I'm plugging the dvi/hdmi into the t.v and then there's two red and white female sockets to the left for the rca coming out of the mini...

I don't have a "stereo." All I have in my living room is a t.v
 
arachn1d said:
Well I did what #3 said in this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/817308/

Umm... it looks like it's the proper area to plug it in? It's right next to where I'm plugging the dvi/hdmi into the t.v and then there's two red and white female sockets to the left for the rca coming out of the mini...

I don't have a "stereo." All I have in my living room is a t.v
Click to expand...

Well try to get a look and see what the input says on the tv. If it says audio out then it's pluged into the wrong one. If not, then your problem is your tv. But don't fret. It just won't play audio if it doesn't have a video signal. Just get a mini-dvi to dvi cord from apple or a mini display port to dvi. Hook that up to the dvi on your tv. Put the RCA audio from the mini next to the dvi input on the tv and that should do it. And now you have your mac on your tv. Check amazon for cheap cords. Don't get suckered into paying for expensive cables.

If your already doing this, then you are plugging in the cords wrong. Or check the audio settings on the tv or the audio settings on the mac.
 
Well it's going into the DVI IN red and white RCA inputs so... everything looks good.

It'd be impossible to hook it up otherwise from the mini since it's a headphone jack converter to RCA red/white.

The only thing I can imagine now is that the cable itself isn't transferring the signal at that high of a quality? Is that possible?
 
Have you got it to work yet? If it's the cable it's going to be the Jack part that goes into the mini. A lot of cheaper cords will have a faulty conections in the Jack. Is there anything obstructing the Jack from going all the way in to the mini? You've plugged otherthings into the mini before? If you take some headphones and plug it in, it should work. If not than the mac mini sound out is screwed.

You never clearly stated wether or not you're mini's video is going into your tv? And if it is, is it dvi or hdmi?
 
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