Digital audio output

[TomStearns]

I'm looking for a Thinkpad which can output digital audio. I need it as a music server driving an external DAC. Sometimes the sVideo port has audio ---if it's a full 7 pin version maybe it does. Can anyone tell me which Thinkpad models provide digital audio? Easy to get with a PCI card in a PC but....

[yak]

There is no ThinkPad, that I know of, that has a S/PDIF port on the base. There is one on the following docking stations:

• ThinkPad Advanced Dock *
• ThinkPad Advanced Mini-Dock *
• ThinkPad W700 Mini Dock

* I'm not sure if all compatible ThinkPads support this port.

You could also use some external USB sound card with S/PDIF output.

[TomStearns]

Yak: I'm trying to do this on a severe budget so buying a new dock and associated laptop would blow too much.

Don't need S/PDIF; a :"complete" 7-pin sVideo (ie not the 4-pin version) contains audio output and I have a splitter cable that gives me a coax audio feed from such a sVideo port. The Th0inkpad T40 has an sVideo port but most users report that it doesn't supply audio--they use a 3.5mm stereo plug in the line out audio port to provide audio for DVD playback etc. I'm unsure whether these users haven't configured their laptops properly for audio or whether their machines have only 4 conductors feeding the 7 pin port. I want high quality sound which you would not get from the laptop analog audio port, and probably not from any USB/outboard converter to S/PDIF.

[craigmontHunter]

The T40 has a 4 pin s-video port. I had a old toshiba laptop with a dock that had the SPDIF out (optical too - I wondered for the longest time what the red light on my desk was ). A USB/expresscard/PCIMA soundcard would be equivelent to plugging in new soundcard to the PCI slot of a desktop - it would replace the intergrated one completely. There are a few threads around that talk about it, especially with the T61, since it only had a mono line in. Try a search and see what people reccomend I personally have never had problems with the sound output of my laptop, including semi-professional situations (with a professional sound system )

Good luck with your search

[Weogo]

Hi Tom,

I believe your best bet is going to be an external USB audio interface.

Several choices here:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/audio_interfa ... _chart.htm

The Emu 0404 is a good quality unit.

Good health, Weogo