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Well, I finally did it.

definitive

definitive

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 4, 2008
2,073
982
Ordered my first Apple computer - iMac with 3.06GHz CPU, 4GB of RAM, Radeon 4850 and 640GB hard drive. Also ordered a tv tuner off of Apple's site - Elgato EyeTV Hybrid.

Now all I have to do is wait, and if everything goes as planned, I'll probably end up getting an external hd or two, and a USB2.0 hub.
 
definitive said:
Ordered my first Apple computer - iMac with 3.06GHz CPU, 4GB of RAM, Radeon 4850 and 640GB hard drive. Also ordered a tv tuner off of Apple's site - Elgato EyeTV Hybrid.

Now all I have to do is wait, and if everything goes as planned, I'll probably end up getting an external hd or two, and a USB2.0 hub.
Click to expand...

Nice choice! :cool:
 
definitive said:
Ordered my first Apple computer - iMac with 3.06GHz CPU, 4GB of RAM, Radeon 4850 and 640GB hard drive. Also ordered a tv tuner off of Apple's site - Elgato EyeTV Hybrid.

Now all I have to do is wait, and if everything goes as planned, I'll probably end up getting an external hd or two, and a USB2.0 hub.
Click to expand...
Are you planning on getting USB disks? I would definitely go for FW800 disks instead. A USB hub is a good idea as there are not near enough USB ports on the iMac. Make sure to get a powered hub.
 
flopticalcube said:
Are you planning on getting USB disks? I would definitely go for FW800 disks instead. A USB hub is a good idea as there are not near enough USB ports on the iMac. Make sure to get a powered hub.
Click to expand...

yeah, i'm getting a firewire800 eternal case + some drives (possibly raid), and i'll be getting a hub too since i have about 6 or so usb devices that i'll use.

any recommendation on a usb hub that has its own power supply?
 
People have too much USB crap to plug in if 4 ports on the back and 2 on the keyboard (presuming you went wired) aren't enough.

Honestly, what more do you have/need other than a printer, scanner, keyboard, mouse, camera, vid camera, ipod/iphone, external hdd (which you should use FW for anyhow)?
 
JustGretchen said:
People have too much USB crap to plug in if 4 ports on the back and 2 on the keyboard (presuming you went wired) aren't enough.

Honestly, what more do you have/need other than a printer, scanner, keyboard, mouse, camera, vid camera, ipod/iphone, external hdd (which you should use FW for anyhow)?
Click to expand...

I realize it's an aesthetics things, but c'mon, the iMacs are a little lacking in ports.

For example, I have a printer, a mouse, and a keyboard plugged into the back of my iMac.

Now, when I want to take photos off my camera, I have to unplug the printer and plug in a USB Flash reader.

Apple should have 4 USB ports standard, 3 is skimpy. And a flash slot would be nifty too...

My iMac does look great, but jeese, I feel a little put off when I'm digging around behind the computer to transfer photos. Should be a lot easier than that.
 
trose said:
I realize it's an aesthetics things, but c'mon, the iMacs are a little lacking in ports.

For example, I have a printer, a mouse, and a keyboard plugged into the back of my iMac.

Now, when I want to take photos off my camera, I have to unplug the printer and plug in a USB Flash reader.

Apple should have 4 USB ports standard, 3 is skimpy. And a flash slot would be nifty too...

My iMac does look great, but jeese, I feel a little put off when I'm digging around behind the computer to transfer photos. Should be a lot easier than that.
Click to expand...

You do know that there are 2 ports in the keyboard, right? You have also heard of powered USB hubs, right?:rolleyes:

Rich :cool:
 
Things I connect to my iMac

When you count USB ports on the iMac, you shouldn't forget some limitations - the wired keyboard blocks one port itself, and the 2 USB ports on the keyboard are "unpowered", i.e. not suitable for many USB devices that draw higher currents.

Here is what I use USB for:

permanently attached:
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Printer
- Scanner
- TV stick
- PDA cradle (I know, I know...)
- SmartCard reader

on demand:
- MP3 player
- Memory sticks
- Camera
- CF/SD card reader
- ...

Obviously, I'd like to have more USB ports on the 'Mac, but I guess that's my fault, not Apple's. :rolleyes:
 
Berlepsch said:
When you count USB ports on the iMac, you shouldn't forget some limitations - the wired keyboard blocks one port itself, and the 2 USB ports on the keyboard are "unpowered", i.e. not suitable for many USB devices that draw higher currents.

