Optical data leads

[Alky]

Hi. If I can see light at the output end of an optical lead does that mean the lead is working?

 

I have a squeezebox duet box connected to Phillips av unit via optical and today it just would not play. I have checked and can see light at the output end. I had temporarily used another output ( can't remember the correct name - twin lead type connector......) and it works fine but I think there is some loss of quality.

 

Any ideas?

 

Many thanks.

 

Drunken old git.

[Ghozer]

yeah, if the light is clear and unbroken, it's likely the cable is working....

 

there can however be minute fractures that wouldn't effect what you see, but could cause problems in the audio (cracking / broken audio, or not working at all)

 

I'm assuming you used RCA (Red and White) as the alternative, and yes, this would be lower quality as it's analogue....

 

You can pick an optical cable up for 99p on ebay, i'm using one atm... it's worth it to use it how you currently have it set up until it arrives, to eliminate that as an issue.

[AlexAtkin]

Different equipment has different tolerances.

 

I have had cases where the signal looks strong at the end of the cable but it just doesn't work. I would definitely agree to try a different one.

[steroc]

I'm assuming you used RCA (Red and White) as the alternative, and yes, this would be lower quality as it's analogue....

 

Not necessarily true. When amplifiers/AV receivers receive a digital signal they convert it to analogue anyway. So it's a matter of which has the best digital to analogue converter (DAC) between the squeezebox and the AV system. It would be safe to assume an amplifier should have but not always the case.

Edited August 27, 2015 by steroc

[Ghozer]

Not necessarily true. When amplifiers/AV receivers receive a digital signal they convert it to analogue anyway. So it's a matter of which has the best digital to analogue converter (DAC) between the squeezebox and the AV system. It would be safe to assume an amplifier should have but not always the case.

 

True, but with most content via something like a Squeeze box, it's already digital (compressed into an mp4/avi etc) so it's going Digital > Analogue > Digital (amp likely has DSP etc) > analogue (Speakers)

 

But yes, it does all depend totally on the equipment, which does what processing, and the content used too..

[AlexAtkin]

Its even more complicated when some equipment have analog mixing, others have digital. So you can't be sure how much processing that analog input is getting before its output.

 

So yeah, generally its just safer to keep things digital so the only processing is in the AV system.

[Alky]

Thanks all. Ordering new cable today. Yes I am using RCA at the moment. The av is quite old now, over ten years, so perhaps it could be the optical input has failed? Best way to test is new cable methinks.

 

Thanks and will confirm my findings.

[L00b]

Thanks all. Ordering new cable today. Yes I am using RCA at the moment. The av is quite old now, over ten years, so perhaps it could be the optical input has failed? Best way to test is new cable methinks.

 

Thanks and will confirm my findings.

One thing I have grown used to with AV equipment, whenever a unit starts to misbehave and it's old/out of warranty, is to always check the web for common faults on a particular product. So you might want to run your Philips model number with 'optical fault' (or somesuch) in Google. If it's not the cable, it might be a common fault, with an easy fix.

 

My Yamaha sound bar recently developed a fault after years of loyal services, and there I was all ready to bin it or gift it to a tinkerer, until I ran a web search out of curiosity, and discovered that very many units of that model have developed the exact same fault through the eventual failure of a low-quality resistor used by Yamaha (boo-hiss!) on the main PCB.

 

Open the beast (40 squillion thousand screws ), get to the PCB, de-solder the old resistor, solder in the new one, good as new.

Edited August 28, 2015 by L00b

[Alky]

Well that's a queer one. While waiting for the new lead to arrive I have followed L00b's advice and spent an hour looking for anything to do with this av unit (Phillips FR984). No issues out there really so as a quick test borrowed another squeezebox and connected it up using the optical, and it works.

 

Ok I thought, looks like the squeezebox then. Connected the original box and that works now as well.

 

Pleased, but a bit baffled. Oh well, spare optical lead should be here Monday and only £1.95 spent.

 

Looks like I have a problem developing somewhere but going to let it fail to allow me to try and find the fault.

 

Thanks to all.