Two video sources with two audio sources

[Alay]

Hi, I am attempting to help a friend out who just purchased one of the new Mac minis a week a go and is trying to use hdmi and vga out as video sources to two different tvs. He wants the audio to come out of both as well but with the new minis you can only select one audio source at a time.. Is it possible to have two sources using hdmi and the 3.5mm audio out? I have read guys who have setup a virtual sound device and that has worked pushing it out using a program like airfoil. Would there be any way of doing it without airfoil?

Thanks in advanced,

 

[warvanov]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2123235&CAWELAID=107593139

If the TV using HDMI can support audio input via a 3.5mm audio cable or RCA cables then your friend could just get a splitter and send the audio signal to both tv's via the mac mini 3.5mm/headphone jack. Or if he has a home theater reciever in the living room with the HDMI tv he can send the audio signal to the receiver in one room and to the TV in another.

Yes, there might be a slight loss in quality using an analog audio cable vs using the HDMI cable for the audio, but if he's just using the TV speakers for audio then he shouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

[crimton]

I am wondering about this exact thing. I have my pc hooked up this way as an htpc/desktop but want to switch to an imac or mac mini.

 

[warvanov]

Also, is he planning to use the two TV's simultaneously? If so, he could run the audio to the first TV via HDMI. Then, using the audio output on the first TV, run audio to the second TV. The first TV would have to be on in order for this to work though.

 

[Alay]

From what he has described he's got a multiroom audio setup which allows him to select the room and the audio source through a receiver. He's got in-wall speakers in every room of his house. He wants so have his audio sync with one display and another audio channel sync with the second display. Is that even possible? I have my Mac mini setup but I don't think what he's asking for the mini to do, is possible.

 

[warvanov]

I'm still unclear about exactly what he's trying to do. Can he just run the audio from the Mac mini directly to the receiver?