MBP 5.2 - No HDMI Audio, but the HDMI video works.

[melong]

I'm at a loss when it comes to getting the audio working on an old MacBook Pro.

$ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: hackintosh Kernel: 4.4.0-62-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0) Console: tty 0
Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine: System: Apple product: MacBookPro5 2 v: 1.0
Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F2268EC8 Bios: Apple v: MBP52.88Z.008E.B05.0905042202 date: 05/04/09
CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo T9550 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10613
clock speeds: max: 2660 MHz 1: 1862 MHz 2: 1596 MHz
Graphics: Card-1: NVIDIA G96M [GeForce 9600M GT] bus-ID: 02:00.0
Card-2: NVIDIA C79 [GeForce 9400M] bus-ID: 03:00.0
Display Server: N/A driver: nvidia tty size: 132x71 Advanced Data: N/A out of X
Audio: Card NVIDIA MCP79 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:08.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-62-generic
Network: Card-1: NVIDIA MCP79 Ethernet driver: forcedeth port: 41e0 bus-ID: 00:0a.0
IF: enp0s10 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Card-2: Broadcom BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller driver: wl bus-ID: 04:00.0
IF: wlp4s0 state: dormant mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (9.5% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: FUJITSU_MHZ2320B size: 320.1GB temp: 42C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 56G used: 11G (19%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda4
ID-2: /home size: 187G used: 11G (6%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda6
ID-3: swap-1 size: 8.94GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 66.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:65C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 223 Uptime: 12:14 Memory: 567.8/7728.3MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.461) inxi: 2.2.35

$ aplay -L
default
Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
PulseAudio Sound Server
sysdefault:CARD=NVidia
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Front speakers
surround21:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Digital
Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Digital
Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Digital
Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Analog
Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, ALC889A Digital
Hardware device with all software conversions

$ cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [NVidia ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
HDA NVidia at 0xdf480000 irq 20

$ sudo dmidecode -s system-product-name
MacBookPro5,2

I have even tried the following:
add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-audio-dev/alsa-daily
apt update
apt install oem-audio-hda-daily-dkms

I also installed the proprietary Nvidia drivers through the Driver Manager
$ dpkg -l | grep nvidia
ii nvidia-340 340.101-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 amd64 NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.101
ii nvidia-opencl-icd-340 340.101-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 amd64 NVIDIA OpenCL ICD
ii nvidia-prime 0.8.2linuxmint1 amd64 Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime
ii nvidia-prime-applet 1.0.6 all An applet for NVIDIA Prime
ii nvidia-settings 361.42-0ubuntu1 amd64 Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver

From what I see, I don't even get the option for HDMI in aplay, which is concerning. I have an old HP laptop with the same setup, minus the nvidia drivers, but I see the hdmi: in aplay. It works just fine, but it's super old and can't keep up with High def streaming.

Current configuration: Laptop lid shut, primary monitor is the TV (Over hdmi), logitech keyboard to use from couch.

Any thoughts? My next step is to uninstall the nvidia proprietary drivers and see where it gets me. I just want HDMI audio!

[melong]

After lots of soul searching, trying 17.2, 17.3, and I have found my answer.

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202079

These Mac computers supply only video signals over Mini DisplayPort:
MacBook Pro (Late 2008, Mid 2009, and Early 2009) --> If you look above, I have the motherboard date of: date: 05/04/09

I also found this url: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2639905?start=45
Which specifically states any MBP version less than 6.2 has no audio out the HDMI.

*Sigh*

[lesagephilippe]

Thanks for your hint about the miniport to HDMI connector on a MacMini. I have an old Mac Mini (late 2009) on which I installed Linux Mint. And, as you told, impossible to get any sound from the attached monitor. Bad luck, but you spared me a lot of time searching.