Netflix streaming on a laptop

[Cyber Akuma]

I want to know if this is possible.

If you have a laptop, HDTV, and good 5.1 sound system, would you be able to use these to stream netflix videos?

I was thinking of course connect the laptop to the HDTV by a VGA cable.

However, I forgot about sound, all it has is a headphone jack.

I don't want to just output sound in 2.0.

The only way I could think of getting 5.1 sound out of this setup is to buy a USB soundcard for the laptop..... or is there a better way?

What I want to ask is.... would such a setup work to stream video in SD and HD from netflix on a HDTV with actual 5.1 sound?

If so, what usb soundcard would you recommend? I can't afford something too expensive (max $100, though even that is stretchign it for me, something around $50 or so would be ideal), and it would need optical out since it would need to connect to the receiever instead of directly to the speakers.

[themanwhowas]

I'm not sure about the sound part but yes, attaching your tv to your laptop would allow you to use that tv as a 2nd monitor (which in turn would allow you to watch whatever's on your laptop on your tv). However, the quality of the output will depend largely on the graphics card of your laptop

[Cyber Akuma]

Stretching?

I was going to use the tv screen as the laptop's screen.

And yes, I know the video part is possible, its mostly the audio part that I do not understand.

[Rocketmech]

You might check your laptop for an SPDIF connection which would give a digital audio source. If you don't have one, then you would need an external sound card. Turtlebeach has a inexpensive usb 5.1 device that audiophiles find to be decent
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829118107 , but a X-Fi Surround maybe more interesting , http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102020