what should i look for in an optical cable

Full Answer

What is the best length for an optical audio cable?

Length. Any length that is over 10 meters is a poor choice as it causes the reliability of the transmission to go down. Most optical audio cables will not be longer than 5 meters without a signal booster. If you need lengths exceeding a hundred feet, an optical cable made with melted quartz is the better choice as it will yield better quality.

What is an optical audio cable?

An optical audio cable, commonly known as a TOSLINK cable due to its origins as the TOSHIBA-cable, is a fiber-optic connection that is quickly becoming the standard for audio cables. Optical cables rely on fiber optics that convert the audio and relay them via light, typically red LED light.

How to choose the best optical cable for your project?

If you need lengths exceeding a hundred feet, an optical cable made with melted quartz is the better choice as it will yield better quality.

What are the different types of audio cables?

The one standout in home audio/video market is the optical audio cable. Unlike other cabling standards, the optical audio system uses fiber optic cables and laser light to transmit digital audio signals between devices.

How do I choose an optical cable?

Fiber counts can be from One Fiber to 144 Fibers. Choices are: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144. It is recommended to always pull more fiber than needed. You only get to pull once and future content demands will continue to require more bandwidth.

What is the best type of optical cable?

Best Optical Cable ReviewsBlueRigger Digital Optical Audio Toslink Cable. ... IvankyIDigital Optical Audio Cable. ... Syncwire Digital Optical Audio Cable. ... FosPower Gold Plated Toslink Cable. ... CableCreation Toslink Cable. ... Suplong Digital Optical Audio Toslink Cable. ... EMK Digital Optical Audio Cable. ... WARRKY 6ft Fiber Optic Cable.More items...•

Is there a difference in quality of optical cables?

And, in our experience, compared to optical, a coaxial connection does tend to sound better. That's because it has greater bandwidth available, meaning it can support higher quality audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical is usually restricted to 96kHz.

What should I look for in a digital optical cable?

1:443:02Best Optical Cable for Digital Audio Connection - Top Choice - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe best product on the list is the blue rig or digital optical cable. The cable comes in the lengthMoreThe best product on the list is the blue rig or digital optical cable. The cable comes in the length range of three feet and goes up to 50 feet the cable gets cl3. For in wall installations.

Are thicker optical cables better?

if you have a "thick" optical cable it has a core of the same size/thickness as the very thin cable. The thicker one has more "isolation" around the core. For the data transmission that doesn't matter at all, it may give the cable some break protection though.

Does length of optical cable matter?

Unless optical S/PDIF is REALLY wierd, not it won't make a difference. With things like SONET and optical Ethernet any length cable works just as well until you go over the max and attenuation makes your signal not go through.

Are expensive optical cables worth it?

An expensive cable might sound worse on your system than cheap cable. Or it might sound better. The important thing to remember is that even if it does sound better, it's such a minuscule improvement that pretty much anything else you can do will have a greater effect on the sound.

What cable gives best sound quality?

HDMIIn terms of audio quality – HDMI wins If you're looking for the best audio quality, HDMI is your choice. While an optical cable can still pass surround sound and super high-quality audio, thanks to the added bandwidth in the latest HDMI versions (2.0) you'll be able to pass higher resolution and audio.

Are there different types of optical cables?

There are three types of fiber optic cable commonly used: single mode, multimode and plastic optical fiber (POF). Transparent glass or plastic fibers which allow light to be guided from one end to the other with minimal loss.

What's the difference between Toslink and optical?

An optical connection is a connection through an optical cable, also called a Toslink cable. This cable can send digital audio signals, including Dolby Digital and DTS, via a digital audio stream from a source to the receiver. The cables use a red light (beam) that is sent by a fiber optic cable.

Is optical better than HDMI for audio?

The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic cables won't be able to transmit these high-res sound formats. HDMI can also pass video signals.

Can you get Dolby Atmos through optical?

Digital optical doesn't support Dolby Atmos because it can't transmit the Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD audio codecs (both of which can contain Dolby Atmos audio). Digital optical cables only support up to 5.1 channels of audio. HDMI is the only method to send/receive signals with Dolby Atmos.

Is there different types of optical cables?

There are three types of fiber optic cable commonly used: single mode, multimode and plastic optical fiber (POF). Transparent glass or plastic fibers which allow light to be guided from one end to the other with minimal loss.

Are there different types of optical audio cables?

Note that there are two types of optical connections: full size Toslink, and mini-optical. A coaxial digital cable will provide a distortion-free connection between your digital audio source component and an A/V receiver or DAC.

Does fiber optic cable Quality matter?

