Optical cables for audio, also known as TOSLINK or fiber optic cables, transmit digital audio signals using light pulses. In the realm of audio technology, the transmission of sound signals through optical cables stands as a marvel of modern engineering. Unlike traditional copper cables, which use electrical signals, optical cables utilize light to transmit. In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell conducted an experiment where he made a phone call using natural light (sunlight) to convert his voice into light via a “photophone. ” This light was transmitted approximately 700 ft. It is also known as Toslink, which stands for Toshiba Link, as Toshiba was the first company to develop this technology in the 1980s. Fibre optic cables have a glass or plastic fibre core encased in a cladding encased in a protective coating.
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