DVD player question...

[Cygnus]

Regarding the digital audio....now, on most DVD players there is a Coaxial and Optical connection....which is better? Do they both do the same thing? (i.e play Dolby Digital and DTS)


Thanks,
Travis

 

[Tom Andry]

They do the same thing. Many prefer the coax because it is less fragile than the toslink. If you don't plan on switching cables a lot, get whichever cable is cheaper.

Oh yeah, I think that toslink (optical) is less susceptible to emf or something. If you have a problem with your interconnects picking up outside noise, this may be a more desirable connection.

 

[Bryce_H]

There are some clains that coaxial offers:
1) warmer sound
2) wider frequency band

I haven't validated either claim, but I use coaxial for my dvd player and optical for my Dish network. No particular reason.

 

[Cygnus]

Hm....I tried hooking up a DVD player with just an RCA cable to Coaxial, and very little sound came out of the center speaker and and sometimes there was loud sounds coming from the mains...t was probably because i didnt have the DVD player on the right setting (i cant find the remote, so i cant change any settings ). However the receiver knew that the signal was digital, however, it never changed to DTS or Dolby Digital...again, probably thecause of the DVD players settings.

 

[Spiffyfast]

Hm....I tried hooking up a DVD player with just an RCA cable to Coaxial

Ok, please people dont go crazy on me if I get this wrong, but I'm pretty sure there is a pretty big difference between a normal RCA cable and the audio coaxial cable used for surround sound on a dvd player...that could be the problem

 

[Privateer]

Ok, please people dont go crazy on me if I get this wrong, but I'm pretty sure there is a pretty big difference between a normal RCA cable and the audio coaxial cable used for surround sound on a dvd player...that could be the problem

As long as the cable can comply to specs of a 75ohm cable it shoul be fine. What cable were you using Cygnus?

 

[brian32672]

For the short runs I use 3 feet, I have noticed no difference between the two. But I do plan on making a longer run and will try both cables again. But the longer run will only be about 10 feet. (actually 8'5") but 10 foot cables will be bought.

 

[Spiffyfast]

As long as the cable can comply to specs of a 75ohm cable it shoul be fine. What cable were you using Cygnus?

Hmm good to know, I guess when I tried it I wasn't using a 75ohm cable then. Learn something new every day.

 

[SilverMK3]

There shouldn't be any difference at all between the two, it basically comes down to how your components are layed out.

Their weaknesses are usually irrelevant if you use decent quality cable, but Coaxial cable may pick up some interference on longer runs, while optical may develop "jitter" errors if it is bent or coiled too tightly but is immune to electromagnetic interference.

Generally you want to use coaxial cable for shorter runs unless you have a lot of interference. You'd use optical cable for longer runs that don't have any sharp corners.

I don't believe that coax cable would sound "warmer" than optical or vice versa. Because the data is being transmitted digitally, the 1's and 0's either get to their destination or they don't - they don't pick up any additional properties along the way. If you experience signal degredation due to interference or optical jitter, it will sound like skips or "pops" or "blips" in the audio.

 

[Cygnus]

I was just using a standard RCA cable. I think I didn't have the DVD players setting rught, but i couldnt check it or change it as of i had no remte and you cant go through the DVD's menu on the front panel. The DVD player was from our living rooms HTiB, it's a KOSS and i couldnt find them in my Denon's manual for programing my remotes codes. Ah well, i'll buy a DVD player one of these days and try it out with a coaxial cable. I always thought that optica was the way to go because the cable and connectors looked better.

 

[MDS]

If your Denon remote doesn't have a built-in code for the KOSS dvd player, you might try one of the One-For-All remotes like the URC-8811 or URC8810w (same as 8811 but sold at walmart) that are under $20. Even the lower models may have a code for KOSS. They generally lists the brands they have codes for on the back of the packaging (althought that's no guarantee that its particular code will work for your particular device).

KOSS may actually use RCA codes as alot of the less expensive brands do and URC remotes have dozens of codes for RCA components.

Just a thought that might hold you over until you are ready to buy another dvd player.

 

[brian32672]

If your Denon remote doesn't have a built-in code for the KOSS dvd player, you might try one of the One-For-All remotes like the URC-8811 or URC8810w (same as 8811 but sold at walmart) that are under $20. Even the lower models may have a code for KOSS. They generally lists the brands they have codes for on the back of the packaging (althought that's no guarantee that its particular code will work for your particular device).

KOSS may actually use RCA codes as alot of the less expensive brands do and URC remotes have dozens of codes for RCA components.

Just a thought that might hold you over until you are ready to buy another dvd player.

I would recommend a Pronto TSU3000, I picked mine up with the base and a new battery for 150.00 shipped. And it will control everything that has IR. Including air conditioners/fans/all audio equip./etc....

Completely customizable touch screen. I may be upgrading and will get a TSU7000. So will be selling my 3000 soon.

Heres a review on the TSU3000
http://www.remotecentral.com/tsu3000/index.html

 

[MDS]

I was thinking more along the lines of a 'quick fix' to be able to get to the dvd player's setup menus to make sure it is configured correctly, but yeah a 'real' universal remote is the best solution long term.

I personally prefer the Home Theater Master remotes, but you can't go wrong with Pronto or Harmony either. Any of them will beat the pants off of any remote that comes with your receiver.