TOSLINK (short for TOShiba LINK) is an optical interface standard developed by Toshiba in the 1980s to transmit digital audio signals using optical fiber cable. Widely used in high-fidelity audio (Hi-Fi), TOSLINK is also employed in industrial and laboratory contexts for electrical isolation and transmission immune to electromagnetic interference.
Light as a communication medium: TOSLINK transmits pure digital audio, without noise or shared grounding.
🔧 Technical characteristics of TOSLINK
| Specification | Value or description |
|---|---|
| Signal type | Digital audio PCM (usually SPDIF) |
| Physical medium | Plastic (POF) or glass optical fiber |
| Standard connector | Square plug (1 mm) type EIAJ / JIS F05 |
| Bandwidth | Sufficient for up to 2 channels PCM 24 bits / 96 kHz |
| Maximum distance | 5 to 10 meters (in standard applications) |
| EMI Immunity | Total (ideal in environments with electromagnetic noise) |
🧩 TOSLINK Applications
- Digital audio equipment (soundbars, receivers, TVs)
- Audio interfaces in PCs and industrial workstations
- Transmission of isolated digital signals in laboratory environments
- Embedded systems requiring galvanic isolation
- Test benches where ground loop is avoided
⚙️ Advantages in industrial and test environments
- Total electrical isolation between connected devices
- Immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI)
- Avoids shared grounding issues
- Ideal for testing boards with digital audio signals (SPDIF)
- Compatible with consumer and industrial equipment
🔧 How AJOLLY Testing uses TOSLINK in test solutions
AJOLLY Testing integrates TOSLINK interfaces in test systems to:
- Test the emission and reception of optical SPDIF signals in DUTs
- Monitor the optical signal integrity during validation cycles
- Ensure safe isolation during power and communication tests
- Simulate digital audio equipment with reference transmitters and receivers
- Develop test benches with dedicated optical interface for sensitive digital signals
TOSLINK is simple, robust, and extremely useful where signal quality, isolation, and reliability matter — as in AJOLLY Testing’s tests.