Toslink is limited in bandwidth. I believe your receiver can take some information from the 5.1 and process it for the extra two channels. I don't believe you can pass high definition signals in 7.1.
toslink shares the same specification as digital coax: S/PDIF. It can transfer anything that the S/DPIG specification can do. I believe this is limited at 24/96 for 2-channel PCM. It can do the maximum bandwidth of old school Dolby Digital and DTS. The Dolby Digital Plus format may have problems. Obviously, it will not carry hi-res bluray audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA HD.
out from my TV it’s the only option available and I was wondering if it will have multi-channel capabilities during streaming
Only if you have a home theater processor which will take it. :) I think there’s like 1 or 2 genuine multi-channel PCM DACs out there, but for all other practical purposes, not with a stereo DAC. :)
Make sure you tell your TV which kind you are sending the signal to. PCM is what you want for your typical stereo DAC/streamer.
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