Laptop Soundcard Question

[eboettn]

I know similar questions have been asked millions of times, but I'm new and stupid, so please don't hate! haha

I have a pretty new Dell Latitude D820 laptop running Vista. The sound card that was included is a SigmaTel card. The specs SAY that the input connection is both a microphone and line in input. (so according to them - the one input is both for microphone and line in). I'm assuming that the computer / card can tell the difference between the two and boost the microphone (if a microphone is being used).

Does anyone have experience with this card? Is this in fact a line-in input? Anyway to test if it's a true line-in? Or do I just need a usb sound card?

[salvasol]

Take my response with a grain of salt ... I'm not an expert on computers

I own a Dell Inspiron (old) ... mine also has the same card (Sigma Tel); if I understand correctly the microphone input can be considered a line in input (I don't think they wrong here) ... check your computer, and see how many connections you have on the sound card (mine has two; one for microphone and the other for the headphone); if this is the case ... I'm sure is better to get an external card because in reality you only have the microphone not a line in need it for REW ... (I got the Soundblaster Live 24Bit, it costed me $50 at Circuit City)

Hope this helps ...

[JohnM]

A combination mic/line input is becoming more common nowadays. The soundcard uses the impedance of the source to work out which setting to use, low impedance sources are treated as line level. To see if it works just connect a loopback from the speaker/headphone output to the mic/line input and try it.