Home Theatre Crew: Digital audio cable vs. standard RCA

[quakefiend420]

i am connecting a progressive scan dvd player and a digital cable box to my downstairs home theatre...i've used optical cables for audio, but never the digital coaxial connection

it looks just like a standard RCA connection, the RCA cable fits, however i was told by the electronics guy at the local wally world that a standard rca cable won't work at all...personally, i don't think he knows wtf he's talking about, but i would like to be sure...i seem to remember someone using a standard RCA cable for short runs without issues...the way i understand it, is the digital coaxial cable has better shielding, and that's really the only difference

the wal-mart here doesn't have the digital cable, but i have my home theatre ripped apart, and i would like to get everything back together tonite, rather than waiting until tomorrow when i may be able to find the cable...

so now that you've read all that, can i use a standard RCA cable in lieu of the digital one?

cliffs:

will RCA cable work as a digital coaxial cable?

 

[sharkeeper]

Yes you can use RCA-RCA (either audio or video) patch for SPDIF with no problems.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
Yes you can use RCA-RCA (either audio or video) patch for SPDIF with no problems.

w00t

screw that wal-mart asshat, i'm gonna get back to hooking my equipment up 😛

thx :beer:

 

[Raiden256]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
wal-mart asshat

QFT

 

[d33pt]

I think it would work best with a 75-ohm cable..which a standard video (yellow) rca is.

 

[Zim Hosein]

cliffs:

will RCA cable work as a digital coaxial cable?

Yes 🙂

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
i am connecting a progressive scan dvd player and a digital cable box to my downstairs home theatre...i've used optical cables for audio, but never the digital coaxial connection

it looks just like a standard RCA connection, the RCA cable fits, however i was told by the electronics guy at the local wally world that a standard rca cable won't work at all...personally, i don't think he knows wtf he's talking about, but i would like to be sure...i seem to remember someone using a standard RCA cable for short runs without issues...the way i understand it, is the digital coaxial cable has better shielding, and that's really the only difference

the wal-mart here doesn't have the digital cable, but i have my home theatre ripped apart, and i would like to get everything back together tonite, rather than waiting until tomorrow when i may be able to find the cable...

so now that you've read all that, can i use a standard RCA cable in lieu of the digital one?

cliffs:

will RCA cable work as a digital coaxial cable?

Digital Coax is 75 Ohm coax cable. As long as you use a cable of this type, you will be getting the optimal connection. So you could use:

Composite video cable(yellow)
1 of the cables from a component video cable(red, green or blue)
a "digital coax" cable
A standard RG6/59 coax cable you can buy in bulk...just change the ends

Usually the first is the cheapest and easiest so I would use that.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
Yes you can use RCA-RCA (either audio or video) patch for SPDIF with no problems.

technically its best to use 75 ohm coax, which audio cables(analog) are usually not. They will work but the connection will not be the optimal connection.

 

[sharkeeper]

technically its best to use 75 ohm coax, which audio cables(analog) are usually not. They will work but the connection will not be the optimal connection.

If it links up there will be no issues. I've yet to see a problem with a plethora of peripherals since I first used SPDIF 20 years ago.

Certainly, no harm will come out of trying to do this!

 

[quakefiend420]

it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Like I said in my PM, it should be a big deal. Shielding a digital signal isn't a make or break thing...but some shielding is always good.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

ewwww...jello & insect sex0r...tell her to be careful not to get stuck 😉

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

ewwww...jello & insect sex0r...tell her to be careful not to get stuck 😉

It'll be like bugs getting trapped in tree sap... only to be

oh wait... she's reading the thread.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

ewwww...jello & insect sex0r...tell her to be careful not to get stuck 😉

It'll be like bugs getting trapped in tree sap... only to be

oh wait... she's reading the thread.

:laugh:

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

ewwww...jello & insect sex0r...tell her to be careful not to get stuck 😉

It'll be like bugs getting trapped in tree sap... only to be

oh wait... she's reading the thread.

:laugh:

She doesn't appear to be posting anything....

 

[dawnbug]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
it seems to be working with a standard composite video cable...would it sound better if i went and got a component video cable?

they do have those at wally world...and the shielding seems to be a lot better than the cable i'm using now

Unless you're doing a really long run on it, I think you're going to be just fine.

Sorry, I was out watching 40 year old virgin.

That movie's like looking into the future isn't it?😛

Ask ladybuggy 😛

ewwww...jello & insect sex0r...tell her to be careful not to get stuck 😉

It'll be like bugs getting trapped in tree sap... only to be

oh wait... she's reading the thread.

:laugh:

She doesn't appear to be posting anything....

Yep.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy

Yep.

:heart:

 

[IAteYourMother]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy

Yep.

:heart:

:brokenheart:

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy

Yep.

:heart:

:brokenheart:

:heart:

 

[The Stigenator]

you can use RCA cables, you wont see a difference.. its digital not analog..