No, there's a standalone CD-ROM that has an optical out. It was the FOTM for a while on Head-Fi, I think it was the 6xe? I don't know if it'd have the same nomenclature over there, but basically, it's a CD-ROM with a cartridge and an optical out, a play button, and not much more (maybe a skip track forward and backward). There were some others. Here: google search of Head-Fi.
There are of course variations -- but the trolley-based one was the most popular. And it's the only one I've heard personally, and can vouch for it that it sounded plenty fine. Someone on head-fi said something about a top-loading one. Try searching for "NEC multispin".