OS X Mac Mini Audio issues
#1
Setup:
Mac Mini running OSX10.8
XBMC 12.2
Audio connected from Audio out port on Mini to audio in on TV
Video connected using DVI to VGA connected to VGA in of LG flat panel TV (no smart TV)
Mac Mini has no HDMI port
XBMC mostly used for streaming from sites like 1Channel, One Click Movies, etc.

Issues (might be related):
  1. Audio out from the Mini is very low. I have to set the TV Volume level to minimal 50/100 to get acceptable volume. Sometimes even higher.
  2. Balance between speech and special effects is too big. Let me explain: If i set the volume right so i can properly hear conversations in the movie, once there is action, the louder background music and special sound effects is extremely loud. So oud i have to turn the volume down. Then, when the action is over, i cannot hear the next conversations anymore. They are too soft, so i have to raise teh volume again. Until the next action scene, etc.

Are these two issues related?
Is this related to the Mini?
Is this related to a setting in XBMC?
Is this related to a setting on the TV?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joop.
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#2
WOW! No reply. I that because it's been discussed already so many times? I searched but cannot find anything. Is it because there is no solution? Is it because i'm the only one having this issue?
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#3
There are quite a lot of threads on this topic and the developers are probably super-busy fixing Mavericks issue and getting ready for a Gotham realease. Your issues are not uncommon and basically XBMC is somewhat broken for some Mini models / configs, which appears to include yours.

Let me make an attempt to answer your questions:

Are these two issues related? - yes, same issue
Is this related to the Mini? - related to what model of mini, what os, and how you connect the mini
Is this related to a setting in XBMC? - no
Is this related to a setting on the TV? - no

one thing that somewhat addresses the issue is to download an add-on from the official repo, which boosts audio volume. Forgot the name, but you will easily find it in the official repo.
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#4
Just increase the audio volume in the audio OSD - this will make the huge audio differences in the movie a bit more even. But this is no replacement for proper DRC.

For the low audio volume i really have no clue as i haven't seen this issue on any of my macs. Ensure that the Speaker Layout in XBMC is set to 2.0 and that the channel count int osx-midi-setup is also set to 2.0. Also you might need to increase the system volume of your mac if this changes anything (the one left of the clock in osx).

Beside that - we don't support piracy addons as you can read in the forum rules. (but i doubt your problems are related to those...).
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#5
It is indeed unrelated to piracy add-ons. I don't have any of them installed and still face the same issue. Already had it before installing Mavericks, so it is also not (only) Mavericks-related. I have two Minis and one faces the issue and the other does not. It is not setting-related.

What makes my two Minis different is the model (2007 vs 2011), the connection to TV (line-out vs. HDMI/line-out) and the OS (Lion vs ML/Mavericks).

The only work-around I know is this add-on that boosts volume. Then, the volume is tolerable/ok.
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