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3.5mm stereo to TOSLink cable?

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  • 14-12-2003 3:10am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭


    Where would I get a 3.5mm stereo to TOSLink cable?


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Umm no. MY sound card a Sonic fury outputs a digital signal from a standard 3.5mm (non optical) socket. So I'm not looking for a 3.5 optical to a TOSLink. But a 3.5 non optical to a TOS link. I may need a convertor box.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Something here maybe....
    Check the cable at the bottom-

    http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Framepages/optical_cablesframe.htm

    Mike.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,601 ✭✭✭Kali


    Err a 3.5mm digital out? thats pretty odd unless its a mini-optical jack. You sure its not a coaxial digital-out?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Some cards have them. The Sonic Fury, Santa Cruz, SB128D etc.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭robbie1876


    Ricardo, the output from your 3.5mm jack on the sound card is digital SPDIF format. To get that into Optical (TOS link) format you'll need a converter.

    So first you'll need a cable like this , then a converter like this one (look for the product down the page for $24.95). This should do the trick for you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Thats exactly what I need. But look at the price of that stuff! I think it would be cheaper to get a new sound card with an optical out or switch my MD to a NetMD.

    I'll have to rethink the plan and the budget.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,601 ✭✭✭Kali


    Originally posted by robbie1876
    Ricardo, the output from your 3.5mm jack on the sound card is digital SPDIF format. To get that into Optical (TOS link) format you'll need a converter.

    So first you'll need a cable like this , then a converter like this one (look for the product down the page for $24.95). This should do the trick for you.

    Your using an analogue splitter [3.5mm -> L/R phono] on a digital signal? and then connecting it to a digital [coax-optical] convertor?

    what you'll need is this if anything:

    product-s_oem_35torca.gif

    3.5mm->3.5mm cable into the above and then into that 24.95 spdif->toslink convertor..

    Although why in gods name soundcard manufacturers ship cards using a 3.5mm socket for a digital-out is still beyond me :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Originally posted by Kali
    ...Although why in gods name soundcard manufacturers ship cards using a 3.5mm socket for a digital-out is still beyond me :)

    On the sonic fury its so that the same port can be used as an analog in/out aswell making the card more compact. For others I'm sure its just a matter of cost.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭robbie1876


    I had a good look around and couldn't find any sort of digital 3.5mm lead. A good quality analogue lead will still work fine for it. There's a 3.5 - RCA cable by Profigold that I'm using for exactly this reason and it works perfect. But it cost me €15 or so.

    By the way, I just upgraded my soundcard to a Soundblaster Audigy Platinum EX. This card is on special offer on creative.ie for €99. Bargain really. It includes proper full size SPDIF RCA in/out jacks, along with full size TOS optical in/out connecters. This certainly will solve your problems.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,601 ✭✭✭Kali


    Originally posted by RicardoSmith
    On the sonic fury its so that the same port can be used as an analog in/out aswell making the card more compact.

    Ahh ok that makes sense I guess, I'm not up on the oul soundcards :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    Originally posted by robbie1876
    I had a good look around and couldn't find any sort of digital 3.5mm lead. A good quality analogue lead will still work fine for it. There's a 3.5 - RCA cable by Profigold that I'm using for exactly this reason and it works perfect. But it cost me €15 or so.

    By the way, I just upgraded my soundcard to a Soundblaster Audigy Platinum EX. This card is on special offer on creative.ie for €99. Bargain really. It includes proper full size SPDIF RCA in/out jacks, along with full size TOS optical in/out connecters. This certainly will solve your problems.

    Is that an Audigy 1 or 2? Personally I hate the creative drivers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭robbie1876


    It was an Audigy 1. Obviously they have some left over after the release of the Audigy 2, but for €99 compared to €255 I think its a deal.

    I agree about the Creative Drivers! What I did was instead of using their CD setup disk (which bombards your PC with all sorts of crap you don't want), I just downloaded the driver from the creative site. The downloaded driver is stripped of all the rubbish, and hasn't taken over my PC so far! Sound quality is noticably better than the onboard soundcard I had been using up to now, even when listening to MP3s.

    Having said that there was some cool software came with their disks, including Cubasis VST and MixMeister, 2 programs I may have purchased at some point, probably for more than the €99 I paid for the soundcard.


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    if ur useing it for recording to minidisc, then sony do a unit that goes from usb to optical, its €85 in the shops http://products.sony.ie/thumbnails.asp?id=1_24_ (its the pclk-u5)


    i have one in the house ill sell cheapo if ur interested,( i since got a netmd)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    The maplins one is €30. So if you'd take €20 for your one I might be interested.

    How do you find the Net MD. Why did you buy that and not a MP3 player?


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    fair nuff, sounds grand. just preferred the netd, got the mzn910. i use it to do live recording every now and then and its great for that. i found it rel easy to use and i so more recording from cd than mp3 anyway


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,264 ✭✭✭RicardoSmith


    I've an old MD I got cheap a long while back. If you record on to it via optical it splits up the tracks and sets the rec level automatically. If you record via analog you have set all that yourself which is a pain. I'll probably be doing more commuting in the new year on public transport so it would be handy do have an optical out. I'll get back you though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    no problem, give me ashout wenever u want it


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