The new optical cables could be up to 10 times as long as the original Thunderbolt cables, and that's not the only difference. Topher, an avid Mac user for the past 15 years, has been a contributing ...

There are only two ways to get digital audio between your TV and soundbar, or your TV and receiver, or really between any piece of gear that transmits audio in a home A/V system: HDMI and optical.

Already in its second generation, the Thunderbolt I/O protocol has been around for three years, but only recently did manufacturers begin production of optical cables to deliver the tentpole feature ...