Need a media center PC

[diman1881]

Looking for advice on the Mac Mini for a home theater PC...

Basically looking to have a system that will play movies (DVD and Web stream) along with video chat capability and web brousing.

Looking for something that can handle a high end 1080P tv...

I think the mini has some pros and cons but wondering if anyone has done any significant research to keep me from spending a few months looking

Also does anyone know if there are some good wireless webcams that work well for video conferencing? Looking to set up the entire system myself at home without drilling through the walls for cables.

THANKS!!!

 

[Cave Man]

Mac Mini + Plex + Logitech DiNovo Mini = Heaven.

Can't help you with the camera.

 

[diman1881]

Thanks (can you offer more info to a neopfite?)

sorry but what are the other components you mention and how do you feel about the lack of BlueRay?

 

[mastershakess]

sorry but what are the other components you mention and how do you feel about the lack of BlueRay?

Do you already have a main pc to use to stream video/audio from?

If you could stream from another computer I'd suggest a PS3 or Apple TV

 

[diman1881]

My home laptop just crapped out last week and I am off to the apple store this weekend to pick up the high end MB.

I was thinking that a dedicated mini may be a better option than streaming from a laptop...

Short answear to your Q is No

 

[mastershakess]

My home laptop just crapped out last week and I am off to the apple store this weekend to pick up the high end MB.

I was thinking that a dedicated mini may be a better option than streaming from a laptop...

Short answear to your Q is No

Well I've plugged my mini into my 40" Sony Bravia using DVi to HDMi cable and everything looked great. I tried watching a HD TV file and I used the Netflix instant movie feature, both worked great. I use my ps3 for blu-ray.

Feel free to ask me any questions about this setup.

I don't see why your couldn't use any webcam, as long as its compatible with mac.

 

[neiltc13]

Mac mini is not an ideal media centre PC because the software lets it down. Front Row is awkward to use (thanks to a fiddly little remote) and doesn't support TV tuners.

Also, it won't be capable of playing back DRMd WMV files either.

 

[dXTC]

.... it won't be capable of playing back DRMd WMV files either.

Is that a smidgen of a joke there?

 

[Cave Man]

sorry but what are the other components you mention and how do you feel about the lack of BlueRay?

The DiNovo is a wireless minikeyboard/mouse pad and Plex is free software that is the best media software for Macs. I have my Blu-ray movies copied to a hard drive and play them with Plex with my 1080p projector and Onkyo 5.1 DD/DTS audio system by optical cable.

Mac mini is not an ideal media centre PC because the software lets it down. Front Row is awkward to use (thanks to a fiddly little remote) and doesn't support TV tuners.

There is no such thing as an ideal media center PC. The Mac Mini gets about as close as you can for a Mac-based system that integrates with OS X and iTunes. It also works perfectly well with Elgato's Eye TV so you can get TV as well.

Also, it won't be capable of playing back DRMd WMV files either.

Blah. I doubt many people with Macs get WMV that's DRM'd. If it's not DRM'd then Plex will play it just fine.

 

[Consultant]

Mac mini is not an ideal media centre PC because the software lets it down. Front Row is awkward to use (thanks to a fiddly little remote) and doesn't support TV tuners.

Also, it won't be capable of playing back DRMd WMV files either.

Read Post #2. Perfect solution for MANY people.

One reason people use the Mac Mini is due to the very low noise level (if you can even hear it at viewing distance) compared to a PC of the same price range.

DRM WMV files are extremely rare.

 

[neiltc13]

Read Post #2. Perfect solution for MANY people.

One reason people use the Mac Mini is due to the very low noise level (if you can even hear it at viewing distance) compared to a PC of the same price range.

You should be able to build a PC that is quiet for the £500 Apple wants for a Mac mini these days. Also, it will have more internal storage and the potential for Blu Ray playback. Mac simply cannot do that.

DRM WMV files are extremely rare.

They are used on BBC iPlayer and 4OD. Pretty important for a media centre to get two of the major networks' content on demand, right?

Personally though, I think the ideal media centre computer is a PlayStation 3. This too won't be able to play back DRMd WMV files, but it does have the bonus of being able to play lots of good video games and it has a built in Blu Ray player, along with a web browser. You can buy a TV tuner for about £60 which allows you to record, rewind and view digital TV.

 

[Consultant]

You should be able to build a PC that is quiet for the £500 Apple wants for a Mac mini these days. Also, it will have more internal storage and the potential for Blu Ray playback. Mac simply cannot do that.

They are used on BBC iPlayer and 4OD. Pretty important for a media centre to get two of the major networks' content on demand, right?

Personally though, I think the ideal media centre computer is a PlayStation 3. This too won't be able to play back DRMd WMV files, but it does have the bonus of being able to play lots of good video games and it has a built in Blu Ray player, along with a web browser. You can buy a TV tuner for about £60 which allows you to record, rewind and view digital TV.

