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HE15MAN

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
955
14
Florida's Treasure Coast
My buddy wants to buy brand new Mac mini htpc an hook up to his tv and surround sound. I set mine up around a year ago, do they both use the same mini to hdmi connectors and audio out to optical with the new ones?
 

Hellhammer

Moderator emeritus
Dec 10, 2008
22,164
582
Finland
New Minis have HDMI port, so I would suggest him to use that. It provides video and audio in one cable
 

Hellhammer

Moderator emeritus
Dec 10, 2008
22,164
582
Finland
If the sound receiver is connected to the TV (not to a dedicated box like cable box for instance), then it should work via HDMI because the TV should pass the sound to the receiver. If it doesn't work, then you need to connect the Mini straight to the receiver with e.g. this if the receiver has Toslink
 

mchalebk

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2008
819
0
Connecting via HDMI to TV and optical out to receiver will likely work, except you most likely will not get surround. On most TVs, the optical audio out will only give 5.1 surround for over the air programming it receives. Other sources will be stereo only.

The best way to set it up is to go HDMI to receiver, then HDMI from receiver to TV. Of course, this assumes an HDMI-capable receiver. If the receiver only has optical (or coax) inputs for audio, then run HDMI to TV and optical from AppleTV to receiver.
 

georgee2face

macrumors member
Jun 10, 2010
94
0
connecting via hdmi to tv and optical out to receiver will likely work, except you most likely will not get surround. On most tvs, the optical audio out will only give 5.1 surround for over the air programming it receives. Other sources will be stereo only.

The best way to set it up is to go hdmi to receiver, then hdmi from receiver to tv. Of course, this assumes an hdmi-capable receiver. If the receiver only has optical (or coax) inputs for audio, then run hdmi to tv and optical from appletv to receiver.

++1 easiest combo
 
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