I have a 2008 Mac Pro and I just got a home theater setup with a Samsung Plasma TV, Klipsch speakers and a Pioneer 1019 AV receiver. I picked up a DVI to HDMI cable and an Optical Toslink cable. I can get picture on my plasma but I can not get the audio to come through. I have changed my system sound settings to digital output but I still can't hear anything. The toslink is going into the receiver. Has anyone had success with this or a similar setup?
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Can the Mac Pro, AV Receiver & Plasma TV play nice?
- Thread starter TyleRomeo
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Pretty interesting but I'm hoping that I sort this out without needing another piece of hardware to make the sound work. Clearly the DVI out of the Mac Pro to HDMI in on the receiver works with no problem. The pioneer receiver can have two optical inputs, but now I see it says one is for the TV and the other is for a DVR, now if i'm not using a DVR, I should be able to switch so that the second optical in work with the matching HDMI connection. I'm new at this home theater stuff and there is a lot to figure out.
problem solved. Assign HDMI 1 to DVR then give DVR Digital Optical Input 2, now the mac pro can take the 5.1 surround out to play video_TS files. Thanks for the advice guys. That monoprice box would have been my fallback plan.
I wonder if we're witnessing the redefinition of the idiom "being able to to set the VCR"? 
Is so I think a whole bunch of us just joined the ranks of housewives and construction workers it defined prior to this.
Is so I think a whole bunch of us just joined the ranks of housewives and construction workers it defined prior to this.
I wonder if we're witnessing the redefinition of the idiom "being able to to set the VCR"?
To me it is not as much the difficulty level, but the perceived stupidity in design of the home theater stuff. There must be a reason why it is the way it is, but it is beyond me.
I ended up getting a panel with a variable output and 5 HDMI ins and also powered speakers, so I am receiver free.
@gotzero, have you actually been able to get this to work? I have this same converter box setup between my Mac Pro and my Samsung TV, yet the TV does not receive a signal. I am baffled as to why. I tested all my cables independently of the box, and I exchanged the box itself, thinking it was defective, yet still the problem persists.
MacBook DVI/HDMI + toslink audio to Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K won't combine...
TyleRome, I'm unable to duplicate what I think is your solution.
I have attempted what I think is your set-up from my MacBook through a Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K that outputs HDMI to a Panasonic plasma. Connected HDMI and toslink to VSX's input terminals as you recommended: MacBook DVI adapter to HDMI cable to DVR HDMI#1 input on the VSX + Mac toslink to Optical Input #2 on VSX. Inputs for the DVR Input Function are set up accordingly on VSX (per the possible input settings/terminals on page 40 in the VSX manual including switching Kurolink to OFF).
Problem is that the VSX only recognizes the audio channels on the HDMI input cable (which of course get no audio signals from the DVI adapter) and it ignores the audio I want on the toslink, as a result I only get video from the the MacBook when I select DVR input function on the VSX.
I observe that while I'm making changes to the input set up on the VSX and the menu screen is displayed the HDMI input for the DVR selection is temporarily ignored and -- hey presto -- I can hear the toslink audio from the MacBook. It seems from the audio connection notes in the VSX manual (page 22) that if both HDMI and toslink are connected the receiver will give sound signal priority to HDMI audio even if it has no audio signals and toslink is also connected and active.
Am I missing something?
I'd also prefer to avoid buying the Monoprice box to combine DVI/HDMI video with toslink audio. It seems that the VSX should be able to combine DVI/HDMI video and toslink audio but only if I can get it to ignore -- or demote the priority of -- the HDMI audio input to the VSX.
Any ideas?
TyleRome, I'm unable to duplicate what I think is your solution.
I have attempted what I think is your set-up from my MacBook through a Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K that outputs HDMI to a Panasonic plasma. Connected HDMI and toslink to VSX's input terminals as you recommended: MacBook DVI adapter to HDMI cable to DVR HDMI#1 input on the VSX + Mac toslink to Optical Input #2 on VSX. Inputs for the DVR Input Function are set up accordingly on VSX (per the possible input settings/terminals on page 40 in the VSX manual including switching Kurolink to OFF).
Problem is that the VSX only recognizes the audio channels on the HDMI input cable (which of course get no audio signals from the DVI adapter) and it ignores the audio I want on the toslink, as a result I only get video from the the MacBook when I select DVR input function on the VSX.
I observe that while I'm making changes to the input set up on the VSX and the menu screen is displayed the HDMI input for the DVR selection is temporarily ignored and -- hey presto -- I can hear the toslink audio from the MacBook. It seems from the audio connection notes in the VSX manual (page 22) that if both HDMI and toslink are connected the receiver will give sound signal priority to HDMI audio even if it has no audio signals and toslink is also connected and active.
Am I missing something?
I'd also prefer to avoid buying the Monoprice box to combine DVI/HDMI video with toslink audio. It seems that the VSX should be able to combine DVI/HDMI video and toslink audio but only if I can get it to ignore -- or demote the priority of -- the HDMI audio input to the VSX.
Any ideas?
Happiness is being receiver free...
I use an McIntoch tube amp tho.
