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Optical sound connection question

3756 Views 35 Replies 11 Participants Last post by comander sid, Mar 1, 2014

Atozea

Discussion Starter · Feb 24, 2014

Hi

Okay so I have a fairly old surround sound system that I want to use with our LG TV.

The main use for this TV is games consoles, mainly xbox 360 (connected via HDMI).

Surround sound system has digital optical cable input as a connection.

TV has digital audio out.

My question is, can I connect the TV to the s.s system so that the audio coming from the TV comes out of the s.s system, if I am getting sound from the xbox into the TV via HDMI?

i.e. XBOX 360 ---HDMI---> TV ---OPTICAL SOUND CABLE---> Surround Sound System

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

Selden Ball

· #2 · Feb 24, 2014

Maybe. Check your TV's owner's manual and/or give it a try.

Many TVs will only forward stereo PCM from their HDMI inputs to their S/PDIF digital audio outputs. Some will forward 5.1 Dolby Digital. A very few will forward DTS. Most only forward 5.1 audio if the signal source is their internal TV tuner or a network audio source.

bordo32

· #3 · Feb 24, 2014

If the TV path will not work, you can use "HDMI audio splitter/stripper", the box that takes audio from HDMI and outputs through its optical to your surround system.

commsysman

· #4 · Feb 24, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Atozea /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24401172

Hi

Surround sound system has digital optical cable input as a connection.

TV has digital audio out.

i.e. XBOX 360 ---HDMI---> TV ---OPTICAL SOUND CABLE---> Surround Sound System

Does your TV have TOSLINK optical output or SPDIF optical output or COAXIAL digital output (not optical)???

Same question applies to the input on the surround system. If you don't know the answer, you need to read the manuals carefully and find out!

If you don't know which of the three types you are dealing with, and the differences, you don't have much chance of sorting it out. They are not compatible with each other.

You can only connect one to the other if the input is the exact same type as the output you want to connect it to.

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Ratman

· #5 · Feb 25, 2014

There are only two types of S/PDIF:

1) optical (or Toslink)

2) coax

commsysman

· #6 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24405799

There are only two types of S/PDIF:

1) optical (or Toslink)

2) coax

Three, actually.

-Toslink

-SPDIF dual optical-fibre link

-coaxial cable (electrical RF signal)

(see Wikipedia "SPDIF")

In any case, SPDIF does not have the bandwidth of HDMI and does not support as many surround-sound formats.

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Ratman

· #7 · Feb 27, 2014

Any example of a consumer TV/AVR/etc. that uses dual-fiber S/PDIF (which I would assume would be either SC or ST connectors)? I've never seen or heard of it for audio.

arnyk

· #8 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24415894

Any example of a consumer TV/AVR/etc. that uses dual-fiber S/PDIF (which I would assume would be either SC or ST connectors)? I've never seen or heard of it for audio.

ST fiber is used for pro audio and therefore no doubt someone has appropriated that for consumer use:

http://www.canford.co.uk/BCD-AES-3-AUDIO-TO-ST-FIBRE-INTERFACE-FAB

Classe is a high end consumer brand and their CDT-1 transport and DTP-1 DAC have ST fiber ports.

SAM64

· #9 · Feb 27, 2014

The 'professor' specifically stated:

Quote:
-SPDIF dual optical-fibre link

so far, there are no examples of that.

Ratman

· #10 · Feb 27, 2014

Super!

But generally S/PDIF is Toslink or coax for "average" (J6P) consumer audio. We're not addressing pro audio or those with an open wallet for high end/esoteric stuff.

Tulpa

· #11 · Feb 27, 2014

Yeah, if it were high end, I'm pretty sure he'd post the make and model number. "Fairly old surround sound system" will usually mean run of the mill connections.

arnyk

· #12 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by SAM64 /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24417400

The 'professor' specifically stated:

Quote:
-SPDIF dual optical-fibre link

Click to expand...

so far, there are no examples of that.

A dual optical link would likely involve a peripheral that needed 2 way communication, e.g. record and play.

