Late-2009 iMac, stuck in Digital-Optical mode, no internal speaker function

[dustinschings]

So I have the problem that seems to plague mostly the MacBook Pro users where my headphone port appears to think there is an optical cable in there, so it is stuck on Digital-Optical output. Not even an option for built in speakers. I can plug in headphones/speakers and they work fine. I have read all the forums about using toothpick, pin, q-tip (with and without alcohol), canned air, the works. I have tried them all. I plugged in and unplugged my headphones at least 50 times, but still no joy. Only for a split second with a pin at a certain angle did the internal speakers come on, then back to nothing. This leads me to believe they are working fine (plus, it Chimes on startup).

I am pretty tech so I decided to open her up and was expecting to have to pull the logic board to get a better angle to possibly clean the port better. To my surprise I found that the two audio ports (Mic and Headphone) are both fed by a detachable cable on the logic board! This is great news as I shouldn't have to replace the logic board now if I cannot fix the port.

Well, I did some more attempts at getting it to work, and still nothing. I decided to simply unplug the cable from the logic board and see if it would force the Mac to use built in speakers. Unfortunately, when it booted, there was still no option for Built-In speakers. At this point, I decided it is either a cable/port issue, or a more serious logic board issue. Given that I was able to get them to work for a second while testing/cleaning, and that the boot Chime still works, I went ahead and ordered a replacement cable (below).

So basically, I am writing all this for two things.

1) Has anyone fixed this issue with a cable swap before?

2) So future people can read this who may have this issue, and they will (soon) see if the cable swap worked for me as ALL other options have failed me.

Side note: this is on a fresh OS X install, and it was happening BEFORE the reformat as well.

 

[dustinschings]

So, nobody has done this? Feeling like a pioneer here then I guess. Well I promise to update with my results. Perhaps it will save someone in the future some money on their Late-2009 iMac repair.

 

[Fishrrman]

Let us know if the cable swap works.

If it doesn't, I would try this:
1. Look for some kind of "converter" that converts a digital/optical signal back to analog.
2. Connect it into the headphone port (that is stuck on digital/optical). You'll probably need the appropriate TOSLINK type cable to do this.
3. Connect headphones or speakers to the converter output.

This doesn't "fix" the broken port.
It -does- "work around" it.

SECOND POSSIBLE WORKAROUND:
Buy a USB-to-analog adapter/converter, and connect headphones/speakers to it.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Let us know if the cable swap works.

If it doesn't, I would try this:
1. Look for some kind of "converter" that converts a digital/optical signal back to analog.
2. Connect it into the headphone port (that is stuck on digital/optical). You'll probably need the appropriate TOSLINK type cable to do this.
3. Connect headphones or speakers to the converter output.

This doesn't "fix" the broken port.
It -does- "work around" it.

SECOND POSSIBLE WORKAROUND:
Buy a USB-to-analog adapter/converter, and connect headphones/speakers to it.

Re-read the original post. The problem is with getting the internal speakers to work, not with finding a way to get an analog output - OP says there's no problem plugging in external speakers or headphones.

This issue is normally due to a mechanical failure within the audio out jack. Replacing the jack (in this case, the cable/jack assembly) is the likely fix. There's always the chance that the failure is elsewhere, but the odds are against it.

 

[Fishrrman]

I read the original post.

So long as the iMac "thinks" there's something connected to the headphone port (whether it be an analog or a digital connection), I believe the internal speakers will remain muted.

He either has to fix the port (so that the Mac thinks there's nothing plugged into it), or come up with another solution as to hearing sound "over speakers".

If the port is stuck "in digital mode", I think that's an indication that the Mac registers that there's an optical-out plug "in" the port (whether one is physically attached or not). Hence, no sound output to speakers can be selected.

Seems to me if the port can't be fixed, the Mac isn't going to be able to deliver sound output to the internal speakers any longer.

If there's a "software workaround" to this, I've yet to hear of it.

OP:
Have you tried a complete re-install of the OS?

 

[dustinschings]

I replaced the cable/jack unit and all is good to go again. $5 shipped and arrived in 2 days. I am quite happy.

Thanks for all the advice and I hop this helps some people in the future!