laptop to SuperNait problem.

Posted by: Bluetorric on 31 July 2008

Hello,
I wonder if anyone can help, I have ben playing FLAC lossless music from my laptop to Supernait using the 3.5 jack SPDIF out of laptop to 3.5 jack front panel analogue/digital input of the SN with quite good results.
However I thought I would run a digital 3.5 jack from the laptop to RCA coaxial input on the back panel of the SN, and low and behold I can't get a peep out of it, where am I going wrong, help please...........
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by garyi
SPDIF on the line out jack will be optical and not coaxial.

What the OP has singularly failed to answer is what lead he is using!
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by imperialline
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
What the OP has singularly failed to answer is what lead he is using!

I am under the impression (I could be wrong) that Bluetorric is using some kind of digital coax cable to plug into the RCA coaxial input at the back of the SN.
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by garyi
Spdif optical leads need a convertor to turn into a coax.
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by imperialline
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
Spdif optical leads need a convertor to turn into a coax.

Is that what you do Bluetorric?
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by Bluetorric
Hello again,

Let me see if I can clear this up,

I have 2 cables.

1, a 3.5 to 3.5 minijack digital coaxial cable, from laptop to SN front panel 3.5 minijack input ( which you can also plug an ipod into) and this plays FLAC lossless files from the laptop very well,


2, A second cable, again digital coaxial 3.5 minijack to an RCA phono which I wish to plug into one of the digital coaxial inputs on the rear of the SN, this is the one that I cannot get a peep out of. I suspect I have not programmed the SN properly..

Hope this clears confusion a little......
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by garyi
Right, its all in the terminology, you have a SPDIF optical cable, mini to mini. That works

OK plug in the optical mini to optical cable into the snait. And set some music playing. Press and hold prog on the remote until it goes into programme mode. Fiddle with the buttons until you hear music. Job done.
Posted on: 01 August 2008 by james n
I suspect you have two audio cables - which is why the 1st one works and the 2nd doesnt. Get yourself a mini toslink to Toslink cable


and plug this into D2 or D4 of your SN - this should work. You have a digital output but its optical and comes out of the a special connector on your computer which contains both a 3.5mm audio output and it will also accept a mini toslink cable - this is the same shape as the 3.5mm plug but instead of carrying electrical signals it carries light. See my previous post with both pictures in it.

James
Posted on: 02 August 2008 by Bluetorric
Thanks guys, I will try both options and see which one suits best....
Posted on: 18 August 2008 by Bluetorric
Latest on this saga,

I purchased a USB soundcard from Maplins for £17 that has an Toslink out together with an optical cable straight into the SN, and the result is absolutely amazing, hard to tell the difference from the CD5 and a hell of a lot cheaper and less hassle than an Airport express or Squeezebox, thanks for all your help guys........
Posted on: 20 August 2008 by winkyincanada
Less hassle than an AE? Not sure about that. Admittedly the AE does limit you to iTunes, although there are third-party apps that allow a work-around.
Posted on: 20 August 2008 by garyi
We never actually got any reasonable info from this guy about what cable she was using etc.

Bit amusing really.
Posted on: 20 August 2008 by winkyincanada
quote:
Originally posted by Bluetorric:
Hello again,

Let me see if I can clear this up,

I have 2 cables.

1, a 3.5 to 3.5 minijack digital coaxial cable, from laptop to SN front panel 3.5 minijack input ( which you can also plug an ipod into) and this plays FLAC lossless files from the laptop very well,

********

Here you may be transferring an analogue signal from the laptop. The front input of the SN, will take analogue (or digital) (like you say you can plug an iPod into it); the SN recognises this and bypasses the DAC. Just because you are playing digital files (FLAC) doesn't mean your laptop isn't converting to analogue before output. I suspect that is exactly what it is doing.

******


2, A second cable, again digital coaxial 3.5 minijack to an RCA phono which I wish to plug into one of the digital coaxial inputs on the rear of the SN, this is the one that I cannot get a peep out of. I suspect I have not programmed the SN properly..

******

Here, you may be taking the same analogue signal (as above) and trying to put it into the digital input on the back of the SN (which won't take analogue). That's why it doesn't work. I don't know much about your laptop, but if the S/PDIF is an ouput option, your software or OS settings may have it turned off, or you may have to plug into a different outlet (A PC I had did S/PDIF only via a co-ax output that was a bit like an RCA)

Or, it might be like Gary says and your digital output is optical only.

******

Hope this clears confusion a little......
Posted on: 21 August 2008 by Bluetorric
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
We never actually got any reasonable info from this guy about what cable she was using etc.

Bit amusing really.


I should try reading the post