s/pdif special cable? basics.

  • Thread starter Thread starter casualtyfigure
  • Start date Start date
C

casualtyfigure

New member
i switching from a normal connection to s/pdif.

Is there anything i should know?

Is it the same as a basic line connection?
Juts plug it in, and go.

What kind of cable can i use?
the s/pdif cable thats $40-$60?

A URL would be nice, so i know what to look for.

I sound dumber than i am.

Just never heard anyone talk about it,
Suggest it, or refer to it.

So im going about it like im completely dumb.
 
Have a read up on S/Pdif > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spdif

First of all, why are you changing to it? It is the same in the sense of 'plug and go' yes, but of course, it's a digital connection.

What are you wanting to change? Are you wanting to purchase hardware to support S/pdif? Such as an audio interface?
 
i have a digital mixer, *cheap fostex thing
and my p.o.s. sound card has one as well.

Im just curious as to what it would do.
Sound a bit better, clearer, or whatever.
I mean its completely unnecessary.
Just curious.

ill look at the wiki.
 
casualtyfigure said:
i switching from a normal connection to s/pdif.

Is there anything i should know?

Is it the same as a basic line connection?
Juts plug it in, and go.

What kind of cable can i use?
the s/pdif cable thats $40-$60?
Click to expand...

It's just a 75 ohm coaxial cable, same as your TV. You can buy a cheap adapter for a couple of bucks to screw onto each end to adapt it to your choice of BNC (word clock) or RCA (S/PDIF).

Unless you mean optical S/PDIF, in which case it's a TOSLINK cable, and yes, they cost a good bit more than copper wire cables....
 
yeah, if it's just an RCA cable...use a simple RCA composite cable. The kind you plug your DVD video cable into your TV with.
 
yeah...its toslink,
Its a square as opposed to the regular rca jack.
 
Just don't put any, or allow any kinks to form in the cable and you will be fine, no need to go crazy and spend $60, on what amounts to a plastic fiber.
 
yeah...the $16 one is the one id go for...
$60 is just too much for a cord, thats how much i spent on a used drummachine.
And i definitely got alot of use out of that...as opposed to a fibre cord thats just going to sit there and do essentially the same thing as the set up i have now.

I read on wiki, fibre doesnt pick up/carry electrical noise...

Does anyone have direct experience with this setup?
(toslink/rca/fibre/digital shits)

if so, is there even a noticable difference between 1/4 and s/pdif?
(im assuming not too much of a difference)

sorry about the lame questions over something this unnecessary.
like i said, curiosity.
 
http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&Webpage_ID=3&CAT_ID=56&ObjectGroup_ID=151&SO=2

no need to pay even $16. I use the generic ones with all my gear for my home theater setup and have never heard any problems...of course, these are home theater speakers and not monitors.


if so, is there even a noticable difference between 1/4 and s/pdif?
Click to expand...

you don't really want to compare the two. One is digital and one is analog.
If you're going to run digital to digital, keep it digital. No point in an extra conversion step.
 
just as an aside for those thinking about using generic rca cables for spdif... i wouldn't... because of the difference in capacitence of the cable... doesn't mean ya gotta spend alot (there is a point of diminishing returns) but ya want something with good shielding and very low capacitence...
 
dementedchord said:
just as an aside for those thinking about using generic rca cables for spdif... i wouldn't... because of the difference in capacitence of the cable... doesn't mean ya gotta spend alot (there is a point of diminishing returns) but ya want something with good shielding and very low capacitence...
Click to expand...

Depends on what you mean. If you use an RCA video cable (at least a decent one), it should also be a 75 ohm coax just like an S/PDIF cable. If you use an RCA audio cable, yeah, it's totally wrong, though you can probably get away with it for short distances (say... under 3 feet).
 
i got a toslink by ge at target, i was suprised they had it, only $18, circuit city it was a monster and it was shorter and $45 !
 
crap, i just looked at the links in this thread, i could ave gotten 2 or even 4 for $20... retail...
 
So..

I am trying to experiment with SPDIF... I used a 3 ft monster video composite cable to connect the SPDIF out on my digitech RP2000 to the SPDIF in on my firepod. I can't get a signal. What am I doing wrong?
 
nevermind... I had to switch the clock source on the firepod to S/PDIF instead of Internal...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top