Optical Splitter / Selecter Switch?

Miada

Miada

CAGiversary!
Hi everyone, I was wondering if you could help me out with something. I just may be getting a PS4 sooner rather than later. Currently, my set-up is as follows : HDTV, Soundbar, PS3. My Soundbar only has two optical ports. One goes from the TV to the soundbar, and the other goes from the PS3 to the soundbar. I plan on keeping my PS3 active if I get a PS4. However, I'd also like to use the soundbar for my PS4. Would I just need to get an optical splitter or a selecter switch? I guess my ideal set-up with that would be to split the one used to connect my PS3, and have a second port that I could use for the PS4 (I plan on having them close to eachother). I assume I would just need a splitter / selected switch, and then two more optical cables (one from soundbar to splitter, one from splitter to PS3, one from splitter to PS4). I just thought I'd ask and see if anyone here has any insight on this. I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you! :)
 
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i dont have any soundbars so my suggestions may not help.  it seems from your description now that your soundbar has 2 inputs which one is being used by your ps3 and the other one your tv.  i am not sure if televisions have optical inputs but i am assuming it does.  can't you just link your ps3 or ps4 to your tv and then your tv to the soundbar?  therefore, u would have one input free on your soundbar for whatever system is not hooked up. or if you ps3 is connected to your tv via hdmi, dont the audio just get relayed to your soundbar with your tv connected to the soundbar?

 
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bjaigorgor said:
i dont have any soundbars so my suggestions may not help. it seems from your description now that your soundbar has 2 inputs which one is being used by your ps3 and the other one your tv. i am not sure if televisions have optical inputs but i am assuming it does. can't you just link your ps3 or ps4 to your tv and then your tv to the soundbar? therefore, u would have one input free on your soundbar for whatever system is not hooked up. or if you ps3 is connected to your tv via hdmi, dont the audio just get relayed to your soundbar with your tv connected to the soundbar?
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My TV has one optical port. I use that port to the soundbar. The other port goes from the PS3 to the soundbar. My PS3 is also connected to the TV via HDMI, but for sound quality, using opitcal is better. HDMI is more for the visual aspect. My TV has shifty speakers, so that's why I have a soundbar. All my sound comes from the soundbar.
 
Try this:

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=5557&seq=1&format=2

Though, I don't know why there's a difference in audio quality with optical over HDMI.  Everything I do with HDMI, I don't do the audio separately via optical.

Unless your soundbar does more than 2.1/3.1 sound and unless your TV doesn't have an optical out, you should run everything to the TV via HDMI and then run the sound out from the TV to the soundbar.     That's how I'd suggest doing it.

 
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Wait...now I'm really confused.

My Soundbar doesn't have any HDMI inputs. It just has two optical ports.

My PS3 is connected to the TV via HDMI and the soundbar via optical. You're saying I should bypass the optical connection to the PS3, use the HDMI, then just link the optical to the soundbar? Is that what you're saying?

I've never thought to do that.

I feel kind of stupid right now.

EDIT : I've just detatched the optical from the PS3 to the soundbar and routed the audio output to HDMI. You're right; the sound is identical and works just fine. Like I said, I can't believe I never thought of that, as I always figured HDMI was for the visual aspect and not the sound as well. I'm glad my TV has 3 HDMI ports, so I'll be able to hook up that PS4 with no issues whatsoever.

If that solves it, I've got another dumb question for you all if you're game :

I've read that Remote Play and PlayStation Now work better with a wired connection. I use a wireless router to do everything on my PS3. My cable modem and wireless router are in another room. What could I do to make a wired connection in my room where the PS3 is? I was looking into like a wireless access point or an extender, that would make the connection stronger between where my router is and where my PS3 is. Basically, I want to be able to use Remote Play in other parts of my house. Would an extender or an access point wired into my PS3 do the trick? Hopefully someone has the answer, because I can't move the modem and router into my room. Obviously a second router wouldn't work, because then there would be two devices signalii the same IP Address, and I heard that can cause all sorts of issues.

Thanks for your replies!
 
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Miada said:
Wait...now I'm really confused.

My Soundbar doesn't have any HDMI inputs. It just has two optical ports.

My PS3 is connected to the TV via HDMI and the soundbar via optical. You're saying I should bypass the optical connection to the PS3, use the HDMI, then just link the optical to the soundbar? Is that what you're saying?

