[fithian]

I have had a 1.66 Core Duo Mini for a little over three years, purchased mainly to use as a media center mac. The hard drive (120GB) failed about a year ago and was replaced under warranty. It had 2 GB ram and the integrated graphics chip. I used an external FW 400 case with a 250GB drive from my G5 2GHz DP.

Two months ago, I replaced this Mini with a new Mini 2.26GHz 340GB 5400 and 4GB ram. I still use the external drive for storing videos, but I save most stuff on a partition of the 340GB. Encoding takes about 1/3 the time of the old Mini, which is now relegated to the bedroom for use with an LG 26LU55 when it arrives.

I don't get cable tv or dish/directv, but rely on an antenna/preamp combo. I use an EyeTV 500 (FW400) to view the antenna-sourced programming. The Mini records the programs in HD720/1080 with Dolby Digital. My monitor is a 50 inch Samsung DLP 720p rear projection monitor. The audio is connected through the digital audio out of the Mini to a Rotel digital processor and amp/speaker setup.

I also have a Pinnacle analog/digital USB converter connected to the Mini for recording programs from a large satellite dish, that is not HD. EyeTV program is able to record simultaneously from each source.

The only problem that has persisted is the kernel panics that occur when playing back some programs with Dolby Digital. This is a problem with Mac OS X that was supposed to be fixed in 10.5.6, but still happens. It doesn't seem to matter whether EyeTV is playing back the program, or VLC is playing it. It doesn't happen all the time, but enough to be a PITA. Elgato and Apple are aware of the problem.

Using an antenna that is located between differing transmission locations requires the use of an antenna rotator. It is not convenient to have to turn the antenna before recording a program. My rotator is a Channel Master with Remote. The remote has the same codes as a Pioneer receiver, so those codes can use used to create a fake set top box in EyeTV that can be programmed as a one minute recording in EyeTV that will send a signal to the rotator remote to change the antenna direction. This signal is an infrared signal which must be sent from an infrared repeater. The one that I use is ZephIR, which attaches to the Mini through USB.

I also use a program called ChroniX to automate the running of Applescripts in the background. Included is an auto resetting of the antenna remote daily, and some required off/on manipulations of the big dish digital receiver. These automated commands are sent through the ZephIR.

One feature of EyeTV is that the programs can be shared on a local network. My network is a gigabit ethernet system connected to the old Mini, the new Mini, and a PPC 2GHz DP with a 1080i Sharp DVI monitor. Front Row works on these Macs running EyeTV software. I am trying out PyeTV this week, instead of the EyeTV variation.

I am also looking at the possibility of receiving free-to-air dvb s2 satellite programming using the FireDTV unit from Digital Everywhere. This is a HD unit that is compatible with the Mini and EyeTV. Another possibility is the Hauppauge 1212 HD DVR which allows recording from a component video source with digital audio. This device is also supported on the Mini and by EyeTV.

[VoxLocus]

bq. STEVEBERT: You make good points.
bq. While the MBP specs out with faster components, in practical terms, it's roughly the same gear as a Mac Mini for this purpose. Take a look at the specs for the new Mini (link here) and see if there's something missing from what you described above (except for the shared memory, of course).
My MPB has 4gb of ram and 128mb of dedicated video memory. It also has a 2.2ghz processor. The new Mini does have an improved 2.0ghz processor and faster ram.

The point of my "test" was to see if I really wanted to buy a Mini to plug into my HDTV. There's been a lot of talk about how great HULU is, and I've enjoyed watching some shows on the 15" MBP. They hurt my eyes on the 46" LCD HDTV.
bq. BTW, I've never heard any fans in my Mini kick on
Had a G4 Mini handling email on my desk for two years. The fan did run, but it was super quiet.
bq. For an out-of-box solution in the home-theater space, the Mini is not a bad deal.
Your Mini "out of the box" is $799 from the Apple Store. Were memory and the HD easily user upgradeable (like a MB), the Mini would be more appealing. I have a great DVD player, an AppleTV, and several Macs I can plug into the HDMI port on the big tv. So adding a Mac as a media server would be something to do, just because.

Still, having seen what the video output from HULU etc is, I'd prefer to sit on the couch with the laptop on my lap to see the stream of Terminator or Jon Stewart.

One other comment. If you have a tuner plugged into the Mini, I presume you will be using it as a DVR. That will work fine for over the air television, or unencrypted cable channels.

HOWEVER the ISPs are strarting to try to set a 5gb Max per month, and charge outrageously per MB past the max. That would close movie streaming. Even large Apple updates might push users into the super-tier pricing.

MINI or not, we need to resist that trend.

[akulavolk]

Getting the case off with a putty knife (and not damaging anything) was the hardest thing...the first time I upgraded my Mini. Now, things are loosened up enough, it's easy to pop the case off and upgrade things. I've upgraded my drive a few times.
One note: the little fan cable pops loose easily when you're putting things back together, at least on Core2 Minis. It took me a bit to figure out this was why my Mini's fan wouldn't shut off after I put things back together.

[s4mb4]

don't you have any issues with the FreeAgent external disk? I had a 1.5TB version that i sent back because when my iMac slept, the external disk would also sleep (which is fine) but when it woke up, my system was always messed up. you are suggesting that the external disk is your boot device..... maybe i just didn't spend enough time with mine before i got rid of it.

[Chris Breen]

s4mb4 said:

don't you have any issues with the FreeAgent external disk?

No, it works fine.

[s4mb4]

do you allow the mini to 'sleep'?

[Chris Breen]

s4mb4 said:

do you allow the mini to 'sleep'?

I sure do.

