Optical Cable Basics

• Optical cables are digital, as opposed to analog. Digital cables allow faster transfer of larger amounts of information than an analog cable. This transfer is measured in "bandwidth."
  
  

Audio and Video

• With digital technology, both audio and video can be sent along a single cable, thanks to the higher bandwidth capacity. So the optical variety means less clutter and fewer connections that need to be properly placed and secured.
  
  

Varities

• Optical cables can use coaxial jacks, like a standard cable connection. Or they can use smaller connectors like TOSLink. The material in the cable itself is what distinguishes an optical cable from a copper cable.
  
  

Materials

• Instead of copper, optical cables use plastic and sometimes glass. It is typically a single strand about 1 millimeter in diameter, instead of being a thick braid of copper.
  
  

The Meaning of "Optical"

• This cable uses light to transmit data, instead of moving electrons over copper wires. Because of this, an optical cable cannot transmit power, only data.