Could an iMac be used as a media centre to replace a livingroom TV...

I

iHarrison


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...via some Apple-TV-like suite of Apps?

The thought just occurred as I've currently got my TV connected to my PC as a secondary monitor, using it as a makeshift media centre.

I had the idea of using a 27 inch iMac, with a Bluetooth keyboard & Magic trackpad as a replacement for a TV, to kill two birds with one stone at less cost...

(Or, failing that, a Mac Mini & HDTV combo, with the same wireless controls...)

Would this be feasible, or would a separate Apple TV & HDTV be best, despite the greater cost of having a separate computer & media server?
 
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If you have a good-sized HDTV and don't feel the need to replace it, I'd do the Mac Mini+HDTV combo. You get a larger screen and have the TV tuner already available. It isn't easy to get TV channel reception on a computer. There's sites like HULU where you can watch shows from 24 hours ago, but not where you can flip channels like you do with an actual TV. Plus, it's a cheaper solution than an iMac.
 
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Cool cool, in that case is an Apple TV ever really worth getting? (I know this is straying a little from the topic of this board, but it seems appropriate to continue in the same thread.)

I must admit I've never entirely understood the purpose of them. If they had a full version of iOS & so could be used as a sort-of lite desktop I'd understand; but it's always seemed to me that - despite the much higher cost - if you're going to connect a computer to your TV, you may as well make it a full desktop & so be able to use it for any & all computer functions, not just streaming media...
 
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Not everyone can afford (or want the expense) of a computer dedicated to sitting on their TV.

$99 is within the reach of a whale of a lot more folks than the $600-$1200 or more it's going to cost with a good HTPC.

I would guess those purchasing the $100 units from the AppleTV to the Roku to the Sony Digital player to the WDLive are wondering why the rest of us would spend $1000 to do the same thing they're doing.
 
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iHarrison said:
Cool cool, in that case is an Apple TV ever really worth getting? (I know this is straying a little from the topic of this board, but it seems appropriate to continue in the same thread.)

I must admit I've never entirely understood the purpose of them. If they had a full version of iOS & so could be used as a sort-of lite desktop I'd understand; but it's always seemed to me that - despite the much higher cost - if you're going to connect a computer to your TV, you may as well make it a full desktop & so be able to use it for any & all computer functions, not just streaming media...
Click to expand...

I have both - an Apple TV - Mk.1 version with the onboard 160gb hard drive-and a Windows Packard Bell iMedia PC I bought to use with my main 46" Samsung LED HDTV.
It's nice to have the on-screen large size worktop and Net facility, and also to watch BBC iPlayer services which are designed for smaller screen p.c.'s, and to be able to use the 1TB hard drive plus my other externals - to watch movies or play my iTunes library through the separate Samsung speakers etc
But - in all honesty - I find the Apple TV SO CONVENIENT for streaming my many films from 5 Macs - so for me, Apple TV is an Essential component of my system
 

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