What is S/PDIF connect and Digital Audio Out

There are two SPDIF standards by connector type, copper and optical. These two standards are the same in terms of encoding type. The difference is that Digital Audio Out SPDIF uses copper cable to transmit, while Optical SPDIF uses optical fibre to transmit audio.

These outputs were developed jointly by Sony and Philips for use in TVs and other audio devices. They are used to transmit audio, for example, from a television to an external active speaker. Initially, SPDIF supported audio transmission in stereo format, without compression. After further refinement, SPDIF supports the output of sound in 5.1, 7.1, and compressed formats.

Digital Audio Out

digital audio out – This output takes the form of the usual RCA connector. The devices are interconnected by a coaxial cable, the sound is transmitted digitally using special protocols. The approximate maximum cable length between devices is about 10 meters. But it also depends on the quality of the materials used and the manufacture of the cable.

Optical S/PDIF (spdif full form Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format)

optical S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format) – in this case, the sound is transmitted using a laser over an optical cable between the devices. The power of the transmitted optical signal is such that the maximum possible distance between devices is also about 10 meters.

It can be said that these two outputs are the same in terms of the quality of the transmitted signal, since the audio signal is immediately transmitted digitally, bypassing its processing into an analog signal. The analog signal is more susceptible to any distortion and more attenuated at high frequencies. Similar connections, quite a lot the same HDMI supports sound transmission. And the latest versions of HDMI support Dolby formats.