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Mac Mini Update?!?! - Page 3

post #81 of 111
12/31/07 at 2:59pm
Thread Starter 
well will the current mini drive a 26" LCD 1366 x 768
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post #82 of 111
12/31/07 at 6:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Royboy View Post

Since we are making up a product that doesn't exist (Mac mini Pro), sure it will drive a 30" and also a 42".

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For some people speculation is reality.

Dave
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post #83 of 111
12/31/07 at 9:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparker View Post

I Celeron would also work! Cost would go up, however

You jest, but Intel has announced the first dual-core Celeron. Dual 1.6GHz, Allendale core with cache disabled on an 800MHz bus. $50
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post #84 of 111
1/1/08 at 8:49am
You can get amd dual core for just a about that price with better MB that cost less then intel system.

Also the lack of cache will be a big slow down with intel FSB.
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post #85 of 111
1/1/08 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon View Post

You can get amd dual core for just a about that price with better MB that cost less then intel system.

Also the lack of cache will be a big slow down with intel FSB.

True about the price, we'll see what the lack of cache does when reviewers get their hands on them. It is an important step, though- the "budget" line is going dual-core. It might not be long before Intel and AMD stop making single-core processors, apart from embedded solutions.
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post #86 of 111
1/2/08 at 4:52pm
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Originally Posted by sequitur View Post

Just curious, Ecking, is that notice of banning something AI does or do you add it because you like it?
Again, I'm just curious. I'm not attacking you.

I got banned and the added the notice as my signature because I liked it.
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post #87 of 111
1/2/08 at 8:54pm
I don't understand the hostility toward the mini either. It's a proven way to sell people up to the iMac. It's also a good way for switchers to dip a toe in, and I've idly contemplated setting one or two of the little buggers up as headless servers.

It's not an AppleTV replacement. The AppleTV is $299, down in the consumer appliance price range. It's not that an HDMI port would cost so much, it's that the mini already costs too much for this purpose.

It has done a brilliant job of selling the AIO, though, so it can stay.
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"...within intervention's distance of the embassy." - CvB

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Becca Sutlive - Iowa Fried Rock 'n Roll - now on iTMS!
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post #88 of 111
1/3/08 at 2:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amorph View Post

It's not an AppleTV replacement. The AppleTV is $299, down in the consumer appliance price range. It's not that an HDMI port would cost so much, it's that the mini already costs too much for this purpose.

Why does the Mini cost too much to act as a media server? Tell me another box for the same money (or cheaper) that can do the following:
  • work as a PVR
  • run a torrent server
  • display both SD and HD signals on a TV (using adapters)
  • play DVDs and other files via optical media storage
  • burn CDs and DVDs
  • 5.1 digital sound via optical out
  • fit neatly in a home cinema system
  • play virtually any video/audio format
  • play video at pretty much any crop/aspect ratio via QuickTime Player and VLC
  • ability to connect to it via IR remote, bluetooth devices and/or remote desktop

The above list is not just a catalogue of all the things the Mini can do, only the things that are useful as a media server. It's still a pretty impressive list.

Bear in mind people will pay a lot more than $1000 for a decent TV or surround system. Paying about $800 for a device like this suddenly sounds a lot more reasonable. So if you can tell me about a device for a similar price that can do all of the above, I'm listening.
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post #89 of 111
1/3/08 at 7:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amorph View Post

... It's not that an HDMI port would cost so much, it's that the mini already costs too much for this purpose...

No, it doesn't.... I would be perfectly happy to pay the current price to use it as an Apple TV... but I want HDMI so that it can see the entire screen of my TV.
I'm willing to pay the extra $ BECAUSE it is so much more capable than the aTV.

Now, for the wish-list.... Mini with HDMI and Blu-Ray
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From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
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post #90 of 111
1/3/08 at 7:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post

I want HDMI so that it can see the entire screen of my TV.

Why, does a DVI-to-HDMI converter not give you the entire screen of your TV?
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post #91 of 111
1/3/08 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post

Why, does a DVI-to-HDMI converter not give you the entire screen of your TV?

