Fiber Optic Cable Issues

[42yen]

Hello again ...

Well, issue now is the soundcard (which works, unlike my tv card) has a fiber optic output that I would like to use. Only problem is the output jack of the card for fiber optics is 100% round and the ends of all fiber optic cables I saw in the stores today are more of a 3/4 circle with a flat top... Sounds card info is in my siggy if it will help.

Anyone know of a supplier of cable with 1 round end and 1 (what I assume is) standard end?

Thanks in advance!

After looking at the jack again it looks to be a mini headphone sized jack, but it's fiber optic?!?

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by 42yen

has a fiber optic output that I would like to use.

What makes you think that it has optical output?

If this is your audio card, then it doesn't have optical output - only digital output via a 3.5mm jack?

Maybe you need to add this upgrade module to your audio card?

[42yen]

Originally Posted by Taipan

What makes you think that it has optical output?

If this is your audio card, then it doesn't have optical output - only digital output via a 3.5mm jack?

So then is it just a regular 3.5mm jack with a pretty blue light? Is there such a thing as a digital 3.5mm Y cable for audio? I did a search on the 'Net and failed to find anything... then again it is late and I should be sleeping.

[Taipan]

Ooops - I just added to my post after you replied ...

Exactly which SoundBlaster XFi audio card do you have - there seem to be several slightly different models?

And it looks like you need this module to enable optical output ...

[42yen]

I bought the card under the impression that it was a fiber optic audio output (or so the salesman said...). The card in question is the Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer. I've been out of the proverbial loop (so to say) on PC technology so I guess this just goes to show you that doing your homework prior to a purchase is paramount. Guess I'll just stick with a stereo Y cable for now then until I find another alternative, which kinda bites...HDMI video and old fashioned audio.

[Taipan]

According to these specifications, the Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer does support optical out via the "Flexijack", but "Optical Out supports stereo SPDIF" - maybe you were expecting 5.1 or 7.1 via optical out?

[Tallone]

The standard optical connection is sort of square shaped, but most cables come with a little adapter that you clip on one end to fit the smaller 3.5mm type flexjacks used on some sound cards, mini-disc players and mp3 players.

Seeing as you'll only get stereo out of the optical (although it claims to pass through DVD sound, so maybe a DTS stream would output?) you may only get 7.1with several 3.5mm jack to RCA leads - Creative even sell such a lead!

[Shivian]

The Auzentech X-Fi Prelude has a SPDIF/Optical port in one. With the card you get a little plastic adapter that plugs into the RCA socket and converts it to the square optical socket. In fact you get two with the card but I don't know where you'd get more from. As this card is based on Creative X-Fi cards (or at least has the same chipset/capabilities), I wouldn't be surprised if yours is similar.

See X-Fi Prelude product page. Note. the two RCA connectors on the far right of this image are what I am talking about. The plastic adaptor plugs into those.

EDIT: I was just reading the specs off the Creative site and it appears they have done the same thing but just with the 3.5mm jack so it would be a smaller adaptor but if it is written in the specs Optical Out¹ via shared 3.5mm mini jack then I would have thought they would supply the means to share it!

Reading online here, they say you can get the adaptor from the Creative shop. Possibly elsewhere. You need a mini-TOSlink adaptor or something like that.