It depends on your computer and your TV, zuisa, and if you need only video or also audio.

Oh, haha. Ok. I have a Macbook, but I guess I don't have a clue what kind of TV my family has. Video would be optimal. Strikes me as being something expensive, though.

Cables aren't expensive if you buy them online - Best Buy and Radio Shack will charge you quadruple what they're actually worth for the privelige of having them now.

Highest quality video in to the TV would be HDMI if it's an HDTV, next step down would be component. The safest bet would be composite, which pretty much all TVs have, and they're the cheapest. You won't get an HD signal out of it, but you're almost guaranteed to work with any TV.

Depending on the age of your computer, you might need a mini-DVI adapter to bring the Macbook's video out port up to the standards of everyone who isn't Apple.

zuisa, I got one of these: [link] It was somewhat cheaper at Bestbuy, but I may have gotten an open one. I have a little bag of adapter dongles for my mac (this one is to connect to a projector...this one is to connect to a tv...this one...)

Hey, we've got a household computer management issues I could use some advice on: we currently own 3 computers: my 2009 HP netbook, mr. flea's 2005/6 macbook pro, and a ca. 2001 tower, I think it's a powermac. The hard drive on the tower has just gone, and mr. flea is ready to upgrade his laptop. But we can't really afford two new computers, at least not at Apple prices (and mr. flea just looked at me and said, "no" when I suggested we buy a PC for our desktop machine.)

All we really use the desktop for that I can't do on the netbook is photo management - we've been using iPhoto since 2003. But with the kids 4 and about to be 7, there is some interest in having a machine for their (supervised) use.

Idea's we've discussed: 1. Buy a Mac mini ($600) and special $90 cable to hook up our existing monitor to it, and hold off a year to upgrade mr. flea's laptop. 2. Buy a new laptop, use the old laptop as our "desktop" machine, and hope its hard drive holds out another 2-3 years. 3. Buy an iMac for the desktop, and wait on a new laptop. 4. (mr. flea's ideal which we can't actually afford) Buy an iMac, a new laptop, and an iPhone for him for good measure.

Thoughts? I feel like if we could get an older Mac mini for cheap it might be a good solution - any experience buying off ebay or craigslist?

I've also occasionally seen refurbished Minis on Apple.com for pretty cheap.

special $90 cable to hook up our existing monitor

What sort of cable costs $90?!

I have no idea. That is a mr. flea item. The monitor is wicked old, I gather, and the modern hookups won't go. Or something.

ETA: I suspect it is this. [link] I think we have the old 24 inch cinema display.

zuisa, I use an S-video cable to link my laptop to my TV.

[link]

ETA: I suspect it is this. [link]

That thing is like five cables in one. There's single function cables that will probably do what you want over in the left column for around $29.