Quality of the actual connection matters most. Then it usually is a matter of length. Short length, then a regular run-of-the-mill plastic fibre is ok. For longer cables you want a glass-fibre with quality connectors to get better s/n-ratio.

What is the latest fiber optic technology?

New Trends in Speed & Efficacy New devices, such as optical couplers and optical switches, are supporting a recent trend known as All-Optical Networks or AON. This new technology allows data to be transmitted quickly without any electrical processing, which will result in further transmission distances.

What Is an Optical Cable?

Optical cable, also known as fiber optic cable, is a kind of cable that has strands of glass or plastic fibers inside individual protective covers. The optical cable is used for digital data signals transferring in the form of light. The fiber optic cable distance can be up to hundreds of miles.

Why Use Optical Cable?

Getting to know what is an optical cable and what is an optical cable used for in the previous text, here comes to another point – why use optical cable. The fiber optic cable advantages are listed below.

Conclusion

After reading this post, you should be able to get a general picture of what is an optical cable and why do we need it. There is no doubt that the future of optical communication is expected, and optical communication will bring us more opportunities and convenience. If you have not deployed optical cable network, now is the time to begin.

What is optical audio?

What Exactly Is Optical Audio? The vast majority of cabling you use for your media centers, personal computers, and audio/visual equipment uses electric al signals. Be it analog or digital, the signal is sent as an electrical impulse over conductive wire. Every cable, from the speaker wire on your 1970s turntable to the HDMI cable on your new HDTV, ...

How many channels does a toslink cable have?

Advertisement. The TOSLINK system is still capable of carrying up to 7.1 channels of very high-resolution audio. For the majority of consumer setups, there will be absolutely no discernible difference between audio quality when using an HDMI cable or a TOSLINK cable.

Why does my TV have a ground loop?

One of the most common causes of a ground loop in home media gear is poorly grounded cable TV equipment. In this situation, your power outlets and the connected media equipment are on one ground (hopefully, if your house is up to code, the main earth-ground spike outside) but the coax cable is grounded to another ground (often a water-pipe ground if there is a water pipe or spigot near where the cable enters the home).

Is toslink cable good?

Although the standard is over thirty years old now, it has been refined quite a bit, and modern TOSLINK connections are as useful as ever. So why is the lonely optical cable so underutilized? While that question could be a historical inquiry unto itself, here’s the short version: when TOSLINK came out, it was overpowered for most people’s needs, and by the time the average consumer was rocking an intense home theater, the TOSLINK cable had been eclipsed by the HDMI cable. (HDMI is not only simpler, since it carries video and audio together, but it also supports newer high resolution audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. TOSLINK does not.)

Can Blu Ray players pipe audio?

If the Blu-ray player has a TOSLINK port, you can pipe out the audio through the optical port to your speakers or receiver. Here’s another example: you have a nice set of speakers hooked up to a quality receiver, but that receiver is old enough that it has no digital connections to speak of–including no TOSLINK port.

Can you use a toslink receiver on a TV?

You don’t have to take your premium paid-$1000-for-it-back-in-the-day receiver and put it on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar. The vast majority of HDTV sets as well as many Blu-ray players, game consoles, and other devices still have TOSLINK out ports. You can pipe the HDMI video from the source (say your cable box) into your TV, then turn right back around and pipe the optical audio out to your receiver and speaker system. Remember, TOSLINK has been on the market since 1983: there is good chance that a premium audio/video receiver manufactured anytime in the last decade or two has a TOSLINK port.

Can you use analog headphones with a TV?

What if you want to use a pair of analog headphones with your TV, but your spouse wants to use the speakers so they can listen at a different volume? Many television sets and receivers have a plain old headphone jack, but most of them kill the audio to the speakers when a headphone cable is plugged in. In this situation, you can use that same TOSLINK converter to send that audio to whatever you want, without the hassle of HDMI content protection standards.

What are the features to look for in an optical cable?

If you want to utilize an optical connection to connect several devices that require frequent cable changing, search for robust Toslink cables. Gold-plated connections, for example, can aid with corrosion resistance, allowing the cables to last longer. Also, make sure the cable is properly shielded. Because optical audio cables are made of fragile materials, over-bending a cable can disrupt the smooth transmission of audio signals, resulting in sound deterioration or probable cable breakage.

Why should you use an optical audio cable?

An Optical Audio or Toslink (Toshiba Link) Cable transmits high-quality audio signals between devices using optical fibers and laser light. Fibers composed of silica, plastic, or glass can be used. Noise cannot travel via optical connections, so they are regarded as a good medium for transferring audio between two devices. Electrical and magnetic interference does not affect optical audio cables.

