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Mac Mini with TOSLINK
- Thread starter gerfuls
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Apples & Oranges?
I'm not terribly knowledgeable about the TOSlink technology, but I know that it sends a digital signal. This is obviously different than analog signals that run between older devices that use a Left and Right channel (usually white and red).
My response is simply to explain that the data sent between two devices using TOSlink connections are ignorant of how many channels they contain.
It would seem that the question to ask is "Does the sending device, the MacMini, and the receiving device, your pre-amp or receiver, handle five or seven discrete digital channels that it can convert (via D/A converters) to signals for five or seven speakers?"
I'm not terribly knowledgeable about the TOSlink technology, but I know that it sends a digital signal. This is obviously different than analog signals that run between older devices that use a Left and Right channel (usually white and red).
My response is simply to explain that the data sent between two devices using TOSlink connections are ignorant of how many channels they contain.
It would seem that the question to ask is "Does the sending device, the MacMini, and the receiving device, your pre-amp or receiver, handle five or seven discrete digital channels that it can convert (via D/A converters) to signals for five or seven speakers?"
Toslink can deliver up to 7.1 compressed audio. Right now, that's Dolby Digital Plus. The problem is, there's no content that I'm aware of that comes with DDP. Most DVDs have Dolby Digital (which is 5.1) and a few have DTS (also 5.1). I do not know what your receiver will do with the two missing channels, but that info should be in your owner's manual.
Upscalling deals with video resolution. I have a 7.1 receiver but nver bothered to hook up the last 2 speakers. Did not fit well in the room and not really a big deal because of lack of 7.1 content as Cave Man mentioned.
Toslink cables support 5.1, 7.1 Digital Audio Surround sound Audio Formats: Dolby Digital, DTS, Cable, Satellite, Playstation3, Xbox 360.
I honestly don't know about the TOSLINK, but I do know that I got a USB "Audio Card" (can't really be a card, if it's USB, can it?) that has 7.1 surround sound on it and it works great with a Mac Mini (although the specs on the hardware said it would only work with a PC, but it was on clearance for $5.00, so it was worth a shot and it has worked great for several years now).
My receiver is claiming to be receiving Dolby Digital from my Mac Mini connected via a mini-jack to TOSlink cable, but my center channel is absent during DVD playback. This occurs with both the VLC as well as the OS X DVD player.
I haven't yet troubleshot to see whether my other audio receiver shows the same issue.