Looking to buy a mac can't decide specifics

[trevoristight]

I have been looking to replace my 10 year old dell desktop. I have an 06 dell laptop. I'm looking to get a mac, but can't decide which one and at what time.
I don't need on I just want one. I will use it for the usuals for a college student, I know the education discount and free ipod touch. I don't want a free ipod touch as I have a jailbroken iphone so that's irrelevant.
I just got a new camcorder, the canon HF100 and would like to use imovie or get final cut express.
I would like to get a mac that has an HDMI port and a blu-ray drive. I don't know if that will ever happen or how long I will have to wait. I would prefer a macbook, but would like to wait for montevina and a case redesign, but that looks further down the road with the intel delay, and then if I'm waiting why not wait until nahlem which sounds like it will actually change the processing. But I would like a mac now so I'm looking at the imac, but don't know if I should wait for a mac mini update which should come, but just doesn't look like it.

The imac sounds like a good choice because it was just updated and its montevina like with FSB speed and 800 MHz memory. I would like to upgrade the memory, and 2 2GB 800 mhz sticks I've found for $125 mac compatiable, and the 2.4 GHz imac should be fine so that would be $1150 plus $125. I could get it tomorrow, but I just don't know what to do.
I'm also looking at an external hard drive for the video files and to transfer files between my new mac and my dell. Doesn anyone know an external harddrive where I can get video files on to it without a computer, then I wouldn't need a laptop I could just put the video files on the external hard drive and then put them on my imac once I got back home.

Sorry for all that I have a bunch of questions with non answers and some questions are speculative which give speculative answers. Please give any help you can, I don't need a response just buy it now if you need it, that doesn't help at all. First time poting, long time reader...😀: apple:

 

[tuxtpenguin]

I would say get a macbook. Since Macs typically hold their value fairly well, you could get a macbook now and in the future if they release the updates you want, you could sell and purchase a new machine with the specs you desire.

 

[illidian]

I don't understand why you're looking for HDMI and Blu-Ray on a 13.3" screen that only supports 1280 x 800 resolution. It's an enormous waste.

Nahalem will also be supported on the iMac, and is going to be just a big of an upgrade there as it is for the MacBook line.

You mention using iMovie or Final Cut Express - are you planning on doing extensive editing?

 

[trevoristight]

I plan to do a little editing not much.
In terms of HDMI unnecessary, why does it matter the computer, I want an HDMI output to plug into my hdtv so i can view my compute on my TV. In terms of blu-ray the screen size isn't why I want it or not it's just I use netflix or buy and most movies I get are blu-ray that I have to watch at home and would like my computer to handle them it's not how it looks or small screen or any of that.

In terms of reselling they don't seem to hold value that well, prices on ebay are about $800 for the last macbook before the update.
I have no clue what to do, should I wait for montevina and buy a macbook or wait for nahalem or buy an imac in the next couple of weeks?
Or maybe buy an imac this week and buy a macbook once nahalem comes out?
Unless an updated mac mini comes out. Also how much memory do you think I need if I get an imac, 2GB or 4GB?

 

[ashjamben]

just imagine, you wait x amount of years for nahalem macs to be released, only to find that intel has announced they are going to release the new and amazing 'therulia' processors, that are like so amazing, and are going to be released in macs in y amount of years.

if you want one then buy one, don't hang about waiting for updates or you'll never buy one. granted, don't buy one JUST before a update is rumoured and expected.

as for the HDMI question, macbooks have a mini-dvi output and audio output. yes, if you wanted a blu=ray drive then this wouldn't be the best way to do things, but using a DVI adapter and using decent cables will get you good results, i've done it before on my 46" plasma beast at my parents house.

 

[neiltc13]

HDMI and DVI are the same thing, so as every Mac can output to DVI, all you need is a DVI -> HDMI cable to connect to your TV. A proper HDMI port would be nice, but Apple doesn't see connection of the computer to a television as the main functionality of this - the DVI ports on Macs are intended to output to second monitors or projectors rather than TVs.

I would say get the MacBook too. The only thing they are really going to add is a slightly faster processor etc. I myself don't foresee that Apple will change the design of the MacBook because it's the best designed computer they have ever made. The case is made of plastic because the target market needs a computer which is durable. Aluminium isn't as durable and is much more expensive than plastic.

