Will a fiber-optic cable splitter negatively affect audio output?? (1 Viewer)

[LewisD]

I currently have 2 DVD players hooked up to my DD/DTS receiver via Toslink cables. I just bought an X-Box that requires a Toslink cable for surround sound. The problem is I dont have an open fiber-optic input on my receiver. I would like to use a simple 2 way fiber-optic splitter from radio shack. Would this negatively affect the audio quality of 5.1 DD and DTS???

 

[keir]

theres a small chance im wrong , but i believe that it is impossible to lose data integrity with a digital connection. the 1s and 0s are going to get there in the same order regardless of a splitter. the audio isnt created until it reaches the receiver, so i wouldnt worry about quality loss for digital cable.
what confuses me is the possibility of quality difference between coaxial and toslink digital connections. how can quality possibly differ? the digital source is going to send the same 1s and 0s no matter what medium it goes through. the signal will be perfect and unchanged.. the audio to the speakers is created within the receiver when a digital source is connected, right? so how can one digital connection be better than another...

 

[Kevin T]

i agree with keir on this one. an optical digital connection passes a pulsating light. if there is any error in that light, it will become immediately noticeable. as long as there is no interruption, it will be fine. the only thing you can really do to improve the sound using an optical connection is to buy a better input component with better dacs. that being said, i have never tried so my comments are based solely upon my understanding of how optical cables function. try it and see. report it back if you noticeable an appreciably difference in sound quality.

kevin t

 

[John Royster]

I can't see how it would affect sound quality. Given this is another very simple junction.

Any time you disrupt a fiber cable there will be some signal loss. For example - from DVD output to fiber cable = 1 junction. From fiber cable to receiver = 1 junction. You are adding two juctions to the equation bringing the total to four. If it truly is a splitter than there will be much more loss.

I don't know the toslink specifications so I can't be much help. When working with fiber optics there is a spec called your "loss budget". This specifies how much signal loss you can have over a given link. With a measely four junctions you should be fine, then again I don't know the TOSLINK specs.

 

[Paul_Dunlop]

Hi
I just setup a friends home theater 2 weeks ago - single toslink on his receiver, XBOX and CD Player with toslink connections
I bought the Toslink splitter from RAT SHACK and it works without any problems.
The XBOX is AMAZING when you're running Dolby Digital - test games were Gotham Racing and HALO
Paul

 

[elMalloc]

Well you can always return it. The thing is actually a signal splitter not a combiner, but it is used both ways so whatever.

I had one. Problem? Every minute or so the sound would chop out for a few ms, enough to notice it's getting cut out. I was using monster cables all around. The connection in that radio shack isn't that great, you can tilt it one way and it will lose the optical connection (light must not be directed perfectly inside). I could get it to work most of the time if I had it in a specific position, but what happens when your cables move accidently (ie your PS2 or XBOX is moved a bit). I sold my receiver and got a new one with DPL2 and 3 optical inputs..I was in the same position as you.

-ELmO