I'm have a Gateway laptop, using the Lexicon Omega for my I/O. I've used it for a while, including an Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA card before that, both no problems. Then I decided I needed more storage so I bought a 300 GB Seagate external HD. Now I'm getting a hum. The hum gets louder if I turn the output level anywhere off of the half-way mark. So I get more noise if I turn it up or down, least amount if it's at dead center. Also getting the hum from the PCMCIA. Could it the power supply to the HD, audio wires not sheilded, or a bad ground in the laptop or something else? BTW, what's the best sample rate/bit rate to record at? Thanks for you help in advance.