Line out on laptop?

[guzziguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daroid Let's start a club T42 .. no seriously: There are not many choices to get a line-out output from the T4x laptops - let alone a digital output. IBM have 2 docks and 2 port replicators available in different sizes, i think all of them has line-out (but no s/pdif) Actually the headphone output is (surprisingly) good for integrated sound, it surely was much better than onboard sound on (most) desktops, and has a black backround (no hiss)

Wow, you just made things much better for me. Thanks! I have a port replicator for the T42. I looked at the Lenovo web site and it does seem that all the port replicator/docking stations have line in and line out. Now all I have to do is figure out which one is which. As there are only 2 mini-jacks, I guess that it won't take too long once the amp arrives!

I agree that the headphone output of the T42 is not too bad. It is quiet and the T42 does a better job with CDs than an old Panasonic portable CD player I used to use.

Also, shouldn't that be "Team T42" here at HeadFi?

 

[c0mfortably_numb]

Yea IBM knows how to sheild there sound...I had a 600E sound was decent, when I upgraded I made the mistake of getting the Compaq Armada M700 and when I say noise, it sounded like a pink noise generator! (never herd one they make this horrible static so you can test your speaker setup)

I just recently purchased a second hand Laptop after my Armada's motherboard went, It's only a T23 1.13 PentiumIII-M but I'm happy with it and it's sound output well not great there is no noise(plus couldn't beat the $200 price tag

)

It's not just IBM that doesn't have the output, must laptops being built don't have them. The only one I know of is the new Apple's (and after reading a recent review (maximum pc) stating that since Apple made the switch to Intel apps are now slower, I doubt I will be switching)

So hear hear to starting Team IBM!

Built like tanks, and sound decent to.

 

[guzziguy]

It dawned on me that I really didn't have to wait for the HeadFive arrive to determine which jack on the port replicator is lineout. I just started a CD and then tried the jacks until the sound came out of the headphones rather than the speakers. Of course, I tried the line in jack first.

The "line out" doesn't seem to be a line out at all. The volume control changes the volume. On top of that, the SQ was really crappy. It was very noisy. I moved the plug back to the headphones out jack on the laptop itself and the SQ returned to the normal, good sound. So it looks like I'll be following Dr. J's advice after all.

 

[Graz]

If you have any way to plug the headphone output jack from your IBM into your stereo/receiver/powered PC speakers, that would be a good test ahead of actually receiving the headfive. Make the connections, set a good level on the IBM, and then crank up the speakers with no music playing & check for noise. It's also a good idea to put the IBM through some typical usage during the experiment. The audio output may sound clean & noise free at idle (sitting there doing nothing), but noise could become a problem during:
- Hard disk accesses
- Optical drive (CD drive) accesses
- NIC/Ethernet transfers
- Wireless LAN transfers (not sure if you have wireless)
- Moving the point stick or typing on the keyboard
- USB transfers
- Certain panel brightness settings (run up & down through all of them)

On a notebook PC motherboard, careful routing is the key. The audio has to be carefully isolated to keep it away from "noisy" signals & sub-systems on the board.

Peace,

Graz

 

[c0mfortably_numb]

FWIW I have hooked my Govibe up on several ocassions to the headphone out jack on my T23...and well not stellar(not quit as full sounding as my EMU0404 on my main PC as source) there wasn't any abnormal noise or static.