What is the price range of a decent optical cable?

An excellent optical audio cable for soundbars, home theatre, or gaming often does not cost much money. For less than $10, you can get a standard-size (up to 6ft) optical cable that will transport high-quality sound between the devices. The more expensive optical cables certified for in-wall installation are, the longer and more expensive they are. When purchasing any cable, we recommend opting for alternatives that come with a solid guarantee and excellent customer service. You can choose a hassle-free replacement if there is any incompatibility or other difficulties.

What is a TOSLINK cable?

TOSLINK cables (also called optical digital cables) convey digital signals in the S/PDIF format from computers and audio sources to other pieces of consumer audio equipment . TOSLINK is an older digital standard which uses pulses of light traveling down a fiber optic cable to represent digital ones and zeroes.

What is the bandwidth of optical lines?

The bandwidth is the next important element to consider. The usual bandwidth for optical lines is in the range of 9 to 11 Hz, although you can go higher or lower depending on your requirements. The amount of bandwidth you require is determined by the sort of audio system you have.

Do you need an optical audio cable for a home theater?

You must use approved and rated optical audio cables if you need an optical audio cable for commercial use or set up a home theatre and intend to put the wire through a wall or ceiling. Check your building codes for compliance and look for CL2 or CL3 ratings before installing the cables.

Do optical cables have to be on both sides?

Before moving on to the last factor, make sure the optical ports are in the right position. The ends of optical cables feature connections on both sides. Typically, the larger and more robust the connections are, the tougher the cable. This makes it more difficult to bend the connection joints. So, if your display or AV device has an optical audio connection on the rear, you'll need to see whether there's enough room for the audio cable's connector to fit.

Why use optical audio cables?

These cords use light to transmit the audio signals from the audio source to the receiver, and because of this, they are not affected by any electrical interference. This can be very useful if your electrical circuits aren’t properly grounded.

What is the best cable for surround sound?

If you’re setting up only a home audio system or if your equipment does not support HDMI, then the best options for digital surround sound are digital coaxial cables and optical audio cables.

How to get high definition surround sound?

This is the most important step. If you are looking for high definition surround sound, you have three options to choose from: digital coaxial audio cables, optical audio cables, and high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cables.

What is a Toslink cable?

This can be very useful if your electrical circuits aren’t properly grounded. Optical audio cables, also commonly referred to as Toslink cables, are especially recommended for old homes where there are more chances of electrical leaks due to the accumulation of moisture.

Do you have to remove the cap before connecting an audio cable?

Even the optical audio slot on your equipment will probably be covered by a cap. Do remember to remove the cap before you try to connect the cords. Although it seems obvious, this is the single biggest mistake made by people who are new to optical audio cables.

Do not force audio connectors?

4. Do Not Force It. With most square-shaped optical audio connectors, the male and female parts have to be aligned just right before they will fit. If the cable is not going in, do not force it or you will end up damaging the connector or the slot you’re fitting it into.

How to tell if a cable is digital?

In order to determine if your cables are all digital, you can take several test readings and find out which cable received the strongest signal from the computer, and which received the weakest signal.

What happens if you don't buy the correct length of cable?

If you do not purchase the correct length of cables then you will not be able to use your speakers effectively, and you will not enjoy the sound that comes out of your speakers. There are many differences between the different types of digital audio cables that are being used today.

What is the difference between digital and analog cable?

Most people know that analog cables are long and thin, which makes it difficult for people to run them through walls and under ceilings. Digital cables , on the other hand, are usually thinner and more flexible , allowing you to run them through doors, into rooms, and on furniture. The difference between a digital cable and an analog cable will be ...

What happens when you connect a digital cable to a computer?

As soon as a person begins to connect digital cables to their computers, they will notice that the signal they receive from the computer is much stronger than that from an analog cable . They also have much less distortion and can pass through many types of material and obstacles.

Why do people use digital cables?

A lot of people prefer using digital cables because they can be inserted in and out of a computer with ease, and are available in a wide range of different colors, sizes, and shapes. When someone uses an analog cable to connect to their computer, they will often notice that the signals coming from the computer are weaker ...

Which is stronger, optical or RCA?

When it comes to using the cable to connect your speaker to your computer, you will find that the optical audio cables are much stronger than the traditional RCA cables.

What are the benefits of digital cables?

The benefits of digital cables for audio are many, especially if you use your PC to play music or use your system to watch videos. There are many uses of these cables, but the most common uses involve connecting your stereo system to your DVD player or Blu-Ray player. When it comes to your TV ...