S/PDIF stands for Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format, which is a set of technical specifications that define how digital audio signals are transmitted between audio devices. It is a type of digital audio interface used in consumer audio equipment to output audio over relatively short distances. S/PDIF can carry two channels of uncompressed PCM audio or compressed 5.1/7.1 surround sound such as Dolby Digital or DTS audio. The S/PDIF interface and the associated connectors can be implemented in two different ways: optical and coaxial. Optical cables support the ADAT Lightpipe optical interface which can carry 8 channels of digital audio at 24 bit resolution at 48kHz or 4 channels at 98kHz, whereas S/PDIF is limited to two channels of audio. S/PDIF is used in CD players, DVD players, computer sound cards, home theater systems, TVs, and other audio equipment capable of producing digital audio. If a TV has a Digital Optical jack, that jack transmits digital audio using S/PDIF. The S/PDIF connection allows the transfer of digital audio signals from device to device without needing to convert to an analog signal first, which can hurt audio quality.