Laptop 5.1 Sound? (1 Viewer)

[Josh W]

I"m just starting to look at HTPC, and was wondering is there a way to get 5.1 sound out of a laptop?

 

[Carl Johnson]

It depends on your laptop, if the sound card has a digital audio out you can get 5.1 sound.........

 

[Tekara]

I wouldn't think a laptop would bother having 5.1 sound as almost all laptops never bother with more than just two channel. imagine trying to arrange speakers around yourself on an airplane for 5.1 .

anyway, all kidding aside, as clearly stated before, if there's no digital out then your out of luck.

one last thing though, are you looking to buy a laptop for HTPC use, or do you have a spare one sitting around that your aiming to use? if it is a spare, you could consider selling it and buying a new computer as a HTPC, would have more features and better output.

 

[Oren]

You can get the sound out by way of a usb-to-digital audio convertor. Very cool, just came out recently. Check out M-Audio's Sonica at
http://www.m-audio.com/products/consumer/index.php

And if you want 7.1 out, check out their Sonica Theater. Cool!

 

[Chris Hovanic]

Sweet.. that would make a nice quiet HTPC... Let us know how it works out if you do it

 

[Josh W]

Thank you for the information. I wasn't sure that they made sound cards with digital out for laptops. I will be buying a new one, and I'm very excited about the possibilites this will open up for my theater. Are there other things I need to consider other than audio and video output quality? Such as can it be made as a progressive scan DVD player?

 

[Oren]

Oooh, I'm having fun with this.

There are vga to component video convertors (such as http://www.digitalconnection.com/pro...eo/kdvtca2.asp), but I've never used one. Alternatively, depending on your display device, you might be able to directly connect the vga output to the display. Make sure the resolution output on the external VGA connector matches your needs, though (it's not necessarily the same as the built-in LCD).

Is there a reason why you're going with a laptop, though? If it's just going to sit there attached to your setup, you might as well go with a desktop. A lot cheaper, more expandable, and if you go with the right drive/fans it can be very quiet. Then you can add a cheap HDTV tuner on a card and drop it in the PC.

 

[JeremyFr]

you can also get the Sound Blaster Extigy which plugs in to your USB port and gives you the full functionality of the Audigy cards minus the firewire ports. with that you have digi in and out and many other nice features including 24bit,96khz recording capability.

 

[Jeff Savage]

I have been using my Fujitsu P2120 as an occasional HTPC. It has a LCD widescreen display, Optical digital out, s-video out, and VGA out. I don't have the powerstrip settings quite right yet to do 1080i to my Mits but I am working on it. Best part? It is only 3.5Lbs!!

Laters,
Jeff