Digital Cable Box

Brad

Brad

New member
I just upgraded my cable TV service to digital cable. My new digi cable box has an output on the back of it labelled "digital audio out" and it looks like an RCA jack. I assume this is SPDIF, but no where in the manual does it mention SPDIF and the box is neither Sony of Phillips. The manual says this output is for use with surround sound systems. I don't have surround sound and am not familiar with the interfaces used. The manual also says the output is 75 ohm.

In other words, it looks like shit, tastes like shit, smells like shit - it must be shit! :)

My question is, since this appears to be SPDIF, but never states that it is, can I hook this up to the SPDIF in on my CD recorder and get a nice digital transfer? Or do I run the risk of damaging something? I have 39 channels of digital cable radio, not to mention the stuff that they show on music video programs, that I would like to record some of.

Has anyone tried this with a digital cable box?

Thanks,
Brad
 
Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I will assume that it is AC3, a digital format normally associated with surround. That jack is there for you to run your cable box to your AC3 ready home stereo reciever and have surround if the movies on cable used surround.

There may be a AC3 to SPDIF converter, but I have never heard of one.

Good luck.

Ed
 
Wow! Thanks Ed! I have never heard of AC3! I figured that a different interface existed. I was hoping though, that maybe since it is still a 75 ohm coaxial, that it would carry the correct data that a SPDIF device could read as digital audio. Do you know if it will work? Should I just try it? My only reservation is doing damage to my CD burner.

If you don't think it would hurt to give it a try, let me know and I will.

I ain't no techno wizard like you and some of the other guys around here, so I am sorry if this question is stupid.

Brad
 
Well....

I doubt that it will hurt anything to hook it up and try it out Brad. I bet some people have tried hooking up a speaker to it before or something, maybe a microphone.....:)

In fact, I KNOW it won't hurt anything, so give it a spin. At worst, you CD burner will just dumbly sit there doing nothing when the digital data comes in.

I really don't think it is SPDIF though, not if the manual says it is for surround, but I could be wrong. If it is SPDIF, well, you scored!

If you only need to run it for like a few feet, you could probably get away with a regular old audio cable between then. Don't go spending a bunch of money on coax cables until you know it is going to work. Just using a regular old RCA cable you might use on your home stereo to try it out. If it does work, then go purchase some decent coax, a short length, and hook 'er up.

Good luck.

Ed
 
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