I've run into a bit of a problem. My processor has 3 SPDIF ports - two Toslink and one Coax. I have four digital sources and soon a fifth. Does anyone here have any experience with Toslink switchboxes?

Devices to switch among coax sources are readily available, but switching optical signals is non-trivial. Your only choice may be to first convert all of your toslink signals to coax.

I've never used one, but if you're having trouble finding one, I've seen them in the Parts Express Catalog

I am fascinated by the one with the remote control because it has both line level stereo and optical in/out. Do you suppose that internally it interconverts between these? If so then can it be used as an external D2A?

I guess the remote controlled box is just a switchbox, connecting all plugs of one input to corresponding output plugs.

I'm amazed by the optical passiv switch! It's a mechanical switch for optical signals

Yes but the optical audio signals are also switched. Is that mechanical or electrical?

It's mechanical.

So, when you push a button on the remote a little motor turns something that redirects the optical signal from one input to another?

I think I made a mistake. The switch box I was claiming was mechanical was this one:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=180-980

My guess is that the one with the remote is completely electrical.

Sorry about that!

It should be trivial to convert the three optical signals to electrical, switch the electrical signals, and then convert back to optical out. What I am wondering is if it only works for three stereo RCA to stereo RCA out, or three optical to optical out, but not stereo RCA to optical out or optical to stereo RCA out, if you understand what I mean. It is not clear from the description.

I do understand what you mean. At $50, I doubt this widget is converting between analog and digital.

Yeah, that would be quite a bargain if it did conversions internally.

I'm not sure there is anything cheap on the market anymore, other than dodgy looking 1x3 things which actually physically move the connection when you rotate the dial.

There used to be professional level things like the Foxtex DS-8 and the M-Audio Digipatch both of which are now discontinued. The only thing I know of on the market at the moment is the Frontier Designs Apache which is a 12 in 12 out design and costs $800