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Dogdays · Apr 28, 2006, 02:58 PM

Hey everybody. I'm going to need a PC next year for alias, solidworks, etc so I'm going to sell my current badass G4 system, and probably pick up an intel iMac. Few questions though:

1. I have a 20" cinema. I can hook this up to the iMac without a problem right? I plan on getting the fast intel iMac with 256 megs VRAM. Will this stress the card to run two monitors? What about while playing a game? Do the twin monitors work in windows?

2. Is there anyway to INPUT video into the iMac without lag? I have a PS2, and other than movies, it's the only time I use TV. I could watch movies on the iMac, but can you hook up a PS2 to the iMac somehow for games? Last time I checked there was no way to get live feed from a game console onto a computer monitor without major lag. Is this still an issue?

3. Speaking of movies, does the iMac offer surround sound out? Or stereo only? Is there anyway to upgrade to digital surround out somehow with use of aftermarket something?

4. I've used a macbook pro with 1 gig of ram, dual 2ghz coreduo, and it's kinda 'laggy'. Is the iMac like that also? Or is this a ram issue?

Thanks dudes.

- Rob

PS: When will final cut be a universal binary, or is it already?

harrisjamieh · Apr 28, 2006, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by El_Rob

Hey everybody. I'm going to need a PC next year for alias, solidworks, etc so I'm going to sell my current badass G4 system, and probably pick up an intel iMac. Few questions though:

1. I have a 20" cinema. I can hook this up to the iMac without a problem right? I plan on getting the fast intel iMac with 256 megs VRAM. Will this stress the card to run two monitors? What about while playing a game? Do the twin monitors work in windows?

2. Is there anyway to INPUT video into the iMac without lag? I have a PS2, and other than movies, it's the only time I use TV. I could watch movies on the iMac, but can you hook up a PS2 to the iMac somehow for games? Last time I checked there was no way to get live feed from a game console onto a computer monitor without major lag. Is this still an issue?

3. Speaking of movies, does the iMac offer surround sound out? Or stereo only? Is there anyway to upgrade to digital surround out somehow with use of aftermarket something?

4. I've used a macbook pro with 1 gig of ram, dual 2ghz coreduo, and it's kinda 'laggy'. Is the iMac like that also? Or is this a ram issue?

Thanks dudes.

- Rob

PS: When will final cut be a universal binary, or is it already?

1. If it is a current generation ACD, with a DVI connector, then yes, you will be able to use it with the Intel iMac. If it is a last gen ACD, you will be needing a fairly expensive adaptor. 2 Monitors will hardly stress the video card. IIRC, dual monitors in XP does not / does not always work.

2. Someone else'll have to help you on that

3. The iMac has digital optical out via a mini jack

4. I don't know why the MBP would have been laggy. My 1.83 Ghz / 1.5 GB RAM iMac is certainly not laggy - far from it.

Final Cut is already a UB, and has been since the start of this month

Dogdays · Apr 28, 2006, 08:05 PM

Really need to know about video input on an iMac. Anybody? Bueller?

mduell · Apr 28, 2006, 10:05 PM

There are some TV tuners/video input boxes with less lag than others, but all of them that I've seen have some lag (enough to make games difficult).
If you buy a 20" Dell to replace your ACD, you could use the Dell's other inputs to play games on.

gmankono · Apr 29, 2006, 11:16 AM

That sucks. Dell's LCDs are ugly compared to apple's cinemas though.

Does anybody just sell a component to DVI convertor or something?

mduell · Apr 29, 2006, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by PlanetFunk

That sucks. Dell's LCDs are ugly compared to apple's cinemas though.

Does anybody just sell a component to DVI convertor or something?

Sure, they're about $200.

zachieb · Apr 29, 2006, 05:58 PM

Weak. Why? It's pretty stupid really. THere should be a way to input video and use our 'ultra modern CPUs" to just transfer hte freaking input onto the damn screen without lag.

mduell · Apr 29, 2006, 06:05 PM

Why they're $200? It's a non-trivial conversion (component is analog, DVI is digital) and people who can afford HDTVs are willing to pay for them.

Why Apple's displays don't have input options? I'm not sure; possibly aesthetics or cost cutting (yet their displays are still more expensive, using the same panels).

harrisjamieh · Apr 30, 2006, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

Why Apple's displays don't have input options? I'm not sure; possibly aesthetics or cost cutting (yet their displays are still more expensive, using the same panels).

Im gunna guess its a) aesthetics and b) Apple thinks of their ACDs as computer monitors only, and don't see the need for extra connections.