> A while back Wayne suggested using a
> netbook with the KX3 to log and run SDR software.
> Someone else –I don’t remember who - warned that most
> net books don’t have stereo mic inputs. I looked for
> a light cheap laptop with stereo inputs. I checked a
> couple of dozen from Asus, hp, Lenovo, and Toshiba. No
> netbook that I can find has stereo inputs. All, of
> course have stereo outputs.
>
> In fact, I can’t find any current production laptop that
> has stereo inputs except the Apple MacBook series and it
> doesn’t run windows natively, though there are a couple of
> hypervisor solutions. There are hundreds of models and
> I didn’t check every one but did check 25 or 30. I did
> call Dell and hp and ask them. There may be some and if
> there are I would love to know a brand and model.
>
> My next thought was so called USB sound cards. On the
> high end (price of a netbook and size of a KX3) there are
> lots of choices. There seem to be a number of Altoids
> tin sized USB “sound cards” some have stereo mic and /
> or line inputs and some don’t. Almost all the
> external devices emphasize the output functions and are
> skimpy on the input specs.
>
> I guess this is a long winded way of asking if during
> development and field test some thought could be given to a
> light weight package in the spirt of the KX3 itself that is
> tested and known to work. I would see this as KX3,
> netbook, and "a small USB sound card." Alternatively,
> if there is a reasonably priced light laptop with the
> requisite capabilities that would be fine too.
>
> 73 John N6MNX
>
> John Fogarty
>
[hidden email]
>