M-Audio is shipping Transit, a pocket-sized (2.2 by 3.6 by 0.9 inches) “mobile audio upgrade” device that provides analog and digital input and output, including support for AC3 and DTS passthrough. The US$129.95 device is compatible with Mac OS X (10.1 and higher) and Mac OS 9 (9.1 and higher).
Designed for laptop users, the Transit brings high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz recording and playback to any USB-equipped computer. Its digital I/O lets you transfer audio between your computer and other devices, such as MiniDisc and DAT players. The digital output can deliver AC3 and DTS from your computer to an external decoder such as a surround receiver.
The Transit includes 1/8-inch stereo analog/optical digital input, 1/8-inch stereo line/headphone output, TOSlink optical output for AC3 and DTS passthrough, and a 3.5 mm (male) to TOSlink (female) adapter. 96kHz operation requires a Power Mac G3 or G4 with at least 128MB of RAM; 48Hz has the same hardware requirements but runs on half the RAM.
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