From: Alan Dowds <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 12:37 PM
Subject: RE: MD: quality of optical cables
> Herro,
Herro dair...
> All this discussion about optical cables has got me thinking. Why use an
> optical cable for digital audio connections at all?
Marketing. Optical technology sounds more technical and clever, so it gives
the equipment a futuristic quality.
> I know they are
> impervious to electromagnetic interference, but is that really such a
> problem in a cable less than a metre long?
Given the 10m coax cable running own the wall cavity of my house connecting
the HiFi system downstairs to the computer system upstairs, it's not really
a consideratoin for home audio at all. I made a 2-way connection including a
relay that lets me use my remote control upstairs (reciever upstaris,
transmitter in Hi-Fi cab downstairs) for £20. The fibre optic alone would
have set me back about £80, and that's without any of the specialist tools
needed to make the connectors.
> And since the transmission is
> digital, is the lack of interference so crucial?
If I were in an industrial factory, yes. I've yet to have my thermostat or
central heating prevent me enjoying my music. If I did get a click sound it
would probably be a mains spike to the amp that would be the cause, not
interference with digital interconnects.
> My computer, which
> transmits loads of data down SCSI, IDE, even parallel and phone cables,
gets
> by fine with plain old wires.
Yep, as do the majority of satellites and communications equipment. Take the
BBCs television transmitters for example - no fibre optic there, yet the
picture quality is great!
> Is it something to do with Toslink error correction, or is it just a fun
new
> tech for all the first adopters amongst us?
It sounds cool, it sells better.
> Is there really much difference
> between optical and co-ax digital connections in home audio use?
Coax is a lot cheaper... other than that... no.
Hope this helps!
Magic
--
"Creativity is more a birthright than an acquisition, and the power of sound
is wisdom and understanding applied to the power of vibration."
Location : Portsmouth, England, UK
Homepage : http://www.mattnet.freeserve.co.uk
EMail : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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