Digital input - Optical vs Coax - any difference?

[interbear]

I'm currently searching for an all in one home cinema and want to make sure I get one with enough inputs to be "future-proof" given that I'll be spending what is, to me, a fair amount of cash (likely to go down a Denon or Harman Kardon route for audio quality).

Clearly in terms of outputs, HDMI is necessary to connect to my plasma. Both Denon (S301) and HK (HS200) have that.

In audio terms though I need some guidance.

Day 1 I'll be connecting a Sky HD box to it. Sky HD has an optical output - hence my home cinema needs to have at least one optical input. Both the Denon and HK do.

In future I'll no doubt want to connect a HD or Blu-Ray DVD player to it. Ideally via another optical but neither the Denon nor HK have two optical inputs. They do however have digital coax audio inputs.

My question is this - is there any difference at all in audio quality via coax vs optical? Do either of them not handle dolby digital, DTS etc. Should I start again and try to find a system with two optical inputs?

Any input much appreciated.

[Para]

Hi,

They both sound the same, the common suggestion is that coax sounds better over shorter distances and optical over longer. But I never hear a differance!

As for using HD formats later on, I would try and go for a system that has a 6 channel phono input, this is so you can take advantage of the new sound formats..

Not to sure how common these are on the all in 1 soloutions though..

Good luck
Para

[bu5ter]

Both are equal as far as support for sound formats go i prefer coax as its less fiddly than optical but most kit nowadays tends to sway towards optical (games consoles etc)

Most DVD and HD players have both but also support lossless sound formats using their onboard decoders so you can use 6 standard rca cables to your receiver and get the highest quality sound if any of these support than.

Its normally quoted as 6 channel or 5.1 channel direct analogue connection.

[Andy98765]

Reference your statement "In future I'll no doubt want to connect a HD or Blu-Ray DVD player to it" and there in lies the problem. I am not aware of ANY all-in-systems that can handle the new HD Dolby format and only a few Separates are current coming out that will handle the format. The way round currently is to have a HD/BLU_RAY player with the encoder built in and the output is fed to AV amps via 5.1 direct cabling. All I can suggest is that you turn your attentions towards a separates system, and then at least as new products come out you will not be left with a all-in-one system that has to be completely junked as per norm.
With Separates systems you will end up with.
A. Plenty of Optical and Co-ax inputs.
B. Direct 5.1 - 7.1 input.
C. Flexibility of changing individual components.
D. A Better quality speaker system for your money, Sony, Denon, Panasonic etc are not world renown speaker makers.

Even my old Cambridge audio AV amp (Years old in design) can handle via direct in new technology.

And before anyone says I do not want loads of boxes on the shelf, think about it, all a separates system has extra is a DVD player, one fibre lead and the requirement for one power outlet extra.

P.S. do not get hung up on Optical/Co-Ax, they do exactly the same job, with no difference in real terms with quality.

[interbear]

Many thanks all for your input, much appreciated.

Sounds like I don't need to worry about the optical/coax difference as there is no difference, which is what I wanted to hear.

As for the separates option, yes I know that may well be a better future-proof option rather than buying and discarding an all-in-one. I'll investigate further. That's given me more to think about.

Thanks again.