Using built in optical digital audio output for 5.1

So, lets say i want to mix something in 5.1 using logic or soundtrack pro, can i use the optical digital audio output of my macbook to send the signal to a home theather or something to mix it?, or i need a special hardware card for this?
Thanks a lot!!

Hi alece,
Just to clarify something;
When using an optical cable there are several standards of audio that can pass through the cable:
S/PDIF - a stereo signal - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spdif
AC3 or Dolby Digital - up to 5.1 surround - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac3
Dolby Digital Plus - up to 7.1 surround - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DolbyDigitalPlus
ADAT Optical - up to 8 channels of audio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADAT_Lightpipe
MADI - up to 64 channels of audio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MADI
I´m sure other people can add more to the list if they want to, my point is that these signals can pass through the exact same kind of optical cable.
The important bit to know is what does your equipment and software support... in theory your question is quite logical, a software can play 5.1 surround to a optical output like Apple DVD Player does with the built-in sound card of a modern mac. However, Logic does not support live encoding of AC3. That is why you have to output the surround mix in Logic to a sound card with at least 6 channels (5+1 as in 5.1) connected to your speaker system. Typically this would be 5 active studio monitors plus a sub. If you were thinking to use an existing stereo I would not recommend it since most consumer speakers have no limiters to protect them from damage (but may be possible depending on your amplifiers inputs)
I hope this answered your question
Cheers Espen
http://www.midiamore.com.au/

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Optical digital audio output for mac book?

Hello, I am wondering if MacBook pro Retina version has the Optical digital audio output or thunderbolt adapter? so i can use optical cable to do output for my music.

Hi alece,
Just to clarify something;
When using an optical cable there are several standards of audio that can pass through the cable:
S/PDIF - a stereo signal - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spdif
AC3 or Dolby Digital - up to 5.1 surround - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac3
Dolby Digital Plus - up to 7.1 surround - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DolbyDigitalPlus
ADAT Optical - up to 8 channels of audio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADAT_Lightpipe
MADI - up to 64 channels of audio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MADI
I´m sure other people can add more to the list if they want to, my point is that these signals can pass through the exact same kind of optical cable.
The important bit to know is what does your equipment and software support... in theory your question is quite logical, a software can play 5.1 surround to a optical output like Apple DVD Player does with the built-in sound card of a modern mac. However, Logic does not support live encoding of AC3. That is why you have to output the surround mix in Logic to a sound card with at least 6 channels (5+1 as in 5.1) connected to your speaker system. Typically this would be 5 active studio monitors plus a sub. If you were thinking to use an existing stereo I would not recommend it since most consumer speakers have no limiters to protect them from damage (but may be possible depending on your amplifiers inputs)
I hope this answered your question
Cheers Espen
http://www.midiamore.com.au/

Optical digital audio output/headphone out

Does anyone know if there is a way to connect stereo speakers directly (not through a receiver/amp)to the Optical digital audio output/headphone out on a imac? The new 20 inch imacs have a 24watt internal amp which would be plenty for the speakers that I want it to drive. Thanks

is there an attachment that i have to buy? do i just rip the tip of the cord off?
Yep, there are two "standard" optical-digital-audio connectors -- the original "square" one is still used in most larger audio/video components. The newer/smaller one, used mainly in portable gear, is exactly the same size as a mini headphone plug. Radio Shack carries adapters/converters and cables of both types (usually at outrageously high prices). For online vendors, try:
http://monoprice.com (search for "TOSLINK")
Great prices and a good rep for quality/service among to the HDTV-fanatics on avsforum.com.
Looby

Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out

What is the "combined optical digital audio output/headphone out"? This is what the output is called that has the earphone picture beside it on my MacBook. I thought this meant that it could take the mini jack out that splits into a/v - yellow, white, red, and plug it into any tv or monitor that has those inputs. I tried it just now, but a no go.
If the only way to get video is through the mini DVI output what does the "Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out" mean? If I can get video out of it, how can I do it?
Thanks!

Hi Trevor Deck: As you have discovered this does not output as a video signal. That jack is strictly for audio. The "optical" portion of it is used to output using a "Toslink" cable to provide "optical audio" to an external amplifier. The DVI port needs to be used to get a video signal to your TV. But be warned if you use the red, white, & yellow method of hooking up the video signal you will probably be disappointed. If your TV has a HDMI or PC input it would be much better. You would then have to get the proper DVI to whatever type adapter.
Good Luck
Stedman
MBP 1.83, 1.5gB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.9) Quiet, Cool, Re-furbished, iPod mini, iPod shuffle

Combined optical digital audio output/analog line out

Combined optical digital audio output/analog line out minijack on the new Mac Pro support 5.1?