I've never thought to do that.

I feel kind of stupid right now.

EDIT : I've just detatched the optical from the PS3 to the soundbar and routed the audio output to HDMI. You're right; the sound is identical and works just fine. Like I said, I can't believe I never thought of that, as I always figured HDMI was for the visual aspect and not the sound as well. I'm glad my TV has 3 HDMI ports, so I'll be able to hook up that PS4 with no issues whatsoever.

If that solves it, I've got another dumb question for you all if you're game :

I've read that Remote Play and PlayStation Now work better with a wired connection. I use a wireless router to do everything on my PS3. My cable modem and wireless router are in another room. What could I do to make a wired connection in my room where the PS3 is? I was looking into like a wireless access point or an extender, that would make the connection stronger between where my router is and where my PS3 is. Basically, I want to be able to use Remote Play in other parts of my house. Would an extender or an access point wired into my PS3 do the trick? Hopefully someone has the answer, because I can't move the modem and router into my room. Obviously a second router wouldn't work, because then there would be two devices signalii the same IP Address, and I heard that can cause all sorts of issues.

Thanks for your replies!
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HDMI runs audio + video without any issue, so having everything go to the TV via HDMI and then the audio out via the optical cable would be the cleanest way to do it. You normally only need optical for a component (Red + Green + Blue) video cable connection and you have sound that is more than stereo coming from your sources. Since it's all HDMI, HDMI would be easiest.

The TV does the switching of the source inputs and sends all the audio out via the optical cable to the soundbar. No switching, no extra cables, no switcher. Only downside is if the future you decide you want better than stereo sound, then you'd need to get a receiver and feed everything into there, then to your speakers for 5.1/7.1 surround sound.

In regards to the "wired in another room" scenario, you only have a few options:

1) MoCA, which uses co-ax cable wiring to run network connections. Normally, you only see this for Verizon FIOS TV, for Tivo networking and with some other cable/satellite providers. You need a MoCA adapter connected to your router via Etherner, hooked into your cable wiring, as well as a MoCA adapter connected the same way to your PS3. A two-pack kit of MoCA adapters is about $95 on Amazon.

2) PoE (power over Ethernet), which uses AC wiring to run network connections. Again, you need one connected to your router via Ethernet and one connected to the PS3 via Ethernet. PoE adapters plug into an AC wall jack and sometimes come with a pass-through connection so you don't lose an AC jack. They also can't be plugged into a surge protector. PoE sets can run as cheaply as $30-40 when they go on sale.

3) Run a really long Ethernet cable from your router to your PS3. It won't be pretty, though it will work the easiest and likely the cheapest.

Any solution like a wireless bridge to go Ethernet-to-wireless and talk with your router is still wireless.

 
shrike4242 said:
HDMI runs audio + video without any issue, so having everything go to the TV via HDMI and then the audio out via the optical cable would be the cleanest way to do it. You normally only need optical for a component (Red + Green + Blue) video cable connection and you have sound that is more than stereo coming from your sources. Since it's all HDMI, HDMI would be easiest.

The TV does the switching of the source inputs and sends all the audio out via the optical cable to the soundbar. No switching, no extra cables, no switcher. Only downside is if the future you decide you want better than stereo sound, then you'd need to get a receiver and feed everything into there, then to your speakers for 5.1/7.1 surround sound.

In regards to the "wired in another room" scenario, you only have a few options:
1) MoCA, which uses co-ax cable wiring to run network connections. Normally, you only see this for Verizon FIOS TV, for Tivo networking and with some other cable/satellite providers. You need a MoCA adapter connected to your router via Etherner, hooked into your cable wiring, as well as a MoCA adapter connected the same way to your PS3. A two-pack kit of MoCA adapters is about $95 on Amazon.
2) PoE (power over Ethernet), which uses AC wiring to run network connections. Again, you need one connected to your router via Ethernet and one connected to the PS3 via Ethernet. PoE adapters plug into an AC wall jack and sometimes come with a pass-through connection so you don't lose an AC jack. They also can't be plugged into a surge protector. PoE sets can run as cheaply as $30-40 when they go on sale.
3) Run a really long Ethernet cable from your router to your PS3. It won't be pretty, though it will work the easiest and likely the cheapest.

