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Hi there all!
I'm considering getting an iMac (20 or 24" version) and I have a few queries I hope you can help me with before I pop into London to the Apple store for a real play with one.
1) I currently have my XP PC set up to output to my LCD monitor and to my TV via component for watching movies. Can I do this on an iMac, or is it VGA/DVI (analogue) output only?
2) I assume if the above is true, I can use Front Row with the supplied remote (?) to watch movies on my TV? And use an optical connection to my amp to get 5.1?
3) Can Front Row play things like DiVX/Xvid/H.264 HD AVI files? Is the DVD drive multi region, and is the apple software region locked? Currently I use Meedio which is a home cinema application which allows me to play DVDs, movie files in different formats, view pictures, play music, get the weather - etc.
4) Does an iMac have a video input - not necessarily for capture, but so that I can use the iMac screen with my PC which I would almost certainly keep in the short term at least.
5) I assume they are completely non-upgradable?
6) Is the Apple wireless keyboard and mouse the best to get, or should I get a 3rd party combo?
7) What's the failure rate of these things like? Forgive me for asking, but if a component goes in my PC I can whip it out and replace it. Where as I assume iMacs have to go back to Apple, or to a local authorised service centre?
8) Now I have a Wii and a 360 I'm not too fussed about PC based gaming. All I use my PC for is viewing media, internet, MSN/ICQ and Office applications. I assume I can use Apple's version of Office which is I hope compatible with Microsoft's in terms of file formats? I would jsut want Excel (spreadsheets), Word (word processing), Powerpoint (slide show presentations) and I use Outlook, but I guess I can use whatever Apple email client is available. As long as I can add contacts and have a calendar I don't mind (although I think the OS has a good calendar built in?).
9) What sort of restrictions are there that you can think of? It seems like a fairly closed world, speaking as someone who can google for any sort of application and get it working on Windows...
10) The hardware doesn't look to have changed much other than Intel chips coming in. Are iMac's going to be either refreshed soon or completely removed from the product line?
11) I guess a lot of you are waiting for the Leopard OS! If I get an iMac with whatever the current one is, would I have to pay for the upgrade? I assume there are no set release dates for it yet?
For anyone who can answer - many thanks for taking the time to read and respond!
cheers,
Dave
/edit - thanks whoever moved this. I didn't see this forum so will have a read.
I'm considering getting an iMac (20 or 24" version) and I have a few queries I hope you can help me with before I pop into London to the Apple store for a real play with one.
1) I currently have my XP PC set up to output to my LCD monitor and to my TV via component for watching movies. Can I do this on an iMac, or is it VGA/DVI (analogue) output only?
2) I assume if the above is true, I can use Front Row with the supplied remote (?) to watch movies on my TV? And use an optical connection to my amp to get 5.1?
3) Can Front Row play things like DiVX/Xvid/H.264 HD AVI files? Is the DVD drive multi region, and is the apple software region locked? Currently I use Meedio which is a home cinema application which allows me to play DVDs, movie files in different formats, view pictures, play music, get the weather - etc.
4) Does an iMac have a video input - not necessarily for capture, but so that I can use the iMac screen with my PC which I would almost certainly keep in the short term at least.
5) I assume they are completely non-upgradable?
6) Is the Apple wireless keyboard and mouse the best to get, or should I get a 3rd party combo?
7) What's the failure rate of these things like? Forgive me for asking, but if a component goes in my PC I can whip it out and replace it. Where as I assume iMacs have to go back to Apple, or to a local authorised service centre?
8) Now I have a Wii and a 360 I'm not too fussed about PC based gaming. All I use my PC for is viewing media, internet, MSN/ICQ and Office applications. I assume I can use Apple's version of Office which is I hope compatible with Microsoft's in terms of file formats? I would jsut want Excel (spreadsheets), Word (word processing), Powerpoint (slide show presentations) and I use Outlook, but I guess I can use whatever Apple email client is available. As long as I can add contacts and have a calendar I don't mind (although I think the OS has a good calendar built in?).
9) What sort of restrictions are there that you can think of? It seems like a fairly closed world, speaking as someone who can google for any sort of application and get it working on Windows...
10) The hardware doesn't look to have changed much other than Intel chips coming in. Are iMac's going to be either refreshed soon or completely removed from the product line?
11) I guess a lot of you are waiting for the Leopard OS! If I get an iMac with whatever the current one is, would I have to pay for the upgrade? I assume there are no set release dates for it yet?
For anyone who can answer - many thanks for taking the time to read and respond!
cheers,
Dave
/edit - thanks whoever moved this. I didn't see this forum so will have a read.