[stevebert]

VoxLocus said:

My MPB has 4gb of ram and 128mb of dedicated video memory. It also has a 2.2ghz processor. The new Mini does have an improved 2.0ghz processor and faster ram.

In my experience, it's a marginal performance increase over the Mini (I have both machines). Extra non-shared video RAM serves the MBP well as a game machine because of the demands of real-time shading and other processor intensive operations that require a fast GPU with lots of RAM. But we're talking about simple software video decoding, for which the Mini is quite capable -- even the previous generation with the weak Intel GMA950 was adequate for this task.

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The point of my "test" was to see if I really wanted to buy a Mini to plug into my HDTV. There's been a lot of talk about how great HULU is, and I've enjoyed watching some shows on the 15" MBP. They hurt my eyes on the 46" LCD HDTV.

I don't know about you're experience, but for me Hulu does not play well except as a "can't see this program anywhere else but Hulu" solution. The Front Row plugin I tried for Hulu doesn't display full screen, so for me it's not a good solution. Hulu is great for watching a program on your desktop or laptop, but for a media center, not so much.

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Your Mini "out of the box" is $799 from the Apple Store. Were memory and the HD easily user upgradeable (like a MB), the Mini would be more appealing. I have a great DVD player, an AppleTV, and several Macs I can plug into the HDMI port on the big tv. So adding a Mac as a media server would be something to do, just because.

I didn't say it was the perfect solution, but as a general-purpose computer, the Mini can do things that dedicated peripherals cannot, no matter the cost difference. I came to use this setup because I already had the hardware and was not using it for anything else, so initial cost was practically nil. It actually saved me a chunk of money because the alternative was to buy an 26" LCD TV and a Tivo, which would have run at least $500 together. The new Mini, even at $799 was worth it to me because it allowed me send the older Mini to my nephew for school work. And when the new Mini is done serving as a media center, it's still a great G.P. computer that can be used for other things.

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One other comment. If you have a tuner plugged into the Mini, I presume you will be using it as a DVR. That will work fine for over the air television, or unencrypted cable channels.

Actually, I'm feeding a Comcast cable box into the EyeTV, so I can record everything, including premium channels. Right now I have to pre-set the cable box channel for upcoming scheduled recordings, but I'm looking at adding a ZephIR IR blaster, which is designed to work with EyeTV and will allow it to control the cable box directly.

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HOWEVER the ISPs are strarting to try to set a 5gb Max per month, and charge outrageously per MB past the max. That would close movie streaming. Even large Apple updates might push users into the super-tier pricing. MINI or not, we need to resist that trend.

I agree completely. Luckily, recording analog/digital TV over cable would not be affected by such limits.

[VoxLocus]

Stevebert!

Way better to pass the Mini on to your nephew than what I'm about to do with a buncha' old windoz crud. Give it to the local university Earth Day recycling drive tomorrow. There's a great old high resolution laser printer in the mix. Works fine. Toner cartridges cost more than new equally high resolution printers. As Bobby Dylan sang, "Don't trust any Windows gear over 30"

Had no idea it was possible to record the encrypted premium channels from cable. But, then, I don't have cable. Have to economize somewhere to support my Mac addiction. Not having cable was why I was interested in Hulu.

Are you using component out? Surely you're not able to capture the digital stream ? ? ? ?

Sounds like you have the Mini as Media Center nailed. I just wish Apple had either built them all with 4GB memory standard at the entry price. Or at least, since the Mini is built of laptop components, made it easy for users to upgrade.

[stevebert]

VoxLocus said:

Are you using component out? Surely you're not able to capture the digital stream ? ? ? ?

No I'm feeding the composite video and stereo audio outputs from the cable box to the EyeTV's A/V inputs. The version of EyeTV I'm using only supports analog input, so the cable box is essentially serving as my digital-analog converter and QAM tuner -- hence the need for the ZephIR blaster to auto-select channels for scheduled recordings.

There are newer versions of EyeTV that can decode unecrypted QAM directly, but then QAM channels don't map directly to the Comcast schedule, making the program guide much more difficult to use and you still wouldn't be able to record the premium channels. For me, what I have works just fine for now.

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Sounds like you have the Mini as Media Center nailed. I just wish Apple had either built them all with 4GB memory standard at the entry price. Or at least, since the Mini is built of laptop components, made it easy for users to upgrade.

I hear you. I think memory and HD should be brain-dead easy to replace on all their systems. They've improved that process quite a bit on the newer MacBooks, but I think the Mini's chosen form factor works against any ease of upgrading. Let's hope Apple considers improving the upgrade support on the next incarnation of the Mini.

But as I've said before, I don't think adding the extra "frosting" to the Mini's internals really improves it's usefulness as a media center, or even as a general-purpose computer for that matter. It's a pretty solid machine for all but the most demanding applications.

[pavement]

I'm really keen to do this myself so will read the rest of the articles with interest....
My only trouble is my wife too ! ! !

[Alfiejr]

Really enjoying this series. to set up the external 7200 RPM boot drive, it is really as easy as just cloning with Carbon Copy and changing the startup drive? no other things to do? so from then on you ignore the Mini's drive and update software on the external drive, right? plus copy all your media files to it?

[macdeutsche]

Why not....
upgrading CPU to 2.33 (did it become impossible after core 2 duo?)
upgrading internal hard drive
or more than 2gb memory?

I think even after these upgrade, it is so great machine, and the cost of doing this will be close to 24 imac core 2 duo 2.8ghz that is on sale for a while now.

[Stuessi]

I have this setup (with a Logitech Harmony 885) since 2007 and love it. I don't even put my video content in Itunes, I just put aliases by genre in my Movies Folder to my external drive with the content, and therefore can see all content in Front Row without Itunes. And my wife loves it too, even more importantly