Here's the situation. I decided a long time ago to move from CD to digital. I bought a hard drive controller but, for various reasons, it just hasn't clicked with me. So I've been using the laptop for a while now. I love having the big screen in front of me (my eyesight isn't the best) and the ability to do multiple searches at the same time. (It'll be even better when I get my MP3s organised into folders). I link the laptop to a mixer from the headphone socket.

However I miss the ability to mix and, more importantly, cue tracks by ear rather than from memory. I recently bought a Numark Total Control:

http://www.decks.co.uk/products/Controller...k/total_control

It's not the most spectacular bit of kit but now I've gone part-time I'm on a tighter budget, and it's a good toy. I've had a wee blast with it in the house and it's seems good. However the missing piece of the jigsaw now seems to be an external soundcard. I'm the first to admit that I'm technically clueless, so bare with me here. But my understanding is that I can plug this soundcard between the laptop and the mixer, and this will allow me to run the 2 channels on the screen (I'll probably be using Numark Cue LE), into 2 separate channels on the mixer? Meaning I can dust off the headphones and start mixing again? Have I got that right?

And, if so, what sort of things should I be looking for when shopping for a soundcard? Bearing in mind the budget is tight, and suggestions would be appreciated.

I use numark cue and I use a external sound card to go live and the built in sound card for headphones, as numark cue mix's well without the need for 2 channels. Just go into the menu and select external for live and internal for phones, works for me perfectly.

I use the numark djio which has 2 outputs to link to 2 mixer inputs to benefit from cue'ing.
At £75 its not the cheapest but i works well for me. To get a multichannel sound card will cost but its worth it.
I use it with numark cue 5.2. be sure to download the latest drivers if you get one.

The DJ IO looks good, thanks minty.