Optical out problem

All,
I have a white imac and have recently bought a receiver and 5.1 speakers to go with it. I have connected up amp to PS3 through optical cable and it works fine, but I am hoping to connect my mac straight up to the receiver through the optical out.
I have got the required "mini-optical" extension for my standard optical cable, and then plugged it into the amp but no noise!!!
Looking in the settings on mac it see's that the optical is plugged in, but I still can't get anything out the speakers - any ideas?
It is my girlfriends 25th birthday on Friday and I really need the speakers all woking for then!!!
Cheers
James

Thanks for the reply but i'm running Power DVD Delux and even earlier versions of Power DVD had 5. as standard. I think this is not the problem though. I don't want Power DVD to decode the AC3 I want it to pass through the card to my Yamaha Recei'ver and have that decode the AC3 tracks on both Divx and DVDs. So I click the box that says Digital Output Only and it makes no difference!
I did get this to work about a month after buying the card back in September 2006 now it aint working. I've tried every trick in the book from re-install (6 times) to a cleam boot in XP!!!! nothing works! could it be a duff card!
Remember there's a prize for whoever can solve this!
Cheers
Oly

Similar Messages

SB Xtreme Audio Notebook optical out problem with Home TheaterSystem-HELP!

JSB Xtreme Audio Notebook optical out problem with Home TheaterSystem-HELP!, I have this sound card connected?(optical OUT) ?to my home?theater system's digital IN ?through the recommended /8in. optical miniplug-to-optical SPDIF cable. Theater system is set correctly to Digital-In mode. I have no sound!
The cable is a Velocity Toslink-to-Optical Mini Plug digital cable. I don't see any settings in the Creative Console Launcher. The notebook is a Dell XPS M730 (Vista 32).
I have a PS3, DirecTV, and the SB Xtreme Audio Notebook cable on a hub switch that connects to the system's?one Optical IN. The PS3 and DirecTV sound perfect!
The sound card works fine with standard PC speakers. I'm at a loss as?to what to try next. I set this whole system up myself, so I'm pretty good at working out the kinks, except this one!
Karen

OK. I just went to Control Panel - Sound - Playback - Digital Output Device (SB Xtreme Audio Notebook) - Properties - Advanced. I experimented with different sample rates and bit depths. Clicked the test button and lo and behold - sound from the HTS! I've tried iTunes, PowerDVD (configured to digital output) and YouTube - no sound! Am I missing something really obvious?
HA! Just backed out to Playback and selected Digital Output Device (SPDIF) and set as Default. Sound is emunating from HTS! Well, that mystery is solved! Who knew.
Thanks anyway! Any comments or advice will still be appreciated.

Digital Optical Out problem on USB LIVE Exter

Jpc's guide to digital outputs was great but it didn't seem to address the problems I'm having with my Soundblaster LIVE USB External! I've contacted support on numerous occasions but with no solution...can anybody help me?My Problem:?I have the Soundblaster LIVE USB External Card and I'm trying to play DIVX movies with AC3 soundtracks in VLC media player and also standard DVDs with Dolby Digital 5. soundtracks using both WINDVD and PowerDVD. The Soundblaster is connected to my YAMAHA Home Cinema Recei'ver via the front Optical out (Not the Rear Coax SPDIF) and the amp is set to decode DD or DTS. I have my speaker settings in the Creative Soundblaster software set to Optical Out Only (the little checkbox) and the speakers are then fixed on 2.. In VLC Media player I've selected SPDIF output and I am getting sound but it's just stereo and the Recei'ver is showing that it's receiving a PCM sound signal. In PowerDVD under the config it shows that the Soundblaster is (in use) but under SPDIF is shows (not in use) and I can find no options in Power DVD to select SPDIF! Again I am getting sound but not full-on DD 5.. In WINDVD under sound config is shows options for selecting SPDIF but it's greyed out and unselectable! The only thing that is slected is Analog sound device! I have sound, again stereo!?So that's it really... I'm just trying to figure out why I am getting sound (in stereo only) but nothing that I try will give me full 5.! I understand the concept that ticking the Optical Output only box in the Creative Soundblaster software should then send a pure AC3 signal to the receiver and that should then decode it as it would a DVD from a DVD player! I have tested the front port of my Recei'ver with a set top DVD player and It gives my 5. with no problem!?Any help would be fab!?I'm so at my wits end with this that I'll offer a prize to anyone who can solve this for me!?CheersOlyMessage Edited by olyscott8 on 03-9-200705:48 AM

Thanks for the reply but i'm running Power DVD Delux and even earlier versions of Power DVD had 5. as standard. I think this is not the problem though. I don't want Power DVD to decode the AC3 I want it to pass through the card to my Yamaha Recei'ver and have that decode the AC3 tracks on both Divx and DVDs. So I click the box that says Digital Output Only and it makes no difference!
I did get this to work about a month after buying the card back in September 2006 now it aint working. I've tried every trick in the book from re-install (6 times) to a cleam boot in XP!!!! nothing works! could it be a duff card!
Remember there's a prize for whoever can solve this!
Cheers
Oly

Optical out problem: no sound with DVDplayer?

