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Apple TV 3 audio output

D

Daveja207

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 17, 2015
6
0
UK
Hi, I'm new to the forum but have been reading MacRumors for a while now.

I have just bought an Apple TV 4 and want to use my Apple TV 3 it has replaced to stream music to in another room. I have an HDMI to VGA adapter which has a 3.5mm jack for the audio and wanted to use that to get the job done. I used a computer monitor to set up the ATV3, plugged my sound dock into the HDMI to VGA device with a 3.5mm audio cable. I played some music on my iPhone and switched on AirPlay. Everything was working great until I unplugged the VGA cable and the audio cut out and would only play when the monitor was plugged in.

Unless I am missing something in the settings it seems I cannot have audio output through the HDMI without a display on the other end.

Is there a way I can get the audio output from the HDMI without a TV or monitor connected or alter the VGA cable/connector to fool the ATV that a display is connected?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Will that need power to it? I only have 2 socket available and they're both been used.

Could the problem be that the adaptor I'm using at the moment doesn't have a power supply so the ATV assumes whatever it is connected to is turned off?
 
Daveja207 said:
Will that need power to it? I only have 2 socket available and they're both been used.

Could the problem be that the adaptor I'm using at the moment doesn't have a power supply so the ATV assumes whatever it is connected to is turned off?
Click to expand...

Right, plugging the micro USB into the adaptor did not work. But I did find out that the monitor does not need to be plugged into the mains for it to work. So I will have to hide the monitor under the bed, not plugged in. It's annoying me a bit but at least it's working now.

If anyone knows any other way I can solve this without having to have a dead monitor hidden away I would be grateful.
 
Do you have a link to the product you are using now?

I would use this connected to the toslink port rather than the HDMI adapter listed above. http://www.amazon.com/Portta-PETDTA...qid=1447786065&sr=1-2&keywords=toslink+to+rca

Yes, you'll have to plug it in to the wall though.

If you really just want music, you might just want to buy an old-style Airport Express. Plug and audio jack is built in, and there is no need to connect it to a monitor to manage it.
 
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That must have a basic DAC in it to perform the audio conversion. Odd that it doesn't work without being plugged into the monitor. The device I linked is cheap and will definitely work.
 
Thanks for the advice, i'll have a look on payday.

I know this is a long shot, maybe not even possible, do you know if there is any way I can link the pins/wires in the VGA cable. I only ask this because this is what much be happening when it is attached to the monitor which has no power to it.
 
Thanks for that, I didn't know they existed. I've found a guide showing the pin-out for the cable and where to connect resistors and I'm confident I can put one together.

Never worked in IT but have been in electrical engineering for years, i'll get a few resistors, fire up my soldering iron and sacrifice an old VGA cable.
 
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