How do I add optical audio to my computer? (2023)

FAQs

How do I connect optical audio to my computer? ›

Most computers don't offer an optical/SPDIF output, but if yours does, all you have to do is plug an optical cable into it, then plug the connector on the other end to the sound bar's optical input (circled in red in the illustration below).

You can either get an in or an out port. Alternatively if you have an HDMI connection to your monitor then you can buy an HDMI audio extractor which will take the digital audio which is being sent by your computer via HDMI (because most computers can do audio over HDMI even if the monitor doesn't have speakers itself).

The optical cable isn't securely connected. The optical cable may be faulty. Your TV isn't updated with the latest software version. The connected third-party sound bar, or home theater system may not be compatible with your TV.

Step 1. Insert the digital optical audio cable into the DIGITAL AUDIO OUT port of the TV. Step 2. Insert the other end of the digital optical cable into the DIGITAL AUDIO IN port of your external speaker.

You'll get the best sound quality via an HDMI cable. Most soundbars and TVs have an HDMI port. Keep in mind you need to use an HDMI ARC or eARC cable and port. If you don't have this, you'll need an optical cable in addition to an HDMI cable.

The optical audio cable uses flexible fibers with a glass core which transmits audio signal via laser light signals. Optical audio cables can be run longer distances with minimal signal loss and is immune to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference.

Optical drives tend to occupy much space, thus making computers bulky, which isn't attractive anymore. Moreover, discs don't have the same storage capacity as USB flash drives or external hard drives. There are also security issues with the Blu-Ray format that discourages some users from purchasing it.

What is better than optical audio? ›

The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't get transmitted across optical. In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals.

Use it if you don't have the correct digital audio connections on your device. Bi-directional so you can convert both ways. Supports uncompressed stereo PCM audio and 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS. Works up to 30 meters.

And, in our experience, compared to optical, a coaxial connection does tend to sound better. That's because it has greater bandwidth available, meaning it can support higher quality audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. Optical is usually restricted to 96kHz.

Optical Audio Input

Optical audio output/input works by converting the digital signal into light, which is then transferred via a cable made from optical fiber. The optical digital audio connection transfers S/PDIF digital audio between the output and the optical audio input on your Kanto TUK, YU4, and YU6 speakers.

The differences between the two connections are as follows: A Digital Optical connection uses a fiber optic cable. The digital audio bit stream is transmitted using pulses of light through this optical cable. A Digital Coaxial connection uses a cable that has RCA-type connectors.

Digital optical is a physical connection that uses fiber optics to transfer audio data from a compatible source device to a compatible playback device using a specially designed cable and connector.

Check device and driver status in Device Manager

An outdated audio driver can cause sound errors and issues. Use Device Manager to check if the audio device is disabled, and then install an available driver update. In Windows, search for and open Device Manager. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers.

Open the Settings app. Navigate to the System setting and click on Sound in the left sidebar. Next, click on Manage sound devices under the Troubleshoot button in the Input devices settings. Scroll down, locate your device under the Disabled section, and enable your microphone by clicking Enable.

As mentioned, the “no audio output device is installed in Windows 10” error happens due to a corrupted or outdated driver. Therefore, the best way to fix this error is to update your sound drivers. You can update drivers manually, but it can be somewhat a daunting task.

What is this? In most cases, this happens when individuals neglect to take off the plastic cover from the tip of the digital optical cable. This protective cover helps keep the ends secure when it's not in use. You must take off this cover before installing the cable to the back of the TV and the soundbar.

Is optical sound better than USB? ›

Both will work fine, but optical has some major benefits over USB that just pushes it into first place. Not being affected by electrical and radio interference is a major advantage to me in the audio world. Personally I always use optical audio when possible.

Fiber optical cables support surround sound with up to 5.1 channels. While HDMI supports Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD formats, and DTS HD. Almost all the television programming gets broadcast in surround sound but there are many Blu-ray discs offering enhanced sound quality.

Optical input definitely offers more advantages and can provide superior audio quality. However, you may not be able to differentiate if you don't have high listening skills and extremely vivid audio files. But optical input is the modern form of input and we recommend optical over AUX input.

The TOSLINK port is distinct among all other ports and looks strikingly like a tiny little doggie door into the bowels of your device. Even more distinctive than shape is the fact that when the device is powered on, you can see a faint glow of red laser light around the port door.

Use an external DVD drive

External drives are affordable and plug-and-play ready. Simply connect one to your computer through an available USB slot, wait for the installer to finish, and you're ready to go.

