Do you own an Apple Mac computer?

[flavius]

I have several. While the win-tel boxes are still in the majority in my house I expect that to change some time this year.

[btvfreak]

Just got a new 17" MacBook Pro. Got a good deal on the 2.16GHz Core Duo model, and couldn't resist. A nice upgrade from my 17" 1.33GHz PowerPC PowerBook. I've got Parallels running with XP Pro for those Win apps I really need. Might try running BTV Link with BootCamp.

[rugby]

I've got a 15" MBPro and love it, however I really could use the larger 17". I'm debating between getting the 17" refurbed or a 24" display to hook up to my 15" MBPro.

Originally Posted by btvfreak

Just got a new 17" MacBook Pro. Got a good deal on the 2.16GHz Core Duo model, and couldn't resist. A nice upgrade from my 17" 1.33GHz PowerPC PowerBook. I've got Parallels running with XP Pro for those Win apps I really need. Might try running BTV Link with BootCamp.

[mrlumpy]

I have a copy of MacOS I use on my PC. I have a triple boot system, with Vista (currently unused, I don't like it), XP SP2 Pro (used daily), and Mac OS X (followed by an animal name, I can't remember).

My Asus motherboard and AMD processor make a "faster" computer than most "real" Macs and I was expecting to be "wowed" but I was actually really really underwhelmed. Compared to Ubuntu on my laptop, MacOS leaves a lot to be desired. It may "just work" out of the box (as they say in the ads), but when there are say, only 10 things the OS is configured to do out of the box, I think they're being generous refering to the brilliance of the machine.

Compared to something like Ubuntu, MacOS is really a computer I can only recommend to newbies and people who have true problems understanding how to use a computer. Here are the problems:

1) If you have a kid or teen, he'll hate you if you buy one. There is really lame game support for the Mac. Yes, old games are abundant for the Mac, but it does not have the cutting edge games your kid's friends have, and your kid will be very unhappy. It may be trite, but it's true.

2) All the terminal access is hidden, so this isn't your Dad's unix box. Most of the cutting edge Linux and Windows programs (file sharing programs, etc) get ported late or never to the MacOS. I'm sure some of those Mac users could call up a terminal and compile the source from SourceForge, but the Mac just isn't configured to do that out of the box.

3) No configuration. A friend of mine bought a Mac Mini and ended up returning it, with great difficulty and expense (he lives miles away from the store), because the computer would not recognize his HDTV monitor. With Windows, you just force the resolution. With Linux, you just edit a small text file. With the Mac, it was like brain surgery - and even if he paid for the shareware programs that he was told about, they still didn't work properly. If you don't do EXACTLY what the Mac designers think you're going to do, your SOL with hardware support.

The mac is very pretty though, and good for people who want to "buy" their way into what they perceive to be the "high status" area of the tech world. Same as people who respond to Volkswagen ads, really.

[rugby]

Originally Posted by mrlumpy

I have a copy of MacOS I use on my PC.

Your post lost all credibility right here. You're using a pirated version of Mac OS X on unsupported hardware and you're complaining about it? Good grief.

[mrlumpy]

Originally Posted by rugby

Your post lost all credibility right here.

I am neither seeking nor desire the type of credibility a person such as yourself can ascribe. I'm talking to the computer techs of the world, the type of people who build powerful machines - not the type that respond like sheep to well targetted ads.

[flavius]

Don't feed the trolls.

[cerealrat]

I use Macs almost exclusively now. For me, using graphics intensive programs for image/video editing, it can't be beat.

What surprises me in this forum is the lack of cool things you can do on the Mac with BeyondTV recording on a Windows box.

1. Watch BeyondTV on your mac with VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/). Of course, you don't get the cool features of BeyondTV link, but it plays MPEGs and AVIs wonderful over the network -- and you don't have to have an Intel Mac. Just connect to your Windows box, and drag the video files onto VLC.




2. Edit/compress your MPEGs files with MPEG Streamclip (http://www.squared5.com/). This free app will let you cut out the parts of your recordings, and compress your files into just about any thing you'd want. I can drop MPEGs into it (directly from the network), cut out the commercials and save as a headed MPEG to be burned in DVD Studio.

[Thorvald]

Ah for gods sake... I finally got VLC working happy with my Mac. I used the script to delete preferences and finally I can at least see my videos on my Mac.

Now if only we could link the BTV website to use VLC to play MPEG's across the network (I refuse to use DIVX or AVI...).

Thanks again!

[gkg]

This is a bit off an HTPC forum, but to the gentleman who refered to the "insane" cost of Final Cut Pro and the RAM: The Price of Final Cut Pro vs. building an Ampex editing suite in your basement is less than 1%. Most people who really need and use it, can't believe how CHEAP it is.

Secondly, One of the main causes of erratic behaviour on DIY PCs is the crap RAM that people buy to save $50 on a $500 PC. They'll send $700 on a GPU to see better killings in Grand Theft Auto, but they'll compormise the entire system with a stick of RAM whose only virtue is that it was the cheapest one that wouldn't hang your Box on startup!

I take the earlier point in the the thread that, if you have the skill and the interest to work on your box, then a wintel PC is a great value. But if you want it to just run, or if you are buying a Computer for your Mom 1/2 way across town and you're on the hook for the support: buy a MAC:-)

You get what you pay for. If you have the skill to know just what Mobo to buy to work optimally with what processor and what RAM interleave and all the thermal consideraitons, then you'll do fine. Otherwise Apple will do it for you in a way that most PC assemblers don't bother to.

[Thorvald]

Another option is a PlugIn for AppleTV. I have yet to pickup on of those boxes (cash issue only) but I see the hacks on http://www.appletvhacks.net/ have been going well.

A simply Plugin that lets us browse our "shows" directory on our BeyondTv server (parsing the XML etc) and then play the video would be neat toy.

Might become one of my projects should I find a spare $300 kicking around ;-)

[Zaap]

Originally Posted by rugby

Your post lost all credibility right here.

I think maybe you just got overly-sensitive right there is all. One can purchace a standalone copy of OSX as easily as any other. You merely assumed the posted didn't, without any proof.

[rugby]

Originally Posted by Zaap

I think maybe you just got overly-sensitive right there is all. One can purchace a standalone copy of OSX as easily as any other. You merely assumed the posted didn't, without any proof.

I know exactly what I am talking about. There is NO version of OS X for sale that will install on a PC. The only version you can purchase will only install on a PowerPC Mac, which are the older variety no longer produced. Also, the version of OS X bundled with an Intel Mac will ONLY install on that model of Mac and not any other.

The only way to get OS X on an Intel/AMD computer (that is not an Apple computer) is to pirate it.

[opilion]

I would sooner see Snapstream build a Linux version than a MAC version. Simple point being the cost of building a new BTV box, or Link box would be much cheaper if one didn't have to shell out the $$ to Microsoft for an OS license.

Would tools like Mainsoft Grasshopper make the port easier to accomplish?

I would suggest that while the geeks would be free to tinker, the release be 'certified' on a limited number of more friendly distros like Ubuntu and Suse.

[flavius]

The competition just released a MAC beta the public.