Re: Digital Output Cable Question

"normanstrong" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> > >> Ironically, that's not exactly true. Many portable digital
> recorders
> > >> and players use a jack that accepts both standard 1/8" stereo
> > >> headphone type plugs for analog and an digital optical connector
> > >> that looks like a plastic headphone plug with an extended tip.
> > >
> > > Interesting. So it's the same jack on the unit that can have
> > > either a stereo headphone plug or a special digital optic plugged
> > > into it?
> >
> > Right.  I have one on my Nomad Jukebox 3, along with the matching
> cables.
> > Also seen on portable minidisc recorders.
>
> Simple question.  Is there a jack that handles both coax and optical
> digital input?  I've seen ones that handle either optical or analog
> signals, but I haven't seen one that does both types of digital
> inputs.

As they observed in the postings just previous to this one,
many Sony MD portable devices have what appears to be a
conventional 1/8-inch (3.5mm) stereo mini-phone jack for
analog out, but they have a LED at the end that enables the
same "jack" to accept a special "TOSlink" optical fibre
with a jack that looks like 3.5mm mini-phone. Dunno if
anyone besides Sony does this, however.

Of course you can buy adapters that convert optical TOSlink
to electrical SPDIF (and vice-versa).