HDMI Mac Mini sound problems
November 16, 2014 8:25 PM Subscribe
Why would a Mac Mini hooked up to a TV suddenly stop working?
I have a Mac Mini plugged up to our TV through an HDMI. It has played fine for years but yesterday it stopped working. I've tried updating to Yosemite but it's still not working. The video comes through but no audio (and the computer refuses to allow me to adjust the volume)
I've reset the computer and TV. I've unplugged and replugged the HDMI.
Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.
I have a Mac Mini plugged up to our TV through an HDMI. It has played fine for years but yesterday it stopped working. I've tried updating to Yosemite but it's still not working. The video comes through but no audio (and the computer refuses to allow me to adjust the volume)
I've reset the computer and TV. I've unplugged and replugged the HDMI.
Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.
You can also hold down the Option key while clicking on the Volume menu bar widget, which gives you added and "advanced" controls over routing audio input and output.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 9:21 PM on November 16, 2014
posted by a lungful of dragon at 9:21 PM on November 16, 2014
It's normal that the computer will refuse to let you adjust the volume when your sound is routed through HDMI, so that's not part of the problem.
If the above suggestions don't pan out, there are a few other things I can think of to try:
1. If you have Garage Band on this Mac, try launching it and creating a new project. Garage Band does some low-level checks on the Mac's sound system and fixes problems. Weird, I know.
2. Try zapping the NVRAM: reboot, immediately after the bing hold down command-option-P-R, wait for the next bing, release.
3. Try resetting the SMC: shut down, physically unplug, wait 15 seconds, replug and reboot.
posted by adamrice at 6:59 AM on November 17, 2014
If the above suggestions don't pan out, there are a few other things I can think of to try:
1. If you have Garage Band on this Mac, try launching it and creating a new project. Garage Band does some low-level checks on the Mac's sound system and fixes problems. Weird, I know.
2. Try zapping the NVRAM: reboot, immediately after the bing hold down command-option-P-R, wait for the next bing, release.
3. Try resetting the SMC: shut down, physically unplug, wait 15 seconds, replug and reboot.
posted by adamrice at 6:59 AM on November 17, 2014
As with all computer problems, you can start to solve the problem by replacing pieces of the system.
Do you get sound with it hooked up to a different tv?
What about replacing the cable?
What about hooking up something else with hdmi out to the tv.
If there are any other pieces involved (like home theater audio system), pull them out.
That will at least let you know what the source of the problem is.
posted by empath at 9:13 AM on November 17, 2014
Do you get sound with it hooked up to a different tv?
What about replacing the cable?
What about hooking up something else with hdmi out to the tv.
If there are any other pieces involved (like home theater audio system), pull them out.
That will at least let you know what the source of the problem is.
posted by empath at 9:13 AM on November 17, 2014
try this.
a couple preference files randomly seem to get corrupted on macs with HDMI. Sometimes you get a black screen, sometimes you get no audio, sometimes both. i know that thread is about the macbook pro, and for an older version of OSX, but i managed to have that problem on mavericks and that fixed it.
i reaaaally ripped my hair out over stupid hdmi problems on my mac, convinced it was a bad cable/port/glitchy receiver/something. But no, it was those stupid files. Just nuke them.
(and the computer refuses to allow me to adjust the volume)
you can never adjust the volume with HDMI audio, it's up to the display device. that's normal.
posted by emptythought at 8:18 PM on November 17, 2014
a couple preference files randomly seem to get corrupted on macs with HDMI. Sometimes you get a black screen, sometimes you get no audio, sometimes both. i know that thread is about the macbook pro, and for an older version of OSX, but i managed to have that problem on mavericks and that fixed it.
i reaaaally ripped my hair out over stupid hdmi problems on my mac, convinced it was a bad cable/port/glitchy receiver/something. But no, it was those stupid files. Just nuke them.
(and the computer refuses to allow me to adjust the volume)
you can never adjust the volume with HDMI audio, it's up to the display device. that's normal.
posted by emptythought at 8:18 PM on November 17, 2014
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posted by humboldt32 at 8:38 PM on November 16, 2014