What is optical cable

Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Bradley Mitchell. Updated on May 13, Michael Barton Heine Jr. Lifewire Technology Review Board Member. Article reviewed on Apr 12, Tweet Share Email. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Email Address Sign up There was an error. As is the case in the picture here with this optical digital audio out:.

When you insert the optical cable, it should click into place. It is designed to fit one way only; one side is squared-off while the opposite is angled on the corners. This can often confuse people when they are trying to connect an optical cable to their TV or amplifier. You will find that some cables have a thicker wire between the connectors. By connecting this output to an amplifier, you can quickly improve the sound of your television. Devices that commonly have an optical audio input are amplifiers, AV receivers, hi-fi DACS digital to analog converters , and soundbars.

Discrete 7. This is because HDMI supports all types of audio signals and you can send all the video and audio signals via one cable. Therefore, this would be another instance where you could utilize this alternative digital interface. Another common use for this type of connection is for connecting your TV to your hi-fi sound system or soundbar — or for wiring your CD player to an amplifier. For example, if you get your TV transmissions via an internal tuner or a smart TV app, then you might want to send the audio from your TV into your home theater speaker system.

Most modern TVs have an optical audio output for this purpose. You connect the optical audio output on the rear of your TV to an optical input on your AV receiver or amplifier. This refers to the developer of this connection type, Toshiba. In this type of connection, the digital signal is converted into light and transferred via a cable made from optical fiber. This fiber optic cable can be quite thin, so you need to make sure that you are careful when handling it.

You can break the core if you bend it too much. Optical cables for digital audio are usually constructed with multimode plastic optical fiber POF. This is cheaper than alternative options such as glass or silica optical fibers — but is perfectly suited to short runs typical in home audio applications. Aside from an HDMI cable, there are two main methods of connecting devices to send digital audio — optical and coaxial digital audio.

Sony and Philips were both involved in the initial design of this audio connection. You often find these two connections side-by-side on a device as in the picture at the top of the page — or you may get one or the other. If you have both, the decision of which one to use will usually come down to something simple such as the type of connection you have on the other device. Connecting an optical cable from a TV to a home theater system is a relatively simple process.

The basic steps are:. For more detailed information on this, go to how to connect an optical audio cable to my TV and soundbar. Optical cables used for digital audio come in a wide range of lengths, colors — and prices! Well, not in my opinion, no. Browse All Microsoft Office Articles What Is svchost.

Browse All Privacy and Security Articles Browse All Linux Articles Browse All Buying Guides. Best iPhone 13 Pro Case. Best Bluetooth Headphones for Switch. Best Roku TV. Best Apple Watch. Best iPad Cases. Best Portable Monitors. Best Gaming Keyboards. Best Drones. Best 4K TVs. Best iPhone 13 Cases. Best Tech Gifts for Kids Aged Awesome PC Accessories.

Best Linux Laptops. Best Bluetooth Trackers. Best eReaders. Best Gaming Monitors. Best Android Phones. Norco Tech. Patch Panels. Powerline Ethernet. RJ45 Boots.

Space Blank Panel. WiFi Range Extender. Wireless Antenna. Wireless Router. Wireless USB Adapters. Coiled Handset Cords. Inline Coupler. Modular Bulk Cables. Modular Cords. Modular Plug. Modular Surfacemount Box. Modular Wall Plate. T Adapters. Telephone Headset. American - US Power Cords. Computer Power Extension Cord. Cords - Appliance. Hospital Grade Power Cord. IEC Power Cords. C14 to C13 Power Cords. C14 to C15 Power Cords. C14 to C19 Power Cords. C14 to C5 Power Cords. C20 to C13 Power Cords.

C20 to C15 Power Cords. C20 to C19 Power Cords. C20 to C21 Power Cords. Multi-Outlet Extension Cords. International Power Cords. Notebook Power Cords.

Power Cord Splitter. Power Plug Adapters. Right Angle Power Cords. Secure Sleeve. Power Strips. Power Outlet Wall Tap. Power Strip. Alkaline Batteries. Car Charger. Cell Battery.

Power Distribution Boxes. Regulated Power Supply. Scooter Battery Chargers. Quick Order. Custom Cable. Order Tracking. Shipping Information. Payment Terms. Will Call. Contact Us. So, to help you make an informed decision, here are their pros and cons. Length The length limit may not be important for everyone.

Audio Fiber optical cables support surround sound with up to 5. Video HDMI cables can carry both audio and video. Tags: Fiber Optic Cables optical cable fiber cable optical cord fiber wire fiber optic cable internet HDMI Cables hdmi cable high speed hdmi cable best hdmi cable 4k hdmi cable premium hdmi cable hdmi wire hdmi cord hdmi cable types.

HTML code is not allowed. This is a required field. Leave a comment. October 2. July 2. May 1. March 1. August 5. June 4. May 4. April 4. March 5.

February 5. January 4. December 3. November 3. October 4. September 3. July 4. April 5. February 2. January 5. November 5. October 3. September 4. August 4. July 3. May 3. April 3. March 3. February 3.