V+ Using iMac with V+ box

cathie · 20-12-2011, 14:24

Hi, hope this is the right bit of the forum to post in; and hope that my lack of technical knowledge is not too much of a pain ....
We have got multi room, with a Tivo downstairs and a V+ box upstairs.
I've just got a new iMac, and the screen is much bigger than the TV which is connected to the V+ box, so I was wondering whether I could ditch the TV and use the iMac instead? If so what leads would I need to connect, and where, and is there anything else I would need to get? I think at the moment there is a HDMI lead between the TV and the box. Hope that is clear, many thanks in advance

Stuart · 20-12-2011, 14:52

What size iMac is it, and what spec is it? The top of the range 27 inch can operate as a monitor, but the others can't without something like http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/main...oduct1.en.html

cathie · 20-12-2011, 15:10

Hi, yes it's an iMac 27 (this is why it's bigger than the tv!) oh good, sounding hopeful ...

**Chris** · 20-12-2011, 16:03

Don't get too excited. The latest iMacs can only operate in Target Display Mode when the incoming connection is via Thunderbolt. As it is vanishingly unlikely that your V+ has a Thunderbolt connnection, chances are you're stuffed like next week's turkey...

cathie · 20-12-2011, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

As it is vanishingly unlikely that your V+ has a Thunderbolt connection

Well I'm sure that's right! So - am I completely stuffed, or can I sort out something with one of those Elgato products, or is it just not worth the bother?

20-12-2011, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Don't get too excited. The latest iMacs can only operate in Target Display Mode when the incoming connection is via Thunderbolt. As it is vanishingly unlikely that your V+ has a Thunderbolt connnection, chances are you're stuffed like next week's turkey...

Chris is there any point of getting a thunderbolt to HDMI adaptor, would that work?

**Chris** · 20-12-2011, 16:41

It wouldn't work, the protocols are entirely different. Thunderbolt is a high-capacity data link for all sorts of peripherals, kind of like USB on acid (lots of acid), rather than an AV connector ... although thanks to its capacity it can also do video.