XMS-888 optical cable ??

[steve lamb]

Just bought an XMS-888 to replace my old Tosh 2109Y which was getting a bit tempremental. Anway, I'd like to use the optical connection to my amp (sony STR-DE895) - can anyone point me to the right type ??

TIA

BTW - any Mac users here ?? I haven't been able to get Toast to successfully do a burn that will play on the XMS-888, but Nero works fine, of course.

[redbears]

Any optical cable should do the trick as long as it is long enough. JB Hifi / DSE should have 1.2M length ones for about $20~$25. I have bought a few from JB, the grey coloured one and never had any problems with them.

What were you using previously?

[jokiin]

Originally Posted by redbears

Any optical cable should do the trick as long as it is long enough. JB Hifi / DSE should have 1.2M length ones for about $20~$25. I have bought a few from JB, the grey coloured one and never had any problems with them.

What were you using previously?

There are optical cables available with a variety of different fittings, the one needed is the common toslink type (the same fitting that the amp uses also) just to clear up any confusion.

[steve lamb]

Originally Posted by jok11n

There are optical cables available with a variety of different fittings, the one needed is the common toslink type (the same fitting that the amp uses also) just to clear up any confusion.

Thanks....I dropped into DS P/house this morning and there are a couple of different types of connector available, but from your advice I'll get the tos/tos type.

red: I'm leaving the Tosh connected for the moment (coax), but I have a spare video and optical input (Sat in) that I'm using to 'trial' the 888 on.

[redbears]

Originally Posted by jok11n

There are optical cables available with a variety of different fittings, the one needed is the common toslink type (the same fitting that the amp uses also) just to clear up any confusion.

Can't say I have ever seen any other than the Toslink type. What other types are there?

[jokiin]

Originally Posted by redbears

Can't say I have ever seen any other than the Toslink type. What other types are there?

Toslink is the most popular but there are others, not too much equipment available here uses anything different. The new Foxtel digital sat boxes use a 3.5 mini optical which is the same connector that most portable Mini Disc players use, there is also a 3rd type in use which is even less common, I haven't seen anything here that uses the 3rd type although there must be something available here that takes it, Dick Smith and Jaycar both had the 3 different types in stock when I went looking for the Toslink to mini 3.5 that I needed for my Foxtel box

[redbears]

Sounds like you would be rather unlucky to pick up the wrong type.

[steve lamb]

Hmmm....got the optical cable, but no matter what settings I try I can't get a peep out of the unit. I'm sure it's not the amp but I'll try the coax digital connection as well.

[rimmeroz]

I have tried both optical and coax on mine and I cant get optical to work. Coax OK but no matter what I can get optical to work....2 different amps and 2 different makes of dvd player.
Best of luck

[steve lamb]

Well I got it to work after much mucking around, but I'm really not sure exactly how.....I'm positive the settings I have now were tried several times before Whole thing is very 'hit or miss'....

It seems to be best to have the player 'stopped' when changing settings, otherwise there's no guarantee of new settings working properly. Anyway, the amp is recognising the digital stream and DTS works as well. But there's still a problem....the 'individual' speaker setup menus, test tone, etc are all greyed out.....frustrating....

If it helps, my 'Audio Setup' settings are:

SPDIF OUTPUT: SPDIF/RAW
OP MODE: LINE OUT
DUAL MONO: STEREO
COMPRESSION: FULL
PRO LOGIC: ON
LPCM OUTPUT: LPCM 96K

[jokiin]

Originally Posted by steve lamb

Well I got it to work after much mucking around, but I'm really not sure exactly how.....I'm positive the settings I have now were tried several times before Whole thing is very 'hit or miss'....

It seems to be best to have the player 'stopped' when changing settings, otherwise there's no guarantee of new settings working properly. Anyway, the amp is recognising the digital stream and DTS works as well. But there's still a problem....the 'individual' speaker setup menus, test tone, etc are all greyed out.....frustrating....

If it helps, my 'Audio Setup' settings are:

SPDIF OUTPUT: SPDIF/RAW
OP MODE: LINE OUT
DUAL MONO: STEREO
COMPRESSION: FULL
PRO LOGIC: ON
LPCM OUTPUT: LPCM 96K

Test tones are only for use with the analouge six channel out, if you are using the optical out you are sending the raw data stream to your amp for decoding, the test tones in this case will need to be produced by your amplifier. This is normal behaviour.

[steve lamb]

Originally Posted by jok11n

Test tones are only for use with the analouge six channel out, if you are using the optical out you are sending the raw data stream to your amp for decoding, the test tones in this case will need to be produced by your amplifier. This is normal behaviour.

Fair enough....but getting it to work at all (digital out) is the real problem, and it appears I'm not the only one.

I've setup a number of systems of the years (Yamaha, Toshiba, Pioneer, Sony, Hiteker, etc) and never had this sort of experience. It's working and that's good, but I'd like to be sure of what I did to get there....

[steve lamb]

Well this is now getting VERY annoying. The player has been in standby mode from the time I got the optical connection working until today when I went to play a pressed DVD (PotC)....now I have NO optical output again . Nothing has been changed and I've re-checked all the connections. So either I've got a faulty unit or the optical connection is just not reliable.

I'm going to try the co-ax digital next.

[jokiin]

Originally Posted by steve lamb

Well this is now getting VERY annoying. The player has been in standby mode from the time I got the optical connection working until today when I went to play a pressed DVD (PotC)....now I have NO optical output again . Nothing has been changed and I've re-checked all the connections. So either I've got a faulty unit or the optical connection is just not reliable.

I'm going to try the co-ax digital next.

Do you have no optical out, as in no sound at all, or are you not getting surround sound?

[steve lamb]

Originally Posted by jok11n

Do you have no optical out, as in no sound at all, or are you not getting surround sound?

Nothing....the amp display indicates when an optical digital stream is detected.

[rimmeroz]

same here....... I ended up buying a optical switch box from Jaycar for $20 including a 3 metre optical cable.
I reconned I would not need to have both going at the same time ...... So i now have a 4 optical inpute amp.
I will be getting a newzensonic as soon as they become available for the kids....so I might swap it