Mac mini AV receiver issue

[neo179neo]

Hi all, wondering if someone can help... I've got a slight issue which is troubling me...

I run a mac mini as a media centre htpc hooked up to a newish onkyo AV receiver, the mac mini is practically always on and it is set to never sleep or to display sleep, it works fine, plays fine and sounds fine...

however my issue is that if i turn the onkyo into standby mode and then later come and turn it back on it won't detect the mac mini, i effectively have to pull the HDMI out, plug it back in and then it recognises it and works fine. I was thinking it might be the AV receiver, however i have also tested this with my PS4 running and the AV in standby and then turning the AV on but it detects the PS4 no problem...

Any thoughts as to how to fix this? As going to the machine to pull and put back the cable every time is tedious...

Many thanks

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Have you tried changing the source? For example, if you have your Mac running HDMI into- say- Video 1, switch to Video 2 and then back again. It sounds like some power-saving option is putting the HDMI link to sleep (even if the Mac isn't asleep) and maybe the Onkyo needs to give the Mac a little e-Nudge to wake up. Just a guess but easy enough for you to try.

Another little test to try is get something playing on the Mac Mini, then put the Onkyo into standby, then wake it back up. Did the active playback on the Mini resume? Or did the same problem happen again? This would be another way to see if maybe the Mini is putting it's HDMI link to sleep due to inactivity. If the problem doesn't repeat in this scenario, the active playback keeps the channel awake even when the Onkyo goes to "sleep" (standby). When you "wake" the Onkyo, it "sees" the active playback and resumes the passthrough to your TV.

 

[neo179neo]

Thanks for your reply...

So i tried using a different HDMI input and it still didn't wake up, so i tried playing music through iTunes, onkyo into standby, waited 20mins and then turned it back on and it turned on, i also did the same using plex and it turned on again, a sort of solution so thanks, however my mac usually has an application running e.g. Utorrent, why doesn't this wake it up? Because its actively not passing through video/sound irk the other programmes?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

My guess is that the Mac is set up to sleep what it sees as an inactive port- your HDMI port in this example. While your Onkyo is on, I suspect the Mac "sees" an active HDMI port. When you put your Onkyo to sleep, it doesn't, so then it "sleeps" the HDMI port. The exception is when something is left playing as then the Mac just keeps pumping data to the port whether the Onkyo is on or off. So the latter experiment shows that even if the Onkyo goes into "standby", the TV will keep pushing media.

In the situation where your TV is not pushing media when you turn your Onkyo back on, maybe the Onkyo is not doing something to alert the Mac that there is an active HDMI port awaiting content, or maybe the Mac is not doing something to sense the change on that HDMI port.

I don't think leaving the TV pushing media is the best solution here- that was just an experiment to test what might be happening. It's too bad that the input change didn't work as that would have been functionally better. Another option that isn't great but maybe better than leaving media running would be to use an iDevice to try to airplay anything through TV after you "wake" the Onkyo. In other words, TV is playing nothing, Onkyo is in "standby". "Wake" both (which should leave you with your original problem). Then try to airplay something through TV and see if that will wake up the connection to the Onkyo. It might work.

That's still a less-than-ideal step too but an alternative that might work without leaving media playing all the time.

Two more things: do you have the slideshow running when you have nothing playing on your TV for a few minutes? Often this is a slideshow of photos streaming by on the screen. If not, turn that on in "settings" (menu) and then try putting the Onkyo in and then out of "standby". Maybe the slideshow will retain the HDMI connection even when the Onkyo is asleep.

AND, I think there is still a way to functionally turn on and off the TV. You might look that up to see if I'm remembering right then try turning it off (which is different than letting it sleep). "Wake" the Onkyo from standy first, then turn on TV. Perhaps in being turned on instead of waking from sleep, the TV will look around for an active HDMI connection, which it should find in the just awakened Onkyo. If this works (and if I'm remembering right), it may be the best option.

I have TV3 hooked to an Onkyo and don't experience what you are experiencing, so I have a little suspicion of your hardware or HDMI cable. You could swap out the HDMI cable to see if the problem persists (just to eliminate the cable). You might try a different HDMI port too just to eliminate the one port. If neither of those do anything, try cutting the Onkyo out of the equation (just to see if you can isolate the problem to it) by temporarily connecting the HDMI cable directly to the TV (put the TV in "standby" and then "wake" it and see if there's a picture).

And, I also have my TV connected to the Onkyo with a optical cable (for Zone 2 audio) and, while probably a wrong guess, maybe connecting that too helps keep both aware of each other when they are asleep & awakened.

 

[RedRaven571]

Resurrecting an old thread - I am having exactly the OP's issue with a 2014 mac mini and Yamaha RX-V565 receiver and Sony Bravia TV. @neo179neo , did you ever resolve?

 

[priitv8]

Resurrecting an old thread - I am having exactly the OP's issue with a 2014 mac mini and Yamaha RX-V565 receiver and Sony Bravia TV. @neo179neo , did you ever resolve?