To be honest, I haven't tried that yet, but using the DVI-VGA adapter, the Mac will only display 15xx by ???, rather than 1920 by 1080. Perhaps the -HDMI adapter would work properly, but why should I need an "adapter" at all ??
From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
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From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
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post #92 of 111
1/3/08 at 10:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post

Why does the Mini cost too much to act as a media server? Tell me another box for the same money (or cheaper) that can do the following:
  • work as a PVR
  • run a torrent server
  • display both SD and HD signals on a TV (using adapters)
  • play DVDs and other files via optical media storage
  • burn CDs and DVDs
  • 5.1 digital sound via optical out
  • fit neatly in a home cinema system
  • play virtually any video/audio format
  • play video at pretty much any crop/aspect ratio via QuickTime Player and VLC
  • ability to connect to it via IR remote, bluetooth devices and/or remote desktop

OK, how many people are going to buy a $500 machine to set up a torrent server and install VLC or use the machine with remote desktop?

You would. I'd do something not entirely unlike that after cracking it open and swapping in a bigger hard drive. I'm sure a few more A/V geeks will chime in. But if most of the value adds you get by more than doubling the price are mostly geeky, how many people are going to buy it?

I'm not suggesting that the AppleTV can't be improved. Right now it's... interesting. But I'm not sure that its OK reception in the market is a reason to sell a more complicated version at more than twice the price.
"...within intervention's distance of the embassy." - CvB

Original music:
The Mayflies - Black earth Americana. Now on iTMS!
Becca Sutlive - Iowa Fried Rock 'n Roll - now on iTMS!
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"...within intervention's distance of the embassy." - CvB

Original music:
The Mayflies - Black earth Americana. Now on iTMS!
Becca Sutlive - Iowa Fried Rock 'n Roll - now on iTMS!
Reply
post #93 of 111
1/3/08 at 11:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post

To be honest, I haven't tried that yet, but using the DVI-VGA adapter, the Mac will only display 15xx by ???, rather than 1920 by 1080. Perhaps the -HDMI adapter would work properly, but why should I need an "adapter" at all ??

I agree, it would be better to not have to use an adapter, but it's still only an extra $20 over the cost of a Mini.

I'm not talking about a DVI-VGA adapter, I'm talking about a DVI-HDMI adapter. The former is analogue and the latter is digital. I can't see any reason why the adapter, working in tandem with software such as SwitchResX, can't output a resolution of 1920 x 1080. The video memory can handle up to 1920 by 1200.
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post #94 of 111
1/3/08 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amorph View Post

OK, how many people are going to buy a $500 machine to set up a torrent server and install VLC or use the machine with remote desktop?

Not many I know! You were saying the Mini costs too much to act as a media server. I'm saying it doesn't, not for what I want a media server for anyway.
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post #95 of 111
1/3/08 at 12:01pm
I see convergence of the Mac mini and AppleTV.
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post #96 of 111
1/3/08 at 12:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post

Not many I know! You were saying the Mini costs too much to act as a media server. I'm saying it doesn't, not for what I want a media server for anyway.

By that definition, nothing is too expensive to use as a media server provided someone will buy it; but to take the argument ad absurdam, how many people would buy CNN's media server farm? CNN did!

The issue is whether there are enough people to pay a 150% premium over an AppleTV for a few geeky features. I don't think there are.

A machine with mini-like features will eventually appear at the AppleTV's price point. That's inevitable, and that might be what it takes.

I'm also pessimistic about adoption of HD video, especially the flavors of 1080. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray screwed their respective pooches by building in paranoid levels of DRM so I consider them both stillborn (but at least Blu-Ray points the way to better optical storage). As portable devices take off but wireless bandwidth remains a choke point, YouTube-grade video will predominate (ironically, just as the lights go out on old fashioned TV in the US) and this will be a good thing for indie and grassroots production.
"...within intervention's distance of the embassy." - CvB

Original music:
The Mayflies - Black earth Americana. Now on iTMS!
Becca Sutlive - Iowa Fried Rock 'n Roll - now on iTMS!
Reply
"...within intervention's distance of the embassy." - CvB

Original music:
The Mayflies - Black earth Americana. Now on iTMS!
Becca Sutlive - Iowa Fried Rock 'n Roll - now on iTMS!
Reply
post #97 of 111
1/4/08 at 5:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amorph View Post

I'm not suggesting that the AppleTV can't be improved. Right now it's... interesting. But I'm not sure that its OK reception in the market is a reason to sell a more complicated version at more than twice the price.

I think its more along the lines of giving the Mini a better feature set as a home media server than upgrading the aTV to mini like specs given the thread title.

I dunno that there is a home media server for cheaper than the mini. The only thing it lacks is hard disk space (solvable via a NAS) and the lack of HDMI out.

