Click the SoundflowerBed icon in the menubar and select either DisplayPort or HDMI as you output. Click the speaker icon in the menubar and select Soundflower. You can also go to System Preferences. The audio drivers for the video card outputting audio over HDMI can sometimes conflict with your existing audio drivers. To solve this problem you need to disable your old audio drivers and enable the new ones. Go to your Windows Control Panel and then open sound properties. You will find a list of audio outputs available.
Mac computers that have any of the following ports can connect to HDMI devices. Learn how to identify the ports on your Mac.
- HDMI port: Connects directly to HDMI using an HDMI cable.
- USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port: Connects to HDMI using an adapter, such as the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.
- Mini DisplayPort: Connects to HDMI using a third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter or cable.
Mac computers that have an HDMI port comply with HDMI 1.4b and support:
- At least 1080p video over HDMI, and some Mac models support higher resolutions when connecting to 4K displays, 5K displays, and Ultra HD TVs
- 8-channel/24-bit audio at 192kHz, Dolby Surround 5.1, and traditional stereo
- HDCP-encrypted playback from iTunes and QuickTime Player (version 10). Safari in macOS Sierra or later also supports HDCP-encrypted playback, if the web page is HTML5-enabled and the content is FairPlay Streaming-enabled and delivered using Media Source Extensions or HTTP Live Streaming.
If using an adapter, check the specifications of the adapter to learn about supported resolutions and other details.
After making the connection
If your Mac doesn't recognize your HDTV, display, or other HDMI device after making the connection:
- Turn off the HDMI device while your Mac is turned on.
- Unplug the HDMI cable from your Mac, then plug it in again.
- Turn on the HDMI device.
If the video on your HDTV or display extends beyond the borders of the screen, open Displays preferences and adjust the Underscan slider for a better fit. Use any of these methods to open Displays preferences:
- Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Displays.
- Press Shift-Command-A to open the Applications folder. Then double-click System Preferences, then click Displays.
- If your keyboard has brightness controls, press Option–Brightness Up or Option–Brightness Down.
If your HDMI device isn't receiving audio from your Mac:
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Sound. In the Output pane, make sure that your HDMI device is selected.
- If you're connecting using a Mini DisplayPort adapter, make sure that your Mac can send audio over Mini DisplayPort.
- If you're connecting from a Mac mini, unplug any audio device that is plugged into your computer's Audio-Out port.
If your Mac goes to sleep while a video is playing or paused, you might see an HDCP error. Quit the app that is playing the video, then open the app again. If the issue continues, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Energy Saver and adjust the settings so that your display doesn't turn off.
Learn more
- If your Mac has an HDMI port, you can use the Apple HDMI to DVI Adapter to connect to a DVI display.
- Mac computers don't support using CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) to control HDMI devices.
Using a computer in a home theater system can be a pain when it comes to audio. Computers usually output audio through numerous connections, none of which are connections commonly used by home theater systems. This means a chain of wires and adapters is required.
Macbook Air Output To Hdmi
But now HDMI allows users to bundle audio and video and send it all through a single cable. This greatly reduces the headache of connecting a PC to a home theater. So what do you need to use HDMI with your PC?
Video Killed the Audio Card
Surprisingly, the best way to transfer audio from a PC via HDMI is using your video card. As mentioned, HDMI is a combined standard for both audio and video. Recent video cards have taken advantage of this fact.
The video cards which support PC audio over HDMI include ATI Radeon cards of the 3000 series or newer and Nvidia cards of the 9000 series or newer. The ATI cards are the easiest to use. Simply install the card and the drivers and the audio works. The Nvidia cards require that an internal SDPIF connection be made between your PC's sound card or motherboard and the Nvidia video card.
Making the Connection
Not all video cards which support PC audio over HDMI ship with HDMI outputs. They ship instead with DVI, which is common on computer monitors.
These video cards still support audio over HDMI, but a DVI-to-HDMI adapter must be used to enable the audio. Connecting to your home theater via DVI will not enable audio. Most video cards which have only DVI outputs ship with DVI-to-HDMI adapters.
Solving Driver Issues
Although it would be great if computers just worked, they often don't. The audio drivers for the video card outputting audio over HDMI can sometimes conflict with your existing audio drivers.
Find Hdmi In Device Manager
To solve this problem you need to disable your old audio drivers and enable the new ones. Go to your Windows Control Panel and then open sound properties. You will find a list of audio outputs available. Select the HDMI output and right-click to open a menu. Click disable. Then right-click the HDMI output and make sure it is enabled. You may also need to reboot your computer.
Hdmi Sound Output Windows 10
Enjoy HDMI
Restore Hdmi Sound
Once you have HDMI operating on your PC you'll never want to go back to using separate audio and video connections. The quality is superb and having only a single wire connecting your PC and your home theater reduces confusion. Enjoy your new, less cluttered home theater!