This article explains what digital optical connections are and lists the types of equipment that support this standard.
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Digital optical is a type of audio connection found in home theater systems and car stereo systems. Fewer and fewer devices are being made with digital optical output ports, so it's important to understand what types of connections your audio equipment can support.
Digital Optical is a physical connection that uses fiber optics to transmit audio data from a compatible source device to a compatible playback device using a specially designed cable and connector. The audio data is converted from digitally encoded electrical pulses to light at the transmission end using an LED lamp.
After the light travels to its destination via the digital optical cable, the light pulses are converted back into electrical pulses that carry the audio information. The electrical sound pulses then travel through the compatible destination device (such as a home theater or stereo receiver) which processes them, ultimately converting them to analog signals and amplifying them so they can be heard through speakers or headphones.
