3.5mm stereo to TOSLink cable?

RicardoSmith · 14-12-2003 03:10AM #1

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

mike65 · 14-12-2003 01:41PM

this sort of thing?

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=649&osCsid=43ab5cb58efc34b39776b1616a57f993

or this, an adapter which means you dont need to buy a whole cable...

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=253&osCsid=43ab5cb58efc34b39776b1616a57f993

Mike.

RicardoSmith · 14-12-2003 02:02PM

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.

mike65 · 14-12-2003 05:15PM

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

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

Mike.

Kali · 14-12-2003 05:25PM

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

RicardoSmith · 14-12-2003 06:13PM

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

robbie1876 · 15-12-2003 12:45AM

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.

RicardoSmith · 15-12-2003 01:21AM

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.

Kali · 15-12-2003 10:55AM

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:

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

RicardoSmith · 15-12-2003 12:00PM

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.

robbie1876 · 15-12-2003 12:56PM

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.

Kali · 15-12-2003 01:12PM

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

RicardoSmith · 15-12-2003 01:21PM

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.

robbie1876 · 15-12-2003 01:40PM

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.

Guy:Incognito · 15-12-2003 11:14PM

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)

RicardoSmith · 16-12-2003 01:23AM

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?

Guy:Incognito · 16-12-2003 01:49AM

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

RicardoSmith · 16-12-2003 02:30AM

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.

Guy:Incognito · 16-12-2003 02:35AM

no problem, give me ashout wenever u want it

3.5mm stereo to TOSLink cable?

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