[samujohn]

Hi,
I have two Macs. One is a current MacMini (so called mid 2011), the other is the MacBook aluminum. I want to use a Toslink input to record a digital external source. Do either, or both, have this capability? If not, how can I accomplish my objective?
thanks,
Sam

[JP78]

Hello Sam,

I believe either Mac you have will not be able to directly take in a Toslink input...only an output. If you would like to record via Toslink on a Mac you'll need some type of breakout box; Apogee makes a couple that are reasonably priced.

Best,

[srb]

The Mac Mini and the MacBook Pro both  have a audio line in minijack which is a combo analog /Mini-TOSLINK optical digital just like the audio out minijack.

Steve

[samujohn]

Well,
I feel less stupid since you guys seem to disagree. I have tried to get my Macs to recognize an incoming optical signal with no luck at all. Is anybody actually ding this? What is the procedure?
The Sound Preference window does not appear to help.
thanks,
Sam

[Crimson]

Steve is correct. You need a toslink to mini-toslink adapter, which plugs into the line-in on the Mac, to feed it a digital signal.

Here a few examples.

[samujohn]

Thanks guys,
I have discovered that the optical device which I wanted to record does not function properly so was at fault. I rigged up another device and sure enough, the Mac input does accept an optical signal. Just goes to show that just because I  could see the red light coming through the cable, did not mean it was giving a digital signal.
regards,
Sam