you would need an interface. Apogee makes one that interfaces with the firewire port. Protools too. There's more i'm sure.

Do I need a pcmcia sound card or can I come directly out of the fire wire port?

depending on the interface you use. If you have a firewire port on your computer, then the interface would just hook up to that. But you have to get a firewire audio interface.

would you mind takuing the time to name a few pieces of gear that might work for me considering my setup is a laptop. I mentioned firewire first but I suppose it could be a pcmcia card or even a usb device.

Basically I want to get a stereo signal back out of my laptop into a cranesong hedd. I would like to use samplitude. But I don't know if I need a soundcard or any other pieces - or merely a cable that will link my firewire port to the Hedd? Or something more complicated?

Thanks,
Woods

if you have a pcmcia cardslot then there is also the vx pocket interface that has spdif in and out. there are also the one I mentioned above for firewire. there are several usb interfaces too. you have many options so I would contact samplitude and find out which ones will work with their software.

Echo Audio makes a really neat pcmcia interface - the indigo. check it out- i think it's one of the best out there