playing music files

[D4\/!d]

This is not strictly cinema, but it's related :)

I am looking for ideas here

I want to play my collection of music files. I have a 500GB ext hard drive half full of mp3's.

I guess I need to get a laptop (prolly a Dell Inspiron), coz a desktop - with it's monitor, even a flat one - is too big to fit around the Hifi.

I intend to connect the new laptop to my Audiolab 8000A Amp and play through ProAc speakers.

I'd like to know if the laptop sound card (Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy® ADVANCED HD™ Audio- Full Version) will be sufficient to give me a good quality sound with my Hifi system.

To give me good sound quality, do I need a different soundcard .

Do I need an external soundcard - can you recommend one.

What alternatives to my setup are there, that will play music from an ext hard drive.

Thanks,

[Mike567]

I think you can use something like this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=...038&doy=7m8 I've never used one though.

heres the category from maplin

[Boris]

You could buy something like this for £40 ? - it has a USB port

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-DVP5960-Pl...i/dp/B000G2Y59E

Specification

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/c...RESHP3HKFSEKI5P

[D4\/!d]

Gosh

It was many months ago (October 2006) that I posted this.

I got a lapptop to do the deed.

Thanks for your ideas