anyone hook up a laptop to their rotel/tv?

[CNC GUY]

see my sig for my system,im thinking about getting a laptop and hooking it up to my system to watch music videos on my tv and have the sound go through my rotel setup.my tv is a sony 36 XBR.im confused as to what i should be looking for in a computer to see if its compatible.i know most laptops have the s video out,and most of the sales reps ive spoke with try to talk me into a docking station.Last rep was speaking of a kensington notebook expansion dock.im going into this blind,and i wouldnt want to buy something only to find out what i bought wont work.
any thoughts?
thankyou

[fordster]

Most laptops audi out is only a single 3.5mm jack but you can get cables that go from that into a standard phono pair so yo'd be able to connect it that way. The sound quality is dependant on how good the sound chip is in your laptop though doing it this way. The best bet would probably be if you had a digital out on your laptop to connect into the 1057. If you don't have this then some USB soundcards are available whcih will do this (Creative Labs do one I think).

[CNC GUY]

thanks,ill let you know how i make out.

[CNC GUY]

dave-
seems as though i might have to get a replicator for this laptop.the replicator has:3 USB 2.01, RJ45 Ethernet, Printer, VGA out, DVI-D, and DC in .is this what i need?the rep on the phone just said that the laptop has a headphone jack and that i could use that but i dont think the audio quality would be there.

[Kevin D]

dave-
seems as though i might have to get a replicator for this laptop.the replicator has:3 USB 2.01, RJ45 Ethernet, Printer, VGA out, DVI-D, and DC in .is this what i need?the rep on the phone just said that the laptop has a headphone jack and that i could use that but i dont think the audio quality would be there.

Yes, I would not recommend using a headphone output. Your listing of the replicator doesn't show any other audio outputs though.. You might be better off just getting a USB sound card with the correct outputs and route the audio to that when needed.

Kevin D.

[CNC GUY]

hi kevin-
i dont even see where that would be an option on the sony laptop im looking at.maybe i should start to look at other brands.heres the sony i had my eye on:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=VGNSZ370P%2fC&Dept=computers&CategoryName=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_SZSeries

[Kevin D]

That laptop will support both the PCMCIA Soundblaster Audigy ZS Notebook, or the USB Audigy 2 NX.

Kevin D.

[CNC GUY]

thanks

[dmcgowan]

What did you do CNC Guy? I don't know your TV, but I had lots more hassle with the Video quality than sound with my HTPC running MCE - once I had the plasma with direct VGA connection that was fixed...