Want to buy a Mini. Will it connect to old stuff?

M

MikeT125

macrumors regular

Original poster

• May 16, 2007

• #1

My Mom's Linux/PC box jus quit and she is looking at getting a mac mini. She has an older VGA monitor and a non-USB (the round connector) on her keyboard and mouse.

Also, my Dad's PC/WinXP computer is connected via an "eithernet" cable (the one that looks like a wider telephone cable) I think that is what it is called... He can print using the printer that is connected to the linux box to a printer with a parallel cable....

What am I looking at if I get a mac mini as far as connections hooking all this up. Everything is all in place now and WAS working until the linux box blew up. Is this all too much trouble or can the mini do it?

 

mad jew

Moderator emeritus

• May 16, 2007

• #2

The keyboard and mouse won't work, but you can buy adaptors pretty cheaply. The printer should work. The mini certainly has an ethernet port, but the make and model of the printer may make the setup more difficult. Chances are it'll work though, even if you need to use a generic driver.

 

AlexisV

macrumors 68000

• May 16, 2007

• #3

By the sounds of it, you just need a couple of PS/2 to USB converters for the keyboard and mouse, which are pretty cheap.

 

2nyRiggz

macrumors 603

• May 16, 2007

• #4

http://www.networktechinc.com/usb-ps2.html

Something along this line and there are cheaper ones.





Bless

 

emptyCup

macrumors 65816

• May 16, 2007

• #5

mad jew said:

Chances are it'll work though, even if you need to use a generic driver.

Click to expand...

Or, you'll probably be offered a free (with rebate) printer when you buy the mini. I got a nice all-in-one printer when I bought mine.

 

miniConvert

macrumors 68040

• May 16, 2007

• #6

MikeT125 said:

eithernet

Click to expand...

*chuckles to self* I take it that's spelt as you would pronounce it?

I don't remember if the mini includes a DVI->VGA connector - if not then I'm sure you can buy one for hooking up a VGA monitor.

 

plinden

macrumors 601

• May 16, 2007

• #7

MikeT125 said:

.. He can print using the printer that is connected to the linux box to a printer with a parallel cable....

Click to expand...

Everything else should work with a PS/2-USB connector (or just get a USB keyboard/mouse combo for $30) but Macs don't have a parallel port. If your printer doesn't have a USB port you can find a connector - like this or this

It's easy enough to share a printer connected to a Mac. The easiest (not sure if it's the only) way is to install Bonjour for Windows on the PC. Running the printer wizard will find any shared printers on the network.

 

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