A few questions from a keen new mac owner

Hi everyone,

I recently bought my mac and am thoroughly loving the experience.

After seeing the thread with everyone else's complex setups, i thought i have got to expand .

1) I have MBP 13", the basic 2.26 one..its fine for me power wise. i want to buy an external monitor. probably one of the hp ones that look similar to apples..but at under half the price, what cables do i need to hook the two together.

2) i would also like to have some audio. Im probably looking at one of the 2.1 logitech systems..how will i connect this to the laptop..or will it be to the monitor? If i want to play itunes as well as youtube and other internet music?

3) i would also like an apple universal dock for my ipod classic, how will i connect this into the mix?

4) Finally and perhaps most importantly. The wifi signal in my bedroom is quite weak (about 30%), we have an orange livebox which puts out the signal..what is the best way to extend the signal range?preferably without moving the box.

if i am asking to much of my little maccy please let me no, i blame you guys anyway if i am..as you got me thinking this way .

Im no technophile so please keep it as down to earth as possible.

thanks for reading.

 

1. It depends on what kind of hook ups the monitor had and what cables come with it. I don't know that monitor off the top of my head but check here and it has the adaptors you need. The MBP comes with a mini display port and there are cables from that to VGA and DVI at the very top of that page. Get which ever one you need.

2. For the audio, whatever system you get will have a line in cord that will plug into the head phone jack on your laptop. It will take care of all audio through that.

3. I am not familiar with the apple universal dock for ipod classic but I would think it will connect through USB. The MBP has two USB ports so you should be set there.

4. I am sorry but I am not familiar with boosting Wifi signals. I do believe there are booster units you can buy but have never tired them.

Hope that helps a bit...

 

thanks very much.

Yup that does help and has provided me with some very good information.

Relating to the audio part, if the speakers are connected to the mac and not the screen, will sound still be played through the screens rubbish speakers aswell as through the separate ones?

Everyone elses views are welcome aswell

 

No, you can run it through both if you want thought. I have a set a harman/kardon speakers and I hook up to my MacBook and they are 2.1 like the ones you talk about and they sound alot better than the ones built in to the monitor (my friend uses his monitor speakers). If you are set on using both, you can get a head phone splitter and connect both to your MBP's headphone jack like that. You can find a head phone splitter at like radio shack or best buy or any electronic store. But the logitech speakers should be more than enough alone.

 

yep I just wanted the logitech speakers going..not the screen ones aswell.

 

Is your MBP going to be connected to all this stuff semi-permanently, or are you taking the MBP out with you often?

I wonder whether a USB hub would be useful, to get a few of the devices plugged into that so that are less cables to plug into the MBP each time?

There are different types of speaker, ones that are connected with an audio lead 3.5mm, ones that connect with a USB cable, and even some that connect via wireless, with the latter two you'd have to check whether there were OS X drivers available.

Apple's display port doesn't carry sound as far as I know, so any sound output through the monitor's speakers would need an extra audio cable.

 

Congrats on the new system!

 

1) You need an adapter that converts Mini displayport to (HDMI/Displayport/DVI) You can find one at www.monoprice.com. Do not buy the rip off of an adapter from Apple. Also do not use a VGA connection, it sucks.

2) Even though mini displayport is supposed to support audio/video, it only supports video. So you need to connect your 3.5mm from your Logitech speakers into the laptop itself.

 

thanks guys for the info. Am learning about DVI, displayports etc now .

Cant wait now till Ive saved enough for the new stuff.

Finally does anyone have a bad word to say about the raindesign mstand..as thats the one i was thinking of getting?

thanks

 

for you wi-fi problem you could pick up a range expander here is an example of two

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...p=&qp=&list=n&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960

 

Some adapters are starting to show up now that will plug into your mini displayport and 3.5mm audio jack and combine them to output over HDMI. Here is one http://kanexlive.com/products/item.aspx?id=3495