Toslink to USB C?

[Jazz]

I have a PCM receiver that only has Toslink out. I would like to send that to a USB-C in on a DAC (and then from the DAC to analog). The DAC is just USB-C in (female). Is there a Toslink to USB-C dongle or box out there?
One that is not a DAC. The Toslink is going into a DAC (that only has USB-C in).

 

[Lambda]

Is there a Toslink to USB-C dongle or box out there?

No you need some sort of compute in between.

 

[Jazz]

No you need some sort of compute in between.

This is what I am asking. Is there a box/adaptor I can insert the Toslink incoming into which will take the PCM (still all digital) and pass it on to a USB out for the DAC to processing analog? DACs with Toslink in do this and a receiver does this but, forces the user to use whatever DAC is in the DAC or AVR. In this case, I have a USB DAC I really like (it is my best DAC). Looking for a way to get incoming PCM from Toslink to this preferred DAC.

 

[mdsimon2]

Raspberry Pi with a HifiBerry DAC+ DSP or Digi+ I/O can be configured to do this. As @Lambda says you need some sort of computer.

Michael

 

[Trell]

There are USB to TOSLINK adapters, but I've not seen one going the other way.

Perhaps the OP should consider replacing his DAC.

 

[Lambda]

HiFiBerry Digi+ I/O – HiFiBerry

have a USB DAC I really like (it is my best DAC). Looking for a way to get incoming PCM from Toslink to this preferred DAC.

I assume the USB DAC is conected to a PC or computer of some sort? because USB dacs only worke this way (in general)
So you need to get the Toslink signal into the PC?!

 

[Jazz]

Folks, let me clarify: Toslink from Airport Express into… something, then that PCM via USB into Hidizs S9 then to splinter into amp. It is just 16/44.1 but, I like the convenience of Airplay. That DAC is a good one and, I use it for, nothing. So, inserting here, would be great. But, in researching this Toslink to USB, it seems it would cost more than the DAC for an adaptor. But even that seems sketchy info. Like most stuff on the internets.

 

[Lambda]

Toslink from Airport Express into… something, then that PCM via USB into Hidizs S9

This "something" is a "computer"
You can use a raspberry pi and the shild i linked... but it would make more senese to buy a DAC with toslink input

 

[suttondesign]

No. That is not possible without a format converter.

 

[MCH]

Hm even if a pi with the digi io works it will be costing you something around 80-100 eur... i would hear the advice of getting a new dac, maybe with the money you get selling the s9...

 

[mdsimon2]

If you want to use airplay you don’t need the HAT, just use shairport-sync on the Pi. I guess the best option will depend on what you already have.

Michael

 

[Berwhale]

USB peripherals, like DACs, rely on a 'host' to control them. The host would usually be some kind of computer, tablet or phone. The signal sent through TOSLink will not control a DAC. You need something inbetween the TOSLink source and DAC, to control the DAC.

 

[Jazz]

So, DACs with a Toslink (including most AVRs) have CPUs in them? I thought, just some $1 converter chip from flashing LED to PCM to another $1 chip to USB again.
I have an (long unused) old Fiio D3 v.1 DAC that goes from Toslink to RCA. That has a CPU in it?

 

[KSTR]

DAC that goes from Toslink to RCA. That has a CPU in it?

TOSLINK and SPDIF is the same thing, there is just a simple analog conversion from electrical to optical involved.

 

[Jazz]

TOSLINK and SPDIF is the same thing, there is just a simple analog conversion from electrical to optical involved.

This is what I thought. Hence my wondering why a CPU, mentioned by others would be involved.

 

[Trell]

This is what I thought. Hence my wondering why a CPU, mentioned by others would be involved.

Because you want to convert the TOSLINK input to USB output that is then input to your DAC. The converter is required to act as an USB host for your DAC to work, thus the suggestions above to try use a tiny computer Raspberry Pi for this.

The simplest is just to buy a DAC with optical input.

 

[Killingbeans]

Folks, let me clarify: Toslink from Airport Express into… something, then that PCM via USB into Hidizs S9 then to splinter into amp.

I think that's something that's not normally done. I think it can be done, but results in massive jitter if you dont have a way to synchronize the clock(?). It requires that both the "something" and the DAC are custom hardware.

If you want to do it with off the shelf components, you have to feed the PCM stream to a device that translates it into USB compatible data packages.

The Hidizs S9 is not designed to receive PCM via USB.

Like others have already pointed out; it might just be easier to get yourself another DAC.

 

[Berwhale]

So, DACs with a Toslink (including most AVRs) have CPUs in them?

No, something with a CPU is required to control the DAC when using USB. That something is called a 'USB Host', the DAC is a 'USB Device' - Every USB connection requires one Host and at least one Device.

 

[Lambda]

So, DACs with a Toslink (including most AVRs) have CPUs in them?

These days everything has a CPU...

But you don't seem to understand the DAC chip inside for a example uses a i2s inter face

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So very strait forward one way communication interface from the 80s with separate clock and data.
It's not "package" based (unless you count left and right as package) its a continuous data stream.

https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/BreakoutBoards/I2SBUS.pdf

SPDIF/Toslink is basically Clock and Data foam the i2s stream combined into one data strem. (+ some overhead)

USB is not all like this. First of all its bidirectional and package based.
So the CPU Hosts asks the USB devices what kind of USB devices it is has then to loade the right "driver" to talk to it.
Since USB its way faster it might not be a consent stream of data but packages like 1000 times a second 1/1000s worth of audio or something
But What if its a USB 5.1 sound card or a DAC/ADC USB interface or it has volume control over usb.
How should your "adapter" know how to configure this?

TL;DR its fundamentally a different language

 

[Killingbeans]

So, DACs with a Toslink (including most AVRs) have CPUs in them?

It's sort of the other way around. All USB DACs have a microcontroller of some sort dedicated to converting the USB data into PCM.