Klarinet Archive - Posting 000387.txt from 2001/11

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Random bits (long reply)
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 15:27:54 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janet McNaught [mailto:mcnaught@-----.com]
>
> A note of clarification:
> on my sony mini disc recorder; the "line in" and "optical line
> in" are on the
> same jack, with a connector that distinguished the type of input.
> So I have two
> input jacks; one for a digital mic, and one for optical/analog
> line in; these
> two jacks cover three input types. .

They are on the same jack, but they are two completely different inputs.
Sony (to make more money) has this habit of taking standard connections and
changing them to their own proprietary connectors. This means that if you
want to use the feature, you have to buy their cable. For years they have
done this with wall-wart power supplies. Now Radio Shack has the right plug
at a fraction of the price (Sony charged me $35 for what radio shack now
charges about $8 for...). You cannot use the optical *and* analog inputs at
the same time. Their little jack is an optical socket with a couple of
metal contacts for the analog plug.

The optical cable has a toslink connector at one end and their weird 3.5 mm
optical jack at the other end. Last time I checked, it was about $25 for
this cable (whereas "normal" toslink cables can be purchased for $4).

Also microphones, by their nature, are analog. I don't know of any cheap
microphones that have an optical output on them. (there are a couple pro
mics that cost thousands of dollars that have digital converters on board).

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Fifth Circle Audio
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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