[Macpilot]

I am thinking about getting a cheap iBook to use as my home stereo, hooked up to a nice speaker system of course.

The only problem is I don't want to spend that much on a powerful new iBook when all I want is the iTunes visualizer capability, and about 30 gigs of storage, which the older iBooks don't have. I also don't want to go through the hard drive upgrade hassle. I already have a 20 gig external firewire HD.

Does anybody know if it is possible (under OS X.2.3) to do the following:

Hook up an external firewire Hard Drive with a bunch of music on it to an iBook, for example, and then use iTunes on that iBook to play that music.

Thanks!

[Gul Banana]

Yes; however, I should point out that older iBooks will not run the visualiser well. I also don't know if it's worth it to get a laptop just to play music with...

[Macpilot]

I will be using it as a backup machine as well. How much video RAM is sufficient for the visualizer?

[m4rtin]

That's an expensive visualizer.
Why not use an iPod instead? No visuals obviously but you get an extra gadget...

[Macpilot]

Well, I am going to use it for more than just a visualizer....a backup for my music as well.

I have an iPod....the original 5 gig model....The thing crapped out and won't take a charge and I can't even get it to boot up anymore.

I am not interested in dumping more money into the iPod....even though I really loved it!

[krove]

iTunes 3 now allows my iBook to use OpenGL to get ~25 fps full screen iTunes visualizations. I have an iBook 600 MHz with 8 MB Rage 128

[Eriamjh]

Who plays music and stares at the visualizer? Who's got time?

[Macpilot]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
Who plays music and stares at the visualizer? Who's got time?

I can't afford drugs!