Without getting into pointless and age-old Windows vs. PC debates, I just want to say that Gmood1 appears to be correct about Windows 7 being an excellent operating system. I haven't yet tried it, but I am a moderator (under a different screen-name) at a forum for computer enthusiasts and builders, http://www.abxzone.com, and it has garnered widespread praise there and elsewhere on the net, even among confirmed Vista-haters. Which is remarkable for an os that is still in the release candidate stage.
Re dual-booting Windows 7 on a Mac, there are two ways of doing that, virtualization and "boot camp." Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is an overview:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Booting_Windows_on_the_Mac
Mark -- Although your question was about sending analog audio directly from a pc to your audio system, I would suggest that you consider outputting digital from the pc, to an external dac. That is what is most commonly done, for several reasons:
-- The digital devices and switching power supply in a computer are potent emi/rfi generators, which figure to pollute analog circuits and outputs in the computer to some degree.
-- A good external dac will most likely provide much better sound quality than the one on a computer sound card or motherboard.
-- You would probably have to connect to flimsy, unreliable 1/8" mini-jacks on the computer.
-- The audio outputs of the computer are likely to have an unspecified output impedance, which I suspect would be highish (perhaps as a cheap means of short circuit protection). That would result in high frequency rolloff in combination with the capacitance of the lengthy cables you are likely to use.
Also, keep in mind that acoustic noise generated by the computer is a key consideration, assuming the computer will be in your listening room. I would expect most standard desktops, and many laptops, to be unsatisfactory in that regard, although those who build their own computers can choose combinations of cases and other components which would probably be quiet enough. A lot of people use the Mac Mini for this kind of purpose, and praise its noise levels among other things. I have no particular knowledge of the noise levels of computers that are physically in htpc cases/form factors, though -- hopefully others will comment.
Regards,
-- Al
Re dual-booting Windows 7 on a Mac, there are two ways of doing that, virtualization and "boot camp." Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is an overview:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Booting_Windows_on_the_Mac
Mark -- Although your question was about sending analog audio directly from a pc to your audio system, I would suggest that you consider outputting digital from the pc, to an external dac. That is what is most commonly done, for several reasons:
-- The digital devices and switching power supply in a computer are potent emi/rfi generators, which figure to pollute analog circuits and outputs in the computer to some degree.
-- A good external dac will most likely provide much better sound quality than the one on a computer sound card or motherboard.
-- You would probably have to connect to flimsy, unreliable 1/8" mini-jacks on the computer.
-- The audio outputs of the computer are likely to have an unspecified output impedance, which I suspect would be highish (perhaps as a cheap means of short circuit protection). That would result in high frequency rolloff in combination with the capacitance of the lengthy cables you are likely to use.
Also, keep in mind that acoustic noise generated by the computer is a key consideration, assuming the computer will be in your listening room. I would expect most standard desktops, and many laptops, to be unsatisfactory in that regard, although those who build their own computers can choose combinations of cases and other components which would probably be quiet enough. A lot of people use the Mac Mini for this kind of purpose, and praise its noise levels among other things. I have no particular knowledge of the noise levels of computers that are physically in htpc cases/form factors, though -- hopefully others will comment.
Regards,
-- Al