2009 Mac Mini 5.1 Audio

First you're going to need something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-THINTOSMIN6-Toslink-Digital-Optical/dp/B00016W6Y6/

Your mini has an optical output in the 3.5mm audio jack, so you can use the TOSLINK cable to get the digital signal to your receiver.

Next you're going to have to fiddle with settings to get 5.1 output on your Mac Mini, and to get the receiver to actually decode the signal correctly.

In XBMC (my favourite on a Mini), set up like this and you're probably done:

I only leave the boost volume check off.

Guess the receiver decodes everything without questions asked, just assign the optical input to the "source button" you like.

You won't get DTS-HD MA with optical, but XBMC serves DTS-core (1536Kb/s) automatically on HD streams, and you won't notice the difference.

blanka said:

In XBMC (my favourite on a Mini), set up like this and you're probably done:
Image
I only leave the boost volume check off.

Guess the receiver decodes everything without questions asked, just assign the optical input to the "source button" you like.

You won't get DTS-HD MA with optical, but XBMC serves DTS-core (1536Kb/s) automatically on HD streams, and you won't notice the difference.

Click to expand...

FYI for the original poster - Mac Mini running OSX (even with HDMI) wont get your DTS-HD or any other HD audio. This is an intentional commission by Apple. As the author of this quoted post stated, you can get core which will work as intended with optical out of your Mac.

Just more peanuts from the gallery and also a user of XBMC. If you want HD audio, you will need HDMI out and run another OS like Windows. There are cases where LPCM audio can run on optical out. Some people have had luck with converting HD audio streams to LPCM. As for hearing a difference - some people do and some don't. It depends on your ear and your equipment. I absolutely can hear a difference but DTS and Dolby 5.1 still sound a H3LL of a lot better than dumbed down stereo.