Any solution like a wireless bridge to go Ethernet-to-wireless and talk with your router is still wireless.
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Thanks! Option # 3 sounds like the best one to me as well. Just to clarify, one Ethernet cable from my wireless router to my PS3 (or PS4) should do the trick? I don't need to plug anything else into the modem? Just one of the lan spots on my wireless router? Now I just have to find an Ethernet cable long enough. Perhaps I can do it underneath the carpeting and then drill a tiny hole into my room. Once connected, I assume that I just change the option from wireless to wired in the Network Settings, and then follow the automatic settings from there? Sorry I have so many questions. I just want to make sure I do it right.
 
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Miada said:
Thanks! Option # 3 sounds like the best one to me as well. Just to clarify, one Ethernet cable from my wireless router to my PS3 (or PS4) should do the trick? I don't need to plug anything else into the modem? Just one of the lan spots on my wireless router? Now I just have to find an Ethernet cable long enough. Perhaps I can do it underneath the carpeting and then drill a tiny hole into my room. Once connected, I assume that I just change the option from wireless to wired in the Network Settings, and then follow the automatic settings from there? Sorry I have so many questions. I just want to make sure I do it right.
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All you'd need would be a single Ethernet cable, yes. If you want both PS3 and PS4 online at the same time, buy a small 5-port Ethernet switch, hook the long Ethernet cable to the switch from the router and run Ethernet cables to both consoles.

The switch will drive both consoles and the router will hand out the IP addresses you'd need.

When buying a cable, CAT 5E is all you'd need, though CAT 6 would be better if you can swing the money. CAT 6 cables are more money, though handle Ethernet all the way up to gigabit Ethernet. I would go to Monoprice to get your Ethernet cable, as it would be pretty inexpensive.

 
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shrike4242 said:
All you'd need would be a single Ethernet cable, yes. If you want both PS3 and PS4 online at the same time, buy a small 5-port Ethernet switch, hook the long Ethernet cable to the switch from the router and run Ethernet cables to both consoles.

The switch will drive both consoles and the router will hand out the IP addresses you'd need.

When buying a cable, CAT 5E is all you'd need, though CAT 6 would be better if you can swing the money. CAT 6 cables are more money, though handle Ethernet all the way up to gigabit Ethernet. I would go to Monoprice to get your Ethernet cable, as it would be pretty inexpensive.
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Nice. Nah, I probably wouldn't have both consoles on at the same time, so I'll just switch the ethernet cable depending on which system I'm going to use, or just use wireless. I couldn't find a CAT 6 cable with good reviews. I saw one on Monoprice but it was a "crossover cable". Not sure what that is. Anyway, I bought a 100 ft cable just in case I have to go into the ceiling or whatever. I went with this CAT 5E one, because it was the length I needed, and it was very highly reviewed :

http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-Cat5e-Ethernet-Patch-Cable/dp/B003RCEAB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391047661&sr=8-1&keywords=ethernet+cable+100+ft

Thank you all very much for your help! :)
 
Mediabridge is fine for the Ethernet cable, as I've ordered Ethernet and HDMI cables from Mediabridge before without any issues.   You'll be fine with that cable you bought.

Some options for Ethernet switches to put both consoles online at the same time:

100Mbps switches:

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSAFE-5-Port-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B00002EQCW/

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SF1005D-5-port-100Mbps-Desktop/dp/B000FNFSPY/

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unmanaged-GREENnet-Ethernet-TE100-S5/dp/B000M2TAN4/

http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-SE1500-5-Port-Ethernet-Switch/dp/B004TLIVB6/

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unmanaged-GREENnet-Ethernet-TE100-S50g/dp/B002EP30EM/

Gigabit switches:

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSafe-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B0000BVYT3/

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG1005D-1000Mbps-Gigabit-Capacity/dp/B000N99BBC/

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG105-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00C1DN6ZA/

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unmanaged-Gigabit-GREENnet-TEG-S50g/dp/B001QUA6R0/

You're looking at $10-$25 for a 100Mbps switch and $20-$35 for a Gigabit switch.  Either one would work, as the limiting speed would be your ISP unless you have an Internet speed that's faster than 75Mbps, and in that case, a GigE switch would be better.  The switch + two short Ethernet cables would be all that you'd need to have both consoles online at the same time.

 
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