Laptop Docking Station S/PDIF Output


I have wanted to introduce internet radio into my reference system for some time now. I have a Dell Latitude D620 laptop, which like many older laptops does not have either analogue or digital out except for USB & a headphone jack. Low & behold, I just noticed that my Dell Docking Station does in fact have a S/PDIF output. I have a CAL Sigma DAC that is out for repair, so what type of results might I obtain running my laptop/docking station S/PDIF out to my Sigma then into my preamp?

Has anyone had any experience using a laptop docking station S/PDIF output in their system?
craig_hoch
of all the interfaces for transmission of audio info, your docking station may be a little obscure for gleaning great amounts of info on.

I'd personally think it would surely suffice. how well is always the deal though. For internet radio, it should do as that's mostly background ambience info anyhow, and a non critical listening environment.

you might want to considder going more main stream and adding a USB sound card, or cracking the box and adding a fire wire outlet, if there's a PCI space open. Then a 1394 PCI card will help. Albeit, USB 2.0 will have enough throughput.

As an alternative the open USB slot could be used to connect a "hub', and that will give you more USB functionality and a USB sound card could then be added... or simply a converter that will take up to 24/96 info and provide you a SPDIF interface for connecting to your delta dAC.

I use a small 4 port USB hub on my laptop somtimes with decent results.

if there's no open PCI slot... well, it's docking thingy, USB HUB, or upgrading time.

Good luck.