[cv]

You do not need to wait to find out about maximum pixel resolution for the current Mac mini. You can read the specifications at Apple's website today: http://www.apple.com...mini/specs.html

[buzglyd]

So 4GB of RAM is $68 plus time (and maybe damage) installing it.
Apple charges $150 for the 4GB upgrade which doesn't seem like such a bad deal since it's also covered under the factory warranty.

[DisabledTrucker]

I too wish that Apple would do away with those ridiculously slow hard drives and upgrade to 7200 RPM drives, then again Steve did say he didn't want to use "inferior parts" in his "Apples"... I guess the 7200 RPM drives are too inferior for him... A nice 500 GB HDD would be perfect for the upper end mini, along w/dedicated graphics memory as well. I guess that's too much to ask for, along w/Tuners capable of Tru2Way RIGHT NOW... instead of another year or two from now and only for Winblows...

[mpole]

My favorite place to get ram and by far the cheapest I've ever found is from transintl.com. They are a located in Anaheim, CA and accept pickup if you're in the area. And as for the performance of the mini I have tried playing 1080p mkv files on it via Plex and it's flawless and just plain gorgeous (this was on the higher end stock mini). And Plex now has Hulu and Netflix support which makes this a superior media client to any other especially front row.

[Voe]

The idea of using a white MacBook instead of a Mini is worth considering but I suspect it may be a disappointment in the long run. No FW800 means adequate but relatively slow media recording capacity on FX400, and no Express card slot means no possibility of running an external SATA disk. Admittedly it could double as a portable but given the baseline usage as a media centre where video files are going to take space, and time to manipulate, the white book could shortly seem very much old hat.

At present I'm hesitating: will it be the comfortable on the wallet Mini, (especially already owning a decent monitor), or, the hell with caution and splash out out on a MacBook Pro; not the same beasty of course but in dreamland, why not take both.

I'm very much looking forward to reading your coverage Chris, which I'm sure will help me make a decision.

It seems to me though that given how many people are 'do-it-yourselfing' the Mini's RAM and HD, there is a more than an idle desire for that missing mid range desktop. How about: with a case of the same dimensions in plan view as the Mac TV but the same height as the present Mini, to accomodate and keep cool a 320GB 7200rpm disk, 4GB RAM, eSATA port (I understand the circuitry is already on board the Mini). That would perhaps help make a decision.

[XMattingly]

Quote

{size:10px} cv wrote: You do not need to wait to find out about maximum pixel resolution for the current Mac mini. You can read the specifications at Apple's website today: http://www.apple.com...mini/specs.html {size}

Sure - those are specs for connecting to a standard monitor, but the rules are a little different when you're connecting to a hi-def TV through HDMI, aren't they? If memory serves me correctly there is a catch... something that makes it not as simple as plugging it in and turning it on. It's been quite a while since I explored this as a possibility, so I could be overthinking things.

[fithian]

EyeTV makes units for every part of the world and their software is superb. Works with DVB-T, DVB-C and DVB-S, as well as digital reception in the USA. Only problem is playback of DD encoded programs in the USA, where a kernel panic occurs once in a while, though this is a Mac OS X problem that Apple has not yet fixed.

[simdude]

Two quick comments. First, OWC is great. I've always had a good experience with them and their products. I bought the mini-stack for one of my mini's (I have two) and it looks great underneath (plus added 1 TB of space). One comments on the mini-stack is it is not super quiet like the mini. I have this in the bedroom and the fan noise is noticeable. It also has a very bright blue light on the front.
Here's how mine is used:
Front Row is the main interface.
EyeTV as a PVR. I use PyeTV to access from Front Row.
Hulu. Not using this as much since Hulu has stopped full screen access from Front Row plugin so it's pretty clunky to use.
Evocam for wifi security camera recording.
Indigo for home lighting control and to trigger Applescripts for security cameras etc.
It doesn't feel completely integrated yet, but it's getting close and by running scripts in the background to make sure Front row and other programs are running ok, it's been a good solution.

[buzglyd]

I use my white Macbook connected to my 50 inch HDTV. I have the MLB.com subscription and the games look great. One thing I have noticed is when I'm watching a game or Netflix streaming, the fans spin up like crazy. Would this be the case with a mini also?

I really don't watch Hulu at all so I'm considering buying a Samsung Blu-Ray player with Netlflix built in. I'll get the advantage of Blu-Ray which Apple doesn't offer and it's much cheaper than a Mini.

I'll still use my Macbook for baseball games.

[hooman]

The mini is totally silent when in use. Be it streaming Video TS DVD files, or avi or mkv tv shows - its nice!

[hayesk]

backtomacintosh said:

Seems to me the purpose is a small form factor computer. You pay 'more' for 'less' spec wise compared to a traditional desktop pc.

So if you loose the small form factor, why are you paying more for 'less'?

He isn't adding a RAID array. A single hard disk can take the same footprint as a mini and fit right underneath. Look at the MiniStack - you still get the small form factor.

Imagine how many of those drives you could have before approaching the size of a traditional desktop PC.

[stevebert]

As I mentioned before, the Mini is totally quiet after many hours of video playback or recording with EyeTV. In fact, I often have the EyeTV recording shows in the middle of the night only 8 feet from my bed with only the display sleeping and no sound whatever disturbs my sleep. The only noise problem I ever have in my setup is the spin-up of the external LaCie drives, which is why I'm looking at the NewerTech miniStack 1TB to replace these eventually. In contrast, watching video on my MacBook Pro often spins the fans, quite loudly, after only 30 minutes of similar use. This is why I would recommend the new Mini over the MBP or MacBook for any home media use if it's in your budget.

[stevebert]

rab777hp said:

This is BS- you have to do this for Macs as well.

It might be more helpful if you give a re-cap of the statements you disagree with, followed by the reasons you disagree with those particular points, rather than dumping on the article as a whole. We might even agree with your reasons, but this comment is not helpful.

[stevebert]

simdude said:

EyeTV as a PVR. I use PyeTV to access from Front Row.

Wow - thanks for the tip! I'm downloading PyeTV now.