[Tomchu]

I have a media center setup that involves a Mac Mini, Logitech Z-5500's, an Airport Express, and soon to be XBOX 360 and probably a Blu-ray player.

I want to be able to use the digital audio outputs on all of these devices with the Z-5500's (which have digital optical and digital coax). I don't know what the best way to do this is, since the Mini, AE, XBOX, and Blu-ray player all have digital optical outputs, and my speaker set only has one each of optical coax inputs.

I was thinking that I could get a digital optical to coax adapter (they exist, and they're not too expensive), thus eliminating one of the devices. I was also thinking that I could connect the AE to the Mac Mini's input jack via another optical cable, but that all depends on whether the Mini will do pass-through on the SPDIF.

Even if so, this still leaves one device left.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[namannik]

What about something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-Tosl...dp/B0002OF2FC/

[namannik]

Come to think of it, why would you want to stream audio to the AirPort Express if the Mac Mini will be next to the speakers? If you want to stream audio from other computers in your house to those speakers, you can use Airfoil to stream any audio from any program (not just iTunes) to the Mac Mini:

http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

Also, if you haven't already, you might want to check out boxee, a really good media player:

http://boxee.tv/

[Tomchu]

Does Airfoil Speakers present itself as selectable speakers in iTunes? If not, then it's a deal-breaker. I don't want to have to install Airfoil and make it do its thing before I can play music through iTunes. I also don't want to have to explain the process to my girlfriend whenever she wants to play music from her MacBook. :-P

The selectable Toslink adapter thing looks decent -- it has the downside of having to actually physically go over to the thing to change it, but that's not bad. Thanks.

[namannik]

Originally Posted by Tomchu 

Does Airfoil Speakers present itself as selectable speakers in iTunes? If not, then it's a deal-breaker.

No, I don't think it does.

I also don't want to have to explain the process to my girlfriend whenever she wants to play music from her MacBook.

I hear you on that.

The selectable Toslink adapter thing looks decent -- it has the downside of having to actually physically go over to the thing to change it, but that's not bad. Thanks.

Here's a switch with a remote control (kinda pricey, though): http://www.inday.com/da4x/da4x.htm

And here's one that automatically switches to whichever input is active (even more expensive, but super easy for the girlfriend): http://www.audioauthority.com/produc...A/Switcher/5/1