Can you split a digital coxial cable?

[David in NC]

Here's my problem. I've got a home theater receiver that can receive digital 5.1 audio via either digital coax or optical cables, but unfortunately there's only one input jack of each type on the receiver. However, both my DVD player and my digital cable TV box have only coax audio output ports (neither has optical).

My first attempt was to buy a coax-to-optical converter from Radio Shack, but I understand that I would lose the digital 5.1 signal in the process.

Is it possible to split a coax cable so that my receiver can receive digital 5.1 signals from both the DVD player and the cable TV box?

[atifsh]

therotically its possible if u make the cable ur self and make one side with 2 pins. 1 for dvd and other for cable tv box.

but remmeber even if it works if u use both things same time could and probably will distroy ur reciever.

[David in NC]

Thanks, atifsh...

Perhaps my best bet is to simply run two parallel cables and manually switch out at the receiver input port depending on what I want to watch at that moment. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.