The only way to get visualizations on the TV is with an actual video connection (HDMI, DVI, VGA) either through the TV or an A/V Receiver.
If you have an Android or iOS Device you can control MC through them and free up the laptop.
The quality of the sound card becomes less important when using a digital format and using a network device is no better/worse than HDMI.
Don't get me wrong a quality sound card is still important if you have the equipment that brings out all those little details but until you get
into high end audio equipment (Receiver, Speakers, etc) the audible differences are barely discernible if it all.