Questions about Toslink's
This may be more than your Dad needs, but it could be something you or someone else need in the future. It will switch Video and audio source and has auto-detect and many more features. http://www.copperbox.com/lite/popinfo.php?lc_code=1154&PHPSESSID=fc9d8e777dfe68a0a1d201a6daffb662 Dave |
El: Splitters end up in signal loss no matter what you do. I wanted to avoid that if at all possible. Sogood: That appears to be a very handy device. I'll have to keep that one in mind for future reference. It looks like a very handy device to say the least. Pm: Thanks for passing on what you've heard. While i have used a few different Toslinks, i don't know who or what to believe at this point. Audioengr: I have two glass toslinks that are identical to these. Quite honestly, i don't know if i could tell a difference between these and a plastic DH Labs Toslink that someone lent me. Either way, neither DH nor these guys make a .5 meter cable. For some strange reason, i don't think that i could just cut these and re-terminate them myself : ) As such, can anybody state a case for / against "short" Toslinks ? C'mon folks, i know that we've got some technical geeks just sitting out there waiting to unleash their wisdom on the world : ) Honestly though, are Toslinks too "lo-fi" for us to discuss here ? I know that this is a question that seems more suited for Audio Review, but i'd rather not go there. Besides that, this is only for use movie soundtracks, so it's not like it will be used for "high quality" music. Now that you folks know this, it's safe to come out of the dark recesses you've been hiding in and speak up about your Toslink experiences and knowledge : ) Sean > |
Sean...May I remind you that in the digital world a little signal loss, or distortion, is no big deal. The "ones", so long as the receiver can still recognize them, don't become 0.47's. Also, any "switch" is going to have loss. Two fiber terminations would be involved with inserting a switch. You might have more loss than a splitter. A splitter is simple, cheap, and readily available. Why not try one, and then see if you can improve upon it by some other approach? |
El: The splitter / switchbox is now a moot point. I just looked at the device that i was trying to hook up and it has four different digital inputs ( two coax, two optical ) that are switch selectable from the device itself. Can't ask for more than that. Other than that, the reading that i did about optical splitters showed a VERY substantial loss in signal. Being the technical geek that i am, settling for something that i know will work but is known to be WAY less than optimum is not something that i like doing. Sean > |
FYI....The "typical" loss for a fiber optic termination/connection is on the order of 2dB. Two of them, so as to insert a switch means 4dB. When you factor in the loss of the switch itself you will end up near the 6dB to be expected from a splitter. (I assume that the splitter would be made with long legs so as to avoid need for extra terminations). |