Hi,
I've got a problem with the optical output of my MBP. When I play a DVD with the DVDplayer app or VLC my receiver doesn't detect the optical signal from the MBP. I think this is a software problem.
I say this because all the hardware I use seems to work fine:
1. My receiver/amp detects the optical signal from another DVD player device with no problems.
2. The optical cable I use with the MBP is the same cable as a use with the DVD player device (with the mini jack adaptor of course).
3. When I insert the optical cable into the combined output of the MBP and I launch DVDplayer app, you can see the red light comming out at the other end of the cable.
4. I've set in Audio/Midi app the digital signal to all possible combinations (44,1 kHz, 48 khz with 16, 20 and 24 bits)
5. Trashed prefs of systemaudio, DVDplayer and Audio/Midi app.
But it still doesn't work. Anybody knows what I can try?
Thanks.

Will iTunes play through the amp?

Optical Out problems with MSI-K8NS Motherboard Adapter

I have an MSI-K8NS motherboard which came with an extra PCI mount bracket for coax/fiber digital out sound. I just bought a Creative surround sound system set with digital decoder. I hooked the header into where I believe the pins should go into the motherboard and even have a light at the ends of the cable (seemingly has a signal, I presume). I have no idea how to enable this in software, however. The Realtek software that is installed doesn't seem to have any configuration for this digital out, and I can't find a way to use it. I've searched these forums, but still have no idea what's going on. Could someone please help?
Thanks!
Edit: Ok, so it looks like the SoundManager software needs to be in 8 channel mode for spdif to work. I don't understand that, but at least I got it working. Hope this bit of info could help someone else out!

Quote
My best guess is because you are running the default BIOS. Try running with one stick of ram just to start with, so that you have a stable enough system to upgrade your bios to 1.3
I tried running the system with a single stick of ram and still the same thing happens
Quote
did i miss it or have you not mentioned that since your ram is 166MHZ you have changed the memory divider to 166 in BIOS?
When I started the computer up, the motherboard automatically picked the memory modules up as 166Mhz.
To Paul:
I tried to run the memtest86 several times. It starts off for a while, then the computer hangs up as pervious situations. It could just be that the RAM i am using is imcompatible. I may have to invest into Corsair RAM modules.

Optical out weird problem

Hi, i've a really weird problem on my mbp audio out. Apparently the optical out seems to go in "sleep" mode in less than a second of inactivity, turning off the speakers which takes like a second to turn on.
The result is that any short, silent-preceeded sound is completely not played.
The behaviour is also described in this thread.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=699686

I am also noticing this problem. I have my iMac connected to an Apogee Mini-DAC via optical TOSLINK. I thought I had a bad cable, so I bought a new one, but it's still losing its connection. Now I can definitely say it's the Mac and not the DAC because I will unplug the cable from the Mini-DAC but leave it connected to the Mac. If I play something in iTunes, the red light shines through the cable, but if I stop the song, after a few seconds the light goes out. So, this is not limited to MBP. I have a suspicion that this is a "feature" in order to cut down on energy use, but it sure is annoying.

Having problem with optical out on HD rental movie

Hi all, I just bought an Apple TV for myself for the holidays. I have the optical out going to a DAC then to my stereo, and it works fine for music, Netflix, and iTunes Radio. However, when I rented a movie via iTunes (The Wolverine), optical out no longer worked. I did get sound through HDMI (and thus through my TV--not great, but usable).
Because this is a pure DAC (no Dolby), I had to turn Dolby Digital to Off to get Netflix to work. I tried Audio Output as both Auto and 16 bit, and neither setting worked. Audio Output = Auto works fine for everything else.
Anybody else have a similar issue? Thanks!

