I just replaced the dead cd-burner drive on one of my computers, I got a lite-on DVD burner drive that does pretty much everything from newegg for like $39. There are good prices out there. I also have an external usb cd-burner that I can connect to any of my computers by usb to have an added cd-burner, I found it on a clearance rack at an electronics store for around $15. If you do not want to dig into the machine to take the old one out and install the new one you may want to get one of the external usb ones. Replacing the internal one is not difficult but does take a bit of knowledge, it is more difficult than say adding memory. Some times the doors can get off the tracks and on occasion they can be taken out and worked on and fixed but that is a big maybe! It is a good idea to never force things! Also if you use the paperclip in the little hole in the front of the drive it is usually advised to have the pc turned off and unplugged to do that, I know not everyone does that but on the directions that come with them it does say that. Guess the risk of something electrical happening is the reason.

Jane, I purchased a cable at Best Buy to connect my iPod to my stereo receiver. It sounds like you need the same thing. Go to the department that sells iPods and other MP3s and look for a rack of cable accessories. I think that mine is made by Belden. Or ask a salesperson for help. This cable will have a mini-plug on one end (plugs into the earphone jack on your MP3 player), and then splits into to two cables, each with an "RCA" plug on the ends. These match the inputs on your Sony system, make sure that you have two Audio In jacks, a Right and a Left. If you don't, you may need another type of cable, or an adaptor to go with the cable. It would be helpful if you could see your Sony unit in the same store that sells the cables, but not necessary. Radio Shack is probably another source for such cables. They tell you to turn down the volume on the player so that you won't blow out the speakers when you turn it on. Once you get it set up and working, you can see how to best set the volume. Hope this helps, Steve

"Overall, the valve (tube)is still an almost mystical thing, but in all honesty, modern amplifiers using transistors or MOSFETs are so vastly superior in terms of fidelity, efficiency and reliability, that I really don't see what all the fuss is about. Having said this, I was using a valve preamplifier on my own system until recently." --from Rod Elliot---I recommend his site on all questions related to audio. There is no doubt that valves do have some very nice characteristics, and for guitar amplifiers there are few guitarists who would argue otherwise. Guitarists love the sound of soft clipping that tubes make, rather than the harsher sound of over-driven MOSFETS or transistors. A soft overload behavior means that a valve amp does not sound as harsh as a transistor amp when it is overdriven - which is great for guitar, but a hi-fi should never be overdriven anyway, so the point is moot. The problems that befall valves are many, and include Fragile - The glass envelopes are very thin, and are easily broken. Limited Life - Even if a valve is operated well within its ratings, it still has a finite life. The main causes of valve failure are cathode emission degradation (happening all the time), and gas, when small amounts of air "break" the full vacuum. Microphonics - All valves tend to be slightly microphonic, which is to say that they act as a microphone. This can cause additional colouration to the signal if the sound from speakers vibrates the amplifier. High Voltage - Having to ensure that the 600V DC typical of a high power amp does not "flash over" valve bases is a constant headache, and ensuring that these voltages are kept well away from small fingers is mandatory. High voltage capacitors are also more expensive than lower voltage ones. Heaters - Valve cathodes must be operated at the correct temperature so they emit electrons properly, and "boil off" contaminants. If the heater voltage is too low, the cathode will become poisoned, and the valve is useless. The heater power used is all wasted, in that none of it is turned into sound. Output Transformers - The output transformer for a valve amp is expensive, bulky and heavy. It introduces its own distortion components, which are difficult (or impossible) to eliminate completely. Heat - All valve amps run hot. The valve will not work unless it is hot, and the heat causes problems for other components, shortening their life. The heat is all wasted energy. Damping - Valve amplifiers nearly all have a low damping factor, caused by a relatively high output impedance. Speakers must be very well damped indeed to work well with any valve amp, or the bass will become poorly defined, and crossover networks (which rely on a very low amp impedance) may not work as well as intended. On the positive side, valve amplifiers have a "warm" sound, partly because of the low order harmonic distortion introduced and because of the much higher impedance level compared to solid state. A good valve amp will also have a very wide bandwidth, and will have an easy job driving loads that cause solid-state equipment to have severe heartburn (or just blow up on the spot). But then again, how many people own 2 ohm speakers. Personally, I would never buy a speaker that is so poorly designed that it required a special amplifier. At low listeneing levels, valve equipment has vanishingly small distortion levels, and when all is said and done, there is something nice about little glass tubes, with little lights inside, making your music. But watt for watt, dollar for dollar, and if accuracy of incoming signal is of your highest importance, buying tubes are definitely not the way to go. Robert Carver has built solid state amps (with a so-called niceness and warmth switch) that tube-heads couldn't tell the difference from. But if you get you your stereo info from expensive retailers, true-believers, and Stereophile-type magazines rather than acoustic and electrical engineers you are likely to be led down the path of subjectivism, rather than objectivism. The repair rate and replacement rate of tubes is so far greater than solid state devices it is ridiculous. Unless you live in very cold weather and need the extra heat--go solid state:-) We all know that heat is the enemy of electronics. That is why heat sinks and fans exist. Krell, Meridian, Levinson, are all solid state and they are generally considered to be the Rolls Royce of the industry. In the age of DSP's and amplifier impedance output adjustment it makes almost no sense for tube amps for the average audiophile and every listener. But if you love the look of glowing tubes and don't have kids with prying hands, go ahead and buy one. Greg

jejvtr, FWIW: The arrangement I suggested for the surrounds is directly from DOLBY LABS specs. Now if they who invented Dolby Surround don't know where the speakers should go, then I suppose no one does. Crutchfield? Now there's a true professional outfit. Sort of like Best Buy/Circuit City for the internet. Gauranteee they know ALL there is to know (sarcasm if you don't recognize it) about AV systems. "You offer such great advice and in such a polished tone, it makes me want to hang on your every word, follow all your threads and responses - let me guess you are in your 20's and you really do "know it all" don't you? (sic)" I'm sorry I don't come across with a "polished tone" as you would like. But it REALLY bothers me when someone NOT in this profession gives such glaringly incorrect advice. I have a difficult time being politically correct when dealing with ignorance. My bad that. But I can't see sugar coating it. Out of ignorance you gave bad advice. And, to me, giving bad advice is stupidity. I equate that ging of bad advice with giving road directions when you really don't know the way. Not a smart thing to do. And FYI I actually do not claim to "know it all". And, unless I started in this industry before I was born, I am not some 20 year old (30 or 40 either for that matter).