Thinkpads Forum

Hi,

This is my first post and I didn't want to cram too much into the Subject line, so I only put in one of my two or questions:

I'm about to purchase a Thinkpad. I'll be running Ubuntu on it, but have a couple of criteria that the machine needs to meet:

It needs to have an audio in (line-in, not mic) input. if not, the ability to take a Soundblaster soundcard in a PCI slot.

I know that sometimes, wi-fi can be a bit hit and miss under Linux, so a PCMCIA slot for wifi card, in case the one that it comes with doesn't work and I need to replace it.

I had been looking at T41's but they don't seem to have an audio-in, only mic.

Can anyone make any suggestions of a similar model?

Thanks,
Tim

That is correct about the mic input, however see the following.

IBM wrote:Recording from various sound sources, such as an external microphone or an audio device attached to a line-in jack on the ThinkPad(R) Dock II, the ThinkPad Port Replicator II, or the ThinkPad Mini Dock.

You should find some useful information on the following website regarding ThinkPads and Linux.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki

There are some users that have used PCMCIA soundcards with good success.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=19950

Thanks for the links and the prompt response.

Recording from various sound sources, such as an external microphone or an audio device attached to a line-in jack on the ThinkPad(R) Dock II, the ThinkPad Port Replicator II, or the ThinkPad Mini Dock.

So would this indicate that the mic input can function as a line-in too?


Best,
Tim

If you read carefully, you will see that the line-in jack is on the docks and port replicators that you can buy - not on the T4x itself.

haelen wrote: I had been looking at T41's but they don't seem to have an audio-in, only mic.

If optical drive is something without you may live, go for X31 or X32. Another great system with audio-in port ia A31p. There's no audio-in port on T4x series.

hope it helps