The mini is quiet enough for the living room...especially if you stick the active drives on a NAS in the den or something. 1080p web surfing is "good enough" that it doesn't suck quite as bad as WebTV did back when so a bluetooth keyboard allows it to also serve light duty as a general family PC (email, web, pictures, etc).

Apple COULD potentially just drop the mini and go the aTV + iMac route and just add Safari, Mail and iTunes to the aTV with slightly more memory and perhaps a slightly better processor. And it should be able to manage at the $299 price point.

But that would be a real shame and really...for a lot of folks a 1080 "monitor" + the mini + BT keyboard & mouse + airport extreme + disk + 802.11 enabled printer would be a perfectly fine for home use.

Heck, while I fiddle around with photos and movies, 90% of the time I barely do anything in iLife that I couldn't comfortably do from my couch. I'd rather have a mini + PS3 for $1100 than aTV + 20" iMac for $1500 assuming I had a decent HDTV already.
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post #98 of 111
1/4/08 at 7:42pm
I think merge of the Mini and Apple TV would be ok. Losing the mac mini would be a silly thing as Apple now have a product range that can attract many new buyers. Not every wants (or can afford) a $2500 Mac Pro that is the begining of the pro range. Nor do people (like myself) want an all-in-1 imac when I already have an older mac and a PC and a half decent LCD.

I would like to see a speed bump and perhaps GPU bump or HDMI.

Dobby.
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post #99 of 111
1/14/08 at 11:01am
So since it is the week of: what is the consensus regarding Apple's entry-level computer? I still am leaning towards a new Mini and not aTV. The Mini needs the upgraded video, faster processors, and maybe dual output(? I wish). What do you guys think?
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post #100 of 111
1/14/08 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaEsperanza View Post

So since it is the week of: what is the consensus regarding Apple's entry-level computer? I still am leaning towards a new Mini and not aTV. The Mini needs the upgraded video, faster processors, and maybe dual output(? I wish). What do you guys think?


I think a new Apple TV is a definite to build on the expanded movie selection for purchase or rent on I-Tunes. Obviously, the Apple TV needs 1080p capability to deliver HD content to the current high end standard.

I think the Mac Mini will also evolve because it a great product for people on a budget wanting to transition from a Windows Desktop... They can get a Mac Mini, plug into their current monitor and get started with the Mac Experience. Amongst my collection of technology, I have a mac mini and love it for what it is.

That being said, I think the evolution of the Mac Mini will also make it an up level offering of the Apple TV bringing full computer functionality into the game.
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post #101 of 111
1/14/08 at 11:20am
We'll find out tomorrow.
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post #102 of 111
1/14/08 at 11:44am
yay!
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post #103 of 111
1/14/08 at 6:53pm
Thread Starter 
i hope both of you are exactly right!!! and i know i have asked something like this before, once the products are available to buy, will they also be available to buy at a bestbuy apple store, at the same time.. if you can understand any of that
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post #104 of 111
1/14/08 at 7:03pm
Probably not. I can see it getting there eventually, but they'll need to be fully stocked at their POS first before they help out Best Buy, who takes some of their profit.
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post #105 of 111
1/15/08 at 11:57am
once again disappointment...no updates...

I guess this a wireless Macworld....Mackbook air...iPhone updates...Time Capsule....oh I forgot AppleTV ( the hobby)
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post #106 of 111
1/19/08 at 7:14pm
Thread Starter 
so now when do you think it will be updated?
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post #107 of 111
1/19/08 at 8:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmoney_2010 View Post

so now when do you think it will be updated?

I want a miniAir.
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post #108 of 111
1/20/08 at 5:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiggy05 View Post

I want a miniAir.

- no optical drive (but you can connect via USB or use remote disk.
- no internal disk (it's on the time capsule)
- no screen (but you can connect to an ACD)
- no keyboard or mouse, but you can bring your own PC versions
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post #109 of 111
1/20/08 at 11:30am
Why not add inductively powered from 60 hz radiation from household wiring?
Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face? - Jack D. Ripper
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Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face? - Jack D. Ripper
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post #110 of 111
1/20/08 at 1:56pm
'It's on Time Capsule.'

You're probably wrong, but I like the way you're thinking.
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post #111 of 111
1/20/08 at 2:50pm
really? I thought he was taking the p**s

No I guess it'd be true at some point... That would be almost like a return to seventies style terminals - but without even the screen! If there's no drive, no internal disk, no peripherals at all, maybe why not just build a screen with OSX built-in?
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