I'm looking for something affordable, simple and reliable that would plug into my laptop's USB socket (or a USB cable from my laptop, which might be more convenient) and output audio data via TosLink.
Anyone got such a thing? And, if so, any recommendations for a decent make/model available in the UK?
I have this one from HiFimeDIY (http://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/sabre-dac-uae23?sort=p.price&order=ASC) (or possibly an earlier but very similar model).
Yes, it is a DAC/Amp --- but it also outputs optical digital. I can't vouch for that function any more than saying that I can see the red light inside the socket.
Must be a simple just-a-converter out there, but here's one for the list of possible alternatives.
Forgot to mention, I do have a spare HDMI socket on my laptop too, so if there's something that'll do the job off that socket, all recommendations would be appreciated.
Forgot to mention, I do have a spare HDMI socket on my laptop too, so if there's something that'll do the job off that socket, all recommendations would be appreciated.
Seems like HDMI-to-TOS (plus a DAC?) can be eBay'd for < $15 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Optical-SPDIF-RCA-L-R-to-HDMI-Audio-Extractor-Converter-Adapter-Splitter-/401142470998)? Haven't tried.
Forgot to mention, I do have a spare HDMI socket on my laptop too, so if there's something that'll do the job off that socket, all recommendations would be appreciated.
Seems like HDMI-to-TOS (plus a DAC?) can be eBay'd for < $15 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-Optical-SPDIF-RCA-L-R-to-HDMI-Audio-Extractor-Converter-Adapter-Splitter-/401142470998)? Haven't tried.
Hmm, looks like there are more options available for HDMI-to-TosLink than from a USB output. And at a decent enough price, too.
And that would free up a USB socket on my laptop too.
I'll look into them and see what's good.
There might be an advantage to USB depending on the audio formats you need to support.
The USB adapter should (hopefully) work like a regular soundcard which means any decoding will be done by software & drivers. For example, if you have WinDVD or PowerDVD you should be able to play Dolby AC3 & DTS as well as any other formats for which you have CODECs installed... Anything you can play on your computer should work with the USB adapter.
With HDMI, the decoding is normally done in the receiver and you may find that the adapter doesn't have decoders for all those formats built-in. That might not be a problem for Dolby & DTS where the data should (hopefully) pass-through to TOSLINK and be decoded by the receiver. I know there are some TOSLINK DACs that can't play Dolby/DTS and you might run into the same limitation with an HDMI DAC. (TOSLINK doesn't support the high definition Blu-Ray formats.)
Righto. I'm only looking to use it for 2-channel audio from Foobar2000. Mostly FLAC, with some WMA Lossless and various MP3 files.
A simple USB sounddongle with TOSLINK is the Delock 61961 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Delock-USB-Sound-SPDIF-Adapter/dp/B0084CGO88/) for approx 11£. I'm using it on my Laptop too.
Startech offers a similar USB SoundStick StarTech.com USB Stereo Audio Adapter (https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-Adapter-External-Digital-Microphone/dp/B00HFGPZG6) for approx 20£.
A working AC3/DTS passtrough driver for both (Delock and Startech) can be downloaded at http://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/media/sets/VT1630_SPDIFPassThru/VT1630-SPDIFPassThru.zip (http://Startech).
Both USB-Sound Adaptes are based on the VIA Chipset VT1630A.
Both support 16/24bit at 44.1/48/96kHz.
Don't forget to order a TOSlink adapter or Cable (https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=headphonejack+to+toslink) with Headphonejack to TOSLLINK
Okay, I found a cheap one on Amazon with free next day delivery. About the size of two matchboxes, so it will be easy to tuck away.
It just arrived, I plugged everything in and it works. Nice! :)
One thing that happened when I plugged in the HDMI to my laptop was alter my screen resolution, but that was easy to re-set.
If anyone wants to know, it is a CNV150. It passes through HDMI, while offering optical and coaxial digital, plus a minijack analogue audio output (adaptor supplied). £13.99 in total.
And the Amazon card I got in my letterbox said "parcel left behind willie bin". :))
A suggestion . . . it is no long in production but you surely can pick one up through eBay etc:
I have an m-audio Transit USB which is an external soundcard with digital out, in and through intended for the MIDI studio. It's small and very high quality. New, I bought it for about $80 so you should be able to get one quite inexpensively. You may have to pay a little more, but it is m-audio standard professional gear. However, check on driver availability first. I think the last driver written was for Windows 7.
A suggestion . . . it is no long in production but you surely can pick one up through eBay etc:
I have an m-audio Transit USB which is an external soundcard with digital out, in and through intended for the MIDI studio. It's small and very high quality. New, I bought it for about $80 so you should be able to get one quite inexpensively. You may have to pay a little more, but it is m-audio standard professional gear. However, check on driver availability first. I think the last driver written was for Windows 7.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I got the HDMI-to-TosLink converter and it is working fine. I also bought a right-angled adaptor, so the (stiff-ish) HDMI cable didn't stick out too far to the side of my laptop.