Sweet setup ... what speakers do you have? How does it sound?
Happiness is being receiver free...
I use an McIntoch tube amp tho.
I use the tube tooYes. The audio selection for the input is undoubtedly still set on automatic. You need to override that and tell it to use the optical input always. Look at "The Input Setup Menu" in the manual.
I wonder if we're witnessing the redefinition of the idiom "being able to to set the VCR"?
Is so I think a whole bunch of us just joined the ranks of housewives and construction workers it defined prior to this.
Unfortunately, you might be on to something there... Tubes?!?!?!Happiness is being receiver free...
I use an McIntoch tube amp tho.
NOOOOO... //Hides the fact I liked McIntosh and a few others, and even Audio Research's Hybrid amps...
These days I'm into DIY Solid State, as I'm better with it than tubes, and it's more durable (no rolling involved).
Question...
How can you be so sure the Videocard you're using has it's digital audio enabled. What's more, how sure are you that MacOSX has drivers for the graphics card's audio processor? On a PC it's still an optional extra that the user can install... on the Mac, I've never seen such drivers.
I did something simular unfortunately the only way i could get audio to the TV was via a mini-stereo jack to mini-stereo jack. Regardless of the matter, I was unable to get audio through the DVI-D port.
Also.. You sure you can have a TosLink and HDMI active at the same time?
I wouldn't say that home theater stuff is stupidly designed (well...some is, most is really not). Modern receivers need flexibility, which is why they have assignable digital inputs in the first place. In the early days of 5.1 surround, a lot of receivers didn't have assignable anything. You HAD to use the optical or coaxial digital input associated with the source. I remember those days and it was pretty frustrating because the manufacturers were basically dictating how you needed to set everything up. And if you didn't spend big bucks on a high-end receiver with several inputs, you usually got 2 digital inputs if you were lucky and they'd typically be reserved for DVD and Cable/Sat.
Now with newer receivers with HDMI, admittedly, they do assume that everyone is going to use HDMI for audio and make that the default setting. Right or wrong? I guess that depends on the person.
Getting back to flexibility, it's crucial with home theater gear because the industry really has gotten a lot more complicated with multi-room setups, home automation, whole-house audio and even PC programmable universal remotes.
It makes for the greatest ease in cabling, and that's something many users want. One cable, not multiples per device.
But it may not be possible (at least for everything), particularly with older equipment that doesn't have HDMI.
I am having a very similar problem except I can get audio fine but not video. I have my Macbook connected to my receiver (vsx 21txh) with an optical cable from the headphone jack to OPT-3 on my receiver and an HDMI cable from the Mini DVI port to HDMI-2 on my receiver.
Input setup as follows:
VIDEO 1 INPUT SET UP (changed name to MacBook)
INPUT SKIP to OFF
DIGITAL IN to OPT-3
HDMI INPUT to INPUT-2
COMPONENT off
12V TRIGGER 1 and 2 OFF
Kuro link is off. The sound works perfect but the video does not. The Mac detects the receiver in the display settings but nothing is displayed on the TV. When I set the receiver to Video, the sound plays but nothing shows up on the TV.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I also am having this very same problem. Basically I have the same setup as jrwatson, i.e. Pioneer VSX-21TXH, Mac mini set up on the Video-1 source, with HDMI-1 and Opt-1 inputs assigned, Kuro Link off. I also observe the same behavior as DJBob5 wrt audio coming on and video going off when making settings changes. This is very frustrating. Anyone offer help or find a solution?
UPDATE:
I called Pioneer and sure enough, the default (auto) is for the receiver to look for the audio coming from the HDMI cable regardless of what's shown on the Input Setup. The solution is that, once the source is selected (Video-1 in my case) and the video is showing, you have to use the Pioneer remote control and cycle through the Signal Select button (button #4 on my remote). It cycles through auto, analog and then digital. On digital, my audio is playing fine along with the video Problem solved. I hope this helps others having this problem.
I called Pioneer and sure enough, the default (auto) is for the receiver to look for the audio coming from the HDMI cable regardless of what's shown on the Input Setup. The solution is that, once the source is selected (Video-1 in my case) and the video is showing, you have to use the Pioneer remote control and cycle through the Signal Select button (button #4 on my remote). It cycles through auto, analog and then digital. On digital, my audio is playing fine along with the video
Problem solved. I hope this helps others having this problem.
They should be able to play nice but, the only slight problem is that your TV is plasma which means that you could potential burn an image in your screen
I am bringing this thread back to life to see if any solutions have been found. I am having the exact same problem with the Pioneer 1020-K receiver. Video shows up fine in the HDMI-1 slot, but audio does not from OPT-1 unless I go into the setup menu.
UPDATE:
I called Pioneer and sure enough, the default (auto) is for the receiver to look for the audio coming from the HDMI cable regardless of what's shown on the Input Setup. The solution is that, once the source is selected (Video-1 in my case) and the video is showing, you have to use the Pioneer remote control and cycle through the Signal Select button (button #4 on my remote). It cycles through auto, analog and then digital. On digital, my audio is playing fine along with the video
Saw your post after bumping this thread - this fixed it!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!