DAC connection to TV

Posted by: keilic on 05 August 2011

Has anyone tried to connect their TV to the nDAC?  Using a digital optical cable. I have a Samsung TV (PS64D8000).  I'm using a Flashback 5m long optical cable from my TV optical out.  There is red light on the other end of the cable.  But no sound is coming thru.  I've tried all 4 optical inputs.  The nDAC is connected correctly to amp since other sources work.  What am I doing wrong?  Or is there problem with the cable or TV?  Would be grateful for any help.
Posted on: 05 August 2011 by garyi
In the tv settings you may need to specify its an external sound output and if the tv is surround sound capable turn it to stereo or pcm audio only
Posted on: 06 August 2011 by vandergraafuk
+1 for the above. The NDAC does not understand 5.1 I have my NDAC connected exactly as you and it works a treat.
Posted on: 06 August 2011 by keilic
Gary and Vander
I checked again and output from TV is indeed PCM.  I chose External Speakers too. So am really lost why it won't work.  I will try the cable straight from PS3 later to see if that would work.  Of course prefer sound to come from TV as this is the hub.
Posted on: 07 August 2011 by Richard Dane

Try with a shorter cable.  Toslink optical doesn't like long runs and 5m can be marginal, especially if the dig out at source is poor.  Plastic fibre cables have pretty high losses compared to glass, so you may find that glass optical cables work better over longer runs.  A few sources online for good quality glass optical cables at reasonable prices.

Posted on: 07 August 2011 by Mike-B

Not so sure about a shorter cable Richard

I have a 6m FlashBack optic from TV into SN & I get perfect sound. 

 

I vote for +1 on the TV output settings suggestion,  if its 5.1 Dolby or something that is not a standard PCM sample rate  I would suspect the nDAC will just blank it. 

Posted on: 07 August 2011 by Richard Dane

Yes, the nDAC won't accept a multichannel bitstream.  You'll either get garbage or nothing.  However, so long as the output from source is 2 channel PCM then you should get something.  The Flashback cable may be fine but so much will depend on the cable and the Toslink connector/transmitter. 

Posted on: 07 August 2011 by keilic
Thanks all.  I hooked the cable to ps3 and it also failed.  Wrote Flashback an email.  They got back to me quickly with obvious suggestion which I dreaded.  Find another cable to see if it would work.  Dreaded this because I had to find one and then move all my boxes closer since my old optical in some old box is short.  In 15 min I managed to dig out the old cable and another 15 min to hook up the boxes.  Annoying really to move boxes around with risk of scratches and bumps.  Hooked up with ps3 with old monster optical and voila worked!  Sound was distinctly nicer than straight to 282 with RCA from ps3.  So am returning the cable.
Posted on: 12 August 2011 by BigH47

I have a standard cheapie 10m optical cable from TV to my non NAIM DAC seems to work fine, not had a chance to try the co-ax input though.