iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

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al_yrpal
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by al_yrpal »

Yes, I told Mick how to do it. Not straightforward because of poor instructions.

Al
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

Did what I posted above work?

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Mick F »

Wasn't online on here after 2130ish.

Found the menus .............. but finding things isn't intuitive at all. Things seem to be buried in layers. Sussed it all out I think.

This morning, I've formatted a 500Gb external drive into FAT32 and put the whole boxed set of Goodnight Sweetheart onto it. Plugged it into the back, and it's all there. Just before the iMac packed up, we were going through the whole series and were half way through series two, so we can now carry on. As that's been a success, I'll be putting on the whole of our movie collection onto it over the next day or two.

The sound output of the telly isn't too good, so today .......... after a well-earned bike ride .............. I'm going to connect up our amplifier and big speakers like we used with the iMac.

Listening to R4 at the moment via a bluetooth Wonderboom portable speaker.
https://www.ultimateears.com/en-gb/wire ... rboom.html

Meanwhile, I'll be measuring the hole span on the rear of the unit to buy a hinged bracket to fit it on the wall. Not sure we want a HDMI cable, so I'll put that on the back burner.
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote:As far as I'm concerned at this moment, is collecting it and setting it up on the Welsh dresser in the livingroom.
It will connect to the outside world via WiFi and our router.

With a fixed device that uses a lot of bandwidth I'd always prefer a wired connection.

Mick F wrote:Meanwhile, I'll be measuring the hole span on the rear of the unit to buy a hinged bracket to fit it on the wall. Not sure we want a HDMI cable, so I'll put that on the back burner.

With a TV on a bracket I'd want to conceal the cables. From what I understand of your current configuration that would be power and possibly USB, depending on where the hard drive is going to replaced. But whether that's in a cavity, chased in, or in surface mounted conduit I'd allow space for future runs for HDMI, data and sound, and leave a pull-through in place.

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Mick F »

Hi, and good afternoon! :D
20mile ride complete and after a cuppa, I've fitted the amp and speakers. All ok.

As for the bracket, the holes are 200mm apart horizontally, and 100mm apart vertically.
Found this one, but yet to chat to SWMBO about it.
https://www.tv-wall-brackets.co.uk/swiv ... a-200x200/
The bracket has clippy things to hold cables, but they can be tie-wrapped as well maybe.
I suggest it'll be fitted in the corner and fold-back-able
Solid walls, so rawl plugs will be perfect.

The idea of a wired connection to the router isn't easy.
The main telephone box and router is in the rear of the bungalow, and the livingroom is in the front. Running a cable through could be done via the loft running up and down the walls. WiFi is much neater, and WiFi is fine and fast enough for our uses. The iMac ran on WiFi for years and ran perfectly well no matter what we used it for. Ditto the MacBooks and the tablets.

Connected into the rear of the telly will be a long USB lead to the external drive, the speaker cable to the amp, and the main power lead of course.

It's possible to fit the USB external drive on a short lead and somehow secure the drive against the rear panel. There are clippy things there for when you want to coil up the power lead that could be used.

Yet to look into this in depth, but the outline of it is in my brain quite clearly.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Mick F »

Not tried connecting up iPhone or iPad yet.
This is all a new thing to us, and Mrs Mick F doesn't have a technical bone in her body, so it's up to me to sort stuff.
Very steep learning curve!

Talking of connecting stuff, the iMac has wireless keyboard and wireless mouse. It would be good to connect those up to control the telly more easily.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Mick F »

Just sorted Alexa.
Mick F. Cornwall
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al_yrpal
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by al_yrpal »

Mick F wrote:Just sorted Alexa.


So did I but I cant think why I need it? I have a remote and a phone and tablet what more do I need and why? :?

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

al_yrpal wrote:
Mick F wrote:Just sorted Alexa.

So did I but I cant think why I need it? I have a remote and a phone and tablet what more do I need and why?

It's entirely up to you if you need it.

But it's like all these discussions about tools: look at the advantages and disadvantages and then make your own decisions about what to use when.

Many of us think that current controls and interfaces on domestic devices leave a lot to be desired. Earlier in this thread I discussed the problem of entering text with remote controls. And the use of iPads and iPhones as keyboards for remote devices also came up.

