Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!foxtail!kravitz
From: kravitz@foxtail.UUCP (Jody Kravitz)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Fiber Optic Sound Cables ...
Keywords: NeXT, CD (music) Player.
Message-ID: <314@foxtail.UUCP>
Date: 10 Oct 90 08:56:04 GMT
References: <2553@lectroid.sw.stratus.com> <10596@goofy.Apple.COM> <4218@rsiatl.UUCP> <20293@ucsd.Edu>
Organization: The Foxtail Group, San Diego, CA
Lines: 9

>mackenzi@Apple.COM (Steven MacKenzie) writes:
>>>My question is ... why would any one want to use fiber optic to transmit
>>>digital data 6 feet or so?

The issue here it so keep the (unconverted) digital signal out of the
audio.  The clock rate in the cable is 44,100 * 2 * (16 bits + framing). Thats
about 1.5MHz.  Fast rise times and TTL signal levels would invite coupling
to any nearby low-level audio circuit (tape monitor, graphic EQ, etc).  The
fiber-optic cable guarantees this won't happen.