Audio - Digital Coax to Optical (tos-link) convertor (1 Viewer)

[Derek_R]

My new digital cable box only supports Digital Audio Coaxial out and I have run out of coax ins on my Denon 1802 however I have some Optical ins left.

I was wondering if anyone knew of something cheap that would convert the Coax to Optical.

Thanks,
-Derek

 

[KeithH]

Derek, www.partsexpress.com sells cheap digital converters. I've never used them, but I know they have them.

 

[Robert_J]

A friend of mine uses the optical to coax model from PE. It works great.

-Robert

 

[Phil A]

I have the Audio Authority converter, which I previously used in a system and I believe it works either way. I got it from Markertek, www.markertek.com. I think they are around $60.

 

[Westly T]

The Sound Professionals have them for $25 with power supply.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Go to radio shack and buy a Y splitter for RCA cables. As long as 1 device isn't on, it'll work and costs $5

 

[KeithH]

Jeff said:

Go to radio shack and buy a Y splitter for RCA cables.

Note that Derek is looking for a switch box that will allow him to feed a coaxial digital cable in and an optical digital cable out. The type of Y splitter you suggested will not work. Furthermore, I have tried Y splitters to split components with RCA cables, and they do not work. The signal is degraded in that the volume is cut down.

 

[Nathan_R]

Radio Shack does carry a coax-to-optical adapter/converter. I don't rememebr the cost, but it is available (at least at my local Atlanta RS).

Best regards,
~~Nathan

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Keith, I have 2 DVD players running in this way. A/B identical on the Y splitter. I don't know where your reduced volume is coming from, but that should never be an issue. Digital is digital and either you get the signal or you don't

 

[KeithH]

Jeff, you said:

Go to radio shack and buy a Y splitter for RCA cables.

RCA cables carry an analog signal. It seems like you did not mean to say RCA cables, especially in reply to Derek's query. I agree that there should be no volume issue with a digital switch box. I was talking about my experience with a Monster RCA cable splitter that has two female connectors on one end and a male connector on the other. These connectors (and the opposite with two male connectors and one female) are available at Tweeter for $15 each. They are used with subwoofers. Anyway, I tried these splitters for my multi-channel SACD and DVD-Audio players since my receiver has just one set of 5.1-channel inputs. It did not work due to the aforementioned volume loss issue, even when just one component was turned on. I discussed this matter here months ago, and a few people shared similar experiences. These RCA splitters do not work for splitting two front-end components.

 

[Derek_R]

Hi guys. Thanks again for all your help.

I ended up buying the Digital Coaxial to Digital Optical (toslink) converter at partsexpress.com.

Seems to work good. I see the Dolby Digital light on but I only always see Stereo/Virtual/Dolby Prologic II as a surrond mode. No Dolby 5.1, even on the HBO channels.

Was wondering if the Digital Optical inputs on the Denon 1802 supported Dolby 5.1 or if it was just through the Digital Coaxial input?

 

[KeithH]

Derek, I can't see why the optical digital inputs on the Denon AVR-1802 would not support Dolby Digital 5.1. That would be very strange. Are you sure you have the correct soundtrack selected on your DVD player?

 

[Derek_R]

Sorry Keith,

Forgot to mention it was from the Digital Cable box no a DVD player.

 

[KeithH]

Derek, are you sure your digital cable box support Dolby Digital 5.1?

 

[Derek_R]

Keith, Good question. I assumed that since my Dolby Digital light on my receiver was illuminated that it supported 5.1.

It could be the case that my Cable Box doesn't support 5.1 or Time Warner doesn't broadcast any 5.1 encoded programs.

Anyone else with Time Warner Digital Cable have this issue to?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

No, I meant RCA cables

I'm using one right now on my reciever. Works great, zero dropouts

 

[KeithH]

O.K., Jeff.