Apple TV 4K vs Mac mini?

[rsg1010]

Considering using a Mac mini instead of an Apple TV 4K as a media player for my TV. Any pros/cons of using one over the other?

I use Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime and Plex. For plex, my content Is generally 4k MKV formats but I do enjoy using the high def audio formats as I have a 7.1 surround sound system which is connected to my Yamaha receiver.

I know the Apple TV interface is pretty much point and click for simple usage which I currently use now but wondering if there's any significant advantage of using a Mac mini instead? I do have a plex media server running from another computer which is where all my content is currently stored.

I'm hoping a Mac mini gives access to high definition video/audio formats through HDMI to my OLED TV and Yamaha Receiver. Plus I can access more content that isn't restricted to the Apple TV apps and also run the dolphin emulator to access my vintage games library.

Thanks in advance for everyone's input!

 

[shakopeemn]

I know the Apple TV interface is pretty much point and click for simple usage which I currently use now but wondering if there's any significant advantage of using a Mac mini instead? I do have a plex media server running from another

Thanks in advance for everyone's input!

Hey if you're single and don't have others to care about, go for it. It's a natural thought for some folks.
If you're looking for a clean simple interface you can't do much better than the ATV.

Best.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I had that setup running for a few years, mainly for Plex. It got really boring really fast to use a mouse and keyboard for selecting stuff, and frankly, OS X looked like **** on a big screen TV. We're much happier with an Apple TV as a front end.

 

[Icehawk]

I'd say an AppleTV for similar reasons to T'hain said. It's so much cleaner, imo. It also has the added benefit of if someone else comes over, you don't have to worry about any other data or anything. And when my old one died, it was way cheaper to replace.

The gaming. I'd consider how much you're going to do that. I do use my MBP to game some, and I just connect it to a TV when I want to play it on a big screen. Otherwise, the AppleTV exceeds my daily needs.

 

[Casey Royals]

If a Mac mini had an app the replicated the Apple TV interface it would be great, I don’t think it would be much fun using a mouse on a couch! I am thinking about getting a new mini to use as a server for Plex though.

 

[Heelpir8]

Apple TV won't have hardware-based AV1 decoding capability until the next version is released if that might be important to you.

 

[rsg1010]

Thanks all for your input. I completely forgot about the need for a keyboard/mouse instead of the Apple TV remote. Plus I have CEC setup with my Apple TV, LG OLED TV and Yamaha Receiver so that makes the overall interface much easier to use with one remote. My wife does use this TV and isn't as tech savvy as I am so she would likely hate the OSX interface on a TV.

I'll stick with the current setup as it seems to be the most appropriate for our general use case.

 

[Abazigal]

I would imagine the key benefit of using a mini PC as a streaming box is the ability to download content directly and watch it on your TV without needing to stream from another computer. For my Apple TV, I would have to upload my files to onedrive and then access it via infuse (which means streaming it all over again).

It would also sound more cumbersome with streaming services. Like I think there isn't a Netflix app for the Mac? Meaning you have to stream most of your shows from the browser, vs being able to access a dedicated app on the Apple TV.

 

[priitv8]

If a Mac mini had an app the replicated the Apple TV interface it would be great, I don’t think it would be much fun using a mouse on a couch! I am thinking about getting a new mini to use as a server for Plex though.

There was a time, when app named Front Row was part of OS X distribution.

Front Row (software) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[cjbryce]

There was a time, when app named Front Row was part of OS X distribution.

Front Row (software) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I loved Front Row. Had an old iMac with an Elgato TV stick as my bedroom TV for ages.