Turning Dolby Digital off shouldn't mean not getting any signal out of optical out. I turned it off when I had problems with Netflix movies, but now Netflix movies are fine. I'm getting sound out of optical out with them, which means that something is converting the sound signal to PCM.
The problem is that the conversion doesn't appear to be happening for iTunes movie rentals for some reason.

CLL and Optical Out major problem

So I recently purchased a X-Fi Titanium Fatalty Professional card, I'm using optical out to my 5.1 surround system.
Is Creative Console Launcher not supposed to work with using optical out? It seems to only be reconizing Line Out -4. (Pic Included) I currently get 2.1 sound, but nothing else. Not even with games/DVD's.
I'm using Win7x64 on a fresh install. I have all the proper drivers that I know of.

Neometalrain wrote:
Sweet works now, thanks alot. Im new to using optical with sound cards so I dont complety understand them yet. Thumps up!
No problem.
Glad I could help

Audio (optical Digital Out) Problems

I can't seem to get audio out of my optical out port for some system sounds anymore. I can play iTunes songs but system-alert sounds (iChat open close, trash) don't seem work. I've also noticed that the opening music when I open WoW won't play but then the audio works fine once I log into the game (after I pick a player). Quicktime movies also seem to play fine. If I go into the preferences pane and try the alert sounds, some will work but not all the time. It's not acting as if the file is corrupt since Basso will play one minute but not the next. When it tries to play the sound file all I hear is a slight 'thud' from the speakers.
Any ideas?

In System preferences you have a sound panel option for output there you'll get 2 choices: digital or Built-in, sometimes but rarely this can make a difference. ATH [Apple hardware test on the install disk].
The only other thing that could be separately an issue is the optical port has to be the top one for output [no doubt you've got the one with the glow coming out of it plugged in].
But the digital ports are wired to the logic board, you might try resetting the firmware.
[Restart holding AppleOption+OF: at prompt type: reset-nvram: Mac returns O.k. then type: reset-all.]

When I plug my headphones into the headphone/optical out jack programs hang

I have an iMac 20 inch LCD. On the back their is a jack with a picture of headphones, but it is also labeled as "optical out". I plug my headphones in and they work. Great. That is not my problem today.
My problem is that whenever I plug the headphones in or unplug them, iTunes (and other apps using audio) hangs and when I try to adjust the volume with the keyboard buttons nothing happens for 15 seconds or more and then the volume changes, not that anything is able to play. If I wait for a minute or so then all my applications start working fine again and I am able to hear my music and adjust the volume.
What in the world is going on?
1.8 Ghz G5 1.25GB RAM Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Thank you. That is good information.
Does this mean that there is nothing I can do about the delay? When I think of a delay, I think of maybe 10 seconds. I am having to wait for a minute or more for my audio to switch. While I wait, I have no audio and any audio program hangs. Is there a setting I can change? It seems rather ridiculous that I have to wait so long just to switch from internal speakers to headphones.
It is like this on other Mac machines? Or it is just my iMac? I hate to compare Mac to Windows, but on Windows or Linux computers the switch is instantaneous.

Optical Audio Problems

Hi guys,
I'm having a little trouble getting my Mac mini to play audio via optical out through my Sony HT-IS100 home theatre system.
Below is my correspondence with Sony UK so far listing the problem and current connections. Their reply indicates that the problem is the way the sound is output from the mini. Does anybody know what the default output audio type is via optical?
It is worth noting the problem occurs through iTunes, front row, safari, quick time etc.
I also tried using my MacBook Pro and the same problem occurred. Does anyone have any ideas, or are Macs just not compatible with my setup via optical audio?
Thanks in advance,
Jib
Here is the link to the manual referenced by Sony http://www.superfi.co.uk/extras/Sony/sonyhtis100manual.pdf
=================================================
Hi there,
I'm having trouble getting the sound from my MacMini to output through my recently purchased HT-IS100 system.
The MacMini is being connected via a TOS optical cable for the sound and a HDMI cable for the picture to the SAT inputs on the HT-IS100.
The picture is working fine, as mentioned the audio is not. The HT-IS100 is working fine for all other inputs.
The optical cable has been checked and is working when used for other components, as has the optical out port on the MacMini.
When the HT-IS100 is turned on from standby, the OPT and PCM light are on and I get audio for about a second before '2.0 channel' is displayed and the audio disappears.
Have looked through all trouble shooting and online guides and nothing to help me with it. I also tried calling my local sony centre with no luck there either. All components are working so am assuming it is just a setting that needs to be changed.
Can you please advise on how to fix the problem.
Many thanks.
Dear Mr ------
Thank you for your recent e-mail received on 11/03/2010 03.20 PM.
I am pleased to read that you are the owner of a HT-IS100, but sorry to learn of the issue you are experiencing.
Having investigated your enquiry, it appears that your MacMini is outputting a sound signal that is not supported by the HT-IS100. For example, the maximum PCM input for the Home Theatre System is 96khz. The Home Theatre System will automatically select the best decoding mode for the sound that is being received, so it would not be a setting on the Theatre System that needs to be changed. As this is the case, I would suggest that you view the supported sound specifications in the instruction manual and ensure that your MacMini is outputting a supported signal. Please refer to page 76 of the manual for the specifications.
I hope this information is of some assistance. Thank you for your enquiry.
Yours sincerely
Sony Customer Information Centre

