Optical (Toslink) switchers

[peterb]

Having just upgraded my home entertainment set up, I now have more devices with optical sound output than my amplifier can handle!

Has anyone used one if these

http://www.cypeurope.com/Audience/AU...IR-remote.html

to overcome the problem? If so, any comments on it?

[Unique]

i use the cheap sub £5 ones from the likes of amazon and they work fine - manual switching though

[peterb]

Thank you. I looked at those, but they had mixed reviews, possibly because of the mechanical linkage. The thought of electronic switching appeals (no moving parts) plus I could link the remote function to a universal remote.

[Unique]

it depends on how much switching you want to do and how far away the switch is and how lazy you are. as much as i am lazy, i use one device most often in each room, so don't need to switch much. in fact in both rooms i have 2 of these type of switches plus a coax digital input in each. i prefer the lack of a power supply required, just like my hmdi switches. to put you in the picture, i just keep connecting things without disconnecting old things, so still have vcr's and laserdiscs as well as streamers and pvr's etc

[peterb]

I like the idea of just operating one button on a remote (Logitech harmony) and all the devices for an activity start up! My amp doesn't have any HDMI inputs, only analogue audio, optical audio and coax audio, but it does decode DTS, and feeding either the sat reciever decoder outout or Blu Ray player output into it gives great sound (there is an mp3 player too which has digital outputs)

I think I will get one of those switches, the reviews seem quite good.

[peterb]

Bought one and it arrived today, as did the toslink cables. Works perfectly and as I hoped!

Now luxuriating in dts/dolby_digital surround and general digital goodness!

[peterb]

Update...

It worked well until I did some cable management which required unplugging the optical cables. The shutters on the unit came out (the cables were a tight fit)

Unit returned!

[peterb]

So, the unit was replaced under warranty. The replacement looks as if it has a different design of the optical interfaces, but I also filed down the locating lips on the cables so they aren't such a tight fit.

It works well and was recognised by my Logitech_Harmony remote - job done, and one button now powers up all the devices for an activity and selects the correct input to the amp.