Switcher - Wondering About Optical Out

[mcmike100]

Hello,

I'm a Windows user and will be buying a new Powerbook soon (my first Mac!).

My question is about optical out. On my current PC I use S/PDIF to connect to my home theater receiver. Thus, the optical out on the 17" appeals to me. However, I feel that's too big and want the 15".

If I get the 15" how will the audio quality compare to my current setup? Will I still be able to connect to my receiver and get 5.1?

Thanks

 

[wordmunger]

If I get the 15" how will the audio quality compare to my current setup? Will I still be able to connect to my receiver and get 5.1?

Thanks

I don't think so, but there are cheap-ish USB adapters that will allow you to do that. Maybe there are PC cards as well.

 

[jadam]

You could probablly get a PCMCIA 5.1 sound card for the powerbook.

 

[mcmike100]

Hmm, I've been looking around and the Audigy 2 ZS looks really nice, but it says Windows is a requirement 🙁 Would something like this have a Mac driver available or anything?

As I'm new to the Mac I don't know how this stuff works.

Thanks

 

[jadam]

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Transit-main.html

Or http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/SonicaTheater-main.html

Or http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave/

 

[TypeR389]

Hmm, I've been looking around and the Audigy 2 ZS looks really nice, but it says Windows is a requirement 🙁 Would something like this have a Mac driver available or anything?

As I'm new to the Mac I don't know how this stuff works.

Thanks

I just bought a mini myself and plugged my soundblaster USB MP3 into it and it just worked, no drivers needed. That card also has Windows as a requirement. I love plugging devices into my mac and them just working...so nice coming from a the windows world...

Note though, I have not tried the SPDIF on the box yet, though the RCA in/out works fine...