[PlanetCCRMA] sound card recomendations?

[Oded Ben-Tal]

More queeries on this hot topic...
While a number of people recomended the delta1010 from maudio, recently 
nando pointed out that I won't be able to use it on a laptop.
So I'm back to more searching. Saffire firewire came up in vairous 
threads, I presume this is the one?

  www.dv247.com/invt/25740/

And there were some mention that different chipsets (on the computer?) 
do/don't work. I'm trying to find the specification for that on my laptop 
(thinkpad T400) but can't locate that. Anyone know the magic command 
(through either linux or Win.)

And a final question: any other thoughts about multichannel 
interface (4 or 8 channels) upto $300?

thanks
Oded