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Audio out Macbook pro unibody 2009 2.26 13"

matt tee

matt tee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 24, 2010
11
0
Cheshire, UK.
Hello all,

Hope you can help.

Trying to stream video and audio through mbp to LG hdtv.

Have bought a mini displayport to hdmi and it works great, but without sound.

I can get sound through 3.5mm to rca cable, but I have to switch to av channel on tv, thus swapping from hdmi...you can see what's happening..

audio or video, but not both.

Is there a way to allow me to get both using the gear I have already? or do I have to buy this:

http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=TAD35500&ref=froogle&cam=TAD35500&key=77880

My macbook does not support digital audio via toslink cable, I believe apple stopped adding this on my macbook.

Any help would be appreciated.

p.s I have searched the forum, there are lots of posts about audio out, but I cannot get a definitive answer, or people are recommending toslink cables.

Thanks.

Matt.
 
Read through this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/901264/

There are several people who have found solutions confirmed to work, this one being the cheapest one. I ordered it yesterday, hopefully it works for me too.

EDIT:
You have the 2009 MacBook Pro, which does not support audio out through the MiniDisplay Port cable. Disregard my message. You need the USB adapter/toslink thingy. Sorry.
 
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Thanks for the reply, but I don't think my MacBook supports optical toslink cables. There is no red light from the audio/headphone jack like on the older models.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Matt.
 
I have just found this :

http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._digital_audio_input_for_firewire_and_sd.html

Does this mean that I cannot use this:

http://www.amazon.com/6ft-Toslink-Mini-Cable/dp/B000FMXKC8 ?

If so, then is there no hope for audio video together, other than one of these?:

http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=TAD35500&ref=froogle&cam=TAD35500&key=77880

Thanks for all of the comments so far.

(All I want to do is get video AND audio out to my LG hdtv, which has many different input connections for audio)


Matt.
 
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Dude...it has a digital out. That article is telling you it no longer has a digital in, which is correct.

Do this for me, real quick-like, ok?

Open iTunes or whatever you use to play music. Start playing some tunes. NOW plug the cable into your mac. ;)
 
not at the mac at the moment, will do it when i get home.

Do you want me to plug the optical digital audio toslink cable in?

What am I expecting to see?

I had the optical digital toslink cable with 3.5mm adapter (took it back to shop), I had Itunes running, playing a song, but there was no red light from the headphone socket, should there be?

If so, have I got this disabled? can I enable it?

sorry for being a pain, I am new to macs, but I am loving the experience!

I will post later when I get in to let you know what happens.

(My cable connections are RCA, HDMI, SCART, OPTICAL, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO)

Thanks

Matt.
 
You can force it to Digital out in the Audio MIDI Setup application. Give it a try.

If it's working, there should be a light at the end of the cable.
 
how do i force digital out through midi, when i go to midi setup, the only option available to me is set to default (greyed). (this is under built in output)

I played music through itunes, no red light from headphone jack, should there be?

Thanks,

Matt

ps the only option i have for output is internal speakers in the drop down menu.
 
Had the same problem as you, but then I turned to the TV manual (imagine that!) and figured it out. I've got a Sharp, not an LG, so your mileage may vary, but on the Sharp you can get audio from the 3.5mm input jack on the HDMI 1 outlet ONLY. Initially I had my Blu-ray player plugged in to HDMI 1 and had my MBP in HDMI 2. That led to the same problem you are experiencing.... Anyways, if you haven't tried plugging it in to your main/primary HDMI port, give it a go and use a 3.5mm audio jack (assuming your TV has a 3.5mm audio in) and see if that works.
 
I have just tried what you suggested, I used my primary hdmi port (no.1) and connected my 3.5mm to RCA from mbp to LG 42 RCA audio in.

I cannot get sound when hdmi selected on tv, only video. And vice versa, I can get the sound through tv when switched to AV, but no video....

So frustrating, I must be doing something wrong, or is it just impossible.

I may just be better gettin some decent external speakers or buying a new Mini displayport to hdmi and usb audio out.

Someone must have achieved this....

Previous post says I can force optical digital audio, but can someone clarify if my macbook (summer 2009) supports optical out?

I have the firewire, sd card and on headphone socket version, I have seen the optical audio out in practice at my local Maplins, I saw the red light coming out of headphone socket, but I cannot get that to work on mine.

Thanks,

Matt.

I really appreciate all the replies, cheers.
 
I can tell you right now, I have the same model of MacBook Pro and it works with the digital out seamlessly.
 
Spoke to Apple Support Centre this morning, gave them my serial no. of macbook pro, and I was told that this model does NOT support optical digital audio out.

Any thoughts?

It looks like my only option is Mini displayport and usb to hdmi...

what a sucker.
 
matt tee said:
Spoke to Apple Support Centre this morning, gave them my serial no. of macbook pro, and I was told that this model does NOT support optical digital audio out.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Well my thought is that I have the same model as you, bought just before the update, and it does have the digital out - so try harder.

Anyway, I use a different technique. I use a program call Airfoil which when combined to an old airport express unit seamlessly runs any audio I have on my MPB through to by AV amp - look Ma, no wires!

Airfoil comes with a little add-on that allows the audio and video to stay in sync when playing movies; so for when pictures I required I plug in the display port to HDMI and let the wifi / airfoil / airport express do the rest.

You can pick up the old 'pre-n' standard express units for next to nothing now as everyone wants the latest tech. I bought a couple of ebay and pipe sounds from my MPB all around the house.

How did that new search for digital audio out turn out?
 
hi,

what do you mean by 'How did that new search for digital audio out turn out?'?

can't make it out sorry.

Where did you get your old airport express unit from?

cheers,

Matt.
 
optical out MacPro 13

Have connected the toslink cable to the headphone jack and get a red light but when i connect it to the optical in on my quad dac and paly itunes i get no signal, also no signal with a dvd player.

i set the optput to the only option available when toslink is plugged in digial out. i also looked for an audio control features in the DVD preferences but non available.
any suggestions:(
 
Audio out Macbook pro unibody 2009 2.26 13"

Hi, Matt Tee.
The thread has gone quiet. Did you resolve your issue.
Your link to appleinsider is about the deletion of digital audio IN on our MBPs.
Check your 'About this Mac / More Info / Audio (Built in)'.
I have the same machine as yours, and mine lists S/PDIF digital audio out.
I have just ordered the Dr Bott unit from Apple - a triple cable from MiniDisplayPort, USB (for power) and audio jack. I hope that I can then select digital out in the sound preferences and get it all fed down the HDMI output socket to my TV.

15th October. The converter has just arrived, and it works very well. Simply plug in to MBP and TV, select hdmi input on tv and then in System Preferences / Sound select the digital out, then in Display select mirror display. Et voila - sound and vision on the tv!! Superb.
Available on Apple Store http://store.apple.com/uk/product/H0452ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=MTg1Mzk0NDE
or at AmazonUK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Bott-Aud...EB2O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1287141435&sr=8-3

Happy connecting.
 
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