optical vs digital

[woodsman]

Indyklipsch fan and born2rocku, your suggestion in another thread when watching hdtv in 5.1 was to use S/PDIF Optical Output. Is this better that using the digital output on the back of the cable box ? Can either elaborate a little more as far as the cable used, as well as how to connect to the back of the processor. I know how to do the digital connection, pretty much a no brainer there. Thanks for any help.

Jeff

[sivadselim]

either is fine, woodsman. they'll give identical performance. optical is less prone to electrical interference and digital coax is maybe a little more rugged, physically.

what born2rocku and indyklipschfan were emphasising was that you needed some sort of digital audio connection, be it optical OR coax (both are "digital") to enjoy the 5.1 sound.

so your current digital coax connection is fine.

[woodsman]

thanks sivadselim, thats what I was hoping for. just bought a bunch of new cables as well as a new digital one. they still have a lot of work to do with the audio in hdtv anyway. don't know about your area but it fades in and out with some football games here.

Jeff

[capo72]

Here is my take. The digital signal is just a tiny electrical signal traveling through the metal traces on the circut boards in side your source. Digital coax is a metal cable, where as optical is plastic, or glass. In order to use optical the tiny electrical signal has to be converted to light in a tiny little converter about the size of a sugar cube. Then after it travels through the optical cable it has to get converted back to an electrical signal again. So my opinion is why go from English to French back to English again, when you can go English, English, English with digital coax. Also the durability issues need to be considered as mentioned before. I don't think there is any noticeable difference in quality of signal transfer, it just comes down to cost, durability, and Rf issues. Oh yeah, I think those Toslink connectors suck compared to RCA. Did I make any sense? These are purely my opinions, so feel free to disagree.

Jeremy

[j-malotky]

I personally always use the RCA SPDIF. The only time I would'nt

is if I had the same brand name component on each side of the optical

cable.

The English to Frensh to English is part of the problem. Here is

why. SPDIF has been the standard for years and basically everyone

does SPDIF the same way. The TOSLINK protocol (Optical cable)

although the standard is the same, the protocol is so loosley written

that the equipment manufactureres can interpet the protocol and how

portions of it work. That is why I would only use it if each

component on each side is the same. If they are different, I

would use the RCA.

I have never heard of anyone having any timing issues with RCA.

That were transmission related that is. I have heard of TOSLINK

problems.

If you introduce any ground hum through a COAX connector, you have much

larger issues to deal with. I would not even consider that a

potential problem.

JM

[woodsman]

Thanks guys, I have a digital RCA cable. That's what I am going to stick with. Was just making sure that the optical was not the better way to go. The technology changes so fast that I had not heard much about optical yet.

Jeff

[IndyKlipschFan]

what born2rocku and indyklipschfan were emphasising was that you needed some sort of digital audio connection, be it optical OR coax (both are "digital") to enjoy the 5.1 sound.

EXACTLY... Do not, however, think under any circumstances that the stereo left right RCA out jacks is giving you 5.1.

On my Comcast HDTV box I only had the RCA's and Optical outputs for sound... And the argument was that the RCA jacks did not send the proper signal. Your correct, you can use either of them (Digital or Optical) for great results. There are specific "Digital Cables" as well that look just like an RCA cable shielded a little better from Monster or THX. (Who knows... were getting into grey areas with cables here but something has to be better than a 20 cent one usually IMO? Spend 500 dollars and your a nut.. ok.. (sorry to the interconnect nuts...LOL)

The key, again, is just to enjoy it all too.

[ygmn]

Optical = digital audio

Single RCA Digital = digital audio (ensure you are using Digital output & input)

I doubt anyone could tell the difference on average audio gear...and Way above average gear as well.... if interconnects are decent quality....

I will say...optical is less prone to electrical interferance as the interconnect passes in and around power cabes, speaker cables etc.....

[t-wave]

When I connect my satellite to my receiver via RCA, the sound volume is louder than if I connected via S/PDIF? What is my problem? I use the same RCA type of cable that I connected S/PDIF to my receiver. Is this my problem? Or do I need a specialized digital cable? Will coax work?

Thanks,

t-wave.

[DrWho]

When I connect my satellite to my receiver via RCA, the sound volume is louder than if I connected via S/PDIF? What is my problem? I use the same RCA type of cable that I connected S/PDIF to my receiver. Is this my problem? Or do I need a specialized digital cable? Will coax work?

Thanks,

t-wave.

That's just a product of different gain structures....if you hear sound with a digital cable then that means the bytes are being sent properly and no changing of cables is going to change the volume recorded on them. So I wouldn't worry about it and just turn up the volume.

[t-wave]

Thanks, DrWho. I will change from my current connection using RCA to S/PDIF.

A little bit confusing though [:$], using RCA cable connection, I am able to hear surround sound just fine. Will connecting through S/PDIF improve the surround sound?

t-wave.

[DrWho]

The surround sound you're hearing now isn't discrete...so though it's there, it's more just a big wash of sound. With your digital connection and a true 5.1 source, you will find that you can locate specific sounds in the rears and they will have a specific location in the mix. You might even start turning your head thinking the sounds were actually happening in your own home []

[t-wave]

Thanks, DrWho. I will connect via S/PDIF and experience a true 5.1, after I fixed my Satellite receiver. []

Just when I am about get a new experience with 5.1, my satellite receiver croaked or the dish is out of whacked [:'(] because a big storm came through over the weekend. I didn't even have a chance to check out the different sound between RCA and S/PDIF. I guess I'll patiently wait until that satellite receiver is fixed.

