Can a toslink cable break?

Improvolone

I can't get my Dish box to send audio over optical to my receiver. The composite audio cables will do it, so I know its at least outputting sound.
I just moved so the chances of my opical cable being exposed to mean circumstances are very real.

Zeon

Its possible but i imagine if it did, youd be able to see the kink in it? It would be fairly noticable.

PeregrineFalcon

Absolutely, folding it over on itself will snap it very nicely.

Improvolone

Well, unless Dish tells me there is something special I need to do to use the optical out or unless all of my optical ins on my Onkyo receiver have busted (both I'd say are unlikely), to monoprice I go!

So opticals are more delicate than any other wire, ja?

ZackSchilling

Inside the cable is a glass or clear plastic filament. Neither materials take too kindly to getting bent at a severe angle (generally you'll need about 3" of length for every 90 degrees to safely bend fiber optic cable). When bent too severely, the glass type breaks and the plastic type either breaks or becomes opaque from stress fractures.