Optical Toslink splitter

An respected Audiogon member some time ago expressed doubts about signal loss associated with use of a splitter, so that one digital optical output could feed two components.
I recently had an application where a splitter was the solution. I wanted to interconnect an HT setup that has Direct TV Satelite service and my audio system, located in different rooms on different electrical power circuits. (This is so that I can access the music channels on my good audio stuff). Not surprisingly, a wire hookup produced hum. An optical interconnection would avoid this. The Direct TV receiver has only one digital output, optical.

The optical connection consists of a 3 foot interconnect, a splitter (several $ from Parts Express) and another 3 foot interconnect to the HT amp, and a 12 foot interconnect to the audio system.

Bottom line is that it works fine. Fears of problems due to signal loss (roughly 8dB) are unfounded. Fear not to use a splitter.