I am intimately familiar devices such as that, one being the Behringer ADA 8000. The ADA 8000 routes 8 24/48 channels through each fiber.

Here's the interface:

There are a goodly number of audio interfaces and also competitive devices that use this kind of link.

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SAM64

· #13 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
A dual optical link would likely involve a peripheral that needed 2 way communication, e.g. record and play.

Which would be two independent S/PDIF interfaces and can be accomplished with Toslink of coax.

Quote:
I am intimately familiar devices such as that, one being the Behringer ADA 8000. The ADA 8000 routes 8 24/48 channels through each fiber.

Many of us are familiar with ADAT interfaces such as the one you mentioned, however, this is about S/PDIF interfaces, not ADAT....there is a difference.

Quote:
There are a goodly number of audio interfaces and also competitive devices that use this kind of link.

In your quest to be the all knowing expert, you seemed to have missed the absence of S/PDIF interfaces on the device you so cleverly posted a picture of.

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arnyk

· #14 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by commsysman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24414014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24405799

There are only two types of S/PDIF:

-SPDIF dual optical-fibre link

Click to expand...

Perhaps referencng this:

The dual fiber being the optical fiber and its supporting tube?

The fiber may actually be two different materials molded so as to help retain the light?

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Ratman

· #15 · Feb 27, 2014

Arny...

I know you have knowledge and experience. It is appreciated by many.

Arguing and/or posting pictures and being a google expert doesn't help when the KISS principle is usually applicable.

It may be needed with only one poster, but not every poster.

Let's allow the poster in post #6 to address post #7.

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2

Ratman

· #16 · Feb 27, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by arnyk /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24417791

A dual optical link would likely involve a peripheral that needed 2 way communication, e.g. record and play.

A dual optical link would likely involve a separate TX/RX pair that is not necessary for PCM or bitstream audio.

arnyk

· #17 · Feb 28, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24418390

Arny...

I know you have knowledge and experience. It is appreciated by many.

Arguing and/or posting pictures and being a google expert doesn't help when the KISS principle is usually applicable.

It may be needed with only one poster, but not every poster.

Let's allow the poster in post #6 to address post #7.

And that my friend can reasonably expected to never happen, based on extensive past experience.

amirm

· #18 · Feb 28, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24415894

Any example of a consumer TV/AVR/etc. that uses dual-fiber S/PDIF (which I would assume would be either SC or ST connectors)? I've never seen or heard of it for audio.

You shouldn't ask him but rather, whoever created the Wiki which states the same thing.

I do know of a couple of products that used dual link optical, both from Sony. It was however a proprietary implementation that separated the clock from the signal (smart thing to do). One is the Sony CDP-R1/DAS-R1 combo:

And the business end showing the cable and connector:

The other is the Sony CDP R10/DAS R10:

And the close up of that:

These are pretty classic products,especially the R1. Were you guys not around when they were announced?

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5

Ratman

· #19 · Feb 28, 2014

You're my hero.... antique/proprietary implementations.

No different than Wiki being "gospel". Was that your Wiki entry?

LOL! I just noticed... what is "electorical"? I guess I wasn't around before the spelling changed.

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3

amirm

· #20 · Mar 1, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /t/1519563/optical-sound-connection-question#post_24421854

LOL! I just noticed... what is "electorical"? I guess I wasn't around before the spelling changed.

It is a rather common mistranslation by non-native English speaking people in Japan. Some call it "Jinglish." Here are other examples:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-HX-DC1-HD-Camcorder-1920x1080/dp/tech-data/B004OR0VSQ
"Image Stabilizer: E.I.S. [Electorical Image Stabilizer]"

http://www.panasonic.com/in/business/security-systems/analog-cameras/fixed-dome-cameras/wv-cf112.html
"High sensitivity with Day/Night (electorical) function: 0.08 lx (Color), 0.07 lx (B/W) at F1.4"

http://fyi.toshiba.com:81/KB/file_uploads/7206/es202S-Service-v01.pdf
"(Electorical detector/SW/Sensor)"

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1 - 20 of 36 Posts

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