Laptops with S/PDIF

I'm always amazed at hard it is to get specs for computers. I need a laptop with digital audio out, for 2-channel stereo up to 24/96. I don't care if it's a dedicated port or an adapter for a headphone or whatever. My intent is to stream audio to a stereo system that accepts digital inputs. My only other requirement for the laptop would be that it operate very quietly. If you can help, I would appreciate it.

 

Unless you absolutely need portability, a super-compact fanless machine will be much quieter.

For SPDIF, I like the Turtle Beach USB adapters.

What kind of original signal do you have that requires 5.1/7.1 output?

 

I'd be streaming FLAC files. I don't need 5.1/7.1 output, just ordinary stereo, at 44.1/44/96 sample rates and 16/24 bits. Basically, I just want a music server, with the realization that it might as well double as an Internet-connected laptop available in my living room. I could buy the upcoming Logitech Squeezebox Touch, but I don't see the point of paying $300 for a device that has a tiny interface and can only steam music.

The Realtek ALC888 audio chip on my PC's mobo would work fine. The PC is in a different room than my stereo, but it's a simple matter to run a S/PDIF cable between them. Then I could use a laptop to run the PC remotely, but it would take a lot of clicks just to play an album on my HD. Unless there's some kind of fast switching in Windows 7 I don't know about.

You mentioned a fanless machine. I've thought about building one, but I need a box with a UI.

Turtle Beach's S/PDIF USB adapters don't support 24/96, not even the new ones, but at this time I don't have any HD music to play, so, yes, that's a very good suggestion. Then any laptop would work, and I wouldn't be forced to buy a particular model just because it supported S/PDIF.

 

From personal experience, most of the Acer models have S/PDIF out through the 3.5 headphone jack. Even my $399 Acer 3680 that came with a Celeron has S/PDIF.

 

Most newer Clevo models have the proper S-PDIF port, only they may operate a little loud for you.

You might want to have a look at them though, I have heard that the W860CU operates fairly quietly for a high power 15.6".

 

A fanless/headless box still has a GUI. You just get to it via RDP or VNC or some other protocol.

If you're not hung up on a) portability and b) a dedicated/connected display screen, you'll have lots of options including building a headless machine.

Reasonably capable headless/fanless machines are getting so small that you can stick them to the back of an LCD tv set with double-sided foam tape and never know that they are there.

 

I have to agree with newposter, a laptop is not necessarily the best choice for your needs, even if you want more than a basic media streamer.
Looking into possibly the HTPC arena or building one yourself may well be an idea.