[iBook] help with connecting projector

[Angus Wallace]

G'day George,

There are two main connector types. VGA (which has been the standard connector
for PCs for the last decade), and DVI (which is a newer, digital* interface
that's starting to displace VGA (although VGA will still be available mostly
for a while to come). 

Mac used to use ADC, but don't worry about that because no-one else used it
(even Apple have moved away from it now!)

One can convert between VGA and DVI, but it's much more difficult (read: more
expensive) to convert from VGA to DVI than the reverse.

iBooks can only send VGA, whereas PowerBooks send DVI. Thus, I'd suggest you get
a PowerBook. That way, you can export to either DVI or VGA (you'll need to buy
the appropriate adapters, of course).

I don't think you should have any problems - at least, any more than you'd have
with a PC-based laptop! (problems interfacing laptops with projectors are quite
common, so if you want to _Guarantee_ it to work, you should probably get your
own projector and take it with you! ;-)

good luck,
-Angus

*just a short note. We're being bombarded with statments that 'digital is
better', which it can be. But over short cable distances, you're very unlikely
to notice a difference between VGA and DVI. However, as computers move to DVI,
VGA will become more scarce, so for maximum compatability for the longest time,
DVI is probably the way to go!

---------
I have been doing some research on the web to try to determine how easily the
Mac iBooks connects to "standard" video projector such as the type one would
typically find in a corporate office.  My desktop is a Mac and I am thinking of
buying a potable - but I will not buy a Mac unless I am positive I will not be
embarrassed when I carry it in to a clients conference room and it has a weird
hook-up.