Seeing that the new G5s have both optical digital audio in and out, I wonder what you think the chances that this will migrate down to the iMac, eMac, PowerBooks, etc.?
I disagree, apple have always been one for pushing standards. Take the firewire ports on my old iMac DV, you could say that only a pro user would require a firewire HD etc... Consumers could have stayed with USB.
I think optical will come to the other machines, as long as the normal auto in's and out's stay too. Think of it this way, you could have a optical cable hanging spare from your amp/surround system, and just plug your powerbook into it.
S/PDIF ports should be standard fare on all Macs one day, along with FW400/800, AirPort Extreme, and Bluetooth. Add a simple AM/FM/TV tuner and your Mac can be an integral part of your home entertainment system.
S/PDIF ports should be standard fare on all Macs one day, along with FW400/800, AirPort Extreme, and Bluetooth. Add a simple AM/FM/TV tuner and your Mac can be an integral part of your home entertainment system.
I think this is a late arrival on the Powermacs, and it should have been out on the whole line (besides maybe the iMacs) also.
Optical or coax digital out is not especially expensive to implement, it should have been introduced 3+ years ago. Nice to see it finally getting here though!
Does anyone know if there's a USB/digital out converter so that you can plug in a USB box and get PCM or dolby digital out from it?
I think this is a late arrival on the Powermacs, and it should have been out on the whole line (besides maybe the iMacs) also.
Optical or coax digital out is not especially expensive to implement, it should have been introduced 3+ years ago. Nice to see it finally getting here though!
Does anyone know if there's a USB/digital out converter so that you can plug in a USB box and get PCM or dolby digital out from it?
Only issue I may see in the next imac having it is the chipset.
I'm not so sure the next iMac will have a chipset similar to the PowerMac G5. And I don't know if its realistic to expect apple to add optical audio i/o to the older chipset.
It damn well should be. Fscking Dells with half the price have surround sound. PC laptops even do. (pleeease add to PowerBooks at least, if not iBooks I'll need a new Mini PowerBook in a few years!)
Apple always used to push standards. PCs still look like a retard for not having FireWire standard but they sure caught up and passed Apple with audio. Remember how Apple was waaaay ahead of the pack with whopping 16 bit stereo audio on board? PC people still talk about "sound cards" as if they are a necessary add on for a computer (that's like requiring a sound card for a tv..duuuh)
They are missing the boat on things, like they did with CD-RW. For example, wtf is with no DVD-RW, and no surround sound on all other machines besides iBooks and eMacs. (Would it be possible to add this to iPods? After all AAC supports surround sound!)
Ok, perhaps it's evil that the iMacs don't have freakin' optical "I/O's" on them, and that maybe, perhaps, this is a bit of a let down all things considered .. mmmm yah ...
But do any of you happen to know what "format" the freakin' port is in? You don't do you? Honestly people, what do I pay you for? I mean really ...
this of course is a dumb question but what is the new chip in the G5 that lets you use Fiber in/out? Is it the same as the old machines, or did they add some thing new?
I would hope since the iMac is a game/Home type machine that they would bring some kind of Fiber or 5.1 sound to it for EAX support. Games are the one thing the mac needs more of to help grow the market.
Comments
Those are consumer machines.
Opt aud in/out is a pro function so it is more likley that it will remain on pro hardware.
I think optical will come to the other machines, as long as the normal auto in's and out's stay too. Think of it this way, you could have a optical cable hanging spare from your amp/surround system, and just plug your powerbook into it.
Opt aud in/out is a pro function so it is more likley that it will remain on pro hardware.
BS. $79 DVD players have optical digital outs, the iMac should too.
It's a freakin' embarrassment that it's taken THIS long for Multichannel capability on Macs.
Optical I/O better be on the full lineup within a year or I'm rioting.
Originally posted by Rolo
S/PDIF ports should be standard fare on all Macs one day, along with FW400/800, AirPort Extreme, and Bluetooth. Add a simple AM/FM/TV tuner and your Mac can be an integral part of your home entertainment system.
Especially with a 30" Apple Cinema Display...!
;^p
Optical or coax digital out is not especially expensive to implement, it should have been introduced 3+ years ago. Nice to see it finally getting here though!
Does anyone know if there's a USB/digital out converter so that you can plug in a USB box and get PCM or dolby digital out from it?
Originally posted by Gizzmonic
I think this is a late arrival on the Powermacs, and it should have been out on the whole line (besides maybe the iMacs) also.
Optical or coax digital out is not especially expensive to implement, it should have been introduced 3+ years ago. Nice to see it finally getting here though!
Does anyone know if there's a USB/digital out converter so that you can plug in a USB box and get PCM or dolby digital out from it?
This might work
http://www.m-audio.com/products/cons...nica_page1.php
I'm not so sure the next iMac will have a chipset similar to the PowerMac G5. And I don't know if its realistic to expect apple to add optical audio i/o to the older chipset.
Apple always used to push standards. PCs still look like a retard for not having FireWire standard but they sure caught up and passed Apple with audio. Remember how Apple was waaaay ahead of the pack with whopping 16 bit stereo audio on board? PC people still talk about "sound cards" as if they are a necessary add on for a computer (that's like requiring a sound card for a tv..duuuh)
They are missing the boat on things, like they did with CD-RW. For example, wtf is with no DVD-RW, and no surround sound on all other machines besides iBooks and eMacs. (Would it be possible to add this to iPods? After all AAC supports surround sound!)
Ok, perhaps it's evil that the iMacs don't have freakin' optical "I/O's" on them, and that maybe, perhaps, this is a bit of a let down all things considered .. mmmm yah ...
But do any of you happen to know what "format" the freakin' port is in? You don't do you? Honestly people, what do I pay you for? I mean really ...
</evil>
I would hope since the iMac is a game/Home type machine that they would bring some kind of Fiber or 5.1 sound to it for EAX support. Games are the one thing the mac needs more of to help grow the market.