But I don't think that we got to the simplicity and sheer elegance of the Apple Remote.

Image
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MM4T2ZM/A/apple-remote

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 16 Mar 2021, 4:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote:Talking of connecting stuff, the iMac has wireless keyboard and wireless mouse. It would be good to connect those up to control the telly more easily.

Is that possible with that Toshiba television?

Jonathan
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by kwackers »

Jdsk wrote:But I don't think that we got to the simplicity and sheer elegance of the Apple Remote.

The oversimplification of Apple interfaces is one of my biggest bugbears.

Sure, they look great sat on a coffee table in a fashionable lounge but how easy are they to do the things you often want to do?
Shortcuts to channels, TV menu, info button, program guide, you're on ch1 and want to go to ch231, back button etc etc.

Everything ends up as single taps, double taps, press and hold, swipe left/right/up/down, swipe from the edge/corner, double tap this, hold that.

IMO it's a mess and it doesn't work because they change it all the time in order to try and make it work.

How long did it take Apple to get a second button on the mouse? They held off for years because "one button is all you need".
And last time I looked they still didn't really get context menus.

Every time I pick an iOS device out of the cupboard at work it takes several attempts to get it to do what I want as I try to remember where this version of iOS has hidden stuff or what the current gesture is to make something happen.

(One of the remotes I got with my NVidia Shield looks like a black version of that remote complete with voice control but it's just as useless. I use a Harmony remote, a button for every purpose and an understanding and an inbuilt state of all the equipment so it knows exactly what needs to be done).
Jdsk
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

kwackers wrote:
Jdsk wrote:But I don't think that we got to the simplicity and sheer elegance of the Apple Remote.

The oversimplification of Apple interfaces is one of my biggest bugbears.

As I said: try things out and make your own choices.

kwackers wrote:Sure, they look great sat on a coffee table in a fashionable lounge but how easy are they to do the things you often want to do?

The Apple Remote works fine for me on the Apple TV. I've already expressed my views on the screen keyboard approach.

kwackers wrote:How long did it take Apple to get a second button on the mouse?

I've never had a two button mouse on a Mac. And it's some years since I've had a mouse on any of them.

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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Bonefishblues »

kwackers wrote:
Jdsk wrote:But I don't think that we got to the simplicity and sheer elegance of the Apple Remote.

The oversimplification of Apple interfaces is one of my biggest bugbears.

Sure, they look great sat on a coffee table in a fashionable lounge but how easy are they to do the things you often want to do?
Shortcuts to channels, TV menu, info button, program guide, you're on ch1 and want to go to ch231, back button etc etc.

Everything ends up as single taps, double taps, press and hold, swipe left/right/up/down, swipe from the edge/corner, double tap this, hold that.

IMO it's a mess and it doesn't work because they change it all the time in order to try and make it work.

How long did it take Apple to get a second button on the mouse? They held off for years because "one button is all you need".
And last time I looked they still didn't really get context menus.

Every time I pick an iOS device out of the cupboard at work it takes several attempts to get it to do what I want as I try to remember where this version of iOS has hidden stuff or what the current gesture is to make something happen.

(One of the remotes I got with my NVidia Shield looks like a black version of that remote complete with voice control but it's just as useless. I use a Harmony remote, a button for every purpose and an understanding and an inbuilt state of all the equipment so it knows exactly what needs to be done).

I'm enjoying talking to the Amazon Fire Remote. It works and avoids the gonad-ache of scrolling, selecting and all that mullarky that we used to have to do. Talking to things has to be the way forward.
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by kwackers »

Jdsk wrote:I've never had a two button mouse on a Mac. And it's some years since I've had a mouse on any of them.

Jonathan

What do you use your mac for?
I couldn't do much of the stuff I do without a mouse.
(I have a graphics tablet but it's clunky for general text use)

I've got one of the 'touch' mice somewhere for my mac (can't remember what they called it).
Looks great, stroking and swiping it but after suffering with it for a while I chucked it in a box and forgot about it.
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Re: iMac problem - replacement but not a computer?

Post by Jdsk »

Quite a lot of different things... but not much artwork, and I'd guess pretty light on the trackpads compared to some other users. And most of the gesture recognition in them is turned off.

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 16 Mar 2021, 5:04pm, edited 1 time in total.
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