Stop blaming your receiver—this 40-year-old AV standard is killing your surround sound
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TOSLINK (Toshiba Link), the optical audio standard developed in the 1980s for CD players, is fundamentally limited by its LED-based bandwidth. It handles stereo PCM well but cannot support multichannel uncompressed audio or modern codecs like Dolby Atmos. HDMI eARC is the modern replacement, offering the bandwidth needed for 5.1, 7.1, and object-based surround sound formats. TOSLINK also has physical limitations including signal degradation over 20 feet and sensitivity to tight bends. For anyone building a home theater beyond basic stereo, switching from TOSLINK to HDMI eARC is the recommended path.
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What is TOSLINK, and why was it invented?HDMI eARC is the way to go for surround soundSort: