connecting digital speakers

Question

connecting digital speakers

I was recently given a Boston Audio Digital BA735 speaker system. Although my G5 system profiler says the machine has a built-in digital audio card, I can't get it to work. I have tried changing the sound command in system proferences to digital, but to no avail.

G5 Powermac, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Jan 21, 2007 9:45 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 21, 2007 11:22 AM in response to Peter Dobkin Hall

Peter Dobkin Hall-

How do the speakers interface to the G5? Are you using the correct port?

Luck-

-DaddyPaycheck

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Answer 2

Jan 21, 2007 12:31 PM in response to DaddyPaycheck

The speakers connect with a phone jack rather than toslink connectors. Could this be the problem?

Am I correct in assuming that the optical video port is the only one that will interface with digital speakers?

As noted, I do appear to have a digital audio card. Here's the info on it:

Built In Sound Card:

Devices:
Burr Brown PCM3052:
Inputs and Outputs:
Line Level Input:
Controls: Mute, Master
Playthrough: No
PluginID: Onyx
S/PDIF Digital Output:
Controls: Mute
PluginID: Onyx
Headphones:
Controls: Mute, Left, Right
PluginID: Onyx
Internal Speakers:
Controls: Mute, Master
PluginID: Onyx
Line Level Output:
Controls: Mute, Left, Right
PluginID: Onyx
Formats:
PCM 16:
Bit Depth: 16
Bit Width: 16
Channels: 2
Mixable: Yes
Sample Rates: 32 KHz, 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 64 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz
PCM 24:
Bit Depth: 24
Bit Width: 32
Channels: 2
Mixable: Yes
Sample Rates: 32 KHz, 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 64 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz
AC3 16:
Bit Depth: 16
Bit Width: 16
Channels: 2
Mixable: No
Sample Rates: 32 KHz, 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 64 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz

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Answer 3

maclover

Level 4

3,850 points

Jan 21, 2007 1:05 PM in response to Peter Dobkin Hall

Hi Peter, and a Warm Welcome to the Power Mac G5 Forum!

You are correct.

The G5 outputs an analogue stereo audio signal to the rear 3/16" (3.5mm) audio-out socket - and a digital stereo signal (which can carry 5.1 surround-sound information from DVD Player) to the rear optical audio-out port.

Those speakers seem originally to have been bundled with a Gateway PC with a digital sound card with suitable digital, but not optical, outputs. It looks as though they won't work with the analogue stereo output socket of the G5

http://www.bostonacoustics.com/tecmultimediafaq.aspx#2

You could probably find a PCI digital audio card with suitable non-optical output - but it might be easier to get either analogue stereo 2.1 speakers or digital 5.1 speakers with optical input.

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Answer 4

maclover

Level 4

3,850 points

Jan 21, 2007 1:36 PM in response to maclover

Hmm. Make that 1/8" not 3/16" - you can tell we're Metric here...

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Answer 5

Jan 23, 2007 1:10 PM in response to Peter Dobkin Hall

Hey there, I have a 2003 G5 Dual 2 GHz and just recieved a set of these as well - BA735 Digital. I had a Dell several years ago that had a sound card with a mini jack for the digital out. The G5 only has the toslink output for digital. So unless you have a PC with a digital sound card output in mini jack form, this is a paperweight. I bought a set of Altec Lansing with that Dell and they have both digital (like the BA735) and analog inputs. It's a shame that the Boston Acoustics version has no analog input.

Is there any "adapter" for toslink to minijack?

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