How to choose and how to connect an optical cable for sound to a TV

Optical cable for sound when connected to a TV – what are the advantages, how it works, how to choose an acoustic audio cable.

In order to work with modern technology, it becomes necessary to ensure the transfer of a large amount of information at high speed. In most cases, metal wires and cables were used for this purpose. In most cases, they coped with this task, but over time, their capabilities can sometimes be lacking. This problem is due to the fact that the transmission of electrical signals has important features that sometimes prevent the required operating parameters from being achieved:

1. The higher the frequency used, the faster the decay will occur.
2. When transmitting signals, energy is radiated into the surrounding space. The intensity increases with increasing frequency.
3. The passage of alternating current creates a magnetic field that interferes with nearby wires.

Thus, when transmitting information at high speed over metal wires, there are factors that prevent a further increase in efficiency. The use of fiber optic cables will allow data transmission on other physical principles. Their work is as follows. The cable is a bundle of fibers, each of which consists of a transparent central part and a sheath. The latter not only protects the fibers from mechanical damage, but also has reflective properties. Transmission of light through the fiber of an optical cable:
The signal carrier is a light beam, which, while passing through the fiber, is repeatedly reflected from its walls, practically without losing its energy. The small diameter makes them flexible, allowing them to be routed wherever needed. Information is encoded by modulating the light flux with a laser. When it reaches its destination, decryption is performed using a photodetector. Thus, information transfer rates of up to several terabits per second can be achieved. However, this high speed can only be achieved with very high quality optical fiber. Its use provides the following benefits:

1. High speed and significant amount of transmitted data.
2. High degree of protection against external interference.
3. Small cross-section, which allows the cable to be routed wherever it is needed.
4. There is no risk of breakdown associated with the presence of high voltage.
5. There is no way to covertly copy data along the signal path without damaging the fiber.

However, during the operation of digital audio out cables, you will have to face the following disadvantages:

1. When laying, it is impossible to make sharp bends. This may damage the cable.
2. To read and write information through an optical audio cable, specialized equipment is required.
3. It is not possible to connect the wires using twisting. To achieve this goal, the ends must be soldered together.

The use of optical fiber for the transmission of acoustic signals ensures high quality reproduction. This method is considered the highest quality for transmitting analog audio. Optical connectors for transmitting sound on a TV:
When transmitting an audio signal, processing occurs in several stages:

1. Initial conversion from electrical to optical.
2. Transmission via fiber optic cable.
3. Signal reception.
4. It is converted from optical to electrical form, and then playback is performed.

Although it is believed that it is impossible to cut and connect optical cables, in some cases this can be done manually, but with the slightest mistake, the transmission quality will drop sharply. Therefore, it is preferable to use those cables that are manufactured and prepared in an industrial way.

Now TVs for connection actively use the HDMI connector, which provides high-quality image and sound transmission.

The question arises as to how much it is necessary to use optical fiber for sound transmission. It may not be applicable in all cases. For example, if you need to separately connect a player or other sound source, then in this case an optical cable will help to establish a high-quality connection.

What types of Digital Audio Out Optical are there

The S/PDIF standard is used for audio transmission. It stands for “Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format”. To implement it, you can use two types of cables:

1. Coaxial uses RCA connectors. This option is gradually becoming a thing of the past, giving way to fiber optic cable. However, many audio devices have such connectors for connection. It can be used, but this technology will not help you get the perfect sound.

   

2. Fiber optic is called TOSLINK . It allows you to get great sound, but at the same time the connection technology remains simple. Its use is becoming more and more common.

TOSLINK is now much more commonly used with this standard, so its name and S/PDIF are usually used interchangeably.
Optical connections can be monomode or multimode. In the first case, the signal transmission quality will be higher, since in the multimode mode, the rays are reflected at different angles, and at large distances this can lead to a decrease in the data transmission quality. At the same time, single-mode cable has a higher price.

