What type of cable is a digital coax?

[Exterous]

The input looks a lot like a standard RCA connector - is this the case? Can I just use a regular RCA cable and have it work or do I actually need the specific 'digital coax' cable?

thanks guys

 

[Nohr]

It's a coax cable with RCA connectors. A yellow video RCA cable should be an acceptable substitute.

 

[Exterous]

thanks!

 

[montypythizzle]

I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

 

[montypythizzle]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: montypythizzle

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

Just because you hear audio, does not mean it is working properly. Digital is analog don't ya know.

 

[montypythizzle]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

Just because you hear audio, does not mean it is working properly. Digital is analog don't ya know.

?

 

[vshah]

using a plain composite video cable will work for short distances, but without the shielding of coax, longer runs are tough.

 

[XMan]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

Just because you hear audio, does not mean it is working properly. Digital is analog don't ya know.

I don't buy it. I don't see any reason why you can't just use a regular cable. I've used both an optical cable and an RCA cable to the same receiver with the same output device, just for grins, and detected zero difference between the two.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: XMan

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

Just because you hear audio, does not mean it is working properly. Digital is analog don't ya know.

I don't buy it. I don't see any reason why you can't just use a regular cable. I've used both an optical cable and an RCA cable to the same receiver with the same output device, just for grins, and detected zero difference between the two.

I think Spidey07 is saying that a regular analog audio RCA cable might not be up to the official specs of a digital coaxial audio cable. A video RCA cable should have the right specs to handle the signal.

I've used analog audio cables to carry digital coaxial audio data in the form of PCM, DD, and DTS and it worked fine for me every time I've used it. If there is some problem with using the cable, my equipment and ears aren't good enough for me to notice that it's a problem.

 

[XMan]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: XMan

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: montypythizzle
I just used half of a pair of stereo RCA cables

Negative.

"digital" coax is nothing more than a video cable capable of the bandwidth required. It's marketing but there is nothing special about it othat than it being 75 ohm coaxial cable - exactly what is needed for digital sound transmission.

Stereo RCA cables (most of the times not coaxial) can cause relections and impedance mismatches. Can it work? Sure. But you'll never know unless you use your ears.

Eh, it carries a DD signal.

Just because you hear audio, does not mean it is working properly. Digital is analog don't ya know.

I don't buy it. I don't see any reason why you can't just use a regular cable. I've used both an optical cable and an RCA cable to the same receiver with the same output device, just for grins, and detected zero difference between the two.

I think Spidey07 is saying that a regular analog audio RCA cable might not be up to the official specs of a digital coaxial audio cable. A video RCA cable should have the right specs to handle the signal.

I've used analog audio cables to carry digital coaxial audio data in the form of PCM, DD, and DTS and it worked fine for me every time I've used it. If there is some problem with using the cable, my equipment and ears aren't good enough for me to notice that it's a problem.

To me, it's like the debate over Monster Cables. Yeah, if you have a huge cable run, they MIGHT be worth it (was it Engadget that tested this?) but for 99% of users, they are a huge waste of money.

Monoprice has spoiled me to no ends. I even turn my nose up at the cost of generic Wal Mart cables now.

 

[Exterous]

Well, for my short run of 4' the video RCA cable seems to work fine. Now, if only there were a cable that would stop my wife from rolling her eyes as I tote my older sound system upstairs to hook upto my computer

Thanks again for the info guys!

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: XMan

To me, it's like the debate over Monster Cables. Yeah, if you have a huge cable run, they MIGHT be worth it (was it Engadget that tested this?) but for 99% of users, they are a huge waste of money.

Monoprice has spoiled me to no ends. I even turn my nose up at the cost of generic Wal Mart cables now.

Yeah, except Monoprice has very reasonable prices on digital coax too.