What kind of "recognition" by AVR are you expecting?
No Mac supports HDMI-CEC, so the usual automatism that happens with other entertainment sources (like one-touch-play) are not available. I also have a Mac Mini hanging on HDMI input of my AVR, and apart from having to wake it's display from sleep, I only need to select the proper input on AVR and off I go.
HDMI-CEC can be added to a Mini, though. You also will need a software to enable the functionality.

 

[RedRaven571]

What kind of "recognition" by AVR are you expecting?
No Mac supports HDMI-CEC, so the usual automatism that happens with other entertainment sources (like one-touch-play) are not available. I also have a Mac Mini hanging on HDMI input of my AVR, and apart from having to wake it's display from sleep, I only need to select the proper input on AVR and off I go.
HDMI-CEC can be added to a Mini, though. You also will need a software to enable the functionality.

I have the mini configured for always on (as media server), including no sleep for display. My issue is that, when I turn off the TV and AVR, and they are off for an extended period (e.g. - a few hours or overnight), when I turn TV and AVR back on (using Harmony remote), they don't recognize the mini (no signal on TV). It won't wake because it's already on/awake (I have screen sharing on and can access from MBP or iOS device); neither bluetooth mouse or keyboard will make it show up. I either have to reboot the mini (remotely), or unplug/plug in HDMI cable. Switching sources on AVR doesn't make a difference, nor does turning TV/AVR on/off again.

I've had my MBP connected to same HDMI port, using mini display port to HDMI adapted and have not had any issues; another online suggestion I read was to see if mini display port on mini had same issue, I can try that but kinda defeats the purpose of HDMI port on mini.

 

[RedRaven571]

So, I've had the mac mini connected via mini display port to HDMI adapter for 2 days now and absolutely no problems. Every time I turn TV/AVR back on, the mac mini desktop is displayed in all its glory. So, I'm guessing there's nothing 'wrong' with my TV/AVR setup but something is inherently different between the mac mini's HDMI out and mini Display port out. I looked and didn't see anything that I could change for HDMI on the mac mini.

Am I 'losing' anything by using this setup?

 

[PinballMagician]

I’m assuming the issue is the screen is blank on wake up. I have this problem with my 2011 Mac Mini and it started with Mavericks. I have a Denon that is 5+ years old. I have a ATV4K, Tivo, Blu-ray player plus the Mini. Only the Mini has the issue but it’s the oldest device. If I switch to another HDMI output and back, the Mini will show up correctly.

 

[RedRaven571]

I’m assuming the issue is the screen is blank on wake up. I have this problem with my 2011 Mac Mini and it started with Mavericks. I have a Denon that is 5+ years old. I have a ATV4K, Tivo, Blu-ray player plus the Mini. Only the Mini has the issue but it’s the oldest device. If I switch to another HDMI output and back, the Mini will show up correctly.

Correct, I have blank screen when TV/ATV are turned on and using HDMI out on Mini; working fine using TB/Mini Display to HDMI, through same HDMI input on AVR.

 

[shannoncoen]

I have this same problem with a Late-2014 Mac Mini and an AV Preamp connected via HDMI. I'd like to be able to shut off the preamp when not in use, but when I turn it on again, I get no video signal from the Mac Mini. The Mac Mini is configured to never sleep. Unplugging the HDMI cable and plugging it in again doesn't fix the issue. The only thing that works is restarting the Mac Mini.

 

[HDFan]

I either have to reboot the mini (remotely), or unplug/plug in HDMI cable.

The Mac Mini is configured to never sleep. Unplugging the HDMI cable and plugging it in again doesn't fix the issue.

Maybe part of the problem is DHCP? My setup is Apple TV > Media player > Receiver > TV which I control with a Harmony remote. When I am switching inputs to the Apple TV I see a blank screen for a few seconds as the 4 devices negotiate. Most times the negotiation is successful, but sometimes it fails. I have to power cycle the Media Player and then the negotiation is successful.

 

[priitv8]

My Mini does also this.
If the hdmi sink its connected to (AVR), goes away, the hdmi link drops and the screen is black when i switch the AVR to that input again.
I use my iPhone as remote mouse/keyboard. It will wake the Mini back to life and resync HDMI.

 

[GrumpyCoder]

Very common problem with HDMI, which is a PITA in general. Hard to say whos fault this is. A device like this can help to solve and/or diagnose the problem. If you can pinpoint the problem, submit a bug report to the manufacturer. I doubt you'll have much success with Apple submitting it, but some AV manufacturers tend to listen and provide firmware patches.

 

[priitv8]

... but some AV manufacturers tend to listen and provide firmware patches.

Actually, some AVRs provide the HDMI pass-through when standby functionality. Turning that on should keep the link alive even when AVR is asleep.
I must give it a try on mine. That of course increases the standby power consumption of the AVR.

 

[jerwin]

An hdmi switch might let you disconnect signals without unplugging cables.

 

[priitv8]

Actually, some AVRs provide the HDMI pass-through when standby functionality. Turning that on should keep the link alive even when AVR is asleep.
I must give it a try on mine. That of course increases the standby power consumption of the AVR.

Tried this on mine - does not prevent Mac Mini from blacking out the HDMI output.
But I also have the Display Sleep set in macOS Energy Saver settings.