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5.1 sound

Ian Buttery

Ian Buttery

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2017
9
0
Hello, I have a mid 2007 iMac, I have read that the headphone socket (3.5mm jack at rear) can be used for 5.1 surround sound via a toslink lead, whilst as a headphone socket its fine, when used with a toslink cable its dead, any ideas please, regards Ian.
 
Mactracker has for your model 24 inch mid 2007

Audio Out 1 - 3.5-mm analog/optical combo output jack, Built-in speakers

So it has the combo output jack. Have you pushed the toslink adapter fully in, I know with my previous iMac
I had to push it right in or I got no sound. My new 2017 iMac hasn't got that issue as Apple has done away with S/PDIF.
 
Wow, I'll give that a go and keep you updated.
[doublepost=1504947406][/doublepost]
Ian Buttery said:
Wow, I'll give that a go and keep you updated.
Click to expand...

NO, still nothing when pushed in as far as it will go, is there anything in settings that need the optical output turning on ?
 
Ian Buttery said:
NO, still nothing when pushed in as far as it will go, is there anything in settings that need the optical output turning on ?
Click to expand...
It should work automatically, once a mini Toslink is plugged in. Do you see the other end of the cable light up at all, I mean just by looking at it?

One note regarding 5.1 sound: It will only output previously-encoded 5.1 sound from media you play, e.g. DVDs and some online content. Your Mac cannot encode 5.1 for the optical digital output on the fly. I believe it can send uncompressed stereo (2.0) over the optical digital output.

Maybe this older thread can help?
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...utput-5-1-surround-sound-please-help.1412975/
 
BeechFlyer said:
It should work automatically, once a mini Toslink is plugged in. Do you see the other end of the cable light up at all, I mean just by looking at it?

One note regarding 5.1 sound: It will only output previously-encoded 5.1 sound from media you play, e.g. DVDs and some online content. Your Mac cannot encode 5.1 for the optical digital output on the fly. I believe it can send uncompressed stereo (2.0) over the optical digital output.

Maybe this older thread can help?
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...utput-5-1-surround-sound-please-help.1412975/
Click to expand...

Hi BeechFlyer, thanks for the reply, There is NO red light lit up at the other end of the toslink cable, I know the toslink cable is good because it does light up when I use it on my MBP, I understand that only previously encoded 5.1 will work along with a 5.1 soundtrack from a DVD, it really is frustrating, as you say it should automatically work when the toslink in plugged in.
[doublepost=1504978376][/doublepost]I don't appear to have an option to select optical audio out !!!!!
Screen Shot 2017-09-09 at 18.31.26.png
 
Ian,

I think you've tried everything. Either your iMac model doesn't have optical out, or whatever drives it is broken. If it was working, it would be much easier.

Maybe it's time to call Apple Support or go to an Apple Store to confirm?

I'm afraid I don't have any better suggestions.
 
I don't know where the technical data is sourced from for the app but "MacTracker" says 2015 iMac models have a 3.5mm analogue/optical combo socket yet 2017 models are only listed as analogue.

It may be that the only way now to get optical is via an external audio interface. Seems a step back to me and something I'll have to consider myself when upgrading.
 
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BeechFlyer said:
Ian,

I think you've tried everything. Either your iMac model doesn't have optical out, or whatever drives it is broken. If it was working, it would be much easier.

Maybe it's time to call Apple Support or go to an Apple Store to confirm?

I'm afraid I don't have any better suggestions.
Click to expand...


Thanks BeechFlyer, My mac says it has optical out unless I'm misreading it, also Mactracker says my model has optical, but as you say it should be easier than this, again thanks for your messages, I'll try Apple support just to confirm.
[doublepost=1505067180][/doublepost]
Ian Buttery said:
Thanks BeechFlyer, My mac says it has optical out unless I'm misreading it, also Mactracker says my model has optical, but as you say it should be easier than this, again thanks for your messages, I'll try Apple support just to confirm.
Click to expand...




















Screen Shot 2017-09-10 at 19-1.09.23.png
 
Mattww said:
I don't know where the technical data is sourced from for the app but "MacTracker" says 2015 iMac models have a 3.5mm analogue/optical combo socket yet 2017 models are only listed as analogue.

It may be that the only way now to get optical is via an external audio interface. Seems a step back to me and something I'll have to consider myself when upgrading.
Click to expand...

He has a mid 2007 model. You are right though about the 2017 models, they have done away with optical. I have the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock which has a S/PDIF port which gets around that issue.
 
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