Digital audio out from a computer

Apologies if this has been discussed previously ... I couldn't find anything via the search facility.

(by the way, am I the only one who finds the search facility on this site a bit rubbish??)

I want to get a digital signal out (optical or coax) from a computer that I can then feed into my DAC.

Is there some kind of USB type device that can do this?

I'm not looking for an DAC, just something that can feed my existing DAC with a digital signal.

Thanks in advance.

 

I have used a Terratec Soundcard very successfully to do exactly what you are describing. It has an optical digital interface as well as analogue outputs. IIRC M-Audio make a USB to SPDIF device.

 

I've been looking for something as well, except that I'm using a laptop so can't easily fit an internal soundcard. I found this device, https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?t=14864but sofar no-one seems to know anything about it.

Maplins also have a very cheap box, but I don't know how good it would be.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34128&doy=30m8D

There are a few other devices out there too.

http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/products/audioadvantage/howdoesitwork.asp
http://www.lifeismusic.co.uk/PA/BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL-UCA202--2445.aspx

Maybe I'll take the plunge one day, or just buy a squeeze box!

 

It seems a bit like putting the music through a big mangle to get to a dac, can you not stick a sound card in there?

 

have to say I have had limited luck with it.

 

well, I was hoping there might be some sort of cheapo device, that would be cheaper than buying a proper soundcard (ie. want to avoid paying for the DAC element of a soundcard when I've got a DAC already).

Also, I'm likely to want to attach it to a Mac Mini which doesn't have space for soundcards.

 

Thanks,

The ebay item mentioned on your thread seems a bit more elaborate than what I need.

But some of those others look like the sort of thing I'm after. If anyone's had any experience using any of these I'd be interested to hear.

Would I be right in assuming that in theory there shouldn't be any signal degradation even on a basic device, ie. because it's a digital output it's either correct or it's not?

(Actually, bearing in mind other discussions I've seen on here maybe that's opening a bit of a can of worms)

 

The search facility works very well except that you need to type in at least 4 characters. So typing in CD, USB etc will not return any useful results. I think the minimum character count can be reduced but there are performance implications which I suspect Mark or Isaac will be best placed to describe.

 

How old is your mac mini? It may well have digital out on the headphone socket you just need an adaptor.

 

You're quite right ... the newer mac minis have this but not the older ones.

I'm thinking of getting one second-hand, and trying to decide whether it's worth going to the expense of one of the newer ones in order to have this feature. Probably not if I can get a £15 adapter I can stick into the USB socket.