Is Optical Better?
 

Scribner wrote:
I'm looking al my home theatre setup. Which is best: the three RCA
plug connections or the digital optical connection? I know that the
optical costs an arm and a leg.

The digital fiber optic connection will provide Dolby Digital 5.1 (or
better) and/or DTS audio, but no video. There may be two different sets
of RCA-type connections. One would be the standard composite video with
left and right stereo audio; the audio will give you Dolby Pro Logic
stereo with a center channel. You may also have component video provided
via three RCA-type connectors. Component video can handle
high-definition video (1080i) and/or the full resolution output of a DVD
player (480i or 480p). What are the RCA-type jacks labeled? That'll tell
you whether they're composite video w/ stereo audio or component video.

Assuming that your hardware supports it, you best connections are via
the fiber optic w/ Dolby Digital or DTS and component video. If you
don't have a DVD player with a fiber optic audio output and/or an HD
receiver, you won't have any A/V source for those connections.

"Scribner" wrote in message
...
I'm looking al my home theatre setup. Which is best: the three RCA
plug connections or the digital optical connection? I know that the
optical costs an arm and a leg.

If you are talking about the Audio then the optical (Toslink) is by far the
better connection. Its digital vs analog. The cable itself only cost about
$18 at Wal-Mart. I got much cleaner sound with the optical connection.



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Scribner wrote:
I'm looking al my home theatre setup. Which is best: the three RCA
plug connections or the digital optical connection? I know that the
optical costs an arm and a leg.


You're mixing two signals. Optical is digital audio only, the 3 RCA
connectors are probably the Component Video out... However, many
components have both Optical Digital out, and what they call "Coax"
Digital out, which looks like and IS an RCA type plug. Why they call
it coax is beyond me.

Personally I use the RCA Coax for digital output because the optical is
so ridiculously expensive..

They call it 'coax' (the RCA type plug), because the two leads, the
center conductor and the surrounding ground conductor, have a common,
center axis, i.e., - co-axial!

Larry Bud wrote:
Scribner wrote:

I'm looking al my home theatre setup. Which is best: the three RCA
plug connections or the digital optical connection? I know that the
optical costs an arm and a leg.



You're mixing two signals. Optical is digital audio only, the 3 RCA
connectors are probably the Component Video out... However, many
components have both Optical Digital out, and what they call "Coax"
Digital out, which looks like and IS an RCA type plug. Why they call
it coax is beyond me.

Personally I use the RCA Coax for digital output because the optical is
so ridiculously expensive..

On 20 Feb 2005 14:30:48 -0800, "Larry Bud"
wrote:


Scribner wrote:
I'm looking al my home theatre setup. Which is best: the three RCA
plug connections or the digital optical connection? I know that the
optical costs an arm and a leg.


You're mixing two signals. Optical is digital audio only, the 3 RCA
connectors are probably the Component Video out... However, many
components have both Optical Digital out, and what they call "Coax"
Digital out, which looks like and IS an RCA type plug. Why they call
it coax is beyond me.

Personally I use the RCA Coax for digital output because the optical is
so ridiculously expensive..

I bought a Sony widescreen a few months back. I called the Service
Center and lucky a Tech answered in Florida and not India.

I asked that same question which is best, component or optical. He
said they had seen sets connected both ways. The optical is only a
touch better and you can only see the difference if you up within a
few feet of the screen. I'm stuck with the component I had already
connected with.

I also found places like Walmart, Best Buy and Computer City also
used the Component hookup as it look great and don't cost that much.
Im using Philips from walmart. I wonder if a better brand of cables
would look any better.

hdtvfan

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 17:42:01 -0700, hdtvfan
wrote:

I bought a Sony widescreen a few months back. I called the Service
Center and lucky a Tech answered in Florida and not India.

I asked that same question which is best, component or optical. He
said they had seen sets connected both ways. The optical is only a
touch better and you can only see the difference if you up within a
few feet of the screen.

Remarkable since the optical cable is only for audio.

Kal

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:44:33 -0500, Kalman Rubinson
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 17:42:01 -0700, hdtvfan
wrote:

I bought a Sony widescreen a few months back. I called the Service
Center and lucky a Tech answered in Florida and not India.

I asked that same question which is best, component or optical. He
said they had seen sets connected both ways. The optical is only a
touch better and you can only see the difference if you up within a
few feet of the screen.

Remarkable since the optical cable is only for audio.

Kal
And is no better than the coax for home Theater or TV use.
Thumper
To reply drop XYZ in address

LOL

Don

"Kalman Rubinson" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 17:42:01 -0700, hdtvfan
wrote:

I bought a Sony widescreen a few months back. I called the Service
Center and lucky a Tech answered in Florida and not India.

I asked that same question which is best, component or optical. He
said they had seen sets connected both ways. The optical is only a
touch better and you can only see the difference if you up within a
few feet of the screen.

Remarkable since the optical cable is only for audio.

Kal

"Larry Bud" wrote in message
ups.com...
You're mixing two signals. Optical is digital audio only, the 3 RCA
connectors are probably the Component Video out... However, many
components have both Optical Digital out, and what they call "Coax"
Digital out, which looks like and IS an RCA type plug. Why they call
it coax is beyond me.

S/PDIF (IEC-958) uses 75 ohm coaxial cable and RCA connectors. 75 ohm
coaxial cable is inexpensive, because it is the same cable as used in video
transmission (you can buy a video cable with RCA connectors to connect you
S/PDIF equipments together). Coaxial S/PDIF connections work typically at
least to 10-15 meter distances with good 75 ohm coaxial cable.

"wbertram" wrote in message
...
They call it 'coax' (the RCA type plug), because the two leads, the center
conductor and the surrounding ground conductor, have a common, center
axis, i.e., - co-axial!

It's the cable that is "coaxial", not the connectors on the end.

Steve