Here is what I use USB for:

permanently attached:
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Printer
- Scanner
- TV stick
- PDA cradle (I know, I know...)
- SmartCard reader

on demand:
- MP3 player
- Memory sticks
- Camera
- CF/SD card reader
- ...

Obviously, I'd like to have more USB ports on the 'Mac, but I guess that's my fault, not Apple's. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.


and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.
 
trose said:
Apple should have 4 USB ports standard
Click to expand...

4xUSB is now standard on iMac. Considering it's already got a camera, speakers, wifi, microphone, bluetooth (all potential usb accessories) it's not a bad offering. Mac Pro and Mac Mini have 5.

I take it you're not using Apple's included keyboard - the 2 x USB on there would have be sufficient for your mouse and printer, leaving 2 ports spare on the back on your particular model

Failing that, looks like Wifi/Bluetooth accessories are being "pushed" on us, over USB - Printers, cameras, and hard drives are accessible over Wifi, and mobile phones (iPhone aside, funnily enough), keyboards, mice etc are using Bluetooth more.

michael.lauden said:
sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.
Click to expand...

I don't think scanning is supported over Wifi... I'd love it if it was. Also, that suggestion requires purchasinga new printer and potentially a router...?! Maybe not the best suggestion!

and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.
Click to expand...

Camera's internal memory perhaps.
 
michael.lauden said:
sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.


and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.
Click to expand...

I agree... iMac needs more USB.

As far as I recall, I have the mouse plugged into the keyboard into the iMac, then a UPS cable, and a USB hub, to which the Printer/Scanner/card reader is attached.

I have a SanDisk MicroMate SD card reader that doesn't work on the Mac... do I use the one in the printer. The only other thing I tend to connect is my iPod/iPhone, and I connect those through the hub for syncing and into the wall to charge.

In general, a hub is useful for connecting on-demand devices. What would be really nice is some USB ports on the side of the iMac, for on-demand items. Yes, the SanDisk MicroMate sticking out the side of an iMac might give Steve Jobs a heart attack, but I think it would be useful!
 
jnc said:
4xUSB is now standard on iMac. Considering it's already got a camera, speakers, wifi, microphone, bluetooth (all potential usb accessories) it's not a bad offering. Mac Pro and Mac Mini have 5.
Click to expand...


Ah, I didn't realize that. I've got the 2008 iMac and it only has three. Good to hear that the iMac has 4 now.

I do use the Apple keyboard, but, I have a wireless Logitech mouse so plugging the base station into the keyboard isn't really a viable option, therefore the mouse takes one USB slot. There aren't really any bluetooth mice yet that offer what I'm looking for (Lots of buttons and more importantly, proper size), so I'm stuck with the FastRF wireless-over-USB for awhile.

Also, the USB slots on the keyboard are OK for devices that have a cord, but for devices like a USB flash reader, the recessed ports don't work well because the device won't fit under the keyboard or into the port properly.
I *can* get my reader in there, but it feels like I'm jamming it in and I'm not really comfortable with that.

As for a hub... blech, clutter. :D

Ah well, it's all really pointless whining, isn't it? :p
I love my iMac still, and if the biggest thing I have to complain about is the lack of an extra USB port, it's got to be pretty good :D
I do the same thing with my Honda Fit... I complain endlessly about the windshield spray nozzles not being robust enough for Maine winters... and again, I remind myself that if that's my biggest complaint, it's a pretty nice car ;)
 
michael.lauden said:
sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.


and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.
Click to expand...

Someone fell for it :D. SmartCards and CF/SD cards are quite different - one is for encryption, the others are for storage. I don't like AIO printer/scanners very much - there are too many compromises involved. Plugging in the camera is just very convenient - just open iPhoto and upload the pictures; but I also have also a USB 1.1 camera where I prefer the faster card reader instead.

Maybe I am a weirdo because I don't want to buy a whole new set of gadgets just because I have a Mac now. I use a hub already, there is hardly any choice for me. But hubs aren't a perfect solution - they need extra power supplies and can only provide limited upstream bandwidth. As an example, if I had the TV receiver and printer connected to the same hub, there would be problems using both at the same time.
 
Ok, I might not be getting the ICY external case after all since I found this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136255

Two questions I have is a) Does it come with two hd's? And b) Are they the green version?

The model is WDH2Q10000N

Could someone also explain to me how Time Machine backup works? Can I simply browse files on this hard drive, and can I copy separate files there too that don't belong to the system itself? Ex: I take the drive some place else, and want to save a few files from another computer to it - would that mess up the Time Machine's backup?
 
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