Digital Toslink to Analog RCA??

[macuserforlife]

Hey Everyone,

I'm about 99% convinced I'm going to buy the Yamaha 2500 Receiver and I have a problem with zone two and three audio. The Yamaha (and all others I can find in that price/quality range) will only output analog to zone 2/3 and won't convert a digital source to do it.

I have a Macintosh based media server using Elgato's EyeHome. As all my dvd's are on there they are obviously accompanied by digital audio. The EyeHome will only output digital audio digitally (i.e. it doesn't perform any onboard conversion) therefore it MUST enter the 2500 via a Toslink cable. This is a good thing because it would be ridiculous to lose sound quality before entering the receiver. However, if I wan't to watch a movie in my zone two area, I can't get audio (at least I don't think I can from reading the manual).

I was wondering if anyone knows of a good inexpensive (I know those two words together are mutually exclusive) D/A Converter or if there is another way I could use. I was thinking of splitting the toslink into two, running one into the 2500 (to preserve the digital experience in the HT room) and the other into a DAC or something then to the 2500 as a different source. The inputs are programmable so I can program the second (analog) source to get it's video feed from the same place as the digital audio source.

I have seen online a 'Toslink to 3.5mm plug' which I could add a red/white analog adaptor to. Would this work or am I oversimplifying. It doesn't make a lot of sense the DAC's are so expensive if a solution like this would work but if anyone can clarify that for me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks, in advance, for any advice.

 

[mazurek]

The issue I think is that most D -> A converters convert a digital PCM signal to analog. Unfortunately, the point of the computer digital audio pass through is that it passes the dolby surround encoded signal to the receiver. To convert this signal to analog needs a dolby digital decoder. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with the Mac world, but there are many PC sound cards which do decoding and have both analog and digital outs.

 

[SilverMK3]

It sounds like you need an external decoder or preamp/processor to convert the Dolby Digital or DTS streams to discrete analog signals before going into your receiver.

You could probably get away with using something cheap like a Soundblaster Extigy and not notice any decrease in sound quality.

I've never played with a multi-room setup before, but it seems strange that the receiver wouldn't let you use a digital source for Zone 2.

 

[jotham]

I think it is very possible that the yamaha will downconvert a dolby digital source into analog. Reading the manual, it seemed to indicate issues with DTS sources, not DD. I would buy the receiver first, make sure it doesn't work the way you want. If necessary, you can get a Toslink splitter and relatively inexpensive Digital to Analog converter.

 

[macuserforlife]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks alot for the suggestions. I moved this thread to the "A/V Interconnects, Cables & Power Conditioning" section in "Set-Up Tips".

It seemed more logical after I re-read it but I forgot to leave a note here. I sincerely hope I didn't p*ss anyone off. Please accept my apologies and, if you have any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could put them in the other thread.

Best Regards,

Bruce