Torn between 3 computers

Ron Knights

My Dad recently gave me a reconditioned 21" iMac. My old 27" iMac died a few years ago and I got two new PCs since then. I really love the iMac, and have used it most of the time since I got it.

But then I really missed the powerful HP PC that I use for DAZ Studio. My DAZ pursuits are few and far between because I have a fragile artistic spirit. I stated putzing around, copying stuff from the DAZ Studio PC so I could install it on the iMac. Then I thought this is nuts! So now I have a 32" TV monitor (1080p) connected to the DAZ Studio PC. The 21" iMac sits right next to the 32" TV monitor. (I have a rolling computer desk that I use while sitting on my powered recliner.) Oh my Gosh, now I can text on the 32" monitor.

But now my home built multimedia sits all alone on the big computer desk. I need to buy a keyboard and trackball so I can use it.

SofaCitizen

Well, I say if you have multiple tools then you can use the best one for each task. I, too, favour the iMac for many years now so much prefer working in that environment. But I now also have a new Windows PC which would do a better job of rendering in Daz by taking advantage of the nVidia card. So you can use the Windows PC for Daz creations and then while it is rendering away you can move to the iMac to do some postwork or something?

If you don't have anough Keyboard and/or mice then you could either use a hardware KVM to share the input devices with multiple machines or there are software ones too. I used to use one called Synergy back in the day when it was still free software - looks like it's still going but haven't used it in ages so consider it an example rather than a recommendation - I am sure there are other similar software about.

wolf359

@RonKnights

My son gave  gave me a slightly used 21”inch imac

That he bought really cheap from an old roommate, put it in his storage unit and promptly forgot about.( he is a busy police officer )

Much like yourself Ron ,I migrated to windows years ago to get the most from 3D/CG and now own three PC’s.

But I kept my old year 2007 macbook ( with burned out display) running connected to an external monitor, right up until earlier this year when I got he dropped of  the imac.

 

 

The Imac is way underpowered comparatively but I can run the latest Daz studio 4.20.x ( No Iray support even on CPU)

an “older” Blender 2.83

and I installed some 2D graphic design programs as I was a professional graphic designer for 19 years before getting into 3D/CG.(nostalgia TBH)

It has Adobe premier pro( CS6 perpetual), adobe audition and Acrobat pro X, Comiclife and Apple Aperture,Microsoft office for OSX installed.

 

 

But I mostly use the Imac for “entertainment”, Watching movies & youtube vids.

Ron Knights

I just spent the past couple hours watching a movie on the iMac while I read the comic Diary of a Wimpy Kid on the PC with the 32" TV monitor. It was a pleasure to be able to read the text. And the video quality on the 21" iMac is excellent!