[mythtv-users] One HDMI question from (Hijacked): HDMI sound issues

Stephen Worthington stephen_agent at jsw.gen.nz
Wed Aug 28 07:57:35 UTC 2013


On Wed, 28 Aug 2013 08:40:17 +0200, you wrote:

>Off-topic side question: Does anyopne have any direct comparisons of sound quality from onboard spdif ports using coax contra toslink? I'm guessing the onboard digital signal isn't the best there is anyway, and I don't want to degrade it even further by uising the wrong medium. Traditionally toslink is advised against by audiophiles because it's prone to adding jitter, but then Spotify is hardly audiophile anyway.

A digital signal is a digital signal.  It is either correct data, or
it does not work.  So the digital output from an SPDIF port will be
identical to the output from a TOSLINK port, as far as the
specifications for the digital data are concerned.  If you are really
worried by jitter, then you need to get a DAC that has buffers and
reclocking to eliminate jitter.  Lots of good DACs do this.  TOSLINK
has the serious advantage that it is an optical connection with no
possibility of creating a ground loop.  Having a PC in an audio system
is a very good way of introducing ground loops - they are notorious
for doing it.  And especially when they are connected to a TV or
satellite antenna or a cable connection, as all MythTV boxes will be.
Then, if that antenna or cable is connected to anything else that
connects to the same audio system, a ground loop is extremely likely.


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