Connection options have also proliferated in great numbers in the ever-changing world of audio technology. Although the HDMI and wireless have taken over the lead the optical audio port or TOSlINK or SPDIF are still a viable alternative to pass sound. It is still includes on many televisions, soundbars, gaming consoles and receivers but the question arises, what is the optical audio port and when is it reasonable to use it.
Understanding the Optical Audio Port
Optical audio port is a small square, usually in the back of the television, audio receiver, audio system and game consoles. This is a port which works on fiber optic technology unlike the traditional copper cables which are used to transmit the digital audio signals. The technology guarantees lesser signal interference which has been a major strength of the technology.
Practically, the optical audio port was to be used to allow quality audio between devices, without the use of analog connections. It is capable of multichannel audio like the Dolby Digital and DTS, and is thus a good companion to the home theater systems with the need for clarity.
How the Optical Connection Works
Optical audio cables also known as TOSLINK cables are optical fiber made of strands of light bearing pulses. The digital audio data is the transferred audio that is in the form of these light pulses. Since the signal is carried through light it is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference – this is an issue that at times has been a problem with traditional copper based cables.
This technique is stable over reasonable distances, but there is no reason to believe that optical audio cables are made to run over very long distances. In the majority of systems in household entertainment systems, however, the lengths are in excess.
When the Optical Audio Port Makes Sense
The optical audio port is not the latest technology unlike it has some useful applications. The usage of it often depends on the devices on hands, and the concerned audio setups. Some of the scenarios where the optical port would come in handy were:
- Older TVs and Receivers: A lot of televisions that came out prior to the proliferation of HDMI ARC or eARC utilize expanded optical outputs to transmit digital sound. In that case, the best thing to do would to connect to a receiver or a soundbar using the optical.
- Soundbars Without HDMI ARC: Almost exclusively in the low or mid-range the soundbars with optical input to receive surround sound or stereo sound. In case the TV has optical output then it is easy to match it with soundbars of this type.
- Avoiding Audio Interference: In a system in which there is a problem with electromagnetic interference, optical cables may provide a cleaner audio signal than do some analog connections.
- Gaming Consoles and Legacy Devices: Consoles such as the PlayStation 3, older versions of the Xbox and some older versions of the Blu-ray players have optical port that would suit well with this kind of connection.
Advantages of Using Optical Audio
There are still significant advantages to optical port and that is why it is still present in the modern devices.
- Clear Digital Sound: Clear Digital Sound Optical cables transform uncontaminated digital data therefore uniform sound has been preserved.
- No Electrical Interference: Since the signal is transferred in form of light, there is no affect of other electrical devices that are present close by.
- Support for Surround Sound: Dolby Digital and DTS format are supported which provide much immersive sound for movie and games.
- Wide Compatibility: Optical ports are still supported on a lot of televisions, receivers and soundbars, which is a guarantee for a flexible connection.
Limitations of Optical Audio
The optical audio port also has weakness whereas the new standards like HDMI has limitations over the optical audio port.
First of all, it has no support of high resolution audio like Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio. HDMI is superior from those who want to find about lossless audio from home theater system.
Second, optical connections lack other features, like HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) that enables a single remote to be used to control multiple devices attached to it. It implies that optical audio is not as convenient and with additional functionality as the HDMI-based connections in terms of their quality of sound.
Finally, the cables per se are a little weak with regards to HDMI cables. Too much bending or sharp turn may ruin the strands of fiber within thus resulting in loss of signals.
Optical Audio vs. HDMI: A Quick Comparison
In order to put the optical port to perspective, it would be good to make some comparison between it and HDMIs which are more common these days. HDMI is able to carry video and audio on the same cable, has high-resolution audio facilities and also comes with other convenience capabilities such as ARC and eARC.
On the other hand, optical audio is limited to audio only transmission, and is limited to standard Dolby Digital or DTS. However, in the majority of installations, where simple and reliable audio connections are required, optical is a sure bet.
Is the Optical Port Still Relevant Today?
The usefulness of the optical audio port is conditional upon the needs of users, and the devices that are connect. HDMI is almost always better in advanced home theater installations that use advanced audio formats. Nonetheless, when it comes to the everyday application, i.e. when a TV is connected to a soundbar or a receiver that does not have the HDMI ARC, the optical port is still very good value.
Manufacturers continue to include optical ports in television and sound systems in the face of the more popular newer formats in the market. This is continuous backup which highlights the fact that it can be trusted to be a backup connection.
Conclusion
Optical audio port can no longer be the star of the show but it still has a significant supporting role in the current audio setups. It has a good potential to be considered as an option due to its capability of providing digital sound without any interference, and at the same time it is very compatible with a wide range of scenarios. Although HDMI has become predominantly dominant as a standard, the optical port still finds some use for users who have older devices and/or a simpler configuration as well as for those in need of a clean and dependable audio connection.
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