mac/pc compatability

nodnarb · 11-09-2006, 10:13 PM

I have kept going back and forth between pc's, and mac's (mainly because of the price of the mac). I have now come to a big factor. I am using a pc at home (my desktop), and if I get a mac will I be able to transfer documents/pictures/music/movies between the two OS's? I really like mac, and really want a mac, but there are just so many issues that I need to solve first.

Keep it clean no mac/pc is better. Just give me the facts.

Thanks

2k1Toaster · 11-09-2006, 10:46 PM

Well sure you can transfer whatever you want. It's just a bunch of 1's and 0's stored on a giant magnetic platter. It calls to interpreting them. Same way you can use your iPod or whatever to store a word document and put it somewhere else.

For videos, you will probably be using Quicktime on the mac to view them because as far as I know it has the most codec plugins. Audio your choice, probably iTunes or quicktime. You will probably be able to use every media that you can use on the pc.

Keep in mind though, quicktime, iTunes, iPhoto and such, are not touchscreen friendly. Meaning small boxes and such. YOu will probably want a frontend, and most are PC, and the most supported ones are for the PC. GPS is non-existant on the mac platform.

And as you said, mac's are pricey, and support is poor. Your call. THey look shiny though.

DarquePervert · 11-10-2006, 07:27 AM

Yes, you can transfer files between the Mac & PC.
I have a client that's a Mac devotee who uses a PC-based system in his store that does this all the time.

fwaggle · 11-10-2006, 08:05 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

GPS is non-existant on the mac platform.

http://www.gpsy.com/

that program is the only program i've found (windows/linux included) that will support my rockwell navcard LP, which doesn't seem to support NMEA and has some ****ty proprietary protocol (which as a side note, i'm trying to figure out by using the demo code, but it's for DOS).

just thought you might like to know that there's GPS for mac though.

BarryWoods · 11-10-2006, 10:22 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by fwaggle

http://www.gpsy.com/

that program is the only program i've found (windows/linux included) that will support my rockwell navcard LP, which doesn't seem to support NMEA and has some ****ty proprietary protocol (which as a side note, i'm trying to figure out by using the demo code, but it's for DOS).

just thought you might like to know that there's GPS for mac though.

I think what he meant was that there's no gps nav programs for macs. And yes files will transfer between pc's and mac's just fine. There will be the occasional hiccup, but nothing huge.

www.workingcars · 11-10-2006, 01:22 PM

http://www.routebuddy.com/

nodnarb · 11-10-2006, 07:49 PM

thanks for all the information! Where can I find a list of the most popular & compatible hardware for the mac mini?

pepsibobby · 11-10-2006, 08:04 PM

www.apple.com lol.

GoHybrid · 11-10-2006, 08:07 PM

i have no trouble at all watching divx and playing mp3's on my mac that were created on my pc. Totally compatible, particularly with Front Row, which if you're getting a macbook or a mini is a convenient front end to start with.

2k1Toaster · 11-10-2006, 10:52 PM

The most compatable are probably the "i" series of programs. iPhoto, iMovie, iTerminatorOfDoom...

Bugbyte · 11-10-2006, 11:51 PM

Umm...you can use AMP, the Mac frontend. It's available on this forum.

Also, you have two choices for nav on the Mac. One is a kludge using Google Earth with a program called GPS2GE. It creates a moving map display with GE. It's nice, but you need to have cached the maps in advance.

There's also Roadnav, and open source moving map program that runs on the Mac. I just reviewed it after using it on a trip. Check this thread for my experiences with it.

Of course, if you use an Intel Mac Mini, you can run the Windows GPS programs using Parallels if you wish.

nodnarb · 11-12-2006, 06:52 PM

thanks bugbyte