Are you asking if it has that?
http://www.apple.com/mac-pro/specs/
says:
Combined optical digital audio output/analog line out minijack
Which means it does.
On all but the earlier Mac Pro models, this has been standard since the iMac G5.
Mac Pros earlier used SPDIF.
These are now mini-Toslink.

Optical digital audio output (minijack)?

I am confused on the whole optical digital output thing since it is sharing the same port with analog. Can someone point me to some good digital speakers with the whole optical digital audio output (minijack)thing

See this user tip:
http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=-1&messageID=2458613

Digital Audio output for W series - Alternatives

There's a thread talking about the displayport does not have audio-output. Its true and some people get victimized by ill-trained sales people who think their displayport is standard. There's no literature on Lenovo website warning users about the audio issue either - such thread is closed with the fact that (some) other manufacturers in the same period does have have audio either and Lenovo think they should be in the same boat.
Let's not go into the blamish again, but discuss what we can do with existing options with alternative digital audio out and line-in that the W series really really missed.
We have (1) mini-dock and (2) USB soundcard listed as options
I currently use a USB DAC (digital to analog) system and it do really good in terms of stereo music enjoyment. However my particular system does not have digital manupilated sound like 3-D surround or multi-channel output and not suprisely, laptop USB generally produce greater latency than desktop USB ports.
Besides USB, we have 1394 and express card 34 as expansion options.
What's your setup for digital audio out? Anyone know any internal soundcard that fits the slots of Wireless USB/Turbo memory PCI ports that all W-series have?

Other alternatives include
I know on mackbooks I've seen firewire used as an input for a Weiss Dac if you're into two channel audio. Do any reiceivers take firewire as an input for hometheater? Has anyone tested Firewire outputs on their W series? I'm told that firewire is sometimes preferable to USB, I'm not sure why this would be, can USB support passthrough of DTS encoded signals?
In the case that firewire works and you Do not have a firewire source, maybe something like this would be of value It converts firewire to digital coaxial s/pdif and allows passthrough of DTS and AC3.
http://www.m-audio.com/images/global/manuals/FireWire-Audiophile_Manual.pdf
As I'm into audio the critical thing here (and what you're paying for when you purchase blue-ray, is maintaining the digital information from the disk in an unconverted form. You want a direct bit pass through, and you want as little jitter introduced to the signal as possible. You most certainly don't want the sound card getting in the way, Digtital to Analog converting and then reverse packaging it up and putting it out over the soundcard digital out. My problem is I'm not familiar enough with computer audio to know how exactly the sounds is transmitted from your blue ray drive to the digital interface you've chosen.
Anyone know why USB digital out would not be a prefered method?
Moderator note; comment removed which contravened forum rules

Optical/Digital Audio Output from MacBook

So I am interested in hooking up my MacBook to my HDTV so I can watch movies with it. I know for video I need to get a mini-DV to HDMI cable. That's easy. But what about audio? I would ideally like to have playback in surround sound. I have read that the headphone audio output also doubles as an optical output. Is this true? If so what cable can I buy and will it output surround sound from a DVD movie?

Yes, the audio port doubles as an optical in and output. You will need a optical cable from your macbook to your sound system to have surround sound/dolby digital, and when you play the dvd it should automatically convert the output to a digital signal. I have this setup on my iMac and Macbook. I have the logitech Z680 (now Z-5500), and when I play a DVD, the screen on the controller says 'digital'.
The cable you'll need is a optical audio cable 3.5mm (for the macbook) to a toslink (square shaped with two corners tapered). You can buy cables which are toslink to toslink that come with adaptors for 3.5mm jacks.
Message was edited by: Josh118

How to turn on/off S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio Output manually?

My sound card seems to be meesing up. It switches back an forth from "Internal Speakers" or "Headpohones" to "Digital Output". For some reason the optical source keeps getting flipped on and is really annoying. I tried blowing out dust to see if that was causeing the comptuer's confusion, but that didn't work. Until I can make time to go to the apple store, is there anyway for me to turn off that certain connection through terminal commands or something?
Thanks

I have the same problem also on 10.6.8 on a macbook pro (circa 2010). You will find an earlier thread on this issue (but frustratingly few answers for me at least) here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2762646?start=15&tstart=0

Optical digital audio output

What is this. I was expecting a fiber optic audio out/in. So when I got my iMac c2d I was confused.

