[anetode]

As per title, I need to find a cheapo digital audio interface to my PC that can take optical input. It doesn't have to have any outputs, nor handle anything beyond 16/48. USB or PCI/PCIe, though USB is preferred. I'd rather not have to go with a full-blown $100+ recording interface as this is only going to be used for casual listening.

 

[allister]

How about the Creative X-Fi HD here for $85 shipped?

 

[Dynobot]

Check Monoprice they have lots, take your pick
 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=toslink&x=0&y=0

 

[trog]

Fiio D3?
http://www.miccastore.com/fiio-coaxialoptical-dac-audio-converter-p-51.html

 

[anetode]

Allister, thanks for the suggestion, that's a very reasonable price for the abundance of features. Though I'll be glad to find something a little cheaper and more basic

 
Dynobot & trog, unfortunately these are the wrong products. I'm looking for a USB device that accepts optical input, not a device that has optical output or a DA converter.

 

[allister]

Quote:

Allister, thanks for the suggestion, that's a very reasonable price for the abundance of features. Though I'll be glad to find something a little cheaper and more basic

 
Even though the above is a good price (it is actually on sale till 9/26), I'm not the biggest fan of Creative - terrible driver support etc. even I am going with an ASUS Xonar for my USB sound. Consider that fair warning

 

[bixby]

what exactly are you trying to do with an optical to usb in to a computer? Perhaps folks might be able to rec something a little more in line with what you are trying to accomplish?
 
cheers
 

 

[anetode]

I occasionally drag the X360 to my bedroom and hook it up to my computer/monitor setup. As it is right now my speakers are connected to the RCA out on the Asus STX and then an optical out goes from the computer to the DAC & headphone amps. I'd like to be able to take the optical out from the 360 and be able to run it through either the speakers or the headphones without having to rewire everything every time and also maybe try playing around with the various DSP plugins I have when gaming.

 

[bixby]

why didn't you say that in the first place
 
You want either the computer or the xbox to play through your dac which goes to your headphone amps.  That can be done with this:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-Digital-Selector-Compatible/dp/B000812QC6
 
And you want the xbox to also play via the asus card to the speakers that are hooked up to the analog out of the asus card, right?  Then you need to run analog out on the xbox to the analog in on the asus card with the appropriate cable.
 
Asking for optical in on the usb side of the computer would entail most likely getting another ext sound card.
 
Hope that is more on track and if others know of another method please chime in. 

 

[anetode]

Well what I'm looking for is definitely an active component, not just a splitter. Most devices with optical inputs are either full-blown soundcards or full-blown pro audio interfaces, I was hoping for something with minimal functionality with no need for extra driver installation. I imagine this is a very small niche for the overall range of products so it wouldn't surprise me if a straight up optical-in-to-usb device doesn't exist.

 

[leeperry]

It can't get much cheaper than a CMI8768 board on ebay, plus this: http://code.google.com/p/cmediadrivers/
 
and yes, it'll be fully bit-perfect and bloat-free too. Second hand, you can score those CMI8768 boards for less than $10.