A Brief Guide to Toslink Cables

There is a huge variety of audio cables on the market, varying in size, shape, cost and quality. The most popular audio cable on the market is the optical digital audio cable, also known as the Toslink cable.

The Toslink cable is a standardized optical fiber cable used for connecting input devices such as CD/DVD players to output devices like TVs or a home theater system. Toslink cables were invented by Toshiba in the year 1983 to enhance the functionality of their CD players. Soon, this optical cable became the industry standard. The standard name for it is EIAJ optical.

Toslink cables are usually constructed out of inexpensive 1mm plastic optical fiber. More expensive cables are made out of multistrand plastic optical fibers. The construction quality and materials vary with the application and bandwidth of the cable, or the required length. Usually, toslink cables have a range of 10 meters (though you'll usually find 5 meter varieties in your local hardware shop). Beyond that, the toslink cables tend to lose the strength and quality of the signal and need a booster.

A ton of manufacturers are in the market to produce these cables, and you will have a wide variety of brands to choose from. Never spend too much on audio cables as the difference in quality is negligible between the $20 and the $200 variety. Pick something that fits your budget and provides appreciable quality.

Remember that toslink cables also go by several other names such as optical digital audio cable, SPDIF cable, or simply, optical audio cable. They all mean the same thing, so don't get confused at the store when you see all the options before you.

Next, read about optical digital audio cable and see how optical digital audio cable can help you get the most out of your home entertainment system.