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    Alienware 17 audio out question

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by iceman600, Dec 10, 2014.

  1. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Can someone confirm if the A17 supports SPDIF in any of the output jacks?


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  2. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I don't think so.
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  3. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Ive read this review from slashgear and they said one of the input jacks supports SPDIF. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418246882.484167.jpg


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  4. DaveFromGameaVision

    DaveFromGameaVision Notebook Consultant

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    You mean one of the optical connectors right? I haven't tried using it on mine but I'll see if it works when I get home. :thumbsup:
     
    DaveFromGameaVision, Dec 10, 2014
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  5. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Yes pls... I want to get a DAC with a SPDIF but first i want to know if my laptop support it.
    Thanks!


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  6. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    not necessarily. spdif can be optical or coax, you can send a coax signal over 3.5mm jacks and if it was an optical port you would see it glow red from the laser....i don't see it glowing red so it's not TOSLink optical.
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  7. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks man! So spdif can be optical or coax? Didn't knew that... Is that a 3.5mm jack with a rca in the end?


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  8. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    the 3.5mm is what your headphones use and it only has to be mono.

    it should be something like this:

    6ft Black 3.5 mm Mono to RCA Cable | RCA Male | 3.5mm Male

    though it depends on what your receiving device's input is you might need this...

    Optical SPDIF Toslink to Coaxial or Coaxial to Toslink Bi Directional Converter | eBay
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  9. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Here is what im planing to get. It has 3 inputs. Optical, coax and LR rca audio.
    So with that mono to rca i can use the coax input and the 3.5mm output from the alienware.

    Now question: why is the cable mono? Doesn't it suppose to be stereo?


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  10. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418257272.960952.jpg forgot to load the photo


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  11. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    then just the cable i linked is fine, that's all you need.
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  12. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Ok thanks... So why it is the cable is mono and not stereo? Will the output music will be on mono instead of stereo?


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  13. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    it's not like stereo where it's two separate channels. spdif is one signal because it's digitally encoded and all the channels are stored within that signal - from stereo to 5.1 with the highest on spdif being DTS 5.1 IIRC.

    spdif is like near pure digital while the stereo you're thinking of is analogue....spdif over coax isn't analogue even though it's using copper wire.
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  14. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Ok got it... Thank you so much bro. Much respect!


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    iceman600, Dec 10, 2014
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  15. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    you'll be fine :D
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 10, 2014
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  16. DaveFromGameaVision

    DaveFromGameaVision Notebook Consultant

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    Just FYI. I checked last night and couldn't get my TOSLINK cable to work so I guess these do not have optical out.
     
    DaveFromGameaVision, Dec 11, 2014
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  17. iceman600

    iceman600 Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks for the info


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    iceman600, Dec 11, 2014
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  18. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    of course, it's only optical if it's glowing red...it does not.
     
    thegh0sts, Dec 11, 2014
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