Brian Anderson3
Level 2 (180 points)

Q: TOSLINK connector?

it seems the iMac needs a seperate adapter to connect TOSLINK optical to the surround system. There is no obvious TOSLINK port on the iMac. In order to listen to surround projects what is needed to connect my iMac to a PANASONIC 5.1 system? Are there any links that soemone can provide  me to get info on how to do this? it doesn't seem so straightforward. Thanks

Posted on Mar 6, 2014 1:34 PM

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Brian Anderson3

Q: TOSLINK connector?

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Mar 6, 2014 1:43 PM in response to Brian Anderson3
    Level 9 (50,524 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 6, 2014 1:43 PM in response to Brian Anderson3

    Brian Anderson3 wrote:

     

    it seems the iMac needs a seperate adapter to connect TOSLINK optical to the surround system. There is no obvious TOSLINK port on the iMac.

     

    It's the audio output port, the one that looks like a pair of headphones. Buy an optical cable that has a 3.5mm end for the iMac, and whatever end your audio system requires. It might be called "Toslink to mini plug".

  • by Brian Anderson3,Helpful

    Brian Anderson3 Brian Anderson3 Mar 6, 2014 2:02 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 2 (180 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 2:02 PM in response to John Galt

    Thankjs john. It's what I figured from the info I could gather but La Source (Canada's Circuit city) store clerk said he wasn't aware of any 3.5mm adapter to optical that he knew of....well, it's on their website.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Mar 6, 2014 2:09 PM in response to Brian Anderson3
    Level 9 (50,524 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 6, 2014 2:09 PM in response to Brian Anderson3

    You can buy them from Monoprice, their price for Toslink cables is almost negligible. I don't know if they ship to Canada.

     

    Don't pay a premium for optical cables; they are literally a piece of plastic that will either work, or not.

  • by Brian Anderson3,

    Brian Anderson3 Brian Anderson3 Mar 6, 2014 2:16 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 2 (180 points)
    Mar 6, 2014 2:16 PM in response to John Galt

    thanks john so far i'm not finding that connector so easily. Do you have any resources I can refer to to learn how to play 5.1 surround projects from my iMac to my system. A sort of "for DUMMIES" of this topic. Do I export surround files, are they multichannel, do I use a 3rd party software, SOUNDFLOWER, etc?  Thanks

  • by Brian Anderson3,

    Brian Anderson3 Brian Anderson3 Mar 7, 2014 11:21 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 2 (180 points)
    Mar 7, 2014 11:21 AM in response to John Galt

    pursuant to yesterday's discussion about TOSLINK to 3.5mm connector.  Is the 3.5 mm end a MINI TOSLINK and would it work in the headphone port? I see by everything I've been researching that the TOSLINK connector to an iMac would need a stereo jack adapter or is the iMac's port an OPITCAL port as well? It's obvious that the signal needs to be DIGITAL and not ANALOG so I'm assuming the MINI TOSLINK 3.5mm plug would go into the iMac as a DIGITAL transmission and not ANALOG. Thanks John