Reinstall or Update Driver in Device Manager

Expand DVD/CD-ROM drives, right-click the optical drive listed, then click Uninstall. Exit Device Manager then restart your computer. Windows 10 will detect the drive then reinstall it. You can also use the option to Update Driver Software from within Device Manager.

While most older computers have a built-in optical drive, few new computers include one — a sign that most people don't need these drives anymore. Most new software and data is downloaded from the internet rather than installed from a disc, and most common place to find optical drives now is on game consoles.

An HDMI to Optical converter is a device that allows you to connect your HDMI-enabled device to an older analog display. The converter will convert the digital video and audio signals from the HDMI cable into an analog signal that can be sent through an older analog-based source.

Both HDMI and optical cables transmit a multi-channel digital audio signal, but where optical cables are limited to just that digital audio, HDMI was designed as both a video and audio transmission cable. That's why it's found such common use on game consoles, Blu-ray players, and TVs.

Do you really need an optical drive? ›

Optical drives, that can read and write CDs, DVDs, and sometimes Blu-ray discs, have been an important part of the PC universe for a long time. But there's less and less need for them. I haven't received software on discs in years—and in my job, I have to look a lot of software. I download it all from the Internet.

Step 2: Choose an SSD or HDD to Replace the Optical Drive

This might be a HDD or a faster SSD. Obviously, the capacity of the drive will depend upon your requirements. However, we would recommend installing as large a drive as possible. A high-capacity drive has superior backup possibilities.

HDMI Cables:

The sound quality is better than other two cable types. These cables transmit multi-channel audio formats such as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. The HDMI audio connection cables can also support current and new video formats such as Ultra HD 4K resolution, as well as HDR formats.

Optical cable connections are still found on many modern devices, though HDMI is far more common. Older devices with HDMI support don't have the same set of audio features as more modern ones. HDMI 1.3 introduced Dolby TrueHD DTS-HD Master audio support, while HDMI 1.3 added the audio return channel (ARC).

After finally getting audio to work both via aux cable and via optical, I was shocked to find that the aux has better quality and is much louder than optical, which is obviously the opposite of what it should be. That's why I bought the optical cable in the first place.

Optical Toslink - 15 meters (49 feet, average)

Low-quality and older cables may only support optical signals up to 5 or 10 meters. Modern Toslink typically runs 15 meters, although some brand-new electronics (mainly computers and satellite receivers) can use up to 30 meters.

Audio Formats Supported by Optical

Digital Optical cables and connections support the following digital audio formats: PCM 2.0. Dolby Digital 2.0 to 5.1. Dolby Digital EX 6.1.

If you're transmitting PCM, the audiophile answer is that different optical cables can cause different amounts of jitter. The reality is, the digital-to-analog converter in your gear has vastly more effect on the sound.

An HDMI to Optical converter is a device that allows you to connect your HDMI-enabled device to an older analog display. The converter will convert the digital video and audio signals from the HDMI cable into an analog signal that can be sent through an older analog-based source.

Ever wonder what that trapezoidal “optical” audio port is? You'll find these on the back of computers, HDTVs, media receivers, and more, but hardly anyone uses them. That little oft-neglected port can be a real life saver, though.

Does PC have optical audio? ›

The PC may have two Digital Audio Out connections (SPDIF) that are coaxial and optical. You can connect either the coaxial or the optical digital audio cable, depending on your system.

The biggest difference is that HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't get transmitted across optical. In terms of simplicity, HDMI also passes video signals.

Optical input definitely offers more advantages and can provide superior audio quality. However, you may not be able to differentiate if you don't have high listening skills and extremely vivid audio files. But optical input is the modern form of input and we recommend optical over AUX input.

The optical audio cable uses flexible fibers with a glass core which transmits audio signal via laser light signals. Optical audio cables can be run longer distances with minimal signal loss and is immune to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference.

Although many desktop computers ship with a CD or DVD drive, that isn't always the case. You can install one as long as the computer has an open slot for an external drive.

An optical disk drive uses a laser beam to read the data from the disk as it is spinning. It distinguishes between the pits and lands based on how the light reflects off the recording material. The drive uses the differences in reflectivity to determine the 0 and 1 bits that represent the data.

-In Control Panel, select Large icons from the View by drop down menu. -Select Sound. -Right click the Speakers/ Headset and click Enable. -Right-click it again and select Set as Default Device.