Hi!
I'm using a Sony MD (minidisc) recorder (not a mobile device) which offers optical cable output. My plan was to record this signal using Garage Band. Well, I can't hear anything (although using a optical fiber cable connected to the 24''-iMac via TOS-Link adapter) - you can imagine the recording results...
Any solution found so far?
Sebastian
iMac 24, 2GB Ram, 500 GB HDD, 2,16 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Combined optical digital audio port

Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack)
Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack)
Dumb Question but what exactly does this mean, what types of connections does this port take? only headphone jack?

It is a jack that does both standard analog, and optical digital, on the one connection.
You can plug in a standard mini-headphone (1/8") like most iPod/music devices use, including 1/8" to two cable Y adapters for plugging into stereos, etc.
You can also buy a funky adapter that looks like a standard mini-headphone adapter, but it is plastic and has an optical jack on the back where the cable would usually be. This allows you to connect the MB digitally to any equipment (like a home stereo receiver) that accepts optical input, or plug things like CD players, DVD players, etc. into the MB's input. If you check out the online Apple Store, they sell a Belkin kit that has the adapter with a short optical cable and they have a picture so you can see an example.

Optical Digital audio - No output control

I'm trying to use the optical audio output on my late 2006 Mac Pro 1,1 (A1186), but no audio signal is received by my Sony audio amplifier even though the "Optical digital audio out" port and my TOSLINK cable show a red glow,
System Preferences says: "The selected device has no output controls." That same message has been displayed for Sound > Digital Out ever since my Mac was new, but this is the first time I've wanted to use that sound output.
Did my Mac Pro come with the needed controls? If "yes," how do I activate them? If "no," where can I obtain them?
Thanks for any help or suggestions!
Don

yep-try looking under system preferences-->sound--or fire up Audio Midi Setup and see if you can get it switched over that way. Dunno about your reciever. You may have to switch it over to digital on that input. I'll turn it over to someone more capable than me at the moment. Gotta go
John B

Can I connect the optical digital audio cable to my tuner in order to use my stereo speakers?

can I connect the optical digital audio cable to my tuner in order to use my stereo speakers for apple tv sound?

thats why I do and mute the tv so there is only 1 audio source as they are never 100% in sync when you use both optical and hdmi

Can I use the optical digital audio cable to connect INSTEAD of the hdmi? My tv only has 2 hdmi ports, and they're both taken

Can I use the optical digital audio cable to connect INSTEAD of the hdmi? My tv only has 2 hdmi ports, and they're both taken

I'm afraid that's very misleading and inaccurate.
Firstly an adapter won't work, it would need to be a converter and then if it's a compliant converter it won't let you watch HDCP protected content such as that from netflix or from the iTunes Store.
Secondly, whilst I'm not going to debate whether component or HDMI is better, component is certainly not better if it's been converted from an HDMI signal. You can't make anything better by simply converting it to another type of signal.

Optical audio output for IMAC

My new IMAC 2.66gh 24" is coming. Just wondering if the IMAC can output true bit stream audio signal through the toslink cable. I have a Logitec 5400 THX 5.1 Speaker system support THX, Dolby Digital, DTS hard decode. What I heard from other website saying is IMAC can only output 2.1 channel audio sound through optical. If that is true then my 5.1 speaker system is useless.

Hi Kl2999
Welcome to Apple Discussions
Have a look at the > [iMac Audio System Audio Developer Notes|http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Conceptual/HWTechAudio/Articles/Audio_implementation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003978-SW281200331167]
+*S/PDIF Optical Digital Output*+
+The S/PDIF optical digital output is automatically selected when an S/PDIF optical digital output device is detected on the external combo audio port. The S/PDIF optical digital output supports PCM and AC-3 audio formats with the following stereo data stream characteristics:+
+PCM: 16, 20, or 24 bits per sample at sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, or 96 kHz+
+AC-3: 16 bits per sample at sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, or 192 kHz+
+The S/PDIF optical output channel status conforms to IEC 60958-3 consumer mode digital audio.+
+During playback of a 1 kHz sine wave (S/PDIF output format at 0 dBFS output level, 44.1 kHz sample rate, 24-bit sample depth, unless otherwise specified) the digital audio output has the following nominal specifications:+
+Jack type: 3.5 mm (1/8”) stereo combo+
+Digital audio signal-to-noise ratio (SNR): > 130 dB+
+Digital audio total harmonic distortion + noise (THD+N): < -130 dB (0.00003%)+
Dennis

Using built in optical digital audio output for 5.1

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