While many audio cables transmit sound via a metal wire, optical cables consist of a fibre optic that transfers light rather than an electrical signal. Because the digital audio signal is transferred by light it’s less susceptible to interference from nearby electrical sources. Optical cables are also very thin, so they’re easy to run around your home, along skirting, and under carpets. Because of these properties, they’re ideally suited to longer cable runs as they tend to perform better than standard digital coaxial cables over distance.
They can be used to hook up a range of devices to your television, including DVD players, PlayStation consoles, Xbox consoles and Sky boxes. Our optical cables range in length from 1m to 15m so you can measure up and only pay for the cable length you really need. Easy to connect and use, they have a plug on each end of the cable to prevent dirt and dust getting in, which needs to be removed before use. Most optical cable-compatible devices have a spring-operated gate that automatically opens when the plug is inserted and ensures that the cable can never be plugged in the wrong way.