Spdif?

Defcon_IVDefcon_IV Innsmouth, RI
edited July 2003 in Hardware
So I just took a PCI backslot off of my mobo (connected by a three cord cable) and it has two outputs. One looks like a square four square holes, the other looks like an RCA Video out...both say "SPDIF OUT" on them. I'm pretty sure they're some sort of optical video out, but what is the full story with this?

Comments

  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    im pretty sure it has sumthing to do with the collaboration of sony and phillips...im not quite sure why they collaborated... or even is this thing serves an actual purpose :)
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    SPDIF connection is a quick way to get digital audio. Unfortunately I think it only works in 4 (?) audio channels, so you're better off with the standard connections for 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 channel sound. IMHO, SPDIF is useless.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Cribbed from whatis:
    S/PDIF(Sony/Philips Digital Interface) is a standard audio transfer file format. It is usually found on digital audio equipment such as a DAT machine or audio processing device. It allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without the conversion to and from an analog format, which could degrade the signal quality.
    The most common connector used with an S/PDIF interface is the RCA connector, the same one used for consumer audio products. An optical connector is also sometimes used.


    Prof
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    GHoosdum said
    SPDIF connection is a quick way to get digital audio. Unfortunately I think it only works in 4 (?) audio channels, so you're better off with the standard connections for 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 channel sound. IMHO, SPDIF is useless.

    Not really true.

    I use SPDIF out with great success and have done so for a long time. The thing is though, that it is mostly used for passing through the signal into an external amplifier which then decodes the signal and gives brilliant 5.1 and 7.1 Dolby Digital.

    Another great area is for Minidisc. If you want to record a minidisc directly from mp3 or any other format, it´s directly digitally recorded and doesn´t have to be converted to analogue signal first. That is if your Minidisc have an Optical connector off course. Haven´t seen one without though.

    The 2 different connectors is Optical and Coaxial. The square is Optical. Optical is generally giving much better quality than Coax.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Though the downside to this is you can only use the SPDIF for multi channel gaming if you are using an nForce motherboard, as SPDIF cant only output games in stereo, but if you use an nForce board, it encodes the multichanel audio into a DD signal which then gets split back up by your decoder.

    Just wish there were some soundcards that did this.....

    NS
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited July 2003
    Quick note:
    SPDIF though it uses standard RCA connectors, the cable itself is 75 Ohm coaxal which is quite common for video applications. You could probably use standard video RCA cables (they should say 75Ohm on them somewhere). I haven't found a difference between the high end cables and the consumer cables but I make my own high end SPDIF cables for cheap anyway. Not too hard if you make cables. The trick is to use a reamer to widen the RCA barrel to accept the cable. Last note, I've done real A/B comparisions with SPDIF and AES/EBU and there is no sonic difference IMHO. AES/EBU is preferred for longer digital cable runs.

    Hows that for answereing everything but the question? lol
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    The main differences between high-end cables are the materials used in the wires, in the plugs, and especially in any soldering. High end cable uses gold tipped plugs, thicker wires for better conductivity (less resistance), and a purer solder at the plug ends. Also, they are usually better shielded to help prevent RF interference, both in the cable and at the plug ends. If you want to go cheap, you can even use 2 strands of CAT-5 cable to carry the signal, just wire up your own plug ends.

    My company sells professional multi-channel MPEG decoder circuit boards, and one of our products has 2 SPDIF connectors as 1/4 inch mini plugs on the board. Each connector carries the digital audio for 2 outputs of a 4 output board. Customers just need to wire up their own cable, or by an off-the-shelf cable that separates the 2 streams of 5.1 Dolby out of each wire. With that set up, one of our circuit boards can output 4 separate channels of high quality MPEG-2 video in either composite, S-video or RGB mode, and 4 separate Dolby 5.1 AC-3 streams via SPDIF connectors, or just plain old stereo in balanced or unbalanced connections.
  • MarkTAWMarkTAW Brooklyn, NY
    edited July 2003
    Mackanz said
    The 2 different connectors is Optical and Coaxial. The square is Optical. Optical is generally giving much better quality than Coax. [/B]

    Aren't they both digital all the way? So unless you're actually losing 1's and 0's in between, both should be "perfect" copies.

    The most important thing about SPDIF is the optical IO in the back of my PS2. Once I get a receiver, amp, and 5.1 speakers for that puppy I'll be happy.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    You don't loose bits, you introduce ones that don't belong.
    It is easier to keep optical 'clean', but wires work very well.

    I have yet to see anyone measure the performance of these systems, so I am not going to quible over conection types.
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited July 2003
    Shameless plug for Prosoundreview.com:

    Making s/pdif Cables

    "If you are experienced with a soldering iron and like to make your own studio cables, here's some tips on making your own very high quality S/PDIF cables for a fraction of the cost of store-bought cables. To get a better idea of the parts/prices I made an example using MOUSER ELECTRONICS www.mouser.com catalog. You can find most of these parts in Radio Shack etc. as well as Mouser. You'll need..."

    Full article here:

    http://www.prosoundreview.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=121


    :thumbsup:
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