Optical (TOSLINK) Connector
A digital connector that uses a fiber optic cable to send an audio signal such as Dolby Digital or DTS.
The TOSLINK connector was developed by Toshiba (hence the name TOShiba-LINK) to carry a digital audio between a CD player and an amplifier. It has been widely adopted by manufacturers, and is most commonly found in DVD players for carrying home theatre audio. While the connector only carries audio information, it is often referred to as an 'optical' connector because the signal is transferred over a fiber optic cable. The presence of an optical connector on a deveice is usually an indication of a very high level of audio quality.
The audio data is transferred using the S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) format, allowing a CD or DVD player to send Dolby Digital or DTS audio.
While all TOSLINK connectors now use the S/PDIF data format, not all S/PDIF enabled devices use TOSLINK. Ina a small minority of cases S/PDIF data is sent via a digital coaxial cable (generally using an RCA connector). The signal is still digital, but it is sent via electrical rather than optical pulses. Note: While S/PDIF data can be sent via an RCA connector, most RCA connectors are used for carrying an analog signal.
Advantages of Optical (TOSLINK)
- Excellent audio quality via a digital signal.
- The most common connector for home theater audio (e.g. 5.1, 7.1, etc.).
Disadvantages of Optical (TOSLINK)
- While commonly found on home theatre amplifiers and DVD players, this connector is rare on TV's.
For more information about other connectors see here.