[ma]

Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike

[Serge Auckland]

ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix
directly, as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital
signals together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be
facetious) which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate
convert, and then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and
reducing back to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other
controls, not just a digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.

[Laurence Payne]

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:20:54 GMT, "ma" wrote:

Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?


It won't damage anything. But it won't work.

[ma]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Mike


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix directly,
as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital signals
together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be facetious)
which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate convert, and
then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and reducing back
to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other controls, not just a
digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.

[Kalman Rubinson]

Yes, there are digital switches out there. You might search using
switch, digital, audio and/or S/PDIF.

Kal

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 23:53:56 GMT, "ma" wrote:

Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Mike


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix directly,
as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital signals
together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be facetious)
which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate convert, and
then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and reducing back
to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other controls, not just a
digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.

[Eeyore]

ma wrote:

Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Probably any old switch would work.

Graham

[plew@csus_abcdefghij.edu]

Don't think you need a switch as it is already "built-in" in your
receiver via the source selection for the input sound. I've
had both a coax & optical "y-ed" at one time for both a stand-alone
cd recorder & dvd recorder & laser disc player & dvd player for
the configuration of what I wanted to do. My optical "y"
was purchased from Radio Shack; my coax "y" was "jury rigged".

The receiver's input source selection will only allow the selected
source to pass along the audio signals. Still would suggest that
the other sources not be sending any signals to the receiver at
the same time. Your receiver's manual should also explain how
the input source selection work.


On 2006-08-14, ma wrote:
Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Mike


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix directly,
as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital signals
together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be facetious)
which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate convert, and
then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and reducing back
to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other controls, not just a
digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.

[Richard Crowley]

"ma" wrote ...
Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

No. It won't work. Unless you seriously make sure
you have only one of those sources powered on at
any time. (Hint: This is not practical in the Real World)

Would this damage any component if it does work?

Maybe, but unlikely.

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

Any old switch will likely do just fine.
For example These from Radio Shack:
15-1217 or 15-1982, likely several others, etc.
You may need adapters to use RCA cables, etc.

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:00:36 -0400, Kalman Rubinson
wrote:

Yes, there are digital switches out there. You might search using
switch, digital, audio and/or S/PDIF.

Actually, any composite video switch will work as well.

Kal

[ma]

I know what you are talking about.
In my case, all other input sources are taken
(TV, VCR, etc.).
The only open port is the "AUX" port that is SPDIF,
and I want to connect two sources to this port PC
digital audio and cable box digital spdif outputs via a
"Y" connector.

In this case I probably will need a switch. I found some
searching the Internet, but nothing appealing so far.

Thanks for all those kind people that replied to help.

Mike



wrote in message
...
Don't think you need a switch as it is already "built-in" in your
receiver via the source selection for the input sound. I've
had both a coax & optical "y-ed" at one time for both a stand-alone
cd recorder & dvd recorder & laser disc player & dvd player for
the configuration of what I wanted to do. My optical "y"
was purchased from Radio Shack; my coax "y" was "jury rigged".

The receiver's input source selection will only allow the selected
source to pass along the audio signals. Still would suggest that
the other sources not be sending any signals to the receiver at
the same time. Your receiver's manual should also explain how
the input source selection work.


On 2006-08-14, ma wrote:
Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Mike


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix
directly,
as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital signals
together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be facetious)
which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate convert,
and
then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and reducing back
to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other controls, not just a
digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.

[Serge Auckland]

ma wrote:
Thanks for the reply.

Well, it is not a secret that I can not afford $1800.

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

If I need to watch a movie from PC, then I want
to hear audio from SoundBlaster card, and if I
want to watch cable, then the audio need to be from
the cable box, but at no time from both at the same
time.

Is an audio switch available that I can manually switch
from one mode to another? If so what is it called?
(switch, I assume?)

Mike


"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
ma wrote:
Hello friends,

Is it advisable to "Y" connect digital outputs (Coax digital)
of a SoundBlaster Audigy and a cable box (Motorola)
together & get the single outlet and connect it to digital
input of my surround sound system?

Would this damage any component if it does work?

If this is not a good idea, what else is available?
A link to a web page with info would be appreciated.

TIA
Mike


It's not advisable, as it won't work! Digital audio does not mix directly,
as the signals are not additive. In order to mix two digital signals
together you need a digital mixer (sorry, I don't mean to be facetious)
which will synchronise the two signals, possibly sample-rate convert, and
then mathematically mix them, as well as noise-shaping and reducing back
to 16-24 bits. They generally have faders and other controls, not just a
digital Y. They are not cheap, well over £1000, $1800.

S.


A switch is no problem. I use exactly that myself to switch between two
digital sources. S-PDIF is an extremely rugged signal, and with short
domestic cable lengths and using 75 ohm cable, the impedance mismatch
due to the switch does not pose a problem. Mixing is difficult,
switching is easy.

S.

[Laurence Payne]

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 23:53:56 GMT, "ma" wrote:

But, I really do not want to mix them. I want to
hear one or the other, and I do not want to constantly
unplug from one and plug in to the other back & forth.

So why didn't you say so? Parallel the screens and switch the signal
with a simple SPDT switch. If it doesn't work consider something
more complicated. But it probably will work.

[dezza]

This little gadget may be suitable if One of your outputs is optical,
It can be used a number of ways. I use one to split the outgoing
signal, but it will still work for you I think, so long as you have
optical.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/CO2-main.html


Dezza.