Vostro 1500 audio static question

I've read in a few places that the headphone jack on the Vostro 1500 laptop is kind of static-y.

I've never had a laptop before - is the headphone jack the same jack you'd use to connect *any* external speakers? If not, what happens if you connect headphones to the regular external speaker jack - is that staticky as well?

All the other cons seem like something I can deal with, but staticky music seems like it'd be really annoying.

 

If you disable analog loopback, the quality is very good. More so if you use high impedance headphones (90 ohms or above).

If you want the best quality with speakers, use a digital amplifier connected to the S/PDIF output.

 

There is no way in windows known to disable analog loopback star882, you know that as you were the proponent of doing it on linux before.

Secondly, there is no SP/DIF out on a vostro 1500, there is a RCA TV-Out, a VGA Out, a Headphone out and a Line in: Therefore the best way is to get a USB based audio device.

PLEEZ LESS DISINFORMATION STAR.

 

The headphone jack problem is directly related to the CPU whine. Fix the CPU whine by using RM Clock like I have and you won't have any problems with your headphones.

 

Okay, I somewhat take that back. I've been using a different set of headphones recently and I would consider them to be as crappy as the ones I use in my room. Apparently they are a bit better as they seem to be the reason for the lack of feedback/static.

Using the other set, though, the CPU whine is definitely "amplified" through them, so using RM Clock helps tone down the headphone noise a little.

 

The s-video output on certain Dell notebooks also outputs S/PDIF and component video. You need a separate adapter though. The 1520 has this kind of connector. I believe the Vostro 1500 does too.

 

When you order Vostro 1500 there is "S-Video to TV-Component and SPDIF Adapter add $0" option under "Cable and Accessories" section (just copied and pasted from there), though it shows up only when I use an old PC at work. I tried uninstalling different applications with no luck.
What they call S-video is a 7 pin Mini-Din connector (S-video is only 4 pin connector). You can enable SPDIF and disable Laptop speakers by going to Master Volume-> Advance. If you use Power DVD to watch your media you can select it there as well (it automatically disables laptop speakers).

 

So with RMClock, we gotta sacrifice battery life to get rid of this static?