I experienced the same problem with my laptop, a Gateway 400 series. The problem had nothing to do with the TV moniter, but rather the sound card. What I did was add a MAYA 5.1 USB audio interface. They can be found at BPM.com and they sell for about $130. They export the sond via a USB slot, and the results is crystal clear. they also enable you to use a laptop to import into a home system, and achieve 5.1 digital surround sound. There are cheaper, but similar devices that do the same thing, but you'll have to do a little research. Hope this helps.
