Any Practical Options for Recording an Optical Audio Source on a PC?

[PlayStation 2]

Hopefully the title describes what I want. I've always wanted a way to record a digital optical (i.e. Toslink) audio source (more specifically from a PlayStation 2) on a PC but never really got anywhere with my source. 

Would I need some dedicated sound card with specific drivers? Would I have to look into some option that allows me to just roll Component video and optical audio into one in HDMI? What are my avenues here? Because I've never gotten a clear answer, but I strongly desire a better quality solution than the regular analog audio out of the PS2.

 

EDIT: This might not be the proper section for this, please move if you see fit, moderators.

Edited October 31, 2020 by handymanshandle
Forgot where I posted this, apparently? Meh.

[AbydosOne]

20 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Hopefully the title describes what I want. I've always wanted a way to record a digital optical (i.e. Toslink) audio source (more specifically from a PlayStation 2) on a PC but never really got anywhere with my source. 

Would I need some dedicated sound card with specific drivers? Would I have to look into some option that allows me to just roll Component video and optical audio into one in HDMI? What are my avenues here? Because I've never gotten a clear answer, but I strongly desire a better quality solution than the regular analog audio out of the PS2.

 

EDIT: This might not be the proper section for this, please move if you see fit, moderators.

Option 1: Toslink to RCA adapter, then RCA to 3.5mm input on motherboard (not digital, but "lossless" is probably not what you're after, given most motherboard audio is pretty good these days).

Option 2: There are a few PCIe sound cards out there that have a Toslink in port (look for ones with two Toslink ports; one in, one out).

Option 3: The HiFimeDIY UX1 is both a USB to Toslink "DAC" (technically it's digital to digital, I know), but can also act as a Toslink input (over USB).

[PlayStation 2]

1 minute ago, AbydosOne said:

Option 1: Toslink to RCA adapter, then RCA to 3.5mm input on motherboard (not digital, but "lossless" is probably not what you're after, given most motherboard audio is pretty good these days).

Option 2: There are a few PCIe sound cards out there that have a Toslink in port (look for ones with two Toslink ports; one in, one out).

Option 3: The HiFimeDIY UX1 is both a USB to Toslink "DAC" (technically it's digital to digital, I know), but can also act as a Toslink input (over USB).

Option 1 is, essentially, what I'm trying to avoid. In my specific case, it wouldn't be much better than to just use the RCA cables from my PS2 itself.

Option 2 might be what I'm looking for, but I'm gonna need to go for a different motherboard for my desktop. Not a big deal, though, as I plan on going for an ATX size swap in the next couple of months. Option 3 might also be more practical than option 2 as it leaves a PCI-Express slot open for me if I went for 3 instead of 2. I'll look into the latter two options, then.

[PlayStation 2]

5 minutes ago, Grumpy Old Man said:

This is the cheapest what I've found

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32964736371.html

Thank you, but that's not exactly what I was looking for. I should've explained it a bit better in my original post, but I was looking to keep the audio in its digital form throughout. 

That being said, I found this:

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-7-1-Channel-Sound-Card/dp/B00X7B2NY0/

If this can satisfy my goal of digital 16-bit 48kHz stereo audio capturing, this might be the way to go.

[Electronics Wizardy]

53 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Thank you, but that's not exactly what I was looking for. I should've explained it a bit better in my original post, but I was looking to keep the audio in its digital form throughout. 

That being said, I found this:

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-7-1-Channel-Sound-Card/dp/B00X7B2NY0/

If this can satisfy my goal of digital 16-bit 48kHz stereo audio capturing, this might be the way to go.

SOmething like this would also work here 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Decoder-Headphone-Amplifier-Black-DAC/dp/B07TBF488G/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=optical+usb+ac&qid=1604124116&sr=8-11

 

 

But really, you won't notice the quality difference between this and analouge.

[PlayStation 2]

1 hour ago, handymanshandle said:

Option 1 is, essentially, what I'm trying to avoid. In my specific case, it wouldn't be much better than to just use the RCA cables from my PS2 itself.

Option 2 might be what I'm looking for, but I'm gonna need to go for a different motherboard for my desktop. Not a big deal, though, as I plan on going for an ATX size swap in the next couple of months. Option 3 might also be more practical than option 2 as it leaves a PCI-Express slot open for me if I went for 3 instead of 2. I'll look into the latter two options, then.

Not really what I wanted to do, but I'm just gonna mark my post here as solved as it also includes the quote I wanted to mark as solved. I'll attempt to keep this in mind as I upgrade my system.

[Mark Kaine]

Well here's what I used... 

 

Warning: doesn't work with all games, some have actually a nasty drm thing going on... 

 

Audio quality is lossless tho however. 

 

 

[PlayStation 2]

17 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

Well here's what I used... 

 

Warning: doesn't work with all games, some have actually a nasty drm thing going on... 

 

Audio quality is lossless tho however. 

 

 

Look, I live in 2020, not 2000. I'm not using DAT to record audio for any purpose. 

Besides, it needs to be on my PC anyways.

[Mark Kaine]

19 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Look, I live in 2020, not 2000. I'm not using DAT to record audio for any purpose. 

Besides, it needs to be on my PC anyways.

Your pc has Audio in tho so it would work. 

 

I live in 2020 too I believe, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the superior sound quality of pre 2000... ~

 

I'm also using a Hitachi stereo from 1985 with 500w Sony speakers, there's nothing that sounds better! Imo.

 

PS:  Local dickhead and VHS collector

 

You sure are funny. VHS is an OK but DAT is where you draw the line! XD 

[Blue4130]

On 11/1/2020 at 11:11 AM, handymanshandle said:

Look, I live in 2020, not 2000. I'm not using DAT to record audio for any purpose. 

Besides, it needs to be on my PC anyways.

It's funny because you are trying to capture audio from a device that was literally released in 2000....

[PlayStation 2]

14 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

It's funny because you are trying to capture audio from a device that was literally released in 2000....

It's funny because I was asking about how to locally store digital audio on my PC and not a fidgety tape format where I can't even use it.

[Blue4130]

45 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

It's funny because I was asking about how to locally store digital audio on my PC and not a fidgety tape format where I can't even use it.

Yes, but is it that hard to believe that when trying to get audio off a 20 year old device, from a (more than) 20 year old port that you need to use 20 year old tech?