DVI to HDMI Converter combining video and audio

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josephhinvest

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#56608 18-Jan-2010 20:51

Hi All,

My situation is as follows, my setup is basic with only a TV, MacBook and TiVo.
(Sony Bravia KDL-40V4000, MacBook 13 Inch 2 GHz Core Duo, TiVo)

MacBook is connected to TV;
video - mini-DVI to DVI adapter, DVI to HDMI cable.
audio - stereo minijack output to TV stereo minijack input. (analog audio has always bugged me!)

Recently one of my darling children has wrenched the cables at back of TV. This has broken the analog audio input minijack for HDMI input 2, and this has caused the MacBook audio to only be received by TV on one channel.

Does anyone have experience having an issue like this repaired? Presumably it will require boxing up to go to repairer and being without TV for several days, and a replacement I/O board.

My idea is that I could purchase a DVI video and audio combiner that outputs HDMI.

This will, in theory, take the DVI video and the SPDIF audio output from MacBook (have confimed MacBook has combo analog and SPDIF I/O, and combine to HDMI, thus I will not need the broken minijack on TV.

Does anyone have experience with this type of device? I believe there is potential audio latency issues, but I am happy to offset audio from within VLC if this occurs.

Finally, does anyone have experience with rapalloav.co.nz.
$99 seems reasonable for this item, seems it will likely be cheaper than getting TV fixed.

Thanks for any advice!

Cheers,
Joseph

Niel

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#291161 19-Jan-2010 12:52

It is a very easy fix, the soldering connection broke and (usually) not the connector itself. It is a matter of opening it up and resoldering the connector. You can even ask the repair shop to solder an in-line connector (i.e. short cable hanging out of TV) if the connector is actually broken and they can not find another.

You can never have enough Volvos!

richms

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#291180 19-Jan-2010 14:05

Usually the case of the minijacks is whats damaged. I had it happen to a soundcard - just bent it back into shape and it was good to go again.

Very good price on the combiner but no details on samplerates etc. May pay to check that it is happy with 44.1 kHz before getting it. I know that in windows it was changed in vista so you set the sample rate, but before that it would switch between 44.1 or 48 depending on what you were playing. No idea how the mac deals with it but something to watch out for. AFAIK 44.1 doesnt work on HDMI - well I never got bit accurate playback over it on 44.1 stuff which is why I still have a coax to my home theater for DTS disc rips.

Richard rich.ms

josephhinvest

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#291375 20-Jan-2010 08:59

Thanks for your replies Niel and richms,

Niel, yes if I opt for getting it repaired, hopefully it's just the minijack socket that requires resoldering... i would attempt it my self (IAACS, I Am A Competent Solderer :) but I don't want to open my beautiful TV!

richms, thanks for sample rate suggestion, will check with the distributor and ask for more detailed info.

Cheers,
Joseph

josephhinvest

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#291376 20-Jan-2010 09:01

OH and also, if I do purchase the device, and it works well, then I will be able to carry it over to new mac machine when I upgrade. Hopefully to a Mac mini later this year.