Hi guys, I'm coming up empty on some google searches and was just wondering if anybody knows whether or not the audio and video signals can be split directly from a coax cable (not using a cable box).

My situation is that I have basic cable and do not have a cable box, dvr etc.  The cable/coax comes from the wall and into the tv directly ~ but my tv does not have an optical out.  So everything I hear when watching cable tv comes from the tv's speakers (which sounds pretty bad).  

What I would like to do is run the coax-cable line into some type of splitter that sends the video to the tv and the audio to my Rega DAC via either optical or RCA stereo.  Does anybody know of a good quality device that can do such a thing.  I know that generally the cable box can do this, but I don't want to pay extra each month for a box.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Unfortuntately no outputs ... I bought it on a discount and it was a great price ~ now I know why

I can run an HDMI cable from my Blu-Ray player to the tv and then optical (or rca out) from the Blu-Ray to my DAC and the sound is pretty decent for a 2 channel system.  Luckliy I don't really watch cable tv all that much just the news and every once in a while a turner classic movie will come along, but the sound sucks straight out of the tv

That's probably why I came up empty on my web searches.  I'm installing a HTPC within the next few days - an Asus VivoPC to be exact.  It's going to be my media PC which I will install JRiver and play music and watch movies, etc.  I'm using HDMI from the PC to the TV for video and then USB from the PC to my DAC for sound.  The sound is superb with the Decware Taboo and Rega DAC.  I'm just wondering if an external TV tuner would work running the coax to the tv tuner card and then to the PC and bypass hooking up the coax directly to the tv altogether.  But I'm not really familiar with tv tuners.

I think I'm going to get something like this:

1. http://www.silicondust.com/products/hdhomerun/prime/

or

2. http://cetoncorp.com/products/infinitv-6-ethernet/

As I have several PCs and 3 Xboxes in my house, but only one TV.  If I put the tuner on the network I should be able to stream cable to anywhere in the house that has a PC or Xbox.  This way I can let my HTPC grab the cable signal and send video via HDMI to my TV and send audio via USB to my DAC.  Not only should I be able to split the audio and video signals, but this will also allow me to record/pause/rewind etc. without the need for a DVR and the extra fees associated with it.