OK. Mac mini + temporary monitor

could be.

[3] Read as "if" - this is very much a flight of fancy; I'm not (yet) considering it seriously.

[4] I know, I know. Buy a Linux box. No; I don't want to :)

Actually, speaking as someone who has a linux server, I think they are more of a pain to set up. Not because linux is really hard to set up, just when you do a search on the net for assistance, you often find instructions to do what you want but for the wrong distro and you don't have the files.
At least with OSX, there is just the one.

I am thinking on similar lines. But grander. A Mac Mini with Airport, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, a firewire hub, more disks, an EyeTV, a HDTV-ish DLP projector and a meaty audio amp and speakers gets you the ultimate home cinema and webby home 'entertainment' machine that doubles as your home file, video and music server.

If only those 1024*720 DLP projector things were cheaper than £2500...

zoara wrote:

is there anything I should consider now, while it's all theoretical? Anything that might make me think that another machine might be more suitable [4]?

I haven't seen anything yet about how noisy this thing is - are we talking laptop levels? That alone would be a pretty good argument for home server use.

Well, it has near identical specs to a G4 iBook so I don't see why it should produce more heat. I only see the cooling vent at the back though, which isn't so good. Hopefully it has feet and vents beneath to allow convection to do some of the work.

Tim

All the web site says is that it is "whisper-quiet".

Cheers,

Chris

zoara wrote:

...is there anything I should consider now, while it's all theoretical? Anything that might make me think that another machine might be more suitable [4]?

A UPS might be useful. We get lots of power cuts so I've got a £35 unit from Staples on my Linux server. I'm thinking of replacing the pair of them with an old iBook though because it should shut down gracefully when the battery runs out. I've got a 10" CRT monitor on the server but it hasn't been needed for over a year. VNC has been enough.

The power consumption of the mini (or iBook) should be lower than a X86 linux box which will save a little bit in electricity.

Arthur

True. I was thinking it was a good portable work machine.

a source control system

It says that about darn near the whole current range.

Andrew

They are we paid around £1500 over 12months ago for one....

<http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=BNQ MA03WFO> just over £900 [1]

plenty others in the 1200-£1500 range.

[1] Isn't the one we bought but was the cheapest I found. --
Jon B
real email to usenet at jonbradbury dot com

I'm sure it advertised the old G4s as wind tunnels ;-)

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks. I got two numbers jumbled. I meant to say 1280*720 for native 720p. Benq make one of those for about £2500.

Did you note iSteve and 'the year of HD' and him getting Mr Sony onstage and playing with his HD camcorder?

I think I won't have too long to wait for my wonder projector. I saw a complete Sagem rear-projection 1280*720 in Curry's for just over £2000 the other day.

I'd suspect going on the size it has got one or two of the iBook fans inside which in all but a few are whisper quiet, however will wait till they are on the desk before make any final comments. I suspect we will have one or two through the doors of our place, £380 for machine and keyboard n mouse, slap a 15" TFT on it and for £530 we've got a nice system that is plenty good enough for most of the staff.

Ah, can do you LCD projector at that res for £1200, but what about a 1280x768 DLP projector for £1250 ?

zoara wrote:

So if I got myself a Mac mini as a home server (throwing out iTunes, handling network backup of the two iMacs, acting as network storage, etc etc), how would I sort out the monitor situation? I don't want a hulking great cheapo CRT, nor do I want to spend nearly as much as the Mac itself on an LCD.

I know there are lots of monitors available but there does seem to be a large space in the Apple range labeled "low cost monitor" or even "good value monitor"

600 quid for a 20" isn't exactly entry level.

Yes please. Where? gimme gimme!

I think I may have been misinformed.

<http://uk.insight.com/apps/nbs/index.php?C=1022&4423v=DLP+Projector%3At ext&SB=plh&P=&search_type=&K=&M=&4417v=1280+x+768%3Atext&AM=>

says it is 1280x768, however other sources suggest only 1024x768

<http://uk.insight.com/apps/nbs/index.php?C=1022&P=&search_type=&K=&M=&4 417v=1280+x+720%3Atext&AM=>

heres the list of 1280x720's that include a mixture of LCD and DLP tech. --
Jon B
real email to usenet at jonbradbury dot com

Heh. You and I are now hitting the same places. Are you looking for a similar thing? If so, I'll let you know what I end up with.

No I just knew about certain prices as I have a nice Infocus DLP projector on the floor behind me ;) I am however keeping my eyes on a lightweight of some description as our slightly older InFocus projector keeps playing up, works fine for hours in the office, even works fine at a conference, until it is actually needed, then it breaks [1].

[1] It does this from cold too

i think you find work for it as you where my imac i use a print, file server ie i shove importnat files etc on to it well okay the firewire drive connected and it serves music out to computers around the house and is connected to the sterro all and all useful old mac.

Thanks,

-zoara-

[1] It has "S-video and composite video output to connect directly to a TV or projector (requires Apple DVI to Video Adaptor, sold separately)"

[2] The iBooks are on and off continuously so wouldn't be that good at piping iTunes to the home stereo.

[3] Read as "if" - this is very much a flight of fancy; I'm not (yet) considering it seriously.

[4] I know, I know. Buy a Linux box. No; I don't want to :)

Roger

Bet it won't be too long before these arrive in matching stackable boxes!

CHeers,
Francis K.

And if you're going down that route, you might as well just ditch the mini and go for the Dual G5 Xserve and a couple of the Terabyte RAID disk systems......

You know you want to.

I certainly do.

And a 30" cinema display in each room.

--
I thought I would be the last on earth to mung my e-mail address. fsnospam$elliott$$