[Cousin Patty]

I don't understand what the difference is between spdif, digital coax, and rca connectors. Im planning on getting a Storm Digital D02 in a few weeks along with a new soundcard (x-fi cause i like to game) capable of bit perfect digital output. But I just hate how there seems to be a bunch of interchangeable names for everything. On the x-fi I/O bay there is a connection for spdif out. I know that this is where I would plug a digital coax cable into to run to an external DAC...but it uses RCA connectors... whats up with all the names and acronyms?

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty I don't understand what the difference is between spdif, digital coax, and rca connectors.

S/P-DIF = Sony/Philips-Digital Interface, a standard
coaxial = type of cable
RCA = type of connector, once developed by RCA

You may also have an optical S/P-DIF connection. Usually this is indicated via the label "optical" or "Toslink" vs. "coaxial".

Wikipedia is your friend

 

[gloco]

I've always been under the impression that:

spdif=digital coax.

the plug that the spdif/digital coax cable uses is referred to as an rca plug (or terminated to an rca connector). Hope I'm right

Yep, its all interchangeable names...welcome to the world of confusing, and often, annoying acronyms (PRaT anyone?).

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver S/P-DIF = Sony/Philips-Digital Interface, a standard coaxial = type of cable RCA = type of connector, once developed by RCA You may also have an optical S/P-DIF connection. Usually this is indicated via the label "optical" or "Toslink" vs. "coaxial". Wikipedia is your friend

ah, that makes better sense. Yes, wikipedia is our friend

 

[Cousin Patty]

What makes a coax cable a coax cable then?

nvm lemme check wikipedia first ...

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty What makes a coax cable a coax cable then? nvm lemme check wikipedia first ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable