Is there a PCMCIA digital out sound card?

[Antoneo]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a sound card for my laptop. It has built in sound but I'd like a PCMCIA sound card with digital out so that I may connect it to my home theater receiver via optical out. Does such a product exist?

 

[eriqesque]

Plenty of USB versions with optical out's. The only PCMCIA versions I know of are the
Echo Indigo's
I don't think they have an optical out however.

 

[metalmania]

my friend had one. He didn't tell me the brand and price, but said "it's really expensive."

 

[thuned]

I'd go for an usb one.

 

[jschuk]

I believe that the Toshiba Satellite 5205 series have them built in if you are looking for a new laptop. Actually the 5105 & 5005 series may have them too.

 

[firtol88]

Onkyo UD-5 might work if you don't need all the effects.

Onkyo UD-5

 

[dew042]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=M%2DAUDIO%2CExternal%2CAudio%2CCard%2CRTL

m-audio makes a usb one with optical out - $55 price won't break the bank either....
dew.

 

[firtol88]

heres another with all the toys

Onkyo SE-U55


Or even the extigy, but one of the Onkyo's or the Midiman would be better quality.

 

[firtol88]

Creative seems to be the firts out with a USB 2 solution...

Audigy2nx

Since its creative waiting for it to mature would seem prudent.

 

[Mingon]

I have the sound blaster mp3+ and the quality from that is excellent

 

[Antoneo]

Originally posted by: Mingon
I have the sound blaster mp3+ and the quality from that is excellent

I stand corrected , looks like there is such a thing!
I've just checked out the prices for the Extigy and the price is insane! It's still ~$130 after 2 years of its release! Man that's nutty.

I've forgotten about this thread lol, thanks for the suggestions! To be more specific, I'd like to play DVDs from my laptop and would like to output 5.1 Dolby Digital as well. Thus the need for optical/digital coaxial out to my receiver. I don't think this is necessarily hard to do... right?

jschuk, I'm definitely not looking for another laptop lol. I'm still paying off this one and will have to use it until I graduate. It's a solid machine, just doesn't have every output possible .

firtol88, your Onkyo USB based solution reminds me of the Creative Extigy (I think it was called that). That just might work for me though I wonder about its availability and Creative's not so good driver support. I've owned several Creative products, and while none of them truely went kaput on me, it wasn't the best of experiences.

My IBM T30 laptop doesn't support USB 2.0... does that mean that new nifty looking Audigy 2 NX won't work to it's full potential? I remember some articles/posts about the Sound Blaster Extigy being limited by the use of USB 1.0 (not enough bandwidth or something like that). Hrmmm.....

 

[firtol88]

"the need for optical/digital coaxial out to my receiver"

if this is all you need and your reciever will do any processing then look at the UD-5 above


"does that mean that new nifty looking Audigy 2 NX won't work to it's full potential?"

yes

 

[Ramses]

I believe my Sager 5660 actually has a SPDIF output just for that..