XM Radio Hook up

Posted by: HI-FI

XM Radio Hook up - 10/09/03 09:13 PM

I have connected my XM Radio to the Aux Input of my Outlaw receiver with RCA cables and it works fine, so I thought I would get a digital cable. One end to the XM radio is Mini plug, the other end to my Outlaw Receiver is a Optical Connector but I could not get any sound, even though I tried the digital selector switch. Below is the Monster cable I am trying to connect. any suggestions on why this is not working??

http://www.monstercable.com/home_av/audio_cables/digital_interconnects_tm.asp
Posted by: Steve_C

Re: XM Radio Hook up - 10/09/03 10:28 PM

Hard to say with out a manual or model for the tuner, Is it actually a digital output ? If so, perhaps you have to select or enable the digital -vs- the RCA output on the tuner much like selecting the correct digital input source on the 1050.
Are you toggling through the digital input selections when you are using Aux input on the 1050.
Posted by: Audiopoo

Re: XM Radio Hook up - 11/12/03 02:57 AM

Hi-FI

If I understand you correctly. You are trying to hook an analog sorce (the 1/8" mini plug from your XM) to an optical in on the receiver... with a toslink optical cable.

This is not possible. The opical cable will no way transfer or hook up to an analog source directly. Optical cables transfer digital information with light pulses. The XM mini plug output does not work in this way. You may be able to jam the end of the optical cable into the 1/8" (miniplug) port in the XM but you are not making a proper connection. (Unless you are using a XM PCR with your computer. The PCR does have an optical output.)

You would need an analog to digital converter between your XM and the Outlaw. to make it work.

You may be best off with the RCA connection. Although, some people have converted their XM Skyfi's to have a digital output but it takes a bit of know-how. Check out www.xmfan.com

Hopefully I'm understanding what you were doing and my reply was of help...
Posted by: Audiopoo

Re: XM Radio Hook up - 11/12/03 03:10 AM

Follow up to my last reply:

I see now how you were confused. I looked at the link for the cable you purchased. Honest mistake!

It is an optical cable with a standard toslink at one end and a mini-optical plug at the other. The mini-optical is meant to be used with a portable mini-disk player or somthing of that nature.

The mini-optical is not the same as the analog 1/8" mini plug on the XM.

You might want to return the cable and get you money back.
Posted by: HI-FI

Re: XM Radio Hook up - 11/14/03 10:24 AM

Hey thanks for the reply, I see now the new XM Radio has optical out, just my luck, I just bought the damn thing..