Sound output with mini DisplayPort

[virus321]

Hi,

I'm just new in Mac community. I bought my first new iMac last week. It's a 21.5-inch: 3.06GHz with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics.

I'm really fun of my new iMac

My question is about the mini DisplayPort. I didn't find information about this question. Indeed, I bought a mini DisplayPort to DVI converter, and I linked my iMac to my Samsung TV using a DVI -> HDMI. So here is my connection
iMac -> mini DisplayPort -> miniDisplayPort to DVI converter -> DVI -> HDMI input of my TV

The video worked both using Mac OS and Windows 7 (i installed both OS because I need some windows softwares). But, I was especially surprised when I heard, from my TV the sound of Windows 7 (windows is installed as a dual boot and virtually). And there is no other link between my iMac and my TV other than the one described up. (the DVI -> HDMI).
Moreover, when I'm using windows 7, I can choose my sound output, and a switched from :
- iMac integrated speakers.
- my TV speakers
- my headphone (when it is connected to the mini Jack output of the iMac)

Did anyone now if this functionality is possible from the mac OS X ?

Thank your for your help.

 

[spinnerlys]

mini DisplayPort does not carry sound under Mac OS X, and it's strange that DVI carries sound, as it normally doesn't, but I heard that ATI once took advantage of some unused pins in the DVI connector to transmit sound.

It's strange for sure.

 

[virus321]

Yes, and that is why I posted my threat.

It is really weird that it works, and espacially that Windows 7 gives us the possibility to switch. I'll post the name of the Sound Output detected by windows when i'll reboot next time.

And about the sound through DVI, when I searched for some information, I already found some article speaking about such a "discover"

But no one speaks about it for the iMac 22 inch. and how to make it work with mac OS X (as we know now that it is supported by hardware)

 

[Hellhammer]

If you want to carry video and sound through HDMI you will need this adapter. Or just use that Mini DP to DVI to HDMI and then carry audio through normal 3.5mm cable

 

[virus321]

thank you Hellhammer for your reply.
I already saw this converter, but because I already have other converters, and that from a hardware point of view it's faisable to make it work with what I described in my first reply, I wanted to ask about how to make it work with the mac OS X (as it works using Windows 7)

 

[Hellhammer]

thank you Hellhammer for your reply.
I already saw this converter, but because I already have other converters, and that from a hardware point of view it's faisable to make it work with what I described in my first reply, I wanted to ask about how to make it work with the mac OS X (as it works using Windows 7)

As far as I know, it's not possible as you can't choose Mini DP as an audio output and DVI doesn't normally support audio. As I said, your best bet is to use e.g. 3.5mm audio cable (there are adapters for toslink etc) to get sound under OS X.

 

[manannabread]

I know this is many years later, but I'm still interested to know if you ever figured out how to get audio transmission over mini displayport working on osx, since it was possible to make it work with windows (there's hope!!). I recently got an old mac (2008) which the same graphics card, and I'd thought at first that it wasn't supported by the graphics card, but your experience on windows suggests that it's not a hardware limitation.