Help! Digital Audio Out vs Optical In

[Rusty911]

This couldn't be much further away from our cars but I suspect this will be right up someone's alley here.

I'm trying to connect a ten year old Panasonic TV through the Digital Audio Out to a Cambridge TV2 (original version) which has Optical In.

The connectors both appear to be identical and both appear to fit the 'holes' perfectly (and yes, I took the caps off the lead).

I have no sound and the Cambridge TV2 guide seems to suggest I've done all that's needed: power in, digital in, away we go, but nothing (light is up and responds to the remote).

So nub of the question is this: are Digital Audio and Optical two incompatible formats that happen to share exactly the same connectors, or is it a problem elsewhere?

Being an early TV2 this soundbase only has two other options: a 3.5mm headphone jack (not ideal) or AV in (being used at TV's end by my amp).

Naturally I've Googled this but the simple 'no they're incompatible' / 'yes they're the same' / 'they are different but are compatible' type answer is illuding me.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[PlasticMac]

Barry,
I have a similar vintage Siny TV linked via a toslink (I think that's the name for the optical link) to a Onkyo receiver, and it works. With the TV on, and the cable plugged in, you should see blinking red. You have to set up the the opto out in the TV set up menu, which disables the TV sound. Setting is something like "Sound System" The TV manual shows how, at least mine does.
Mac.

 

[Rusty911]

Barry,
I have a similar vintage Siny TV linked via a toslink (I think that's the name for the optical link) to a Onkyo receiver, and it works. With the TV on, and the cable plugged in, you should see blinking red. You have to set up the the opto out in the TV set up menu, which disables the TV sound. Setting is something like "Sound System" The TV manual shows how, at least mine does.
Mac.

Thank you very much.

By pure chance I tried the 3.5mm jack which sounded pretty poor. Saw your post, turned everything off, swapped back to optical, turned everything on and it worked straight away. Suspect I didn't turn TV off before so it hadn't seen the optical perhaps.

A quick try of Layer Cake / RS6 driving off into The Cult's 'She Sells Santuary' (a lamentably short sequence in my view) confirms TV2 coupled with my ancient Acoustic Research A-04 amp and even older Celestion Ditton XR15's will transform film viewing on my cinema-like (temporary) 32in screen

 

[PlasticMac]

Thank you very much.

By pure chance I tried the 3.5mm jack which sounded pretty poor. Saw your post, turned everything off, swapped back to optical, turned everything on and it worked straight away. Suspect I didn't turn TV off before so it hadn't seen the optical perhaps.

A quick try of Layer Cake / RS6 driving off into The Cult's 'She Sells Santuary' (a lamentably short sequence in my view) confirms TV2 coupled with my ancient Acoustic Research A-04 amp and even older Celestion Ditton XR15's will transform film viewing on my cinema-like (temporary) 32in screen

Sadly, I'm unaware of (but will check them out on Spotify). Layer Cake etc ?. More Shadows & Duane Eddy, Dire Straits, Electric Light Orchestra, Pet Shops ?.
Mac.

 

[Rusty911]

Layer Cake = cult British drug wars film starring a youngish Daniel Craig. One of the hero cars is a grey RS6. As the opening credits roll Daniel Craig's charater is collected by his suited henchmen in the RS, they drive off to the opening bars of She Sells Santuary by the Cult.

I like most music though and have most of Dire Straights/ Knopfler. JJ Cale always delights and amazing how many songs associated with Clapton are actually from Cale.