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digital optical audio best buy?

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Old 09-01-2009, 11:04 PM   #1
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Question digital optical audio best buy?

Hi

Fairly new to this whole HTPC/Digital world, so just getting kitted up.

Looking for a short (<1m, in fact could be 30cm) digital optical audio cable to connect my htpc digital out into my Pioneer surround sound system.

However, I'm more than shocked by the prices! I thought that as it's digital it's not necessary to pay for £50+ cables, but I'm surprised I'm unable to find them even on the likes of ebuyer for much less than 20. Perhaps somewhat foolishly, I expected these to be available for the same sort of price points as hdmi, ie around a fiver?

A nudge in the right direction for a good price would be very much appreciated!

Thanks

Last edited by stripee; 09-01-2009 at 11:10 PM.
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Old 09-01-2009, 11:29 PM   #2
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Go to fleabay and buy from anyone with decent feedback.
A fiver is about right, imo.

Now that Digital is becoming more popular, the retailers are taking advantage, imo.

Don't fall for it
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Old 09-01-2009, 11:33 PM   #3
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger0-0 View Post
Go to fleabay and buy from anyone with decent feedback.
A fiver is about right, imo.

Now that Digital is becoming more popular, the retailers are taking advantage, imo.

Don't fall for it
Hi Badger,

i have just found (after actually taking the time to look for my own fat arse) on tvcables.co.uk a 0.5m for £6.35 incl P&P

Which is a bit more like it, but am now getting confused by some posts saying not to scrimp on quality and spend nearer the 10-15 I didn't want to!? Humph!

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Old 09-01-2009, 11:39 PM   #4
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

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Originally Posted by stripee View Post
Hi Badger,

i have just found (after actually taking the time to look for my own fat arse) on tvcables.co.uk a 0.5m for £6.35 incl P&P

Which is a bit more like it, but am now getting confused by some posts saying not to scrimp on quality and spend nearer the 10-15 I didn't want to!? Humph!

Let them waste their money.
Digital is digital.

Load of pony mate, trust me.

There seems to a big air of "it doesn't cost much, it has to be crap" these days
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Old 09-01-2009, 11:42 PM   #5
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger0-0 View Post
Let them waste their money.
Digital is digital.

Load of pony mate, trust me.

There seems to a big air of "it doesn't cost much, it has to be crap" these days
that's what I like to hear!

I can take back my crappy Car socket extender which I purchaysed at great expense (£6.99) from the market before Christmas to find the bloody thing didn't work, and get myself something much more worthwhile and satisfying....

Now of course I just need Pixmania to actually deliver the telly for me to watch as well as listen to my blu rays, which is looking increasingly unlikely based on their stock levels and the rest of the posts on this forum

Thanks very much for making me feel better - I'm off to buy from tvcables, sadly without discount code as there doesn't appear to be one for avforums double

Stripee
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Old 09-01-2009, 11:53 PM   #6
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Oh shoot, you ordered from Pixmania?
I had a nightmare with them. They said they had an amp in stock and then explained they were moving warehouses etc (lies). It took weeks to sort it
I cancelled after about 3 weeks and they still sent it.
I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole

Quote:
I'm off to buy from tvcables, sadly without discount code as there doesn't appear to be one for avforums double
It could be worse, at least you aren't being suckered with an expensive digital cable
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Old 10-01-2009, 12:00 AM   #7
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Talking Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger0-0 View Post
Oh shoot, you ordered from Pixmania?
I had a nightmare with them. They said they had an amp in stock and then explained they were moving warehouses etc (lies). It took weeks to sort it
I cancelled after about 3 weeks and they still sent it.
I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole



It could be worse, at least you aren't being suckered with an expensive digital cable
as in shot myself in the foot you mean?

yes, i realised what I'd done as soon as I'd done it and read the forum reviews. It was in desperation last Sunday having just discovered that JL had run out of the same model, and overnight (from midnight sat to 12.30pm sunday) so had comet at the everso alluring £699 price tag for a 50" samsung plasma!

thank you very much for your moral support anyway Badger

I'm still toying with whether to cancel completely, and go for a Panasonic 46pz80b for £799, or even push the boat out further to the 50" for another 200. Problem is I'm not overly keen on the silver trim on the bottom bezel plus, would rather save the pennies for an expensive optical cable of course

on the plus side, i've bought it on cc, and they've yet to charge the card...
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Old 10-01-2009, 12:10 AM   #8
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Quote:
Originally Posted by stripee View Post
as in shot myself in the foot you mean?

yes, i realised what I'd done as soon as I'd done it and read the forum reviews. It was in desperation last Sunday having just discovered that JL had run out of the same model, and overnight (from midnight sat to 12.30pm sunday) so had comet at the everso alluring £699 price tag for a 50" samsung plasma!

thank you very much for your moral support anyway Badger

I'm still toying with whether to cancel completely, and go for a Panasonic 46pz80b for £799, or even push the boat out further to the 50" for another 200. Problem is I'm not overly keen on the silver trim on the bottom bezel plus, would rather save the pennies for an expensive optical cable of course

on the plus side, i've bought it on cc, and they've yet to charge the card...
Most people have a decent experience with Pixmania, to be fair.
It's just that I didn't and feel obliged to say so

So I won't comment on your situation mate.
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Old 10-01-2009, 12:15 AM   #9
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Re: digital optical audio best buy?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger0-0 View Post
Most people have a decent experience with Pixmania, to be fair.
It's just that I didn't and feel obliged to say so

So I won't comment on your situation mate.
comment away! no hard feelings whatsoever.

The more I've looked into pixmania, the more i've been shocked. The reviews one website were nearly all negative with most resenting the one star they had to give just to leave a review!

Their "unique" validation step hacked me off enough to almost waiver, when they emailed me asking for a copy of my passort or utility bill, which I felt was going a bit far.

Sadly on further reading, it looks as though the 46" panny is no longer available from JL, so it's eiter sit, wait, bite nails and probably be disappointed by poor service, or throw another £300 at the telly and get JL to pricematch the RS sale price... feeling a bit down now

Stripee

Thanks for the help and the entertaining posts though
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