The TV is irrelevant.

Macmini is optimal for this kind of thing. The AppleTV is nice and does 5.1, but then you still have to maintain a repository elsewhere for ease of maintenance.

If you're going on the cheap, you can always use the DVI output (to hdmi) and run audio leads from your iMac to the television, assuming it's not an epically far distance from each other.

If you do a wireless keyboard, avoid the bluetooth ones- range and battery life seem to suck. The logitech USB dongle + wireless keyboard combo works great.

So does ARD/Screensharing, but that's less user friendly for the missus.

ah right yeah, i hadn't really thought about audio from it, doh.

i have a denon amp and a couple of floorstanders that i was going to use, just not sure how. i think i was just going to wire that up to the tv, but i guess that may not be ideal.

use an xbox360. it's wonderful.

by "how about that then?", i mean "are there any specific apps for integrating with a mac based workflow, web browser etc?"

of course, the missus can't really use it for work then though.

interesting thread. I was thinking of doing something like this with a mac mini. We have a 32" LG in the master bedroom wall.

Good point about the range Biff, never thought about that. I wanted bluetooth as i'll probably install it at the other side of the wall inside the airing cupboard with all the other cables and stuff out of sight but never thought that the range might not be good enough to control it (4 meters or so plus wall). I'll look into the logitech one. Would be good if it had a trackpad or something, I don't fancy having to fiddle about with a mouse.

Also hadnt thought about the sound. any recommendations of surround sound systems that play nicely with the mac mini?

The WDTV is decent, though a Mac Mini is much nicer. Copying everything to an external HD is a hassle, but being able to stream via the network is a huge strength for the Mini.

Hehe, I bought one of those Samsung LED tvs a few weeks ago and its totally fucking awesome. And I got a free matching blueray player and a free 5 yr warranty!!!

£2k, chris. From John Lewis.

I priced it in Comet for £2k plus £250 for the Blueray player, plus £350 for the 5yr warranty!

I probably wont even use the blueray. I have an xbox also.

But check this, the TV is DivX and DivX HD compatible. Simply pop your pen drive in the side and voila! No need for a media player!

Problem is, nobody uses DivX for HD - only standard definition rips. And even then, I've seen more Xvid in the past few years (though if it can play DivX, it can probably play Xvid).

Excuse the poor iphone pics.




The recession has been good to me to be honest. (Bought a new car as well this week!)

Check Squap in laidback mode for the photo

flak said...Wait, didn't you just buy a Mac Pro, too?

Man, can I come live with you?

(nimmot's basement is getting crowded, anyway)

WTF? I told you to clean the hair and loose bone parts out of nimmots basement! Do you really want me to send you back to work as an IHOP busboy from Midnight to 8 Am?

these ones have the freesat built in

the built in freesat sounds ok, but i was kinda planning on getting one with freeview built in, and a freesat receiver with some form of pvr. maybe i'm thinking backwards here, though.

samsung are at the top of my list atm, too, flak. good prices at the lower end of the scale, i think.

cor blimey, that's a little more than i was thinking of splashing on a telly, too looks nice, though, for sure!

i don't have any subscription. the tv i currently watch is all the free stuff on satellite (as we have a dish and sky box already).

meska said...btw, what's the device in the middle of the shelf?

SkyHD box, center speaker, home theatre receiver

I wondered who would spot that reflection!!!

I thought about it but i had a feeling only blokes would pic up on it. Not my cup-o-tea!

Woohaa!

I am most definitely considering this, but i'd have to whip out that 160gb and stick in a 500gb or 1tb.