Laptop Digital Line Out

thefragger · 7th December 2010, 04:47 PM

I got to thinking, and tried searching around, but would up empty handed, and figured that this would be a good forum to ask my question;

Is there software that will output a digital audio bitstream thru the headphone jack on a notebook pc?

Hmm...

kipman725 · 7th December 2010, 05:01 PM

not posible unless the hardware has support for it. SPDIF waveforms cannot be sythersised by an audio frequancy DAC.

SY · 7th December 2010, 05:05 PM

Good USB -> spdif converters are available for cheap. I use a unit I got off EBay for $20 or so. Works flawlessly.

bugman53 · 13th April 2011, 06:32 AM

A lot of laptops will output optical through the headphone jack, There is an adapter thats looks like a headphone plug but has an optical cable plug on the other side. Also some laptops can use a Mono 1/8in phono to RCA adapter to a regular coaxial cable.

What model is your laptop. My asus is hoked up right now with the headphone to optical plug. You normally haft to enable it through the sound properties.

mb · 13th April 2011, 10:06 AM

Perhaps a little clarification is needed. *Some* headphone jacks double up as digital optical jacks simultaneously, by incorporating an optical transmitter in the jack. Also, some USB->SPDIF convertors send optical output via the headphone jack.

The OP was asking if instead of sending an analog signal via the headphone jack, software converts the signal to SPDIF spec, and sends it to the same jack. SPDIF (digital) signals are way too high frequency to be output by the headphone circuit, so the answer is no.

thefragger · 13th April 2011, 12:51 PM

I wound up getting a Macbook Pro, which has optical out--how good it is, I've yet to find out.

Thanks MB for the explanation!

7th December 2010, 04:47 PM	#1
thefragger diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada	Laptop Digital Line Out I got to thinking, and tried searching around, but would up empty handed, and figured that this would be a good forum to ask my question; Is there software that will output a digital audio bitstream thru the headphone jack on a notebook pc? Hmm...

7th December 2010, 05:05 PM	#3
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Austin, TX Blog Entries: 1	Good USB -> spdif converters are available for cheap. I use a unit I got off EBay for $20 or so. Works flawlessly. __________________ “Listening to records is like ****ing a picture of Brigitte Bardot.” - Sergiu Celibidache

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7th December 2010, 05:01 PM	#2
kipman725 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London/N.lincs	not posible unless the hardware has support for it. SPDIF waveforms cannot be sythersised by an audio frequancy DAC.

13th April 2011, 06:32 AM	#4
bugman53 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2011	A lot of laptops will output optical through the headphone jack, There is an adapter thats looks like a headphone plug but has an optical cable plug on the other side. Also some laptops can use a Mono 1/8in phono to RCA adapter to a regular coaxial cable. What model is your laptop. My asus is hoked up right now with the headphone to optical plug. You normally haft to enable it through the sound properties.

13th April 2011, 10:06 AM	#5
mb diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Singapore	Perhaps a little clarification is needed. Some headphone jacks double up as digital optical jacks simultaneously, by incorporating an optical transmitter in the jack. Also, some USB->SPDIF convertors send optical output via the headphone jack. The OP was asking if instead of sending an analog signal via the headphone jack, software converts the signal to SPDIF spec, and sends it to the same jack. SPDIF (digital) signals are way too high frequency to be output by the headphone circuit, so the answer is no.

13th April 2011, 12:51 PM	#6
thefragger diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada	I wound up getting a Macbook Pro, which has optical out--how good it is, I've yet to find out. Thanks MB for the explanation!

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