An optical digital audio connection is used to send digital audio signals between devices. It supports stereo audio, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 multichannel audio for people with surround sound systems. It does not support SACD, DVD-A or high-definition audio such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio..
Hereof, is optical audio better than HDMI?
The major difference is that HDMI cables can pass higher resolution audio which includes formats found on Blu-ray like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. Fiber optic cables won't be able to transmit these high-res sound formats. HDMI can also pass video signals.
Likewise, is optical audio better than aux? Higher quality aux cables can also help as they're better shielded. Optical isn't foolproof either. Though not prone to interference in the way that aux is, digital can 'lose' data, especially over longer cable runs. As we've already touched on, optical can carry various types of information from a to b.
Hereof, can you use HDMI and optical audio at the same time?
From box both HDMI and optical can take in same time.
What is an optical cable used for?
A digital optical cable is used to transfer data, usually audio or video, from one source to another. Digital optical cables are typically more expensive than other types of cables, such as coaxial or composite, but are much more effective at reproducing a signal through the transfer.
Related Question Answers
Does Optical Cable affect sound quality?
So if you're getting a Dolby Digital signal, and it's not cutting out, your optical cable is fine. If you're transmitting PCM, the audiophile answer is that different optical cables can cause different amounts of jitter. The reality is, the digital-to-analog converter in your gear has vastly more effect on the sound.Does Optical Cable carry video?
Although digital optical connections may be included in DVD/Blu-ray/Ultra HD disc players or media streamers, they are not designed to transfer video signals. When connecting a DVD/Blu-ray/Ultra HD player or media streamer to a home theater receiver the digital optical connection, is for audio-only.Do you need optical cable with HDMI?
Both the tv and home theatre (blu-ray player) has optical audio out. (ARC) is supported on both the TV and the Home Theatre system, you only need the HDMI cable. Without that feature on both devices you'll need the optical cable.Can you control volume through optical cable?
You can simplify things by using one remote to control your Samsung TV and soundbar. As long as your soundbar is connected to your TV with either an optical cable or HDMI via ARC, you can control the volume and mute the soundbar using your Samsung TV's remote.What is optical audio bitstream out?
With optical you need to set it to bitstream out for true 5.1 audio. Stereo uncompressed is sending a stereo signal to your sound system, which your surround system then mixes across all your speakers.Can HDMI carry 5.1 surround sound?
Q. Does HDMI support Dolby 5.1 audio and high-resolution audio formats? Yes. From the start, HDMI was defined to carry 8-channels, of 192kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio, which exceeds all current consumer media formats. In addition, HDMI can carry any flavor of compressed audio format such as Dolby or DTS.What does a digital audio cable look like?
The most common type of digital audio connection is coaxial digital. A digital coaxial connector looks like an RCA connector, but it transmits digital data instead of analog signals. Visibly, a digital coaxial cable looks like a coaxial cable with RCA connectors on each end (see Figure 1).How does optical output work?
Be it analog or digital, the signal is sent as an electrical impulse over conductive wire. Unlike other cabling standards, the optical audio system uses fiber optic cables and laser light to transmit digital audio signals between devices.Are all optical cables the same?
All optical cables are the same. Don't pay a premium for any fancy glass cables. A cheap, but properly made plastic cable has better durability. Optical cables don't need to be shielded so don't buy into any claims about shielding.Does Sharp TV have optical output?
The Sharp LCD TV has an optical audio output that is supposed to work with audio devices like amplifiers or similar. The audio signal is provided to the Sharp TV via HDMI input from either a Blu-Ray player or a satellite receiver.What is the ARC HDMI input for?
HDMI ARC stands for "High Definition Multimedia Interface Audio Return Channel". ARC allows for the "upstream" and "downstream" of signals over a single HDMI connection between your TV and any ARC-equipped A/V deices. This allows for the use of a single remote for all of your connected devices most common functions.Does HDMI cable affect sound quality?
HDMI cables can transfer video and audio in high definition quality from one device to another. There are a variety of reasons you may not be hearing source audio on another device when using an HDMI cable; the settings may not be correct on one of the devices, the hardware may be faulty or the cable itself may be bad.How does a optical splitter work?
A fiber optic splitter is a passive optical device that can split an incident light beam into two or more light beams (or) it combines two or more light beams into a single light beam.Can you connect optical to HDMI?
1 Connect the digital audio cable to the Digital Audio Out (Optical) port on your TV. 1 Connect the HDMI cable to the TV labeled as HDMI IN (ARC) connection. 3 Set the source on the TV to the HDMI input you want to view. The audio and video signal are sent from the external device to the TV via HDMI.Can I connect two soundbars?
There are two approaches to connecting your soundbar to your TV: Use your soundbar as a hub and pass a number of devices through it, meaning you'll only need to run one cable to your TV. Set your soundbar up as a speaker and connect all of your other devices to the TV, then connect the TV to the soundbar.How do I get sound from my TV to receiver?
Connect a Coaxial Digital Cable, Optical Digital Cable, or Audio cable to the Audio Output jack on your TV. Connect the other end of the cable to the corresponding jacks on the A/V receiver or home theater system. Depending on your device, the audio input may be labeled TV INPUT or VIDEO INPUT.Do all TVs have optical output?
Although we didn't explicitly test it, most TVs are capable of outputting true Dolby Digital via their optical output when using the TV's internal over-the-air tuner.Do all TVs have optical audio?
This is because HDMI supports all types of audio signals and you can send all the video and audio signals via one cable. Most modern TVs have an optical audio output for this purpose. You connect the optical audio output on the rear of your TV to an optical input on your AV receiver or amplifier.Do you need an optical cable for a soundbar?
If your TV and sound bar both have an HDMI jack marked ARC (for audio return channel), a single HDMI cable (version 1.4 or higher) is all you'll need. If your TV doesn't have an HDMI/ARC input, you'll need both optical and HDMI connections between the TV and the sound bar. You may have to activate ARC on your TV. 
