Hi all,
Sorry for the long post. You can skip directly to the question in bold below if you're short on time.
I'm just about finished setting up my very first entertainment center, and I'm having trouble finding one of the last missing pieces. I have several devices capable of outputting digital audio via TOSLINK. These include my computer, cable box, Xbox360 and a microphone / instrument digital preamp through which I'm running my digital piano. I also have a set of Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers. What's missing is a suitable TOSLINK receiver/switch that connects all my TOSLINK outputs to my speaker input.
I've had no trouble finding switches that will let me select one of the TOSLINK devices to use as an audio source. What I'm really after is a a piece of hardware that lets me listen to multiple inputs at the same time. For example, I may want to play some beats from my computer while I'm blowing people away in a Halo match, or I might like to have the TV on while I'm practicing boring scales on my digital piano.
I think I've seen cheap optical y-splitters with user reviews claiming it's possible to use the product backwards to join two TOSLINK outputs into a single digital audio stream. But I'm generally wary of using my gear for anything other than its intended purpose and expecting high performance. On top of that, my understanding is that in general, this kind of splitter degrades the signal quality at every fork. Considering the cost of the rest of the components and the number of sources I'm trying to merge, these kinds of quality concerns are critical.
What I think I need is something like a TOSLINK mixing board that takes multiple TOSLINK inputs, perhaps lets me adjust their relative levels, and then sends a single audio stream out to my speakers. Does anyone know of such a product?
Bonus points if it can output the combined audio stream to two devices simultaneously. (My speakers and headphones both accept TOSLINK inputs, but neither have a digital throughput.)
More bonus points if any of the device's functions can be remote controlled -- to further justify the existence of my Logitech Harmony remote :0)
Thanks so much for any help you can give. I can't wait to have this project finished!
Best,
Mike
Sorry for the long post. You can skip directly to the question in bold below if you're short on time.
I'm just about finished setting up my very first entertainment center, and I'm having trouble finding one of the last missing pieces. I have several devices capable of outputting digital audio via TOSLINK. These include my computer, cable box, Xbox360 and a microphone / instrument digital preamp through which I'm running my digital piano. I also have a set of Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers. What's missing is a suitable TOSLINK receiver/switch that connects all my TOSLINK outputs to my speaker input.
I've had no trouble finding switches that will let me select one of the TOSLINK devices to use as an audio source. What I'm really after is a a piece of hardware that lets me listen to multiple inputs at the same time. For example, I may want to play some beats from my computer while I'm blowing people away in a Halo match, or I might like to have the TV on while I'm practicing boring scales on my digital piano.
I think I've seen cheap optical y-splitters with user reviews claiming it's possible to use the product backwards to join two TOSLINK outputs into a single digital audio stream. But I'm generally wary of using my gear for anything other than its intended purpose and expecting high performance. On top of that, my understanding is that in general, this kind of splitter degrades the signal quality at every fork. Considering the cost of the rest of the components and the number of sources I'm trying to merge, these kinds of quality concerns are critical.
What I think I need is something like a TOSLINK mixing board that takes multiple TOSLINK inputs, perhaps lets me adjust their relative levels, and then sends a single audio stream out to my speakers. Does anyone know of such a product?
Bonus points if it can output the combined audio stream to two devices simultaneously. (My speakers and headphones both accept TOSLINK inputs, but neither have a digital throughput.)
More bonus points if any of the device's functions can be remote controlled -- to further justify the existence of my Logitech Harmony remote :0)
Thanks so much for any help you can give. I can't wait to have this project finished!
Best,
Mike
