Arrrgh...Can't find a particular cable :(

[mrblotto]

Hello all,

I've been messing around trying to get web audio sent over to my home theater system. I like to listen to 80's music when I'm in the kitchen cooking and what-not lol. Anyhow, I usually listen to hardrockin80s.com, but it can be hard to hear as my computer is on the other side of the house.

Sooooooooooooooo...I thought 'hey, why dont I just connect a cable from my computer to the home theater system and play music that way?'

I have an Auzentech Prelude that has an optical out (RCA looking jack):

I want to get a cable that connects the 'SPDIF Out' to a 3-way optical switch I got:

Then from the 3-way switch to the optical input on the home theater/AV/whatever its called

essentially, it's: RCA-looking optical ---->square toslink on 3-way switch--->square toslink on HTS


But, of course, the connectors are not the same. I need a cable that will go from the RCA looking optical connector to the regular 'square' optical/toslink connector. I have been unsuccessful in finding one. All that I can locate is a small box-type 'converter' like this:

Am I out of luck, or does such a cable exist in the wild?

 

[richaron]

Are you sure the SPDIF outputs from your sound card are optical (i.e. can you see a red light inside)? They look like coaxial spdif ("RCA type") plugs to me, in which case you will need an active (powered) converter like you mentioned to turn coaxial spdif -> optical spdif with the normal square toslink plugs.

If those spdif plugs happen to be both optical and coaxial (do these even exist?), then I can only assume you'll need a "mini toslink" male end to poke inside the "RCA type" plug. Mini toslink is a plastic optical plug about the same dimensions of a normal "headphone plug" (AKA 3.5mm TRS). The other end of the cable could then be a regular "square" toslink.

If your sound card doesn't have optical outputs you could also get something like this usb sound card (audio interface) to provide you with an optical output.

 

[Micrornd]

If I remember right, the spdifs do both coaxial and optical and it uses a mini-toslink connectors for optical.
It originally came with 2 adapters to allow usage with std. toslink connectors.
What you should need is a min-toslink to toslink cable from the card to switch and then a std. toslink to toslink from the switch to the receiver.
The cable looks like this - https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2

 

[MongGrel]

Auzen Preludes use mini-TOSLINK optical, what I use on mine to the AVR at any rate.

If I remember right, the spdifs do both coaxial and optical and it uses a mini-toslink connectors for optical.
It originally came with 2 adapters to allow usage with std. toslink connectors.
What you should need is a min-toslink to toslink cable from the card to switch and then a std. toslink to toslink from the switch to the receiver.
The cable looks like this - https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2

What he said, I'd bet would do it.

 

[mrblotto]

Sorry been so long getting back. I did take a couple pics, but it looks like we all know it's optical (has the red glow going on) on the back of the card. Yeah, I remember seeing those adapters that came with it in the box. Who knows if I even have them anymore lol.

I'll grab one of those cables and see what happens. Thanx for the assistance

 

[mrblotto]

omg I can't believe it. I went to Wally-World 'cause I was in the area and they had the cable mentioned above....but for like 25$.......yeah...no.

So I get home and think to myself 'Gee, Blotto......I wonder if I still have those adapter things from the Prelude accessories'. Well, lo and behold...the 3rd place I look (a red bowl thing for misc pieces and whatnot on the computer desk)...I find BOTH adapters! Woohoo!

Just thought I'd share b/c good news can be a rare thing these days

 

[MongGrel]

If those spdif plugs happen to be both optical and coaxial (do these even exist?), then I can only assume you'll need a "mini toslink" male end to poke inside the "RCA type" plug.

They do exist

Glad you found them, it was early in the morning for me. I had to order a set when I recycled my Prelude.

Just for anyone looking in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00016W67I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But just buying a cable is almost as cheap online as those if you've lost the adapters.

 

[Micrornd]

They do exist

Glad you found them, it was early in the morning for me. I had to order a set when I recycled my Prelude.

Just for anyone looking in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00016W67I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But just buying a cable is almost as cheap online as those if you've lost the adapters.

Dahak pointed these out in another thread.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042301&p_id=2671&seq=1&format=2
Even with shipping costs, they're worth considering, especially if you are already placing an order anyway.