Audio out on 12" PB?

External Since: Feb 08, 2005 Posts: 1

Hi all. Hoping an audiophile can perhaps clue me in. Been running Linux
at home on an IBM desktop for the last 8 years or so, and I have an
audio cable from my sound card's "line out" jack to a mini stereo's R/L
inputs. Works great for playing MP3s. Planning on replacing my desktop
with a PowerBook now (95% non-mobile use). Wondering about the audio
jack on the 12" PowerBook (and, if there's a difference, the 15"s). I
thought I recalled there being some technical difference between a
"line out" jack and a headphone jack. Either with quality, volume, line
noise... something. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Thanks a ton in advance for any info folks. My last worry before
dropping the $2k.

E

PS: Any other potential issues a mac-neophyte may have overlooked with
using a 12"PB (with seperate keyboard and monitor) as a primary
workstation?

External Since: Jun 24, 2003 Posts: 382

8 Feb 2005 07:02:07 -0800, espritdescalier.DeleteThis@gmail.com suggested:
: Hi all. Hoping an audiophile can perhaps clue me in. Been running Linux
: at home on an IBM desktop for the last 8 years or so, and I have an
: audio cable from my sound card's "line out" jack to a mini stereo's R/L
: inputs. Works great for playing MP3s. Planning on replacing my desktop
: with a PowerBook now (95% non-mobile use). Wondering about the audio
: jack on the 12" PowerBook (and, if there's a difference, the 15"s). I
: thought I recalled there being some technical difference between a
: "line out" jack and a headphone jack. Either with quality, volume, line
: noise... something. Can anyone clear this up for me?
:
: Thanks a ton in advance for any info folks. My last worry before
: dropping the $2k.

I'm pretty sure that the headphone jacks on most laptops are designed to
be used as a line out. I have a Powerbook 12", and it works just fine in
this way. I usually use an M-Audio Audiophile USB for sound out when I'm
at my workstation, though. M-Audio's drivers are a little flakey, so I
don't necessarily recommend this solution to anyone that doesn't already
own one.

: PS: Any other potential issues a mac-neophyte may have overlooked with
: using a 12"PB (with seperate keyboard and monitor) as a primary
: workstation?

That's what I do, and I haven't had any real complaints. I've been able to
find firewire versions of just about any peripheral I need. The 12"
doesn't have a Cardbus slot like the 15" and 17" do, but I've never found
myself needing one.

--
agreenbu @ nyx . net andrew michael greenburg