Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

Updated to Yosemite on the work iMac yesterday. So far so shit. Computer has basically gone from usable but a bit buggy, to a completely unusable beachball-fest.

Odd, the 2009 imac I use in the office is much happier on yosemite than it ever was on 10.5.8, and that's about as far down the spec tree you can get.

:(

Making a bootable usb now for clean install tomorrow. Long overdue to be honest. Hopefully it will work again after that.

That'll be why, mine went all beachballin' on me, until I do a complete wipe and reinstall.

Still well happy with my new set-up... Blistering speed...

Help need with monitor...
I've connected my Benq E2200HD LCD monitor to a 13" MacBook Pro via the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, but struggling to get the monitor to display at 1920x1080 - any ideas?

What year and model is the laptop? the graphic card likely not be able to push it up to 1920x1080.

It's a new 13-inch 2.6GHz retina display model...

vga for a digital display
*shudders*
can you not straight hdmi it?

I tried a HDMI to VGA adapter (it doesn't have hdmi), but it didn't work.

If there's no solution, are there any (reasonably priced*) recommendations for an alternative screen?

*ie: not the Apple screen, which although superb - is very expensive.

the Benq E2200HD should have hdmi, so guessing you've got the Benq E2200HDA.
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201158 given this a read?

I'll have a look at that... thank you

can't you at least use a dvi cable?

It only has a VGA port unfortunately

Is it this one?

http://www.trustedreviews.com/BenQ-E2200HD-22in-LCD-Monitor-review-feature-table-page-3#tr-review-summary

Says it has both dvi and hdmi

For alternatives, this isn't a pro screen in any way, but gets good reviews

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-UltraSharp-U2412M-inch-Monitor/dp/B005JN9310/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1421139078&sr=1-1&keywords=Dell+UltraSharp+U24

But if you're entertaining spending 200ish in a screen, I'd get a used Apple cinema 24"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APPLE-MAC-CINEMA-DISPLAY-MONITOR-A1081-20-60GHZ-1680X1050-WIDESCREEN-24HR-DEL-/301477392309?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_Monitors&hash=item463173efb5

I prefer it to the newer glossy ones. As soon as my wallet is happier I'm getting a 30" one.

Whats the best way of watching itunes films from an ipad on my big ass tv?
Apple tv?
Chromecast?
Some sort of cable?

I have a couple of Apple TVs. They're really useful if you use iTunes as a library on your Mac / PC or if you have an iDevice which can Airplay stuff to it.

More spendy than a Chromecast though.

Apple TV is shit as is the Dell Ultrasharp... Avoid both IMHO...

Actually, Apple TV will probably work with that set up... It just won't play nicely with anything else i.e. non Apple stuff IME...

I have everything else already on the TV, its a brand new smart tv with built in netflix & iplayer etc etc.... so dont really need it for anything else. I rent movies from itunes now and then (random obscure things that I cant seem to find anywhere else) , and would just like to be able to watch them on the tv.

Yeah, it'll sync up with your iTunes so perfect for that... I bought mine thinking it'd sync up with my non-iTunes movie library... Big mistake...

I only use it to stream from my MBP to my Smart TV... Works OK, but still a bit miffed it won't do the other thing...

get a cable Rob

but i hate cables so much.
And when i try an watch an itunes movie on my MBP hooked up to the tv with a HDMI cable, as soon as you put it full screen, it cuts the sound. Will only play with sound in the quicktime window thingy. V annoying. I just assumed this was some fuck nugget apple trick to stop you recording films from itunes on a media recorder..... will it not do the same thing with my ipad mini & cable?

Cables are shit, they haven't made a cable that'll work reliably with a MBP... IME, obvs...

Apple TV will will probz work for your needs, Rob...