John Williamson wrote:
Anton Gÿsen wrote:
Arny Krueger wrote:
"Rob" wrote in message


Having a bit of a change around during the hols, and I
need to link up a computer (Mac Mini) to a USB DAC 5
metres away.

The usual length limit for USB is 15 feet - close enough to 5 meters.

The maximum length for USB1.1 devices is 3 metres. My USB DAC is a
USB1.1 device and not USB2. Whether the cable limit refers to the host
adaptor or the client device I don't know.

It's the maximum total length of unboosted cable permitted between the
master and slave devices before the signal needs regenerating. You can
daisy chain a number of 3 metre segments, provided they are all linked
by active connectors, but the active connectors in the chain must be
there, and no more than the maximum permitted distance apart.

Example:-

PC (Master) --- 3metres --- Active connector --- 3metres ---- DAC (Slave
device)

Should work

PC (Master)--- 6 metres --- DAC (Slave device)

Probably won't.

But would

PC (Master - USB 2.0 hub)--- 5 metres --- DAC (USB 1.1 Slave device)

work? Not that it really matters.

Anton Gÿsen wrote:
John Williamson wrote:
Anton Gÿsen wrote:
Arny Krueger wrote:
"Rob" wrote in message


Having a bit of a change around during the hols, and I
need to link up a computer (Mac Mini) to a USB DAC 5
metres away.

The usual length limit for USB is 15 feet - close enough to 5 meters.

The maximum length for USB1.1 devices is 3 metres. My USB DAC is a
USB1.1 device and not USB2. Whether the cable limit refers to the
host adaptor or the client device I don't know.

It's the maximum total length of unboosted cable permitted between the
master and slave devices before the signal needs regenerating. You can
daisy chain a number of 3 metre segments, provided they are all linked
by active connectors, but the active connectors in the chain must be
there, and no more than the maximum permitted distance apart.

Example:-

PC (Master) --- 3metres --- Active connector --- 3metres ---- DAC
(Slave device)

Should work

PC (Master)--- 6 metres --- DAC (Slave device)

Probably won't.

But would

PC (Master - USB 2.0 hub)--- 5 metres --- DAC (USB 1.1 Slave device)

work? Not that it really matters.

Dunno. I'd expect not, as it's normally the lowest spec. that wins. It's
one that's not in the book, as it were, but it'd not cost much to try it
and find out. It's possible it'll work with one setup, but not another
which is supposedly identical. Let us know if you do.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
Example:-

PC (Master) --- 3metres --- Active connector --- 3metres ---- DAC (Slave
device)

Should work

PC (Master)--- 6 metres --- DAC (Slave device)

Probably won't.

But would

PC (Master - USB 2.0 hub)--- 5 metres --- DAC (USB 1.1 Slave device)

work? Not that it really matters.

Dunno. I'd expect not, as it's normally the lowest spec. that wins. It's
one that's not in the book, as it were, but it'd not cost much to try it
and find out. It's possible it'll work with one setup, but not another
which is supposedly identical. Let us know if you do.

--
Somebody asked a while back why I suggested using a USB - SPDIF converter
and an SPDIF input DAC rather than a USB DAC. Here's the answer, SPDIF will
work over 100m or more.

David.

David Looser wrote:
"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
Example:-

PC (Master) --- 3metres --- Active connector --- 3metres ---- DAC (Slave
device)

Should work

PC (Master)--- 6 metres --- DAC (Slave device)

Probably won't.
But would

PC (Master - USB 2.0 hub)--- 5 metres --- DAC (USB 1.1 Slave device)

work? Not that it really matters.
Dunno. I'd expect not, as it's normally the lowest spec. that wins. It's
one that's not in the book, as it were, but it'd not cost much to try it
and find out. It's possible it'll work with one setup, but not another
which is supposedly identical. Let us know if you do.

--
Somebody asked a while back why I suggested using a USB - SPDIF converter
and an SPDIF input DAC rather than a USB DAC. Here's the answer, SPDIF will
work over 100m or more.

Optical or coaxial?

"Anton Gÿsen" wrote in message
...
David Looser wrote:
"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
Example:-

PC (Master) --- 3metres --- Active connector --- 3metres ---- DAC
(Slave device)

Should work

PC (Master)--- 6 metres --- DAC (Slave device)

Probably won't.
But would

PC (Master - USB 2.0 hub)--- 5 metres --- DAC (USB 1.1 Slave device)

work? Not that it really matters.
Dunno. I'd expect not, as it's normally the lowest spec. that wins. It's
one that's not in the book, as it were, but it'd not cost much to try it
and find out. It's possible it'll work with one setup, but not another
which is supposedly identical. Let us know if you do.

--
Somebody asked a while back why I suggested using a USB - SPDIF converter
and an SPDIF input DAC rather than a USB DAC. Here's the answer, SPDIF
will work over 100m or more.

Optical or coaxial?

Co-ax. Actually I prefer to use run balanced over Cat5 cable (like AES/EBU)
because it's cheaper and easier to install, I've sent balanced SPDIF over a
couple of hundred metres of Cat5 without problems. But a reasonably decent
75ohm co-ax should work over 100 metres easily.

It would work over considerably longer distances than that optically if you
used telecomms grade glass fibre. But getting hold of it and interfacing it
to toslink connectors might prove a challenge.

David.