Alpine PXA-H800 optical help needed

[ryyo]

I just got a HiBy R6 2020 portable player to use as a source. It came with a USB to coax cable. I also got a convertor box to plug the coax in and then output to optical. I tried plugging the optical cable that I have into the digital 2 input of my H800, then switched the input using the RUX controller to digital 2, but I'm not getting any sound. The light on the other end of the optical is on.

My question is, does an Ai-Net cable have to be plugged in and connected into the H800 and then to something else in order for optical to work at all? If not, are there any other issues that might prevent sound output from when using the optical input? It works fine using RCA connection from my Kenwood head unit on Aux 1 of the H800, but I'm trying to bypass that. One of these days, I'll look to upgrade to a Helix DSP Ultra, but I've got to save up some pennies for that.

[nadams5755]

i'd try ensuring you're using cd-quality audio tracks on your dap. the h800's an older dsp and you'll have to keep content bitrates at/below 96k/24b. also have to ensure you've got all the inputs/outputs mapped for optical2 and PCM mode to 2ch.

i'd start w/ cd-quality 44k/16b and remove some complexities.

[ryyo]

i'd try ensuring you're using cd-quality audio tracks on your dap. the h800's an older dsp and you'll have to keep content bitrates at/below 96k/24b. also have to ensure you've got all the inputs/outputs mapped for optical2 and PCM mode to 2ch.

i'd start w/ cd-quality 44k/16b and remove some complexities.

After doing some additional research, specifically on the H701, if the H800 is similar to H701 in this aspect, then it seems that the optical input is only activated if Ai-Net is hooked up as well. It has to be "tricked" into working. I do have a very old Ai-Net head unit buried in storage that I could use to see if it would work, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

[nadams5755]

aren't there two optical inputs? if so use the other one?

[ryyo]

aren't there two optical inputs? if so use the other one?

There are two optical inputs. From what I researched though, supposedly Ai-Net has to be connected in addition to the optical in order for it to work. I'd like for that to be wrong though.

[nadams5755]

i chatted w/ someone who is using a h800 in multiple vehicles without a radio. it does work without an ai-net device plugged in, there's other settings amiss.

[ryyo]

i chatted w/ someone who is using a h800 in multiple vehicles without a radio. it does work without an ai-net device plugged in, there's other settings amiss.

Thanks! I'll keep messing around with it to see if there's something that I haven't set properly.