difference Optical audio S/PDIF and TOSLink

[FX]

is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

[George's Pro Sound Company]

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

what you are speaking of are all optical fiber cables
TOSlink, invented by Toshiba , hence TOSlink
the other is ADAT lightpipe, while the cable and connectors are the same the
two formats are not compatible
you can not feed a lightpipe into a TOSlink input

AFAIK all S/PDIF is TOSlink, but I am not 100% sure of this and am very open
to better information than I currently have
George

[Arny Krueger]

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or
they r the same ?

They can pass the same digital signal, but the form of the signal varies.

TOSLink is optical, using a modulated light beam.

SP/DIF Coax is electrical, and passes an electrical signal.

TOSLink is generally limited about 10 meters of optical cable.

SP/DIF can go longer distances.

There are inexpensive converters, so that coax can be used to extend the
range of TOSLink.

TOSlink has the advantage of rejecting electrical interference, and not
causing grounding problems.

[George's Pro Sound Company]

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

Because I really have never used a S/Pdif hook up(or even really looked at
the connector)
I decided to do your
reserch for you(and myself)

S/Pdif is not a optical cable
TOSlink is
so the answer to your question
is no they are not the same, in fact they are very diffrent
you can see some info here
top link is S/Pdif
lower link is TOSlink

http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=DRA501

http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/toslink-interconnect-history-basics

George

[Sean Conolly]

Post by George's Pro Sound Company

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

Because I really have never used a S/Pdif hook up(or even really looked at
the connector)
I decided to do your
reserch for you(and myself)
S/Pdif is not a optical cable

S/PDIF can be electrical or optical - take a look at the S/PDIF connectors
on the back of your DEQ2496.

Sean

[George's Pro Sound Company]

Post by Sean Conolly

Post by George's Pro Sound Company

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

Because I really have never used a S/Pdif hook up(or even really looked
at the connector)
I decided to do your
reserch for you(and myself)
S/Pdif is not a optical cable

S/PDIF can be electrical or optical - take a look at the S/PDIF connectors
on the back of your DEQ2496.
Sean

I got one in my room
I really have never bothered with S/Pdif as the xlr in/out works excellent
and fits my infastructure
I do use lightpipe on my ada8000's
what would be the advantage of S/Pdif in regards to live sound, the
advantage I am not already achieving via xlr and or ADAT?
I really don't know much about S/Pdif, I always assumed it was a consumer
level interface used with mini-dics and the like
George

[Bob Howes]

Post by George's Pro Sound Company

Post by Sean Conolly

Post by George's Pro Sound Company

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

Because I really have never used a S/Pdif hook up(or even really looked
at the connector)
I decided to do your
reserch for you(and myself)
S/Pdif is not a optical cable

S/PDIF can be electrical or optical - take a look at the S/PDIF
connectors on the back of your DEQ2496.
Sean

I got one in my room
I really have never bothered with S/Pdif as the xlr in/out works excellent
and fits my infastructure
I do use lightpipe on my ada8000's
what would be the advantage of S/Pdif in regards to live sound, the
advantage I am not already achieving via xlr and or ADAT?
I really don't know much about S/Pdif, I always assumed it was a consumer
level interface used with mini-dics and the like
George

S/PDIF is a data format for the digital exchange of consumer-grade audio.
(The acronym officially stands for "Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format
though these days it's more normally corrupted to "Sony Philips Digital
Interface".) Signals in the S/PDIF format can be sent either via copper
(usually coax with a phono connector) or via fibre optic, otherwise known as
"lightpipe" or "Toslink".

In other words, S/PDIF is a data format while Toslink is a fibre
interconnect cable...as such, they CAN be the same but don't have to be.

George asks if there is any professional application for S/PDIF. The answer
is "maybe, sort of". I don't often use it but it's always worth remembering
it's there because it can be a "get out of jail free" card when you're
running short of inputs/outputs on a digital mixer. I've used S/PDIF
occasionally to handle last minute requests to record an MD or CD for the
band...or playback something off a CD handed to me at the last minute. It's
also worth having a look at the digital spec....the data itself is similar
enough to AES/EBU that adaptors are available and, again, this ability has
been useful at times.

Finally, just to confuse everything, ADAT uses the same lightpipe/Toslink
connector as S/PDIF but is in no way compatible.

Bob

[Phil W]

Post by Bob Howes
Finally, just to confuse everything, ADAT uses the same
lightpipe/Toslink connector as S/PDIF but is in no way compatible.

In other words: the same cable can be used for both kinds of connections,
S/Pdif *OR* ADAT - of course, both devices connected need to use the same
format! ;-)

[r***@gmail.com]

Post by FX
is there a difference between these types of cables or they r the
same ?

Yes both are once and same. I ordered Toslink cable for my PS3 to home theater connectivity and its working great.

Cheers