Mac Mini as HTPC and Sleep

[benlee]

I just got a Mac Mini to use as an HTPC. I'm going to be running Plex and have the Mini hooked up to my HDTV. I do not have a mouse or keyboard connected to the mini and control it via Screen Sharing from my MB or Snatch Remote on iPhone.

However, I can't determine the best course of action to take regarding sleeping the mac.

My options:

I have no problem shutting down the mac via Snatch Remote. But shutting down isn't the problem. I can easily set a schedule to shut down and wake up the Mini when not going to be in use.

However, throughout the day I want it to be on, but if it is set to sleep it is going to be difficult to wake it up. Can I use the Apple Remote to wake it up?

Another thing is I was thinking of streaming music from the Mac to my work computer, which would obviously require it to be awake. Is it bad to have the computer not sleep all day and then shut it down every couple of days?

Thanks for any advice, or tips on using a Mac Mini as a HTPC.

 

[rkdiddy]

I just got a Mac Mini to use as an HTPC. I'm going to be running Plex and have the Mini hooked up to my HDTV. I do not have a mouse or keyboard connected to the mini and control it via Screen Sharing from my MB or Snatch Remote on iPhone.

However, I can't determine the best course of action to take regarding sleeping the mac.

My options:

I have no problem shutting down the mac via Snatch Remote. But shutting down isn't the problem. I can easily set a schedule to shut down and wake up the Mini when not going to be in use. The sleep function is more of a power saving feature than anything.

However, throughout the day I want it to be on, but if it is set to sleep it is going to be difficult to wake it up. Can I use the Apple Remote to wake it up?

Another thing is I was thinking of streaming music from the Mac to my work computer, which would obviously require it to be awake. Is it bad to have the computer not sleep all day and then shut it down every couple of days?

Thanks for any advice, or tips on using a Mac Mini as a HTPC.

As long as your Mini is getting ample ventilation, it isn't bad to leave it on. In fact, shutting down a computer is harder on it than letting it run all the time.

One idea you might want to consider is purchasing a cheap bluetooth mouse and put it on the coffee table or what ever. You could just shake that when you need to wake the system. It might also be nice for you to have to not always have to use screen sharing.

 

[xefned]

The mac remote will wake it from sleep.

 

[FilipH]

go to "preferences" then "skin" then somewhere there you can change the "quit" in the menu to "sleep". Then with one button of your remote plex + the mini will go to sleep.

I just found this out yesterday, and it works like a charm.

If you have an iphone, get the plex app and you'll be very very happy you did

 

[AndyfromTucson]

I have an HTPC Mac mini that I have set to sleep when its not in use, and I used a number of tools to wake it without using a keyboard.

There is a freeware Mac application called WakeUp that you can use to wake up a Mac mini from any Mac OS X computer. http://www.coriolis.ch/en/wakeup/

I use an app called iNet WOL to wake up my Mac mini from my iPod Touch.

Finally, if you poke around on Google you can find instructions for writing an Applescript that can wake a sleeping Mac. Based on that I wrote an Applescript that wakes my Mac mini and then launches screen sharing to it, and then I made that Applescript an app that lives on my Dock, so I have one click access to my HTPC Mac mini from my laptop.

 

[irishv]

I use my mini for similar functions and have found it easier just to let it run 24/7. I had some issues waking it up from sleep because of the HDMI handshake with my receiver and TV. It would wake up, but the display would still be asleep. For the WAF it was easier just to disable sleep.