Yes I have a Mac, where to go from here...

[DoW]

so, I am converting to the Mac route.  I have a lot of music on a lot of hard drives.
I can do the Macbook > HDMI > Receiver for music.
I already have a Roku for my TV viewing needs (no cable).

do I or do I not need an Apple TV to make music listening easier?  opinions?

[mattstick]

You can stream music to an Airport Express too. Not much cheaper than an Apple TV though.

[VDB]

If the computer is going to be next to the system anyway, then a direct connection (HDMI or 3.5") would be cheap and easy and you can control the computer via the Remote app if you are not sitting right at the Mac.

[mattstick]

I would use the Optical rather than HDMI or headphone jack

[DoW]

good to know.  thanks guys

[runawayjimbo]

Good on ya, Tim Cook.

Love the author bio.

http://buswk.co/1yJeXGS

Tim Cook Speaks Up

Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don't seek to draw attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products and the incredible things our customers achieve with them.

At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' " I often challenge myself with that question, and I've come to realize that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important. That's what has led me to today.

For years, I've been open with many people about my sexual orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it doesn't seem to make a difference in the way they treat me. Of course, I've had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people's differences. Not everyone is so lucky.

While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.

Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It's made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It's been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you're the CEO of Apple.

The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.

I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy.

I'll admit that this wasn't an easy choice. Privacy remains important to me, and I'd like to hold on to a small amount of it. I've made Apple my life's work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be. That's what our employees deserve—and our customers, developers, shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too. Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by one's sexuality, race, or gender. I'm an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the South, a sports fanatic, and many other things. I hope that people will respect my desire to focus on the things I'm best suited for and the work that brings me joy.

The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and equality for all. We've taken a strong stand in support of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we stood for marriage equality in our home state of California. And we spoke up in Arizona when that state's legislature passed a discriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We'll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.

When I arrive in my office each morning, I'm greeted by framed photos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy. I don't pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I'm doing my part, however small, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick.

Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple

[rowjimmy]

Right on.

[Caravan2001]

So my circa 2008-9 iMac kicked the bucket a few weeks ago. Fan just went on full bore when I was out of town.  Wife powered down, which is what I would have done, but it is Doa since. Tried all the tricks. Thing is kablooey. Ponied up for a 5k retina. Shows up tomorrow. Stoked. Wanted a Mac Pro but couldn't justify it. With a decent display I was looking at $4500 minimum. Can't wait to get to work dialing it in. The old unit has been creeping for the past year. Ordered online because I had some add-ons but scoped the 5k display at the store.  It's pretty sweet.

[mattstick]

Nice. My personal philosophy is to buy Mac Mini's with a Cinema Display, but that 5K screen is amazing.

[rowjimmy]

Nice.
My '09 13" mbp has shown signs of hdd failure for a couple weeks.
Coworker just had the sme problem with her '10.
She replaced the hdd and sold it to me for the cost of the drive $150.
Slightly newer and a 17" screen... Not bad when I'm saving my loot for FTW.

[Buffalo Budd]

That's a great deal.
I'm freaked that our MBP could die here at some point, we've had it since 2010 and she gets a lot of use.

[Caravan2001]

Nice. My personal philosophy is to buy Mac Mini's with a Cinema Display, but that 5K screen is amazing.

I had a Macpro with Cinema Display before this dead one and gave the display to my dad to use for his laptop docking station because he doesn't use a desktop. Pretty bummed because I would have gone the mini route too. For what I do these days, the mini is enough I think. i am psyched on the new one though. My old iMac was one of the first gen Intel ones ( one of the first metal case ones) and was not even 16:9 size, it is pretty square which always bugged me after the next generation had the 16:9.

[mattstick]

The problem with an iMac is that it's pretty useless once the computer is out of spec.

I'll always have some purpose for my Cinema Display, even after they release a Retina/5K model.

I have the same 1TB Fusion drive in my Mac Mini that comes in the 5K iMacs, it's pretty slick.

[mattstick]

Side note - I'm moving my computers to the new this weekend and really want to mount the dual monitor setup on the wall at the new place.  The VESA Mount Adapter for the Cinema Display's is almost $50...  :roll:

[Caravan2001]

First post (or anything) from the new comp.  Stoked!  This display is insanity!  Time to set up (without any file migration) was 6-7 minutes.  I literally pulled this thing out of the box 6 minutes ago, plugged it in and I am online. SO sick.  I agree with you Matt about their usefulness after they run their course but I got good life out of the last one.  Yes, now I have a boat anchor in my garage, but oh well.  My first time poking around the new(ish) operating system too.  This shit is rad sauce.  About to plug in some drives and bring over the essentials from my old box.  Fired up as you can tell!

My only thing now is trying to get the old HD out of my last one so I can erase/kill it.  Looked online and getting an HD put out my last vintage is a major deal.  Removing the whole glass and everything.  At least I won't have to put it back together.  Even though it's dead, I want to wipe that HD.  I love putting old HDs in the drill press at work and turning them into swiss cheese.  :-D