[trains are bad]

I only have one SPDIF output on my computer, but I would like the option of playing it through both my HT receiver for movies and my Stereo DAC for music, since the receiver cuts out annoyingly on the silence between CD tracks.

Can I just use an RCA y-splitter like you might use for audio, or will I every molecule in my body explode at the speed of light?

 

[NiceCans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can I just use an RCA y-splitter like you might use for audio, or will I every molecule in my body explode at the speed of light?

Why not just try it and see?

Whuddaya gotta loose but your life

edit: maybe I should have told you about all the 0's going to the first device and the 1's going to the other?

 

[jruser]

I have done this with two different sound cards and two two receivers using a Y cable with no problems. I think if it were dropping bits, Dolby and DTS bitstreams would not decode properly at the receiver.

I bought a subwoofer cable at Radio Shack to use as a coax cable and couldn't tell it was a Y cable until I got it home and opened it.

 

[infinitesymphony]

It seems like it wouldn't be ideal in terms of impedance matching, since you'll need to use a splitter that probably doesn't follow the 75-ohm standard for digital coaxial S/PDIF transmission. But my guess is that in practice it probably won't make much difference. Interesting question, though.

 

[jinp6301]

I use a rca splitter to split the coax signal and it works fine. I dont know why it wouldnt work with a y cable.

 

[Cauhtemoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony It seems like it wouldn't be ideal in terms of impedance matching, since you'll need to use a splitter that probably doesn't follow the 75-ohm standard for digital coaxial S/PDIF transmission. But my guess is that in practice it probably won't make much difference. Interesting question, though.

Correct. The source would see a 37.5 ohm resistance, not the specified 75 ohm. This will add reflections and introduce unnecessary jitter, but it should still work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad I only have one SPDIF output on my computer, but I would like the option of playing it through both my HT receiver for movies and my Stereo DAC for music, since the receiver cuts out annoyingly on the silence between CD tracks. Can I just use an RCA y-splitter like you might use for audio, or will I every molecule in my body explode at the speed of light?

You should use some form of active splitter, although such a thing may not exist. You could build one for $5 or so.

 

[trains are bad]

A radioshack Y-cable seems to be working for the time being at least. This way I can have my MicroDAC for listening to music with the computer and still have my surround reciever for movies via computer.