Fibreoptic Toslink (optical) Cables

[Amarjit]

Here is a scenario that I will soon encounter and I was very curious ...

I have a TV with an optical out and an all-in-one home cinema system with an amplifier and DVD player combined, it has an optical in.

If I link the two with an optical cable, what benefits would I receive, I am guessing that TV programmes can be listened to in surround sound, of course if the TV programme is encoded in it.

And if it does, which cable would I require, there are a hell of a load out there with "mini jacks" etc., which is the one that is most suitable in this situation?

[harrycary]

Use it if possible. The signal will be in pure digital form. It's the only way(other than coax digital cable) to get true Dolby Digital or DTS(remember Pro-logic is an analog signal). No signal loss.

Toslink is just a brand name used as a generic term(kind of like "RCA jacks"). The optical cable standard is the same and there's not much difference between brands. Buy what you can afford. You are only limited by distance. As a rule, no longer that 3 meters otherwise you may run into problems.

[BritishICE]

Originally posted by harrycary@22 June 2003 - 12:52
As a rule, no longer that 3 meters otherwise you may run into problems.
Today's optical cables support lengths much longer than 3 meters.

[Livy]

but with any cable, arent you better having it as short as possible. :)

[harrycary]

Sure.

It's not so much the cables that have gotten better but the LEDs that supply the light. Still, as I stated before, you may run into problems at lengths longer than 3 meters. Cable lengths longer than that will have to be custom made or linked together.