Snow Leopard HDMI Audio - Part 1: Requirements

[toleda]

Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Enabling HDMI audio via AppleHDA in Mac OS X 10.6.x is comprised of four guides:
Snow Leopard HDMI Audio - Part 1: Requirements
Snow Leopard HDMI Audio - Part 2: DSDT Edits
Snow Leopard HDMI Audio - Part 3a: Kext Edits for AMD 5xxx
Snow Leopard HDMI Audio - Part 3b: Kext Edits for NVIDIA 4xx

Enjoying HDMI audio + video on most graphics card and motherboard configurations is documented using the replacement audio driver VoodooHDA. Enabling the supplied AppleHDA is something of a challenge but offers significant benefits including native support, high quality audio and integration with the rest of the Mac OS X operating system.

Advanced DSDT & Kext Editing

Note: This is an advanced process and is highly dependent on your exact hardware configuration.

Enabling HDMI audio in Mac OS X 10.6.x is comprised of three parts:

Part 1: HDMI Audio Requirements
Determines if your system is capable of HDMI audio

Part 2: HDMI Audio DSDT Edits
Configures your motherboard for HDMI audio

Part 3: HDMI Audio Kext Edits
Customizes Mac OS X for your graphics card

After all this work, how do you know if you have successfully enabled HDMI Audio in Mac OS X? Select System Preferences/Sound/Output. Look for HDMI, select HDMI as your audio output device and enjoy!

This guide applies to Mac OS X 10.6.5, 10.6.6 and 10.6.7 only. The Early 2011 MacBookPro 10.6.7 release, Early 2011 iMac release and Mac OS X 10.7 are not considered.

Credits: tmongkol and bcc9

Part 1: HDMI Audio Requirements

This checklist evaluates your current system capabilities before attempting to enable Snow Leopard HDMI audio. Starting with a HDMI audio capable Snow Leopard system significantly increases your probability of success.

HDMI Audio Capability Checklist
HDMI_Audio_Checklist.pdf

If you answered no to one or more question, your system is not configured correctly for HDMI audio. Before proceeding, please update your your system with the appropriate solutions.

Examples of required HDMI Audio capabilities are presented in the following HDMI Audio Requirement Verification pdf.
HDMI_Audio_Requirements_Verification.pdf

Your system may be capable of native Snow Leopard HDMI Audio if you answered yes to all questions. There are no guarantees. A system that produces HDMI audio for someone else may not work for you. Similarly, your system may work even if others are unsuccessful.

Potential impact to on board audio when enabling HDMI audio:

 

[ellman121]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

What about the Radeon HD 6xxx series of graphics cards?

 

[timcharper]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

What about the Radeon HD 6xxx series of graphics cards?

I'm also curious about this. I know that my system is capable of HDMI audio (it works in windows), and I meet all of the requirements except for it saying Radeon 5xxx in system info.

 

[NurkJon]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

What about the Radeon HD 6xxx series of graphics cards?

I'm also curious about this. I know that my system is capable of HDMI audio (it works in windows), and I meet all of the requirements except for it saying Radeon 5xxx in system info.

I'm also curious about this point.

 

[toleda]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Regarding HD 6xxx graphics cards, current support for HDMI audio is provided in specific and specialized releases (early 2011 MacBookPro and iMac). I expect HD 6xxx HDMI audio support will be available with the upcoming 10.6.8 release. We will update the guides when the implementation process is proven and reliable. With that being said, you can make the HDMI audio DSDT edits at any time. There is no effect on system performance assuming the edits are made correctly.

One more thing, if you made the DSDT edit, installed the complete iMac update, have a Sapphire HD 6870 configured with the Duckweed framebuffer, you can enjoy HDMI and DisplayPort audio now.

 

[timcharper]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Regarding HD 6xxx graphics cards, current support for HDMI audio is provided in specific and specialized releases (early 2011 MacBookPro and iMac). I expect HD 6xxx HDMI audio support will be available with the upcoming 10.6.8 release. We will update the guides when the implementation process is proven and reliable. With that being said, you can make the HDMI audio DSDT edits at any time. There is no effect on system performance assuming the edits are made correctly.

One more thing, if you made the DSDT edit, installed the complete iMac update, have a Sapphire HD 6870 configured with the Duckweed framebuffer, you can enjoy HDMI and DisplayPort audio now.

Trying the update sometime today... will see what I can do to get hdmi audio going and report back.

 

[timcharper]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Update was a success, although I had to roll back the HDA driver because I had NO sound after the update.

Still no signs of HDMI audio supported in System profiler. Bummer.

On the positive side, my ATI drivers were updated from 1.6.34.13 (9707) to 1.6.36.10 (9792), but I don't know what that provides.

 

[toleda]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Update was a success, although I had to roll back the HDA driver because I had NO sound after the update.

Still no signs of HDMI audio supported in System profiler. Bummer.

On the positive side, my ATI drivers were updated from 1.6.34.13 (9707) to 1.6.36.10 (9792), but I don't know what that provides.

System Profiler is not accurate; IOReg is the better tool. if you want HDMI audio, you'll have to find a different on board audio solution, one that works with the current AppleHDA. What codec do you have on your motherboard?

 

[timcharper]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

System Profiler is not accurate; IOReg is the better tool. if you want HDMI audio, you'll have to find a different on board audio solution, one that works with the current AppleHDA. What codec do you have on your motherboard?

I'm not sure, but I think it's realtek. I have a Gigabyte board.

I'd check, but my installation is totally hosed after experimenting with different AtiConfig values... drive was corrupted beyond repair

Going to have to sit down and start over (fortunately have a backup)

 

[hedue1988]

Re: Demystifying HDMI Audio Part 1: Requirements

Hello to all...is it possible to do this with 10.6.8?