How to choose an optical cable for connecting a TV

When choosing, you need to strive to ensure that the cable provides the maximum quality of sound transmission. In doing so, you need to pay attention to the following:

1. You need to purchase a cable of such length that it can be directly used for connection. It is not recommended to adjust its length yourself.
2. It is believed that the cable should not be longer than 10 m , otherwise the quality of the transmitted signal may deteriorate. The optimal one is sometimes called the one that has a length of 5 m . There are high quality cable types that provide transmissions over tens of meters while maintaining sound characteristics.
3. Although a thin cable is easier to run even in difficult places, nevertheless, in general , the thicker it is, the better it works and lasts longer .
4. Any optical cable consists of fibers, each of which has its own sheath . For the most expensive varieties, the cable may have an additional one, which is made of nylon.
5. It is worth paying attention to what material is used to create a transparent inner part of the fibers . The most popular are glass or silica.

Each cable is characterized by the maximum frequency of its audio signal. It must be matched to the characteristics of the audio system being used. Usually we are talking about a frequency of 9-11 MHz.

How to connect speakers and audio systems to the TV via the optical output

When making the connection, it is necessary to prepare a fiber optic cable of the required length in advance. It is considered sufficient if it is 15 cm higher than the distance between the TV and speakers.
When laying, it is necessary to correctly position the cable. It must be remembered that it should not have sharp bends. You need to find the corresponding port on the back of the TV receiver. Its exact name depends on the TV model you are using. The most common names are: “Optical Digital Audio Out”, “Optical Audio”, “SPDIF” or “Toslink”. The port can be closed with a cover. To open it, you need to insert the cable with a slight effort. This will open the slot. After that, the cable is advanced a little more so that it becomes tight.
Next, connect to the audio system. To do this, the other end of the cable is inserted into a suitable connector for it. After that, the speaker system and TV are turned on. If the sound is played normally, it means that the connection was successful. If it is absent, you need to check whether the sound volume on the speakers is sufficient and the one that is selected on the TV. The cable must not be twisted or stretched, as this will reduce the quality of work. In the presence of mechanical damage, it cannot be repaired – it will have to be replaced.

It should be borne in mind that an important condition for the proper operation of the cable is cleanliness at the joints. There shouldn’t even be a speck of dust here.

How to connect an optical cable for TV and home theater

Using
a home theater allows you to enjoy high quality picture and sound. In it, all the necessary equipment is connected to the receiver, and he – to the TV.
The home theater system includes the following components:

1. Signal source. It can come from an antenna, from the Internet, from a flash drive with a recorded movie, or in some other way.
2. AV receiver or amplifier.
3. Connecting cables connect all elements of the system.
4. The TV is used as the display device.
5. High- quality speaker system , which can have a different structure.

To connect sound in a home theater, connect the optical input of the receiver and the same one on the TV. Audio devices are connected to the receiver using the connectors that they have. The following are examples of connection diagrams:

1. It is possible to simultaneously use a coaxial cable to connect from these devices and a fiber optic cable to connect the set-top box and TV.
2. There is an active converter that converts a 5.1 digital signal into a 5.1 audio signal. It has two optical inputs and three audio cinch outputs.

For better sound quality, it is better to use a fiber optic connection. If the connection is of poor quality, then this will not allow you to experience the benefits of a home theater.

Problem solving

If the user wants to connect the audio system to the TV using an optical cable, then he must have the appropriate connectors for this. They are not always present. One example of the potential challenges is home theater equipment that has been assembled over many years. A variety of connectors can be used here, and not necessarily electrical. In such cases, you can sometimes use a converter. It is a device that has inputs and outputs. There may be one or more of them. Using the appropriate type of converters allows you to take advantage of the benefits of fiber optic cable. How to connect speakers to TV via optical audio output Optical Digital Audio: https://youtu. be/LaBxSLW4efs Sometimes when you connect you don’t feel the high quality of the sound, although at first glance everything is done fine. One of the possible reasons may be dust ingress at the connection points. Even one speck of dust can significantly reduce the quality of data transmission. In order to remedy the situation, it is enough to simply clean the connector, blowing off what interferes with efficient operation.