[mythtv-users] Re: Does MythTV Obviate a DVD Player?

[Gert van der Knokke]

Ben Buxton wrote:

>Hamish's ground loop issue is definitely a valid concern - ground loops
>through the amplifier and PC earthing will be heard _as hum_, regardless of
>whether the cable is digital. Google for ground loop and you'll see that
>this is not the usual silly pseudo-audiophile tripe, but a problem when
>the analog section of an amplifier has more than one path to ground.
>
>  
>
Normally, at least one end of the coaxial digital link should be "ground 
free".

Most CD players for example have an 1:1 transformer (yes.. for a digital 
signal...)
in the digital coax output just for the sake of preventing ground loops.

>Just as long as you don't believe the crap that some people have who
>claim optical cables can sound different (excluding length limitations).
>  
>
Yeah, digital is digital. Bit errors will always be audible unless they 
occur only in the lower bits (which is very unlikely...)
Maybe with very long cables you can measure timing differences between 
coaxial and optical... :-)

Gert