On a sunnier note, I just purchased a Sony KDS-R60XBR1. Once everything is put together (or working) correctly, it should be a good system.

Thanks to all who posted in this forum and share their knowledge to a newbie like me.

t-wave.

[DrWho]

Man that's a huge bummer - in fact, first time I've ever heard of someone going off to go try something and the system breaking before they got around to it!

[sivadselim]

t-wave, correct me if i'm wrong, but based upon your posts, you already have (or had, sorry[]) a single digital coax connection to your receiver, correct?

So there's no need for you to change. You get 5.1 fine through a digital coax connection.

I think Dr. Who misunderstood you to be using a L+R analog stereo connection when you said "RCA connection". (Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you.)

S/PDIF can be optical toslink or digi coax. Either will transmit the digital 5.1 info properly to the receiver for decoding.

[t-wave]

t-wave, correct me if i'm wrong, but based upon your posts, you already have (or had, sorry[]) a single digital coax connection to your receiver, correct?

My receiver has an S/PDIF with RCA type connector output.

So there's no need for you to change. You get 5.1 fine through a digital coax connection.

I think Dr. Who misunderstood you to be using a L+R analog stereo connection when you said "RCA connection". (Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you.)

S/PDIF can be optical toslink or digi coax. Either will transmit the digital 5.1 info properly to the receiver for decoding.

Currently, I am/was using RCA L+R analog stereo connection to get 5.1.

For connection from satellite S/PDIF with RCA type connector to my Harmon Kardon receiver (also has RCA type connector), can I use a regular RCA stereo cable, specialized digital coaxial cable, or a regular RG-6/RG-59 coaxial cable (a similar cable use to connect from satellite to receiver) with RCA type connector to get a true 5.1? Hopefully, that wasn't too much confusion.

Thanks,

t-wave.

[sivadselim]

Currently, I am/was using RCA L+R analog stereo connection to get 5.1.

For connection from satellite S/PDIF with RCA type connector to my Harmon Kardon receiver (also has RCA type connector), can I use a regular RCA stereo cable, specialized digital coaxial cable, or a regular RG-6/RG-59 coaxial cable (a similar cable use to connect from satellite to receiver) with RCA type connector to get a true 5.1? Hopefully, that wasn't too much confusion.

Thanks,

t-wave.

Oh, ok, then I misunderstood. Dr.Who is correct. You are only passing a stereo signal to your receiver via R+L analog connection. Then you're applying some processing such as Dolby Pro Logic II to get your pseudo 5.1 sound. Gotta have a digital connection to get true discreet DD5.1/DTS5.1 sound.

You could probably use a single side of regular RCA stereo cable successfully. Try it. But the cable is supposed be 75ohm impedance rated. Most standard RCA audio cables are not. Digital coax cable is, of course, fine. RG59/RG6 with F-to-RCA adapters will work fine, too.

[JeffDurbin]

When I connect my satellite to my receiver via RCA, the sound volume is louder than if I connected via S/PDIF? What is my problem? I use the same RCA type of cable that I connected S/PDIF to my receiver. Is this my problem? Or do I need a specialized digital cable? Will coax work?

Thanks,

t-wave.

I am reading your post a little differently than Dr. Who. Are you saying that you are using a regular audio cable (the red & black ones or the red & white ones) to connect from your coax digital output to your coax digital input? That won't work. Just because analog cables with RCA plugs look like they plug into a coax digital jack doesn't mean they will work.

As stated before, you can go coax digital or optical digital but in each case they require special cables. These are not expensive. The cheapest price I have seen for good ones is at www.monoprice.com but if you can bulk up your purchases you can get free shipping with a $99 purchase at www.partsexpress.com which made them a little cheaper for me (I was ordering a bunch of speaker wire).

6' lengths of these cords should be around $10 for a decent one.

[sivadselim]

When I connect my satellite to my receiver via RCA, the sound volume is louder than if I connected via S/PDIF? What is my problem? I use the same RCA type of cable that I connected S/PDIF to my receiver. Is this my problem? Or do I need a specialized digital cable? Will coax work?

I am reading your post a little differently than Dr. Who. Are you saying that you are using a regular audio cable (the red & black ones or the red & white ones) to connect from your coax digital output to your coax digital input? That won't work. Just because analog cables with RCA plugs look like they plug into a coax digital jack doesn't mean they will work.

Read the whole thread. That's not what he's saying. He's comparing an analog RCA stereo connection to a digital connection. It was unclear to Dr. Who (and myself) at first too, but then he understood.

and:

You could probably use a single side of regular RCA stereo cable successfully. Try it. But the cable is supposed be 75ohm impedance rated. Most standard RCA audio cables are not. Digital coax cable is, of course, fine. RG59/RG6 with F-to-RCA adapters will work fine, too.

[DrWho]

You CAN use a normal RCA type cable for a digital coax connection. I'm yet to hear of one instance where someone wasn't able to get sound this way. There might be some jitter issues with a way off spec cable, but it's really nothing to worry about. (the "yellow plug" for video 'should' be a 75ohm connection as well so you can always compare with the yellow one to see if it makes a difference.)

Btw, It's actually quite common that the digital signal is quieter (it's a lot more expensive to volume match all the different kinds of inputs).