Optical Cable, Optical Question: Length? Options

[Lord Pasty]

So i was down at Guitar Center today looking for a good length of Optical Cable, because my stereo that I use to monitor all my equipment is 5.1 capable. Logic Pro + MOTU 828 MkII also 5.1 capable. The thing is that I live with the g/f, and all the stuff kind of has to go in one room. (Yes, I know this isn't good for recording accoustics, but it's what I have for now).

To the question. He said that you couldn't find very long optical cable because digital cables loose their strength, or some such, with too much length? How true is that?

[AlanAudio]

What do you call long ?

CPC <www.cpc.co.uk > sell optical leads that are 5M and 10M long. They also sell adaptors to join two lengths together. 10M leads start at £5.70 plus VAT & postage, so you aren't risking a vast fortune if it doesn't work.

Another solution for very long lengths might be to use an optical to co-ax converter box and position it half way along the run to act as a repeater.

I've no idea what the maximum working cable length is, but 10M seems rather modest to me and I would expect longer lengths to work too.

[Lord Pasty]

I figuerd that I could get a lot longer length than the idiots at GC told me. I may have to order it, though. It's seeming to me that it's just hard to get in the States. Don't know for sure, but the lenghts you gave me were in meters. (The ones you mentioned would be fine...)

As for the converters, those things are ridiculously overpriced... $150.00 here in the US. That's silly. Thanks for the help.