An iMac in the lounge
The CRT TV set we were using at home began buzzing loudly, and we decided to treat ourselves with a new way to watch TV: we tried putting an iMac in the lounge.
The iMac is certainly not a new computer… it’s an early 2.009, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 24″ screen, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 512 MB model. So it’s more than two and a half years old and it’s beginning to age, but it is still working like a champion.
We equipped the iMac with an EyeTV Diversity device from elgato following the advice from the Apple Store. It is a marvelous piece of hardware wich comes with a splendid software package. It allows to pause TV reception, to watch the programming guides, to record and to playback shows…
We have kept the old Home Theater Audio System, a Sony DAV-DZ20 (here in Spanish). The connection is made with an audio jack to RCA adapter and with a RCA to SCART converter.
Wireless keyboard and mouse complete the device collection.
This configuration is good for casual Internet browsing or short work sessions, but what happens when someone has to work longer?
I’ve revived an old Dell XPS-210, which is connected to a HP L1740 screen (17″, 1280×1024) and to an Acer G24 display (24″, 1920×1200). This set-up allows connecting the job laptop very easily to the Acer G24 screen when telecommuting.
Well, I have to say that many of the visual entertainment has come through the Internet lately, so putting a computer in the lounge just makes things easier. The sound, good as it may be coming from the iMac loudspeakers, is quite impressing coming out of the 5.1 sound system. I think that all this work is really paying off. At least, my wife and the kids are quite happy with it!