My gaming computer cost $2000, has $300 of silencing parts and still not as quiet as a Mac Pro.

iPlayer is available for OSX.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7787335.stm

Yes people use PS3 for blu-ray playback. However Blu-Ray takes 1 minute to read the disk. High definition computer content works much faster than blu-ray disks.

 

[diman1881]

thanks everyone! Great info so far, please keep it comming, I am learning a TON!

Few points of clarification so far...

1) I am in the US so I don't watch BBC all that often. If that format is primarily used in the UK than I can probably live without it... (Although who doesn't love "Dr. Who"????)

2) I am planning on connecting the computer to my 50" Panasonic Plasma TV (errr monitor) (DVI to HDMI?) so I will not need a TV Tunner... The plan is to recycle my current Panasonic tv into my office / media room and pick up the new Samsung LN52A650 for my living room. I digress...

3) It seems that now that I am turning into a MAC convert (the only Apple product I own right now is my iPhone, getting a MB this weekend, and am considering options including the mini (this thread)). So with all this info, does it matter for the ease of networking with my wireless network, wireless printer, planning on a wireless TB HD? I guess it's part of moving into the 21st century...

THANKS AGAIN!!! You guys are AMAZING, TONS of great knowledge!!!

 

[Cave Man]

You should be able to build a PC that is quiet for the £500 Apple wants for a Mac mini these days. Also, it will have more internal storage and the potential for Blu Ray playback. Mac simply cannot do that.

The quietest ones I've heard of are the Lian Lee's (~US$200), and their fans run all the time. If you put a desktop cpu in it, it will generate much more heat than a notebook cpu. But then you have the performance issues, too. The Mini is pretty much the best you can get. It would be nice to have Blu-ray support natively, though.

 

[mastershakess]

My gaming computer cost $2000, has $300 of silencing parts and still not as quiet as a Mac Pro.

iPlayer is available for OSX.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7787335.stm

Yes people use PS3 for blu-ray playback. However Blu-Ray takes 1 minute to read the disk. High definition computer content works much faster than blu-ray disks.

My gaming PC costed me $1000, plays every game on highest settings at 60fps and its almost silent. I don't see the point in this argument?

My PS3 doesn't take 1minute to load blu-rays, not sure what you are using. To my knowledge digital HD content isn't 1080p like blu-ray, it is 720p at best. You can't compare blu-ray to any digital content unless I guess you saved the entire blu-ray to your HDD, all 50gigs.

 

[Cave Man]

My gaming PC costed me $1000, plays every game on highest settings at 60fps and its almost silent. I don't see the point in this argument?

But the Mini is silent with video playback.

To my knowledge digital HD content isn't 1080p like blu-ray, it is 720p at best. You can't compare blu-ray to any digital content unless I guess you saved the entire blu-ray to your HDD, all 50gigs.

The m2ts files in Blu-ray movies are typically in the 15-25 gb range. If you remux them without the additional audio tracks, you can get them down to 10-15 gb in size, provided they're in VC1 or AVC video. And they are still 1080p.

 

[diman1881]

My PS3 doesn't take 1minute to load blu-rays, not sure what you are using. To my knowledge digital HD content isn't 1080p like blu-ray, it is 720p at best. You can't compare blu-ray to any digital content unless I guess you saved the entire blu-ray to your HDD, all 50gigs.

OK another Q for you guys, what is the best quality that the mini will output JUST from the DVD player (720P?, 1080i?). I can live with 720 P as this will not my primary media center...

 

[Cave Man]

DVDs are all 480, regardless of hardware.

 

[Consultant]

My gaming PC costed me $1000, plays every game on highest settings at 60fps and its almost silent. I don't see the point in this argument?

My PS3 doesn't take 1minute to load blu-rays, not sure what you are using. To my knowledge digital HD content isn't 1080p like blu-ray, it is 720p at best. You can't compare blu-ray to any digital content unless I guess you saved the entire blu-ray to your HDD, all 50gigs.

It cost money to silence a computer.

I don't do blu-ray but reviews of cheap blu-ray players are reported to take a minute to load the disk.

 

[diman1881]

hmmmm

DVDs are all 480, regardless of hardware.

I forgot to mention that I have a Dennon 1080P upconverter... I would prefer not to use it for this media center as it is a giant, 50+ LB black box.... OK it does work amazingly and is currently setup to basically give me 1080P on all media types (including non HD cable) although I would bet (with my untrained eye) that I am getting 720P or so...

Anyways what do you guys think? Is it worth using an upconverter between the mini and the tv? I am sure there are smaller ones these day but probably most of them are still heat / electricity hogs... It's basically just a giant video / audio amplifier...

By the way am I missing something, why not just order the 4GB bundle from crucial and get an aftermarket 7200 HDD? It seems like apple is kind of bending people over for the upgrades. Does the case come off easily? I would think that this is a VERY simple DIY upgrade...