It’s cold and the streets are crazy, so I’d rather not go out.
I have some fabulous shows on my computer (Mac G4 tower) that I’d like to watch on my TV. I can connect either the tower or my video ipod to the tv. Which is better/easier to use, and what sorts of cables and things might I be needing?
I have a Gateway/IBM, and my video card has a DVI out and my TV has a DVI in, so I do that. I don’t really know if you have different video card options with Macs, but it would all depend on that. I have successfully used the cable squeegee linked to as well. Though if you have a digital HDTV, there is the potential of a higher resolution than the direct iPod link, which is standard HDTV.
But that is dependent as well on your source material, and its resolution. Probably, there will be no discernable resolution difference, if these are shows recorded for normal TV broadcast. The next facor is whether you have a lot of background stuff running on your computer, which might result in pauses in your image. That’s a factor which is unlikely to be an issue on your iPod.
Confusing enough for you?
I’s say start with your iPod, as it’s easier, unless your tower is close to your TV and your computer has a RCA video out. In that case, you can run the video to the TV’s video in with a single RCA cable, and use your computer’s sound system.
If you have a primitive TV with only Composite-video (or S-video) inputs, Apple sells a little converter box that takes DVI in and gives those two outputs.
Do you have a Tivo? There’s something called Tivo Desktop that lets you connect your computer to your Tivo over your home network, using USB (or Ethernet and an adapter). You can watch movies from the computer on the Tivo, but the catch is there are only a few formats it can use. It’ll play tivo files of course, but beside that I think it only plays one kind of MPEG, MPEG-2 if I remember right.
It also lets you play your Itunes on the Tivo, but again only certain formats. You can play mp3s, and if you get the LAME encoder it will also play unprotected AACs.
I believe some camcorders come with a cable that’s exactly the same as that iPod cable I referenced above. It would look like this. Note the four segmented portions of the end that goes into the camcorder. If you’ve got a camcorder, go look for the cables that came with it.
SpunkyMonkey- get yourself one of the aforementioned TV/iPod cables and iSquint.
I have the same kinda setup, where all my media’s on the bedroom computer, yet I have a giant TV in the living room. Using iSquint to optimize the video files for the TV and sticking them on the iPod has worked wonderfully.
If you have a new or relatively new iPod (iPod “Classic” or the new square nano), you should beware. Apple crippled its new iPods to let the video out feature only work with certain accessories that have an Apple authentication chip built in. More info here.
If you have the older iPod Video (5G or 5.5G), most accessories should work fine.
Since you’re undecided about whether to hook up the Mac or the iPod to your TV, I’m guessing the tower is relatively close to the TV. If so, I’d recommend Apple’s Universal Dock for iPod. You can set the dock between the TV and Mac, and run the video cables to the TV, and the iPod sync cable from the dock to the Mac. That way, you can just leave the iPod in the dock when you’re at home, and access it from both the Mac and the TV. Even comes with a remote control, and works with all of the video-capable iPods, including the first iPod with Video, the iPhone, and iPod Touch.
