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R Not
MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA

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Optical digital audio cables

This Christmas I got a couple of those sound bars for our TVs. Both of them have optical cable connections, but of course they never give you those cables to use. You have to buy them separately. On one of the TVs, the coaxial stereo mini plug out does not seem to work. My options would be to use the RCA plug outputs, or try the optical digital connection. I have no experience using the optical connections. Does anybody have any recommendations or thoughts? Thank you.

plantronic
@206.47.249.x

1 recommendation

plantronic

Anon

yeah i recommend it, give it a try the quality is great

Tursiops_G
Technoid
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You should be able to pick up a couple of inexpensive TOSLINK cables at Fry's or Wally World (aka Wal-Mart).

Camelot One
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join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

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If you have Amazon Prime, their "basics" optical cables are pretty decent.
»www.amazon.com/AmazonBas ··· al+cable
I don't know how much the shipping adds for non-prime members though.
Monoprice is also a good source.

I strongly suggest avoiding Monster brand for optical. Aside from their usual insane pricing, the cables themselves are so thick (for no reason) that they tend to break the tiny tabs on the optical socket. And once they break, the cable just falls out.

mackey
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join:2007-08-20

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Also avoid Radio Shack. No joke, they wanted $40 for a "gold plated" optical toslink cable that's $1.68 at monoprice...

/M

Tursiops_G
Technoid
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Agreed... You can get perfectly fine cables for under $5...
»www.walmart.com/search/s ··· rice_low

plantronic
@206.47.249.x

plantronic

Anon

note, walmart doesnt have the dash (-) in its name any more, its no longer wal-mart, its simply walmart with a star kinda thingy beside it.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
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join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

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Click for full size
optical cables are not subject to RF noise

any cable will work good

my cable is 100% trasparent
TheMG
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In a pinch I've used a few strands from one of these as a makeshift optical cable:




Worked just fine.

As long as it passes light from one end to the other, it will work. There's nothing really special about an optical toslink cable, it's really just a big plastic optical fiber with connector on the ends as a mechanical support.

No need for any kind of shielding, thick fancy jacket materials, etc. It either works or it doesn't.

Get the cheapest one you can find and it'll work as good as anything else.

R2
R Not
MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA

1 edit

R2

MVM

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I had just never used them before and never had any experience - but everyone says that's probably the way to go. I'll try to find a reasonably priced one.

They don't seem that much more expensive than the silly phono cables that they give us, so it would be nice if these became the standard that they give you in the box...

quitaccount
DSLR sucks cocks
Premium Member
join:2000-11-13

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get them from monoprice. I got a few of their "premium toslink" optical cables with aluminum ends and they have served me well for years. »www.monoprice.com/Produc ··· format=2

iNick
Premium Member
join:2012-12-11
Joliet, IL

iNick

Premium Member

I brought an Used Halo 3 XBOX 360 Special Edition last year for $65 shipped and it's came with 2 Monster Optical Cables that looked like they been through hell. Lmaoo

printscreen
join:2003-11-01
Juana Diaz, PR

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said by mackey:

Also avoid Radio Shack. No joke, they wanted $40 for a "gold plated" optical toslink cable that's $1.68 at monoprice...

Sounds like a joke but just found that the optical cable I bought from Monoprice about 6 months ago for less that $2 is actually gold plated. Never noticed that and I didn't buy that particular cable for that reason. Just lenght and price.

TheTechGuru
join:2004-03-25
TEXAS

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I got a 5ft on EBay for $0.99 cents. Took 20 days to get here but works great.
Body Count
join:2010-09-11
Columbus, OH
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buy from monoprice. the shipping is high so make sure you get everything you need on one order before checking out. I think they have two different versions for toslink. One normal version that looks cheap but it works.. and one with a heavy outer shell that doesn't like to bend but it can take a beating. I bought the heavy duty ones because it was only a few bucks more and I know the shell won't tear.

optical is either on or off. There is no "in between" mode. So you'll know if it works or not by pluggin it in. This is why monster cables are overpriced pieces of crap.

TheTechGuru
join:2004-03-25
TEXAS

TheTechGuru

Member

said by Body Count:

buy from monoprice. the shipping is high so make sure you get everything you need on one order before checking out. I think they have two different versions for toslink. One normal version that looks cheap but it works.. and one with a heavy outer shell that doesn't like to bend but it can take a beating. I bought the heavy duty ones because it was only a few bucks more and I know the shell won't tear.

optical is either on or off. There is no "in between" mode. So you'll know if it works or not by pluggin it in. This is why monster cables are overpriced pieces of crap.

I've found MonoPrice products on Amazon and they are Prime eligible.

R2
R Not
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I ended up buying the same premium cable from Monoprice, but the 3 foot version. I liked the "Mesh metal jacket" (protects cable from nicks, cuts, and kinks) and the 8.0 mm outside diameter. The important part seems to be protecting cable itself and no so much the connectors.

It has not yet arrived. I bought it through Amazon, but they did not have it as Prime....