MacBook + VGA Cable + HDTV = Mono Sound?

Mr Jones

Mr Jones

Mr Jones

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Hi guys,

I've recently purchased a Belkin VGA cable so I can connect my MacBook to my HDTV. I've got the official Apple mini-DVI to VGA, connected them up, running it at 1280x720 - no problem there.

The problem is the sound. I've got an LG (all connected up the the LG surround sound system that came with it). The only place I can see to connect my sound line-in is into the "VGA Sound Port" under the VGA input socket.

However, the sound out-put is mono - well, it only comes out of the left side speaker. Anyone have experience with that or know how to correctly set it up to have at least stereo?

Thanks :)
 
Maybe try a 3.5mm jack to phono lead? See if the TV has phono-in at all.

Thats what i do with my non-Mac laptop anyway :)

/Still saving for that macbook...
 
a 3.5mm like them normal earphones lead?

I am using them - I used the a 1.8m set that came with my Aego M 2.1 sound set... you think that's what's causing the mono sound?

Edit: I've tested the cable, works fine playing my iPod to my Aego M speakers
 
Also sounds like maybe one of the sockets/jacks somewhere 'could' be loose. Try wiggling them around.
 
Ry@n said:
Also sounds like maybe one of the sockets/jacks somewhere 'could' be loose. Try wiggling them around.
Click to expand...

I've tried wiggling, not working.

Here's the low down of what I've tried:

Played Red Vs Blue (episode 1) which has brilliant Left and Right conversation from the start:

-Connected my MacBook to my Aegos M, left and Right comes out correct.
-Connect my MacBook to my Aegos M with the 3.5mm cable (to be used with the LG TV), Left and Right comes out correct.
-Connect my MacBook to my LG HDTV with the 3.5mm cable, only the Left comes out (when the TV is on normally, 5.1 sound system works beautifully) - even with the Xbox360, 2.1 works well (due to components not able to hold 5.1 sound).

I don't have any other system to test with :(

Looks like it's £5 down the drain for now with the VGA cable - wanted to play movies straight out of my MacBook than spending the time burning DVDs for certain format of media (mkv) :(
 
Does your LG speaker system not have a set of inputs that you could plug the laptop into instead of going through the TV?

The fact that it is only coming out of the left speaker has nothing to do with it being in mono, mono sound is derived from summing the left and right channels of the stereo source, it doesn't just mute the output on the right speaker!

As you have already tested the cable it could either be a problem with the output on your laptop, try plugging that into your AEGO speakers and checking you get sound from it on both channels. You could check the settings in audio preferences and make sure the balance hasn't somehow shifted itself all the way over to the left if you also get a problem with your AEGO's from the Macbook :)

If they work fine, then sorry to say but it could be a problem with the input on your TV.
 
As posted, no problem with my Aegos.

And I've looked around my LG Surround Sound System and there's no input apart from those Red/Yellow/White ones (RGB?) and Component or SCART. Shame there's no optical in-put, I know the MacBook does out-put that...

It would seem like my LG HDTV is being gay...

Least that VGA cable weren't that expensive, was on promotion for a fiver.
 
If you have the Red/Yellow/White inputs then get a '3.5mm jack to phono cable'. (google it) It's got a headphone plug on one end and then a red and a white plug that goes into your TV at the other end.

What exactly are you plugging the Aego cable into when you plug it into the TV? Does it have a 3.5mm input for external sound? The Aego has a specific built in line-in so you can connect iPods etc but I'd be surprised if a TV did but correct me if I'm wrong.

Panzer
 
I'm plugging the "extra" Aegos cable that came with it; cable for you to plug your iPod in through the front of the Sub.

I plugged my 3.5mm-3.5mm, from my MacBook output to the 3.5mm input at the back of the TV - where there is an input tagged: VGA Sound Input

AFAIK, if I use the RGB for sound, when I run the screen under VGA, it wouldn't pick up the sound, would it? LG classed all inputs under one menu, where you'll have to choose VGA, HDMI, Component, RGB, SCART e.t.c. so if I sound input in RGB, technically I wouldn't hear anything when I'm viewing under VGA input, no?
 
Dr Jones said:
AFAIK, if I use the RGB for sound, when I run the screen under VGA, it wouldn't pick up the sound, would it? LG classed all inputs under one menu, where you'll have to choose VGA, HDMI, Component, RGB, SCART e.t.c. so if I sound input in RGB, technically I wouldn't hear anything when I'm viewing under VGA input, no?
Click to expand...

Yellow cable in a phono lead is video, get a Phono -> Scart and it should work fine. (Get someone to check that first though...)
 
WotDa said:
Yellow cable in a phono lead is video, get a Phono -> Scart and it should work fine. (Get someone to check that first though...)
Click to expand...

I'm hoping someone can correct me if I'm wrong with my last post assumptions.

Is there any other cable that can connect my MacBook directly to the HDTV? I've got HDMI, Component, VGA, S-Video, SCART inputs...
 
That's the only short, cost effective way then afaik.

Have you got a link to the LG systems so I can have a browse over to see about audio inputs?

(Assuming you still only have mono sound with the 3.5mm cable) :)
 
I'm out in Uni now - scamming off the fast uni line to download some apps. I'll try and link it tonight.

And as said above by someone, it's no longer a "Mono sound" issue, it's actually playing the left side audio only - with all sound settings on my MacBook set on default (I play music and videos thru my Aegos via my Macbook, no problem)
 
Some HDMI hardware is 1.2, therefore only will support audio as mono, or even not at all.

Can anyone confirm the MacBook is running 1.3a? Specs in the manual??
 
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