Connected PC to Receiver via coax, now monitor flickers (1 Viewer)

[Brett_H]

All,

I built a new PC recently, based on an Asus A7V8X. I finally connected my PC to my receiver (H/K 520, not that I think it matters) and got that working. The sound is fine, no hum, no distortion like I had when I hooked it up using an analog cable, but now something odd is going on with the PC. The monitor has a weird flicker to it, almost like when you're in an office under fluorescent lights and have the refresh rate at 60hz or something. I'm guessing this might be a ground loop problem? I have a Radio Shack ground loop isolator that I was using when it was hooked up via analog, will that work with a digital signal also? I'd just try it out, but I need a female->female RCA converter to do so.

Hope this made sense... anyone got any ideas?

Thanks,
-Brett.

 

[Brett_H]

Anyone?

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

You could get a coax to toslink converter and connect the computer via an optical cable instead. They conduct no electricity whatsoever so you'd get total isolation between the units.

Assuming of course your receiver has a free toslink connector!

 

[JasenP]

I would invest in a coax with better insulation. Sounds like a signal leak to me. Make sure you buy it from a store with a liberal return policy in the event it doesn't fix your problem.

 

[Brett_H]

Kimmo,

The receiver has a few unused optical connections, so that's an option, but it sounds like more $$ than I'd like to spend. Are these converters expensive? ...off to Radioshack.com... OK, so they're about $15, plus the cost of another optical cable. Might be worth a shot.

Jasen,

The wiring goes like this:
PC->RCA to Coax adapter->~40 feet of cable company supplied coax->Coax to RCA adapter-> Receiver.

I was under the assumption that the coax you get from the cable company was pretty well insulated, am I wrong? I suppose I could try another cable if nothing else pans out.

Does anyone know if I can insert one of these can be used for a digital connection? This is what I was using when I was connected via an analog out, and it solved a nasty hum/noise problem I encountered then.

Thanks,
-Brett.

 

[NickSo]

The coax cable from the cable company might be what is creating the noise leakage...

Usually coax cables that pass a digital bitstream is a 75-ohm shielded RCA cable, similar to a composite video cable. Its best to get a cable that converts the 1/8" stereo jack that most soundcards use to output the coax signal, to RCA jacks, and just hook it up to the reciever with the RCA-jacked cable and not the Cable company COAX cable.

 

[Ted Lee]

how close is the receiver to the monitor? you may be getting some sort of interference from the receiver???

 

[Brett_H]

Nick,

Usually coax cables that pass a digital bitstream is a 75-ohm shielded RCA cable, similar to a composite video cable. Its best to get a cable that converts the 1/8" stereo jack that most soundcards use to output the coax signal, to RCA jacks, and just hook it up to the reciever with the RCA-jacked cable and not the Cable company COAX cable.

The PC's digital output is an RCA connector, not a mini-jack. The only marking on the cable itself are "CATVR (UL) 18 AWG", if that helps any. Just your standard COAX cable, with one of these on either end.

Also, the PC is about 30-40 feet away from the receiver. The sound is great, it's just messing with my PC's video...

Thanks,
-Brett.