Optical USB can also refer to the use of optical technology in USB cables and connecters, such as fiber optic USB extension cables and hubs. USB cables are used to connect devices — such as printers, keyboards and music players — to computers.
Both will work fine, but optical has some major benefits over USB that just pushes it into first place. Not being affected by electrical and radio interference is a major advantage to me in the audio world. Personally I always use optical audio when possible.
What does an optical adapter do?
An optical digital audio connection sends stereo or 5.1 S/PDIF digital audio between devices. An everyday use for this type of connection is the digital audio output on the back of your TV. By connecting this output to an amplifier, you can quickly improve the sound of your television.
How do I connect optical audio to my computer?
Most computers don’t offer an optical/SPDIF output, but if yours does, all you have to do is plug an optical cable into it, then plug the connector on the other end to the sound bar’s optical input (circled in red in the illustration below).
Can you use USB for optical? – Related Questions
What do I do if my computer doesn’t have an optical port?
You can either get an in or an out port. Alternatively if you have an HDMI connection to your monitor then you can buy an HDMI audio extractor which will take the digital audio which is being sent by your computer via HDMI (because most computers can do audio over HDMI even if the monitor doesn’t have speakers itself).
How can I use USB port as audio input?
In the Sound, Speech and Audio Devices window, under or pick a Control Panel icon , double-click the Sounds and Audio Devices icon. In the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window, click the Audio tab. On the Audio tab, under Sound playback , click the down arrow and then click to select USB Audio Device .
Can you listen to audio through USB?
Can USB port on TV be used as audio output?
Unfortunately, you can’t connect your soundbar to a TV using a USB port because USB fails to support the transmission of audio and video signals between devices. However, you can use an HDMI, digital optical, Aux, or RCA cable (along with an adapter, if needed) to form a connection.
Do all USB ports support audio?
A USB port itself cannot be used as an audio port. You can connect a USB audio device like a headset for obvious reasons. Likewise a USB external audio card works by transfering digital audio data and converting it into an analog signal.
How do I set up optical audio?
How do you get audio from optical cable?
How to Plug in an Optical Cable
Check if the Optical Output Connector Has a Protective Cap.
Find the Optical Input Connection on Your Home Theater Amplifier or Soundbar.
Connect the Optical Audio Cable to Your TV or Cable Box.
Connect the Optical Audio Cable to Your Amplifier or Soundbar.
Turn on Your TV or Cable Box.
Why is optical audio not working?
The optical cable isn’t securely connected. The optical cable may be faulty. Your TV isn’t updated with the latest software version. The connected third-party sound bar, or home theater system may not be compatible with your TV.
Do computers have optical ports?
Ever wonder what that trapezoidal “optical” audio port is? You’ll find these on the back of computers, HDTVs, media receivers, and more, but hardly anyone uses them. That little oft-neglected port can be a real life saver, though.
Is optical better than aux?
As we have said that AUX is susceptible to line loss and interference, you may not get clear sound performance. On the contrary, an optical connection can provide better channel separation and superior spatial quality.
Is digital audio output the same as optical?
The differences between the two connections are as follows: A Digital Optical connection uses a fiber optic cable. The digital audio bit stream is transmitted using pulses of light through this optical cable. A Digital Coaxial connection uses a cable that has RCA-type connectors.
Is optical audio better than HDMI?
In terms of audio quality – HDMI wins
If you’re looking for the best audio quality, HDMI is your choice. While an optical cable can still pass surround sound and super high-quality audio, thanks to the added bandwidth in the latest HDMI versions (2.0) you’ll be able to pass higher resolution and audio.
Is it better to use RCA or optical?
The Most Talked About Cables Around
Meanwhile, RCA cables are associated with analog signals. This is why optical cables offer superior sound quality and HDMI offers superior video and sound quality to RCA.
What is better arc or optical?
HDMI ARC is a better option. It supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, and up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed audio while Digital Optical only supports Dolby Digital and up to 5.1 channels of uncompressed audio.
Can I use both HDMI and optical?
You will be able to insert both – optical and HDMI cord and have the audio and video signals coming through both of them.
Is optical the best for sound?
Although optical is a fine connection for older systems where it’s the only connection option, HDMI offers a much greater array of audio technology support, leading to better quality audio for watching modern and remastered content.
