LibreELEC native on MacMini 3.1

bg.lebowski · August 17, 2021 at 5:05 PM

Dear all,

I know, there are lots of post on similar topics already raised in the forum and maybe i miss some notes ... but please believe me, I already check the forum and either the problem is mentioned for a very older version, the "solutions" didn't work for me or they are discussion on Kodi on MacOS.

Basically i have two issues ...

1.) Seems LibreELEC/Kodi does not detect HDMI Graphiccard accordingly, because MiniDisplay Port doesn't provide Audio out ... and KODI doesn't show HDMI or mini DP Audio out in settings

2.) Original Mac Remote is working out-of-the-box with LibreELEC/Kodi, but the Remote keys are not set correctly, up/down = Volume up/down; Left/right = No action etc. not like the key setting for LibreELEC for AppleTV

I have no dependencies on the LibreELEC Version that I want to use on my Mac Mini 3.1 and my personal requirements are very moderate ...

The idea was to use an older MacMini 3.1 with DP port as a little Media Center and the idea is to run Kodi on LibreELEC and not on macOS, so I created a USB Installer and install LibreELEC 9.97.1 (and 9.95.1) natively on my MacMini. After installation from USB Stick was done, MacMini boots regularly from HDD, loads LibreELEC and finally provided the standard welcome page.

Installation smoothly works out-of-the-box, Graphic settings are ok, Network working Mouse/Keyboard = all Ok. But after I tested with first movie, movie runs fine but without sound ... and original Apple Remote is not working like I know from AppleTV v1.

Audio issue I know already from other installations and I'm aware that in need to select the proper audio device in settings ... Okay ... but when I go to settings and try to change Audio Device, I recognized that only one Audio device is available and this is "Default, Bluetooth Audio (PULSEAUDIO), even analog Audio is not available and Audio Device is greyed out. So for me it looks like LibreELEC didn't detect any Audio device on my Mac Mini 3.1 (no DP Audio, no Analog Audio) ... I will do the installation with another LibreELEC Version again, but I doubt that I will have a similar result (9.95.1 shows same result).

If I install Kodi on macOS as app ... Analog Audio Out is working ...

LibreELEC native installation ... Analog Audio Out is not working.

Same for Remote ... Key setting in native LibreELEC/Kodi installtion ... Keys not correct ... Kodi installation on MacOS ... Key settings of Apple Remote (silver) working correctly

Hardware: MacMini 3.1, Intel Core2Duo P7550/2,26 GHZ

Video: GeForce 9400/integrated/SSE2

OpenGL: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108

Any idea if I'm able to get it running perfectly ? and if ... What do in need to change ???

Any solutions, ideas, hint appreciated

Many thanks for the support

Big

**chewitt** · August 17, 2021 at 8:04 PM Official Post

I'm the only staff member who has ever owned a Mac Mini (and mine was older and never ran Linux) so our collective knowledge on them is rather poor. I have fuzzy memory that devices before the "late 2010" generation don't support audio on the DisplayPort connection so you would need to output audio on the headphone or optical outputs, but that still requires audio hardware to be detected. I'm not sure what hardware provides those functions. Start by sharing logs (dmesg and Kodi debug).

NB: As a semi-serious suggestion: I would refurb and eBay the device, and put the funds towards an RPi4 kit, which will be better/easier.

bg.lebowski · August 19, 2021 at 9:59 AM

Hi Chewitt,

many thanks for the reply ... to my surprise ... after using a USB Audio device and rebooting the macmini without the USB Audio device, i was able to select a proper ALSA audio device in the Kodi settings ...

Never the less I decided to install LibreELEC 9.2.6 on my macmini and after installation ALSA Audio devices are available from scratch.

So analog Audio is working now.

Furthermore ... Sadly you are right ... this macmini3,1 does not provide Audio out via miniDP port (shitty Apple again).

So finally I need to decide if is enough to bring Audio via analog Audio to my TV ...

The rest seems fine for me ... Out-of-the-box

Maybe you can help me with the reconfiguration of the Apple Remote keys as well ... I already tried with the Keymaps setting ... but seem I'm to stupid ... It will not change anything for my Apple Remote keys ...

Attached you will find my dmesg output for your interest

RPi is not my choice ... I don't want to buy new piece of hardware ... I just want to use my legacy devices for best

Semiotik · January 19, 2022 at 11:32 PM

Hi,

I don't open a new Topic ... (Macs with normal EFI)

I used a Mac mini Late 2012 and a MacBook Air 2011

I prepare me a Stick and LibreElec run very fine on both Devices (last Nightly)

Audio = Analog, Displaypor,HDMI, Bluetooth = run without Problem (on all Ports I have Audio)

Display = I can use only 1 Display and I can't change the Display in the Settings ( the system used the first one what is registrated) but Audio I can send to all Displays and I have Audio!

HW Decoding = works on both devices

Question: can I force via settings so LibreElec force all Ports for Display output (I want check so I can use all Display - as clone)

at the attachment screens from the System Information

Would be nice some people can help me to force the picture output on both displays via config file

I testing a little with this Hardware and actually i use IPTV, the VPN Service and my local videos. with Audios and Display outputs.

Later i testing libreElec as fix installation on the Harddrive on both Devices and may newer Apple Devices too! (Intel Based)

EDID

DP + HDMI (both cable in the Mac mini)

Code

LibreELEC:~ # tail /sys/class/drm/*/status
==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-1/status <==
connected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-2/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-3/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-1/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-2/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-3/status <==
connected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-VGA-1/status <==
disconnected

Display More

only HDMI

Code

LibreELEC:~ # tail /sys/class/drm/*/status
==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-1/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-2/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-DP-3/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-1/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-2/status <==
disconnected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-3/status <==
connected

==> /sys/class/drm/card0-VGA-1/status <==
disconnected

Display More

then I have a display Output on this device

AUDIO is not a Problem ...

Is this maybe a Problem with the new Kodi version (because Nightly) because under Display I don't have some Option for

- Monitor

- Display Mode

This 2 Option are Missing

Regards Semiotik

PS: on the Boot both Display active and i see on both Display the LibreElec Bootscreen and the messages wait of network ....

Semiotik · January 20, 2022 at 7:57 PM

Hi,

maybe you understand what I mean if I post a few picture

LibreElec with Kodi 19.3 on my Mac (you have Display settings and the video output I can change)

LibreElec with Kodi 20 (Nexus) ..last Nigthly (the option are missing and video output is only possible on 1 display

**heitbaum** · January 20, 2022 at 8:13 PM

Hi Semiotik

Some background:

LE10 Generic x86 is not LE11 Generic x86

LE11 Generic now uses GBM (there are other configurations still in the build - Legacy,X11,wayalnd …)

So not apples for apples.

There is a table in https://wiki.libreelec.tv/hardware/intel-x86-64-generic showing some of the drivers involved. Also with Mesa 22 (and already in LE11) the DRI classic drivers have been removed. https://github.com/LibreELEC/LibreELEC.tv/pull/5887 And 6008 have some of the info. Have a look in the commit log for these and Mesa.

Hope that helps clarify why things won’t appear the same.

Probably doesn’t answer your question - but hopefully gives the insight to find out what needs to be done to achieve your request. Probably will need some changes and PR…

Semiotik · January 20, 2022 at 8:27 PM

Hi heitbaum

about xorg und GBM I saw in the Systeminformationen under Grafik

I check the Links what you send and I read a little ...

But I think Kodi bring the option back under Kodi Nexus (maybe in later builds) ... Then I buy for the first time some external splitter so I can change the video output .. and I have time to testing

LibreELEC native on MacMini 3.1

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