Laptop to be used as HTPC - Suggestion requested

[vskatusa]

Here is my setup:

1. Panasonic 50 inch plasma model TH50PX60U
2. Denon receiver model AVR 2807 HDMI 1.1

I would like to buy a laptop and use it as GBPVR client. I am not interested in blueray playback right now.

I want ONLY HDMI connection to my receiver. The HDMI should output video with HDCP and DOLBY DIGITAL sound output.

There is lots of chatter in the net that most of the laptops using HDMI connections do not output 5.1 DOLBY DIGITAL using the laptops.

I would like feedback from our members if anybody has a "working setup" as above and who have tried the above setup with a laptop where its HDMI DOES output 5.1 Dolby digital.

Would welcome the laptop model number.

Thanks much.

[TonyXL]

The Dell XPS laptops are their top of the line entertainment models. According to this thread (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=272160) the HDMI passes the audio.

[vskatusa]

Would like to get feedback from members who have "used the laptop" as a HTPC....rather than reading from specs

[TonyXL]

Would like to get feedback from members who have "used the laptop" as a HTPC....rather than reading from specs

Good idea....I was originally going to go the laptop route for my HTPC....after some research I decided against it. Obviously they're more expensive, plus high perf laptops have LOUD fans, they still overheat, you're stuck with proprietary non-upgradeable hardware (e.g., you may find that a graphics chipset has a bug with H.264 over HDMI and instead of paying $75 for a new graphics card, you have to pay $1000 for a new laptop....or the laptop HDMI port just won't handshake HDCP with your TV). Consider putting the money toward a decent HTPC case, or just getting an inexpensive tower case and stashing it out of view behind your TV/entertainment center.

Of course if you find an ideal HTPC laptop, you save a lot of time over building one yourself.

-Tony