Optical Audio On 17" MBP

[lexus]

Why does the 17" mbp not have an optical out whilst the 15" mbp does.


Thanks alot.

[bbrosemer]

Why does the 17" mbp not have an optical out whilst the 15" mbp does.


Thanks alot.
I may be wrong but is the headphone out jack also a digital audio out jack...?:confused:

[fistful]

From the Tech Specs page for both the 15/17 inch MBP:

Combined optical digital input/audio line in, combined optical digital output/headphone out, stereo speakers, microphone

[lexus]

I know that but why is it not optical.

[ironic23]

Doesn't that speak for itself? It is optical.

[RichP]

It is optical, you need an adapter from Apple to use it. There is an LED inside the headphone output (as is there a optical receiver in the line-in)

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/9.RSLID?mco=EA3C889F&nplm=TA968LL%2FA

[lexus]

It is optical, you need an adapter from Apple to use it. There is an LED inside the headphone output (as is there a optical receiver in the line-in)

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/9.RSLID?mco=EA3C889F&nplm=TA968LL%2FA
Ok Thanks.

[laidbackliam]

It is optical, you need an adapter from Apple to use it. There is an LED inside the headphone output (as is there a optical receiver in the line-in)

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/9.RSLID?mco=EA3C889F&nplm=TA968LL%2FA


whats this "led" people keep talking about. every now and then i connect my mbp to my stereo through the digital connection, and it sounds great, but i look for the red led going off, and don't see it.

[jacobj]

whats this "led" people keep talking about. every now and then i connect my mbp to my stereo through the digital connection, and it sounds great, but i look for the red led going off, and don't see it.

It is not an LED, but a laser light that carries the digital signal. You won't see it on unless you plug in the correct cable as OS X is clever enough to recognise which connection method you are using.

[Nar1117]

Yeah i see why they made it a standard headphone jack, i mean it makes sense to combine analog and digital in one connection, but its a pain to buy a mini-plug adapter for a standard optical wire. Eh whatev.

[TBi]

You don't need a special apple cable. You just need an optical cable similar to ones used for sony minidisk players. One that goes into a headphone jack.

Also there is an LED and not a laser in there. If you plug in the optical cable into the Macbook and play music you will see the other end lighting up. Although you won't see the LED without anything plugged in as it doesn't come on unless something is plugged in.

[lexus]

But it is always on on my 15 inch MBP.

[h0e0h]

the cable is actually a mini toslink cable, and the adapter is readily availible with a majority of Optical cable brands (RCA, Phillips, Etc.) and usually is included in the packaging of most Optical cables. I know that OS X automatically disables the red light, could be laser, could be LED, unless an optical cable is plugged in. Windows, on the other hand, constatnly has the Red light on regardless of connection. It is a branch of fiber optics that transmits a light signal/audio signal.

[n8236]

boot into xp and u'll see "the red light."

[TBi]

But it is always on on my 15 inch MBP.

Well it shouldn't be as always on mean always draining the battery. It will always be on in XP though.