Just to update this in case anyone can still help, or if anyone searches a similar topic.
Latest reply from Sony
Dear Mr.....
Thank you for your reply.
If the SAT optical port works when connected to another product, this still indicates that it is an issue somewhere in the Mac settings causing the problem. It is possible that interference in the HDMI cable is causing the Home Theatre System to listen to sound coming from the HDMI port rather than the optical port. I would suggest that you try connecting the Mac just with optical and no HDMI, to see if the issue still occurs. If the problem is resolved, I would recommend that you use another HDMI cable.
If the same issue occurs, this indicates that is a Mac setting somewhere causing the sound output to be incompatible. In this case, I would recommend that you contact Mac for assistance.
I hope this information is of some assistance. Thank you for your enquiry.
Yours sincerely
Customer Information Centre
SONY UNITED KINGDOM LTD
So, with HDMI unplugged the audio works through the optical input to the HT-IS100 amp. With a HDMI (all cables working that I tried) plugged in, the picture comes through but no audio for that channel.
So there must be something outputting through the HDMI from the mac mini to make the amp try to take the audio from there instead of the optical. Tried all TV output settings on the mac and same problem across the board. Does anyone know if there is anything else I can try, or is it time to just accept this combo does not work as it should?
Since the last post, I discovered that the sliders in the midi setup should be grey due to control being shifted to the amp, so all OK there.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any help.

No optical-out sound on MSI KT4-Ultra!!

Hi, I have recently set up a system based on the MSI KT4-Ultra board. I'm using an Athlon XP 1700+, a Radeon 9000 video card, and I've installed Windows 98.
Although all the drivers and audio applications which MSI provided installed fine, and 2-channel audio from the on-board sound chip works great both for music and for the 3-4 games I've installed so far, I can't seem to get the optical SPDIF port to work! I bought a cable and connected the computer to my Sony MD-player and attempted to copy my CDs onto MD. I go into the MSI control panel and check the box to enable SPDIF-out, removing the speaker cable from the analog line-out just for good measure. When I plug the optical cable into my MD it recognises digital input and prepares for recording. I press record on the MD and play on the computer's CD-player app, but the MD LED shows "no signal". I'm pretty sure both the MD recorder and cable are OK since I've used them to copy CDs from a Kenwood portable CD-player quite recently, so it must be the MB that's giving me problems. Indeed, when I've stopped playback in the CD-player app and went back into the audio control panel, I found that the SPDIF box had been unchecked of its own accord. I've tried this several times, and I've unplugged the S-bracket and reinstalled it all over again just to make sure it was plugged in properly, and I still get the same problem. All audio works fine except optical out! Haven't got a coaxial cable or recorder so I can't check if the coaxial port is equally buggered or if it's just the optical, but I'm getting really annoyed here: this was the one feature I liked best about this board and the only one which isn't working! Any ideas, anyone?

dude, i think i can get u ur signal, but currently i can only get silent recordings, u may have better luck.
on the minidisc, there should be a switch or button that will toggle synchronised recording on and off, turning it off should get u a signal, but it wont be in sync wiv the cd, ie u cant trust it to form track gaps.
hope that helps, done flame me if it dont, if i manage to get substance to my recording, i will send u the info just in case.
take it easy

Optical out sends constant noise to speakers

Hi,
Is it normal that when I connect the optical out to the surround sound system the speakers produce a constant hissing noise. If I connect any other device with optical out to the surround system instead of the AppleTV, the speakers don't produce this annoying feedback noise. Is this a problem with my specific AppleTV or is this a design malfunction in all AppleTV devices.
The noise always has a constant volume.
I have tried connecting it to a different surround sound system, and the AppleTV
still produces the same noise. It's likely that most people won't be bothered by
this, but I have sensitive ears and I did expect high quality output from this
rather expensive device (given the limitations apple has enforced upon it, even though the hardware is capable of so much more).
Thnx.
(To bad I couldn't get online support from Apple for the AppleTV, seems
they only have e-mail service for iTunes store????)
Message was edited by: timothyparez

This is a public update of Lion available since last night.
No a developer thing.
Click in your "Apple" menu (top left) and then "Software Update"
The usual procedure.
I have left my machine on all night long and the sound is still good and the "SoundStay" app is still runnig fine.

