Mac mini as a media center

[cambosis]

I'm considering using a macmini as a media centre computer and supporting it with a eyetv dongle. Does anyone have an opinion on it's ability to do so. eg. Noise, speed, Graphics power??

If it's not going to cut it, is there an alternative??? I'm not keen on the appleTV given it's limitations out of the box, and I'm not mich of a backyard tweeker

[KingOfSomewhereHot]

Noise speed and power are all fine ... it works great.

No other option from Apple (except the limited AppleTV), though many from the windows and Linux realms.

[KingOfSomewhereHot]

Noise speed and power are all fine ... it works great.

No other option from Apple (except the limited AppleTV), though many from the windows and Linux realms.

[Undo Redo]

I'm using mine (2009) for just that. I never hear the fan, unlike the 2007 model I was using previously. EyeTV works great. (I use the HD Homerun version.) You can access all of your recorded media using the Apple remote and Front Row or just use a bluetooth mouse. And it's also great for watching stuff from HULU, Netflix or the TV network websites.

Why Apple doesn't promote the mini for all of this, I don't know. They make more money on a Mac mini than they do on an AppleTV.

[cambosis]

I'm using mine (2009) for just that. I never hear the fan, unlike the 2007 model I was using previously. EyeTV works great. (I use the HD Homerun version.) You can access all of your recorded media using the Apple remote and Front Row or just use a bluetooth mouse. And it's also great for watching stuff from HULU, Netflix or the TV network websites.

Why Apple doesn't promote the mini for all of this, I don't know. They make more money on a Mac mini than they do on an AppleTV.

Thanks for this - im currently experimenting with my MacBook Pro - all works fine - though i find that using FrontRow for DivX films is incredibly slow - during the scrolling through of movies, rather than the actual playing of flicks - is this simply a function of the system, or is it something else?

[cambosis]

Noise speed and power are all fine ... it works great.

No other option from Apple (except the limited AppleTV), though many from the windows and Linux realms.

certainly not going there... stick with the tried and tested...

thanks for the reply

[sprale]

I'm running my little '06 13" 2.16GHz MacBook through Mini DVI to HDMI on my TV, looks good. I use Boxee (front row remote works great) along with various video sites. Mostly good experience. I'll probably pick up a Mini in another year as a dedicated media box.

[jpennington]

Thanks for this - im currently experimenting with my MacBook Pro - all works fine - though i find that using FrontRow for DivX films is incredibly slow - during the scrolling through of movies, rather than the actual playing of flicks - is this simply a function of the system, or is it something else?

Try about Boxee. Go to boxee.tv. I have been using it for months (in alpha then) and love it. They used to have Hulu but not anymore (without the RSS version), it should come back at some point though.