Remember, all the people saying "oh wait for the redesign" are working on complete speculation from rumour sites like this one and others. We've been waiting on the Mac mini being revised or axed for a good couple of years now and nothing has really happened. Just beware of the rumours because more often than not they are completely inaccurate. I really don't see Apple making major changes to the MacBook.

 

[trevoristight]

Ok, thanks for the help i understand waiting is pretty dumb. I'm leaning towards the imac which one do you think i need to run internet, office, ilife, and final cut express? How much memory do you think i need and the appropriate video card? I don't really care about screen size. I might get a macbook once nahalem comes out and there will probable be a case redesign but I don't want to wait until at the earliest end of january 2009.

Also do you need two cables to plug it into the TV I was reading that you need a seperate one for sound. Does anyone have a good link to dvi-hdmi cable? Maybe monoprice.com has one?

 

[ashjamben]

i think any of the imacs will suffice for the work you are going to do. personally, the £949 model seems the best bet if your not too bothered about screen size.

as for connecting a macbook up to a tv i'll explain how (i'm sure i've done this a few times on here before, but here it goes again 😛)

first, you need a mini-DVI to DVI cable, which i believe only apple make. then you'll either need a DVI to DVI cable or DVI to HDMI cable. either will do the job, but it all depends on what connections your tv has. mine didn't have a DVI slot so i had to go for a DVI to HDMI cable.

ok, now we've got the picture sorted out, now its just the audio. you will need a jack to stereo RCA cable. you do not put this into the normal RCA inputs on your tv, the one that includes the 'yellow' RCA for the video signal. they need to go into the audio ins, probably at the back of your tv.

it may be slightly different depending on your tv and what conections you do and do not have. just let me know if you need any help.

 

[trevoristight]

What if I want to connect my imac to my 42" 1080p Toshiba HDTV occasionally, it doesn't have dvi, but it has hdmi and I understand how to hook that up. My main question is the sound. If I plug it in hdmi to access it on my tv I have to go to lets say HDMI 2, but then it expects the sound from hdmi which its not going to get so how do i hook up the sound.

 

[athenaesword]

What if I want to connect my imac to my 42" 1080p Toshiba HDTV occasionally, it doesn't have dvi, but it has hdmi and I understand how to hook that up. My main question is the sound. If I plug it in hdmi to access it on my tv I have to go to lets say HDMI 2, but then it expects the sound from hdmi which its not going to get so how do i hook up the sound.

can someone give some insight on this please?

 

[Eric.]

can someone give some insight on this please?

HDMI is capable of carrying a high resolution digital signal and at the same time it can also carry uncompressed audio. Using a DVI to HDMI cable is not going to be outputting audio since that is not a function of a DVI port. You'll need to use the audio out jack of the Mac and a converter to RCA cables. I think the only way the audio can work this way is to use the red and white RCA inputs on the TV. There's no way to do surround sound with that, as far as I know.

 

[Savagestorm]

What if I want to connect my imac to my 42" 1080p Toshiba HDTV occasionally, it doesn't have dvi, but it has hdmi and I understand how to hook that up. My main question is the sound. If I plug it in hdmi to access it on my tv I have to go to lets say HDMI 2, but then it expects the sound from hdmi which its not going to get so how do i hook up the sound.

DVI to HDMI is easy for the picture, for sound however you have many options. I don't know what your set-up is, but what I do is plug the sound into my amp via 3.5mm to component.

 

[paul2241]

can someone give some insight on this please?

There is component audio RCA jacks either next to or under your hdmi port on your toshiba tv.... (only red and white) Then you must use the toshiba remote to access the tv menu there is a setting named hdmi, within that hdmi menu there should be and audio setting where you can toggle between it picking up hdmi audio or component audio. I'm not sure the exact menu as I have a samsung TV but I've used my macbook with my brother's toshiba just go into the main menu look for hdmi and look for something has has to do with hdmi sound or audio. If you can work a computer you can figure out where this setting is. 😀

 

[ashjamben]

like i said, the RCA audio cables have to go into the main audio ins on your tv.but each tv is different. if you say what inputs you have on your tv i'm sure someone can tell you how to hook it up.

my tv actually has the RCA audio sockets next to the HDMI input that say 'HDMI/DVI Audio Input', which is exactly for this purpose, when a DVI cable is converted to HDMI with no audio.