Audio Probelms with some DVDS/BLU-RAY discs when using optical out to Audigy 2

I have my PS3 connected to my Audigy 2 ZS soundcard via optical?cable to play 5. sound on my PC sound system (Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.). I have finally successfully played discrete 5. sound with some DVDs. I have changed my optical out setting to bitstream in the DVD/BD menu (XMB) and selected optical with everything checked in (XMB). So far, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and Minority Report have worked in proper 5. (not stereo matrixing). Both Dolby Digital and DTS tracks (I know it works because it sounds twice as good as Dolby?Digital) ?work in Minority Report. The problem is... Jurassic Park (DTS) and my Blu-ray MIssion Impossible 3 have no audio (probably more too). The STRANGE part is if I fastfoward both films by .5x (so that audio plays in FF) I can hear audio. When FF by .5x the display signal on the top of the screen changes from DTS or DOLBY DIGITAL: Multi Channel to DTS or DOLBY DIGITAL: 5..
What is with that?Also I still do not get audio in any games, Resistance (Blu-ray)?or any game demo but I do get the audio from the game display screen (XMB). Please if anyone has?any?useful advise or information it would be greatly appreciated.
?Thank you!

I have my PS3 connected to my Audigy 2 ZS soundcard via optical?cable to play 5. sound on my PC sound system (Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.). I have finally successfully played discrete 5. sound with some DVDs. I have changed my optical out setting to bitstream in the DVD/BD menu (XMB) and selected optical with everything checked in (XMB). So far, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and Minority Report have worked in proper 5. (not stereo matrixing). Both Dolby Digital and DTS tracks (I know it works because it sounds twice as good as Dolby?Digital) ?work in Minority Report. The problem is... Jurassic Park (DTS) and my Blu-ray MIssion Impossible 3 have no audio (probably more too). The STRANGE part is if I fastfoward both films by .5x (so that audio plays in FF) I can hear audio. When FF by .5x the display signal on the top of the screen changes from DTS or DOLBY DIGITAL: Multi Channel to DTS or DOLBY DIGITAL: 5..
What is with that?Also I still do not get audio in any games, Resistance (Blu-ray)?or any game demo but I do get the audio from the game display screen (XMB). Please if anyone has?any?useful advise or information it would be greatly appreciated.
?Thank you!

Optical out...but wait, m

Im sorry if this has been asked before. I did look, but failed to see anything relevant.
Now, I have the Creative X-Fi Extreme gamer. I have it all working just fine under Vista. Awesome sound.
Now, the problem here-in lies. I want to add a 5. system into the loop. Just a cheapish one for gaming. For the most part I will have my headphones on, but when the missus goes to bed, I want to have the option of putting it out to speakers.
I was looking at:
http://uk.europe.creative.com/shop/product.asp?category=3&subcategory=9&product=357&p age=
Which fit the price range nicely. BUT MY MICROPHONE is a MUST. I see on this card that the Optical out doubles as the mic port. I have looked to see if there is a way I can juggle my jacks like you could with Realtek on board.
I cant seem to find such an option. So if I plugin a 5. through the optical, what happens to my mic?
I play in a clan using Ventrilo (VoIP program), so I really do need access to my mic.
Im kind of surprised that a card aimed at gamers would seemingly have a poor mic set up, especially as games these days have VoIP built in.
Maybe I am way off base, am hoping there is a solution.
Thanks.Message Edited by Eclectik on 08-27-200707:38 AM
Message Edited by Eclectik on 08-27-200707:39 AM

Hi Eclectik
Creative Inspire T600 connect to the X-Fi via Line Out Jack ,2 and 3. Don?t have SPDIF connection so don?t need use Optical Out (flexijack port), can use mic.
http://lh5.google.es/rmorinr/RqWuq57cvXI/AAAAAAAAAc0/5iCouGt83uk/s288/xfigamer.jpg">Message Edited by Rad-Wulf on 08-27-200705:34 PM

Optical out problem

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for