wireless hifi and video from macbook

[admin_exported]

As a complete technical ignoramus whose ancient amp recently died, I am trying to build a new audio and video system with as few boxes and wires as possible, but the range of possible options and the jargon make my head spin! I would like to base the system around my macbook. I think I would be able to connect it wirelessly via usb to a pair of good active speakers, and by hdmi (via the minidisplay port and an adaptor) to a 32inch HD monitor (we don't like tv, but watch a lot of movies). With the mac connected to a wireless router via Airport, in theory I should be able to do pretty much everything I want, i.e. play high quality audio files and movies, stream video content from the net, get internet radio etc. Can anyone forsee any possible glitches with this? I have heard that the wireless connection to the speakers could be cut by people walking through the connection - is this true? Is it ok to use the minidisplay port for video, while the audio comes through the usb simultaneously? Any suggestions for the active speakers? (My budget would be £400-£600 for these, as I think this is where the quality should be). Thanks in anticipation.

 

[john1000000boy]

I too have a macbook plugged in via hdmi/minidisplay(see your system thread for my system) I also use the headphone jack which doubles up with an optical out. I listen to my itunes watch iplayer and use the apple remote app on my ipad so it is like a very nice jukebox. My mac is connected via wifi belkin n router which is hooked up to a homeplug behind the rack. It works very well and gives lots of plugs for my bluray/amp/xbox 360.

My audio/video is all through my amp so cant really help with active speakers. A nice amp/speaker combo would be more flexible and an av amp even better to plug hdmi/optical into?? Maybe too many boxes but great for the future and for all those movies!!

John