The more I shop around, the more and MORE I am kicking myself for not buying a mini last year.
Stuff and bother!!
There are no absolutes. No right and wrong. Haven't you learned anything working for the Powers? There are only choices.
Jasmine ,'Power Play'
Buffistechnology 3: "Press Some Buttons, See What Happens."
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beekaytee - Aug 18, 2012 12:15:53 pm PDT #20738 of 25501
Compassionately intolerant
NoiseDesign - Aug 18, 2012 3:08:51 pm PDT #20739 of 25501
Our wings are not tired
The speed difference between the old Minis with the optical and the new ones is pretty striking.
To be honest I'm fine with the lack of optical drives. In my experience it has been the part most likely to fail in machines, and they just aren't needed us much. If you want something on physical media, then you can use a flash drive. There are even ways to make a flash drive that can do a full system install for Mac OS. The new macs all have a safety partition on them that you can do a clean install from, and if that fails, then they just need a broadband connection and the pertinent clean install will download. I've used all of these methods for various machines, and they all work pretty well.
As for media delivery, I do think that the DVDs, CD, and such are going away, all you have to do is look at something like a local Best Buy. In the case of CDs the one nearest to us has one short aisle of CDs at this point, and it is smaller almost every time I'm in there. Even the DVD section is only three aisles at this point. It's a long way from the days when 1/3 to 1/2 of their retail space was dedicated to selling things on optical media.
beekaytee - Aug 18, 2012 3:19:32 pm PDT #20740 of 25501
Compassionately intolerant
Of course, that is right. I just look at my extensive collections and want to weep at the idea of replacing them, or even taking the time to transfer them to new media.
This comes from a woman who still has 200 cassettes...and nothing to play them on, so don't mind me.
I still need a strategy for putting together a video blogging set up though.
If I fork out for the new mini...and the dvd drive, the overall cost will be roughly 2 bills more than if I'd just ponied up last years. My regret, let me show you it.
The fact that I'm working from a 7 year old tower right now that works beautifully, thanks very much...but can't be upgraded...burns even more.
It works! Except when I can't find anything to work ON it. In fact, I have two of these towers, plus a 1999 iMac that also works like a charm.
Technological paperweights. Argh.
NoiseDesign - Aug 18, 2012 3:27:42 pm PDT #20741 of 25501
Our wings are not tired
Sadly that is the way of technology. It's part of the reason that I tend to cycle through most of my hardware on a three year plan, that way I'm selling it while there is still a reasonable amount of value left in the hardware.
I've been going through the process of putting all my DVD and BluRay media onto a server. It's sitting at about 4 TB right now. It's a bit daunting getting there, but once it is done it is so nice to be able to grab anything in the collection from anywhere in the house on any of our devices.
omnis_audis - Aug 18, 2012 3:34:25 pm PDT #20742 of 25501
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir
It's a bit daunting getting there, but once it is done it is so nice to be able to grab anything in the collection from anywhere in the house on any of our devices.Mine is 2 TB, and yeah, it's great. I can sit on my porch with my iPad and stream media. I can be in my recliner, and turn on the AppleTV, and stream media. Just last night, I was wanting to watch something, but all my stuff is packed in boxes. Then I remembered, duh, that's why I ripped it to the hard drive! Much easier.
beekaytee - Aug 18, 2012 4:41:36 pm PDT #20743 of 25501
Compassionately intolerant
once it is done it is so nice to be able to grab anything in the collection from anywhere in the house on any of our devices.
This sounds like heaven.
that way I'm selling it while there is still a reasonable amount of value left in the hardware.
When is the next sale?
NoiseDesign - Aug 18, 2012 4:53:57 pm PDT #20744 of 25501
Our wings are not tired
I just did a bunch of selling this summer, I have 10 Mac Minis but they aren't do to be replaced for two more years, I bought that about 12 months ago.
beekaytee - Aug 18, 2012 4:57:42 pm PDT #20745 of 25501
Compassionately intolerant
See? I'm a day (year) late and many dollars short. Argh.
Cass - Aug 18, 2012 7:16:56 pm PDT #20746 of 25501
Bob's learned to live with tragedy, but he knows that this tragedy is one that won't ever leave him or get better.
As for media delivery, I do think that the DVDs, CD, and such are going away
They might be but storing that information on even the tech I have isn't space effective.
I don't even have a true dvd player any longer. I can technically watch through my generally unconnected Xbox (which I hate that interface and I don't want to hook it up just to watch an episode of Buffy) or through my laptop (ripped and converted and then sent through iTunes to my Apple tv if I want to watch on my actual tv). But my last player died and it's just not a sound financial idea to buy a new one. Each disk is 5-9 GB. I can't just have my collection at my fingertips.
I've been going through the process of putting all my DVD and BluRay media onto a server. It's sitting at about 4 TB right now. It's a bit daunting getting there, but once it is done it is so nice to be able to grab anything in the collection from anywhere in the house on any of our devices.
This is my ideal. Without the having to rip them all. And without having to pony up for server space to translate that to 20 seasons of tv shows and less than 20 movies. My collection is really small, considering. But no way it'll all fit on what I currently run.
That said, I just bought Duran Duran's Sing Blue Silver because it's available on DVD and hell yes, I want that. I have a copy on Betamax that I can't watch and this is sort of preferable. I will rip that and accept it takes time and space.
But that's just not currently workable for every disk I own. And I'd kinda like to be able to randomly rewatch things I bought. Not plan for them and then rip and convert and wait the not insignificant time those things take. I want simple.
Vortex - Aug 18, 2012 7:30:26 pm PDT #20747 of 25501
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman
That said, I just bought Duran Duran's Sing Blue Silver because it's available on DVD and hell yes, I want that. I have a copy on Betamax that I can't watch and this is sort of preferable. I will rip that and accept it takes time and space.
LOVE. Possibly my favorite D2 tune. (The Chauffeur, I mean)