Most macs have a standard VGA 15 pin d-sub connector for about the last 10 years now. Most also have a dvi connector.

The "Adapter for Macintosh" has not been needed on any Mac since at least 1999.

More A/V questions! This is the reciever I'm currently looking at - it's got more than enough HD and audio in/outs for me, and it's under $200. (And it's not some shady off-brand I've never heard of.)

My question is about this:

Powerful HDMI Connectivity allows for uncompressed 1080i video to pass through directly to your HDMI capable television.

Does this mean that 720p content will get converted to 1080i by the receiver and then back down to 720p by my TV (since that's the native display mode of most 32" TVs)? Or does it mean that 1080i is the highest resolution this receiver can handle?

Daniel, that was my hope, but the dvi connector on the back of the Mini (scroll down for the graphic) doesn't look the same.

Jess, that's what ours does, and from what I can tell, HDMI pass-through means that the A/V receiver isn't doing any video conversion at all on that port. So 720p will go straight through as 720p, 1080i will stay 1080i, etc.

I don't know about the highest resolution question, since that's the highest resolution our TV can do anyway...

bonny, that's a standard DVI connector. Many monitors only come with VGA, but you can get an adapter at any electronics joint (and included with some Apple models, but I have no idea about the mini -- one came with my laptop, for instance.)

from what I can tell, HDMI pass-through means that the A/V receiver isn't doing any video conversion at all on that port. So 720p will go straight through as 720p, 1080i will stay 1080i, etc.

Excellent, that's what I was hoping - that "1080i" in that context really means "up to 1080i" (which, as I said, is perfectly fine for a 32" set).

Ah, crap - I'm just now noticing that the under-$200 receivers I've been looking at have video-only HDMI passthrough. Which if I understand correctly, can cause some kinds of DRM-ed content not to work (if you split up the audio and video).

Hooray, more money.

As long as I'm still in research mode- how much of a problem IS HDCP, in the real world? What are the chances that I'm going to have a problem displaying HD content on my TV if I split up the audio and video signals? Since I don't have a 3rd-gen gaming system, we're only talking upconverting DVDs and cable TV.

PC, the NYT did a review of cameras under $300 and recommended the Canon Powershot SD880 IS.

Ooh, neat, thanks. Weirdly enough, though, I was looking at the SD890 IS last night, which is $40 cheaper and has 5x zoom instead of 4x. Why would that be so? It's only a smidge bigger. It seems like a much better value and deal.

Unfortunately, almost all of these cameras do terribly in low light. You inevitably wind up with blur, grain or both — unless you use the flash, which produces a totally different kind of photo.

Balls, this is my whole problem! I guess you have to spend more to get more. Except it says the SD880 does well in any kind of light, which is promising. But how does it differ from the SD890? Because that one is looking pretty sweet with a 5x zoom.

Hm, it looks like there's a lot of praise for the SD880 but less for the SD890 (which is the next model of the SD850, which is the camera my friend has that is pretty awesome but appears to cost $600 so...no).

It looks like all the best cameras have a lithium battery. How do you deal with those? How much do spares cost? How long do they last?

It looks like all the best cameras have a lithium battery. How do you deal with those? How much do spares cost? How long do they last?

honestly? i wouldn't have my camera any other way. i don't want to pay $10+ for batteries every couple of months. i have two lithium batteries. that way when one dies, i'll have the extra. i've had one since i got my first Pentax and that was back in 2003 or 2004. then i got my new Pentax in 2007 and it came with the same kind of battery.