Optical out on HTPC?

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#4
...But back to the subject...

I think HTPC's are only better then your entry level standalone DVD players. Any standalone DVD player with progressive scan in the mid to upper level market will yeild much better results then your PC.

However these players can be expensive... which is why most people are happy with what they get from a computer... they already have.
 
#6
jcbklyny said:
...But back to the subject...

I think HTPC's are only better then your entry level standalone DVD players. Any standalone DVD player with progressive scan in the mid to upper level market will yeild much better results then your PC.

However these players can be expensive... which is why most people are happy with what they get from a computer... they already have.
Click to expand...


Your wrong again. A HTPC w/ software DVD player will always be superior to any standalone DVD player. This is common knowledge. An HTPC w/ DVI output, and a TV w/ DVI input is the best solution you could possible get because it's a pure digital signal. Analog RGB output from a computer is still better than analog progressive component output.

If you have a CRT projector, that then a high end component progressive scan DVD player is massively inferior to an HTPC because CRT projectors are naturally RGB, so even if it has component inputs, it's still using a transcoder and therfore losing some quality.

For LCD/DLP, an HTPC w/ DVI out to DVI in is the best. This provides a pure digital solution from the disc to your eyeballs.

For CRT, RGB out on an HTPC to RGB in on the TV is best.

There are high-end standalone DVD players with RGB out, but you have no way to control the scan frequencies on it, so again, the HTPC solution is superior.
 
#7
Its a mater of taste and money. For people with about $500-$1000 (real nice parts for that price range) to blow on a computer, you can make a kick *** dvd player with dvi out. For around $100-$300, you can buy a progressive scan dvd player. Compenent out vs. dvi? There is a difference but many people will not tell on there projection panel. For an hd monitor, i say go for an htpc if you have the cash and the space. There are many other features with using a pc such as easy video gaming, mp3s, divx movies... anyhting you do on the pc. If you don't have the money or space, buy a higher end $200 range progressive scan dvd player... you will be impressed any way you go.
 
#8
There is no difference, and it's not debatable.
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Well, there IS a difference - first of all optical has electrically isolated ground - it can help defeat any ground loops. Note that a coax output with galvanic isolation (ie a transformer) will provide this also.
The different connectors used (RCA vs Toslink) also play a part - RCA is normally more robust than Toslink etc.

Other than the fact that optical uses light to transfer the data, and coax uses an electrical signal, any further differences are indeed negligible - certainly not worth arguing about!
 
#9
Let me re-phrase that. There is a huge difference in how they work. There is no difference in sound output. Go rent an RTA and check for yourself.

Optical costs more, and the industry likes that because it's one more expensive piece of equipment that people have to buy. Coax is confusing to consumers because they might think it's analog mono.

My original point was that a digital output from an HTPC is just as good as anything else, and that nobody should think they need to spend extra cash (like the Soundblaster Audigy) to get toslink instead of coax.
 
#11
well, i went the htpc route myself. i already had a working dvd player, but i wanted something that could play mp3's, divx, and work as a couple video game systems too (emulators). what i've got so far is better than 90% of the dvd players out there for a low price

Via EPIA 800 board (built in coax digital out, video out, svideo out, ethernet, regular audio, 17cm x 17 cm in size) $125
256 mb ram $30
6x dvd drive $30
10gig hdd $50
ati all-in-wonder radeon (on its way) $70


with this setup, i can record television or video sources digitally, have digital audio out, play video games, watch my movie and anime (sorry 🙂) collection, and i didnt pay too much for it. the addition video card was purchased due to the lack of a dedicated mpeg-2 hardware decoder on the motherboard (video stuff). however, the newer line of EPIA's have this built in, so nothing to extra to buy. for this price, its very hard to touch with a comperable dvd player ($500+)




ps. forgot to mention, hercules makes sound cards that are 7.1 audio and have a built in optical out. goes for as little as $50 and is a spectacular card (have it in my gaming pc)
 
#13
Uhhh, other way around. Optical needs repeaters in order to travel every 15ft or something like that. Coax can go 100 ft. without help.

People on avsforum claim that if you don't have a ground loop, coax sounds better because optical requires a conversion, like what DIY_Peter just said. If you have a ground loop, you've got other problems to worry about and it should be fixed, so using optical to avoid it is not a permanent solution.

I find it very unlikely that they sound different. Converting one digital signal to another should not yeild a loss. That's the whole point of digital. I have directv box that has both outputs, and my reciever has both inputs. I think I'll listen to both and hear for myself. I'm sure I won't hear a difference.
 
#15
I have a question- how does a ground loop affect the performance of digital coax? The reason a loop affects perfomance on RCA analog signals is becuase the two grounds are at different potentials and therefore the actual audio signal itself is harmed, right? With digital though, you are transferring binary spdif encoded data, not analog audio- so why does a ground loop matter?

Brian.
 
#16
Exactly. The ground loop doesn't alter the digital signal. But it causes noise in the amplifier. But if you have other devices connected to it via RCA, then switching to optical won't change a thing because the ground loop is still there. So if you have a ground loop, you should find a way to fix it instead of blaming it on a digital interface that has nothing to do with it.
 
#17
i have another D/A question ...

i just got a motherboard with onboard sound, 6ch, and coaxail out
now the onboard sound is fine when playing mp3s or watching a DVD
i loaded up TocaRace Driver not to long ago and wasn't pleased... the audio got all f*'ed. Engine noises where choppy, and quite displeasing to listen to, even on lowest quality. i also noticed that the windows start up wav got chopped in the middle

i popped in my old turtle beach card - problem solved

i'm getting a new amp/reciever w/ coax and i'm gonna take out the TB card and use the onboard again.. w/ the coax to the amp, then amp to speakers/headphones.

Am i likely to experience the same problem?

i figured since the DAC is in the amp then what ever 'output buffers' would be there too.... so the amp would be causing the problem.. if there is one....
 
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