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Subject: Re: Cheap/good digital-audio Boston Acoustics BA735
From: LoveLearn (LoveLearn_at_iw.net)
Date: 2003-09-05

I'll have a BA735 system in hand shortly.

My initial selection of search strings brought up pages and pages of
links. Those I first selected as appearing most interesting didn't
mention S/PDIF input. That caused Joris van den Heuvel to say "Have you
ever heard of a place called "Google"?" That unwelcoming sarcasm was
justified? Let's be kind to each other.

I've now found over 30 I-net references claiming BA735 systems only
accept digital input. I assumed those reports must be true because they
were uncontested, so I repeated that opinion in my earlier post. But
frequency of repeating common misunderstanding about Archos non-standard
audio connections, which require special plugs for some options, does
not make those opinions correct. I've now found information which
indicates Boston Acoustics also configured their BA735s for Gateway in
some poorly documented but versatile non-standard way. Read this copy
from the Gateway Support link which follows:
*********
The speaker has analog input and a cable, digital S/PDIF input, and a
cable for direct connection to a sound card with a digital S/PDIF
output. . . . . . . . . . Note: If a digital cable is connected but the
sound card does not support digital output, no sound is heard. The
analog cable needs to be used in this instance. This is important to
remember when troubleshooting these speakers."
*********
http://support.gateway.com/s/SOUND/bostonac/7001332/U0133201.shtml

Now it appears likely that BA735 systems can interface with our Archos
digital output. This Gateway support page references two differently
configured cables, one for analog input, the other for S/PDIF digital
feeds. So their current unpopularity, based on a widely held opinion
that they can ONLY accept digital input, is unjustified if Gateway's
support page is right. That makes their depressed used market pricing
even more attractive.

I know little about loading S/PDIF outputs. How far can we extend those
lines? Could we split them so one Archos output could control several
BA735 inputs simultaneously? Various possible applications come to mind.
Consider motorhomes where "house" 12 volt DC might substitute for the
stock 12 volt BA735 power supply. Or consider domestic home feeds with
remote S/PDIF sound systems that can be switched on where and when
they're sound is wanted. If S/PDIF inputs are super low impedance and
coax would allow output sharing over long distances, I'd like a bunch of
these for $10 a pop by visiting a vendor dumping them. If someone knows
about S/PDIF systems, I expect several participants would be interested
to learn what limits their distribution capabilities.

After I have a BA735 system in hand, I'll report how my Archos JBR 20
digital audio interconnection works with it.
John
LoveLearn

Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew
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