As someone who is not up-to-date on the newer technologies, I should
be very grateful if somebody could enlighten me as to the definition
and application of optical output.

TIA,

John

"Walney" wrote in message
...
As someone who is not up-to-date on the newer technologies, I should
be very grateful if somebody could enlighten me as to the definition
and application of optical output.

TIA,

John

The optical output, presumably of a CD player or other digital player, has
the same signal output as the coaxial digital output (S-PDIF) It is used to
take a digital output to a downstream device like a DAC or digital recorder.
It is often fitted in place of a coax output as it is cheaper to implement,
and at the consumer level, even pennies makes a difference.

As mentioned above the optical and coaxial digital outputs carry the same
signal format, the optical one as laser light pulses.

There is absolutely no audio difference between the two, but optical can
have the advantage of not having a physical wired galvanic connection
between the source and destination, and consequently it is immune from radio
frequency interference and will not cause hum loops.

S.
--
http://audiopages.googlepages.com

"Walney" wrote in message
...

As someone who is not up-to-date on the newer technologies, I should
be very grateful if somebody could enlighten me as to the definition
and application of optical output.


An optical output is an alternative to an electrical digital output. The
digital signal is transmitted as a pattern of pulses of light via optical
fibre to the optical input of another component. Typically the audio output
of a CD player or a DVD player could be transmitted via an optical digital
output to an AV amplifier.

David.

On 18 Jun, 12:30, "David Looser" wrote:
"Walney" wrote in message

...

As someone who is not up-to-date on the newer technologies, I should
be very grateful if somebody could enlighten me as to the definition
and application of optical output.

An optical output is an alternative to an electrical digital output. The
digital signal is transmitted as a pattern of pulses of light via optical
fibre to the optical input of another component. Typically the audio output
of a CD player or a DVD player could be transmitted via an optical digital
output to an AV amplifier.

David.

Thanks very much for the information.

John

"Serge Auckland"

As mentioned above the optical and coaxial digital outputs carry the same
signal format, the optical one as laser light pulses.


** Huh ???

Don't think any lasers are involved.

Just red LEDs.



...... Phil

Walney wrote:

As someone who is not up-to-date on the newer technologies, I should
be very grateful if somebody could enlighten me as to the definition
and application of optical output.

What an optical output does is to provide a light based signal via a
high speed LED (light emitting diode) on/off (one-zero) equivalent to
what the coaxial digital RCA out connector socket does using a standard
electrical signal of similar on-offs based on voltage not light.

An optical link has the potential advantage of eliminating 'ground loop
problems' (research into these is advised if you're into hi-end systems)
since there is no so-called 'galvanic connection'.

However, if you just want to get get some kit going and you don't live
in an area where you have massive electrical disturbances, I reckon
you'd be equally happy with one or the other.

Graham

In article , Eeyore
wrote:


An optical link has the potential advantage of eliminating 'ground loop
problems' (research into these is advised if you're into hi-end systems)
since there is no so-called 'galvanic connection'.

Since you don't define the term it is hard to disagree. :-)

However, in reality it is quite easy to get contacts which are essentially
Ohmic. i.e. which show no real sign of nonlinearity.

Not that this matters much for a digital link like SPDIF. You would need
quite gross nonlinearity to disturb such a link.

Also, ground loops don't require contacts to be non-Ohmic in order to
arise. So your statement seems to conflate two distinct matters.

However, if you just want to get get some kit going and you don't live
in an area where you have massive electrical disturbances, I reckon
you'd be equally happy with one or the other.

Provided also there are no oddities in the grounding arrangements, etc, I'd
agree. FWIW I find that co-ax SPDIF works fine in my domestic systems.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Change 'noise' to 'jcgl' if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
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"Jim Lesurf"
Eeysore

An optical link has the potential advantage of eliminating 'ground loop
problems' (research into these is advised if you're into hi-end systems)
since there is no so-called 'galvanic connection'.

Since you don't define the term it is hard to disagree. :-)

However, in reality it is quite easy to get contacts which are essentially
Ohmic. i.e. which show no real sign of nonlinearity.


** Who mentioned " nonlinearity " ??

Maybe the term " galvanic" has you flummoxed.



...... Phil