WTF is S/PDIF?

[DukeChestnut]

i never used it or know wtf it is. wut type of sound device uses it?

 

[sohcrates]

it's a digital out

often used to connect computer to coaxial digital input on a home theater receiver or the like

can pass dolby digital signals from your computer's dvd player to your home theater if you desire

(other uses as well)

 

[Oyeve]

Even more technically it means: Sony / Philips Digital InterFace. Plus what sohcrates said.

 

[Floydian]

Even more techinical, from what i've understood, the dolby digital stuff isn't s/pdif, its AC3, but they're both digital, and can use the same digital interfaces. Thats why you can't record an AC3 (Dolby digital) signal on an s/pdif device, such as a Mini disc player.

 

[454Casull]

Actually...

Sony/Philips-Digital Interface Format.

S/P-DIF. Carries digital signals, usually in the form of AC3, which is encoded surround sound. You can also use it to send PCM, which is what CD audio is, but then you only get 2 channels of it.

 

[DukeChestnut]

so no 1 REALLY uses it right? i mean if u have a receiver y wood u want 2 attach yer pc 2 it? play games on surround?

 

[tweakmm]

<< so no 1 REALLY uses it right? i mean if u have a receiver y wood u want 2 attach yer pc 2 it? play games on surround? >>


well, th@ wood really depend on whether u had games that wood play on yer surround

 

[Swanny]

<< so no 1 REALLY uses it right? i mean if u have a receiver y wood u want 2 attach yer pc 2 it? play games on surround? >>



[Rant] This is a forum dude, not IM. Write in complete sentences if it's not past your capability.[/Rant]

Now on to your question:

You would use it to attach a PC to your sound system either to play surround sound games or to listen to music (which is what I do).

 

[NeonFlak]

In essence using it to send sound to your home theater or a 4.1/5.1 computer speaker setup would have the possibility of better sound. Also SPdif could be coaxil or optical, I have seen it as either and still called an spdif (which would be incorrect I think). SPdif just used as a general term for a digital connection on a sound card?

 

[454Casull]

<< so no 1 REALLY uses it right >>


Very close-minded, eh bud?

Let me tell you something... Or maybe I'll let somebody else do it.

Naw, forget it. S/P-DIF is basically the most popular consumer interface for connecting a digital transport to a receiver or DAC. TOSLink? That's S/P-DIF. Digital coax? That's S/P-DIF too.

When you want better stuff, you move to AES/EBU, but that's a different story.


<< so no 1 REALLY uses it right? i mean if u have a receiver y wood u want 2 attach yer pc 2 it >>


I also see you've got a DVD-ROM in your system. *cough cough*

Right, and please don't associate things you have no knowledge of with WTF and all that...