Mac mini audio output

Echo toxin

Echo toxin

Echo toxin

Associate
Joined
29 Jun 2006
Posts
470
Location
Cheshire
How does this little box know whether you have put an analogue or optical connector into the audio out socket? I have (quite spookily) found a cable in my cupboard which has an optical pointy jack on one end and a square TOSlink jack on the other. This should let me connect my mini to my HiFi perfectly.
 
At a guess it just kicks out both at the same time. The type of cable will determine what gets picked up.
 
So how does that work in practice then? I guess an analogue jack would pick up the electrical impulses from the outer circle of the jack inside and the optical would pick up the light straight from the middle? Very clever.
 
Well it jolly well works with the optical connector. Was a bit dubious when I pushed the connector in but was pleasantly surprised when I got sound with the 'Welcome to Tiger' movie. I guess it's because the optical cable is plastic rather than metal so it won't pick up the electrical signals only the light.
 
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