Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

rMBP, HDTV & Home Cinema Set

Q

quintendehaas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 21, 2011
18
0
I've been using my rMBP to watch movies on my HDTV through a HDMI cable but I'm not to happy with the sound coming from my TV, just not the best speakers in there. So I ordered a Home Cinema Set to boost the sound of my movies and my TV.

Now I get to the challenge of hooking everything up so that these three systems work together perfectly. I've been reading post about needing a Toslink Cable/Optical cable to transfer the sound from my MacBook Pro to the Home Cinema Set. My question is whether this is still necessary since the rMBP has a HDMI Port that also carries digital audio right?

My plan is now to hook up the Home Cinema Set to my HDTV and select this Home Cinema Set as sound output on my TV (through HDMI). And when I want to watch a movie by using my rMBP I hook up another HDMI cable between the MBP and the TV. This way the sound goes 'through' the TV to the Home Cinema Set.

Would this setup work or do I need a direct connection between rMBP and the Home Cinema Set.

I can imagine you guys have a similar setup so I would like to learn from your experiences.

FYI, my systems:
- HDTV: Philips 40PFL6606
- Home Cinema Set: Philips HTS3531
- Base Model Retina MacBook Pro
 
According to the spec sheet of your new home cinema system, there is no HDMI in, only out. So outputting sound from the TV to the system through HDMI is not an option. On my TV I output through regular RCA to an old analogue amp, then connect my computer (not rmbp, but same idea) through HDMI. My main audio output on the TV is set to the RCA. Works perfect.
 
Your home cinema in a box system does not have HDMI input. It only has "1 x optical audio input", according to the specifications

If you want to connect your rMBP using only the HDMI cable, then you need to buy a better AV receiver that has HDMI inputs. Otherwise you'll need to do the following:

* Connect the rMBP to the TV using HDMI
* Purchase an optical 3.5mm to TOSLink cable. The 3.5 mm jack goes into the rMBP and the Toslink side goes into your Philips sound thingie.

Or
You could use a normal analogue 3.5mm to 3.5 mm cable, since your Philips has a "1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio input (front)", but that would make your 5.1 surround pointless, since you'll only get 2 channel stereo sound.
 
Great info guys! Especially the HDMI-In was new for me.

I think I can figure it out by trying your setups.

One extra question though: what would happen if I play a non-surround sound movie/show through the 5.1 system. Will all the speakers emit sound, but just not in a surround sound way (i.e. no difference between front/back/left/right)?
Do I have to change my Midi-settings every time I switch between a 5.1/non 5.1 movie?

----------
theSeb said:
* Connect the rMBP to the TV using HDMI
* Purchase an optical 3.5mm to TOSLink cable. The 3.5 mm jack goes into the rMBP and the Toslink side goes into your Philips sound thingie.
Click to expand...

I understand my Home Cinema System doesn't have HDMI Input but wouldn't it also be possible to use a RCA cable as an input just like glaseryaniv suggested?
 
quintendehaas said:
I understand my Home Cinema System doesn't have HDMI Input but wouldn't it also be possible to use a RCA cable as an input just like glaseryaniv suggested?
Click to expand...

This would also prevent you from enjoying surround sound. I have a stereo system, and most of the work I do and things I watch are stereo, so I'm good with just right-left.
 
quintendehaas said:
Great info guys! Especially the HDMI-In was new for me.

I think I can figure it out by trying your setups.

One extra question though: what would happen if I play a non-surround sound movie/show through the 5.1 system. Will all the speakers emit sound, but just not in a surround sound way (i.e. no difference between front/back/left/right)?
Do I have to change my Midi-settings every time I switch between a 5.1/non 5.1 movie?

----------
Click to expand...
That really depends on your system itself. Some can do a pretend surround sound with 2 channel input and some will only play via the left and right speaker. You can probably muck about with the settings and see for yourself.

I honestly don't remember whether you would have to change the output settings, since I haven't done 2 channel output for so long.

I understand my Home Cinema System doesn't have HDMI Input but wouldn't it also be possible to use a RCA cable as an input just like glaseryaniv suggested?
Click to expand...
Yes, you could use a 3.5mm to RCA cable. This would get you two channel sound only.
 
The digital audio out is an optical out. Or at least is one on about 95% of the TV's I've seen.
 
snaky69 said:
The digital audio out is an optical out. Or at least is one on about 95% of the TV's I've seen.
Click to expand...

Okay thanks, but this is not the optical plug (the square one)? So that requires another special cable I guess...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back