Best way to watch stored movies on 27" cinema display.

[iaphotographer]

Ok, so here is my issue.

We have clients in our studio that we need to keep entertained while we are photographing their newborns. The sessions are very long and we would like to keep the parents entertained with movies.

We have a 27" cinema display. We have lots of movies on dvds for them to watch. We have a macbook pro, but we don't want to leave them out in the room with the macbook pro with lots of personal and client information on the computer.

So what is the best way to store these movies and let them have access to them and not be using our macbook pro? Maybe even let them have access to netflix too.

With Apple TV, we've been told we would need to buy a whole different tv to use it. That sounds really silly when we have this great Cinema display that we would like to use.

Any suggestions would be very appreciated. We've been into the local apple store three times. Each time we've had a different person and I honestly don't think they know or really care. We've gotten three different answers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MacDawg]

I would suggest using a Mac Mini with no client info on it
Minimal cost and gives you flexibility

 

[justin17]

If the panel is only used for watching DVD quality videos just get a 32" tv with a DVD player and keep the ACD for yourself.

Or buy a DVD player with HDMI to TB adapter to connect to the ACD.

 

[Outrigger]

Ok, so here is my issue.

We have clients in our studio that we need to keep entertained while we are photographing their newborns. The sessions are very long and we would like to keep the parents entertained with movies.

We have a 27" cinema display. We have lots of movies on dvds for them to watch. We have a macbook pro, but we don't want to leave them out in the room with the macbook pro with lots of personal and client information on the computer.

So what is the best way to store these movies and let them have access to them and not be using our macbook pro? Maybe even let them have access to netflix too.

With Apple TV, we've been told we would need to buy a whole different tv to use it. That sounds really silly when we have this great Cinema display that we would like to use.

Any suggestions would be very appreciated. We've been into the local apple store three times. Each time we've had a different person and I honestly don't think they know or really care. We've gotten three different answers.

Thanks in advance.

if you have all that media on DVD, better just to get a regular HDTV with a DVD player. 27 ACD may look good, but size wise, its not even average for movie watching for a group of people.

 

[ftaok]

Unless you don't want the parents to have physical access to the MBP, then perhaps just set up a guest account and let them access the movies that way.

Of course, make sure that the MBP boots up into a login screen, rather than autobooting into your account.

 

[drsox]

From your info, I guess that the two important facts are :
1. Don't want to give clients access to the DVDs.
2. Don't want to give clients access to the MBP.

What you might do is :
1. Get an additional USB drive (say 1TB).
2. Get a Media Streamer (Netgear NeoTV 200, 350, 550 or Western Digital WD TV live or Roku etc)
3. Spend some time to put the DVDs on the USB (use Handbrake etc)

Then you can connect the Media Streamer to the ACD (HDMI) and allow them to use the Controller of the Media Streamer to watch the DVDs.

Look at http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/collection/6046/media_streamers.html