proposed Mac Mini setup

[kryten3000]

I am thinking of using this following setup for some word processing, photo editing may be a little youtube, no gaming really just kind of a basic system with web access, music & videos all with a Samsung 1080p TV as the monitor:

Mac mini
2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
320GB Serial ATA Drive
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

Apple Magic Mouse

Apple Wireless Keyboard

Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter

Questions are:

As far as hardware goes, do I have everything that I need?
Is this proposed system setup generous / acceptable enough for what I am planing on using it for?

Thank you!

 

[fa8362]

That's fine for your needs. You need a backup hard drive though. Don't buy it from Apple unless you want to overpay.

 

[kryten3000]

Thank you!

 

[Tilpots]

Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter

I would highly, highly recommend a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter.

VGA won't support your 1080P TV's best resolutions.

# Maximum of 800 horizontal pixels[4]
# Maximum of 600 lines[4]

 

[kryten3000]

ok, great thanks! Geez I did not even think of that.

Any suggestions for backup software?

 

[Tilpots]

ok, great thanks! Geez I did not even think of that.

Any suggestions for backup software?

Time Machine.

 

[SuperJudge]

VGA won't support your 1080P TV's best resolutions.

Patently false.

The link you posted is for the original VGA specification. Notice the mention of 256KiB of VRAM. A DE-15 analog RGB connector can output a signal up to 2048 x 1536. I've done 1920 x 1200 over VGA for years.

However, a lot of 1080p HDTVs are hosed from the manufacturer with firmware that doesn't allow the best resolutions over VGA for whatever reason. I'm guessing due to HDCP and to boost the sale of HDMI cables.

An HDMI cable is a good idea, just for different reasons.

 

[Sharangad]

I would highly, highly recommend a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter.

VGA won't support your 1080P TV's best resolutions.

Eh? I ran 2048x1536 and 1600x1200 over VGA.

The link you pointed to refers to the original VGA video adapter which only had 256 KB of RAM and so could only go up to 800x600 in 16 colours (240 KB).

Having said that most TVs will not accept the native resolution ( such as 1920x1080) over a VGA port and will often only accept upto 1024x768. Samsung TVs are an exception though and most will accept the native resolution. This is not a limitation of the VGA connector, but rather TV manufacturers cutting costs.

Pre-HDMI X-box 360s could do 1920x1080 on supported TV sets with the VGA output adapter, this was their counter to the PS3's 1080p support.

 

[ViViDboarder]

Yea, look at SVGA... I use a VGA D-Sub to connect to my 1680 x 1050 monitor just fine at WSXGA resolutions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Video_Graphics_Array

 

[kryten3000]

it`s on

Ok systems are go. This has been ordered, delivery of all items to be completed by this weekend. My own very first Mac.

 

[TXbug]

I have the same setup, except for the wireless keyboard. The Samsung monitor is the HDTV monitor Sync Master T260HD. I use DVI and I am able to display 1920x1200.

 

[Tilpots]

Patently false.

<snip>

An HDMI cable is a good idea, just for different reasons.

E
The link you pointed to refers to the original VGA video adapter which only had 256 KB of RAM and so could only go up to 800x600 in 16 colours (240 KB).

I stand corrected...