External Display + Audio?

[stellarceltic]

Here's my issue:

I just bought a DVI to HDMI cable to use with my Mini-DVI to DVI adapter and my Macbook. I successfully connected to my 40" Samsung LCD TV. AFAIK, the DVI port doesn't send audio, even though HDMI can receive it. So the next step I want to take is to also transmit the audio to the TV. I have a cable that will go from the headphone jack on the Macbook to the composite inputs on the TV, but on the TV's source menu, the HDMI port (HDMI 3) is seperate from the audio inputs (Video 3).

What can I do? I know I can use a regular video cable, but that will be worse quality on the TV, no?

 

[Julien]

Here's my issue:

I just bought a DVI to HDMI cable to use with my Mini-DVI to DVI adapter and my Macbook. I successfully connected to my 40" Samsung LCD TV. AFAIK, the DVI port doesn't send audio, even though HDMI can receive it. So the next step I want to take is to also transmit the audio to the TV. I have a cable that will go from the headphone jack on the Macbook to the composite inputs on the TV, but on the TV's source menu, the HDMI port (HDMI 3) is seperate from the audio inputs (Video 3).

What can I do? I know I can use a regular video cable, but that will be worse quality on the TV, no?

Actually DVI can carry audio (it's packeted in with the video) but the spec (DVI 1.0) doesn't call for it and (almost) no video card outputs it (HDMI>DVI>HDMI can transmit audio).

Does the Macbook have S/PDIF (digital) output and the TV have S/PDIF input? If so this would be the superior method. However since you are just sending to the TV (as opposed to a AVR) then line out will work also.

 

[digitalnicotine]

You need a TOS link cable. Check Amazon or local electronics store, etc.

 

[stellarceltic]

You need a TOS link cable. Check Amazon or local electronics store, etc.

I know my TV has an optical audio IN, but how would that connect to the Macbook?

 

[digitalnicotine]

Sorry for incomplete advice! You'll need a TOS link cable, coax cable, and also an adapter. I got mine at Monoprice.com. So you'll use TOS link cable between this adapter and the HDTV, then the coax cable between adapter and Macbook. It works well for me, and Monoprice has great prices for these cables on bottom of the page linked above.

 

[jackiecanev2]

If you have optical in, why not just use a mini-tos to toslink cable, and put the mini into the 1/8" from your macbook and then set your audio-out to digital? That's what I used to do... and it seemed to be the simplest way.

 

[digitalnicotine]

^that works too, for much less money! Wish someone had told me before I bought the fugly converter.

 

[heyp]

If you have optical in, why not just use a mini-tos to toslink cable, and put the mini into the 1/8" from your macbook and then set your audio-out to digital? That's what I used to do... and it seemed to be the simplest way.

how do you set your audio out to digital on the macbook?

 

[dolphin842]

If you use the mini-TOS->Toslink cable described above, the MacBook should switch to digital output automatically. You'll know it's working when you are unable to control the volume from the Mac (the destination, be it a receiver or TV, takes over the volume duties).

As for the cable, I got mine from monoprice and it works flawlessly.