New Mac Mini Setup from Scratch

[englishman]

Just moving over from old analogue video recorder to 42" TV and PVR rather than video tape.

Does anyone have a link or advice how to setup from scratch so I can use the mini (a new base model) to record, watch and store film, music etc

Thanks

 

[AndyfromTucson]

The HDHomeRun from SiliconDust is a little box you hook up to your network and your cable tv cable that captures TV shows in HD and streams them to PVR software on a computer.

There is PVR software for Mac OS X called EyeTV from Elgato which works with various Elgato gadgets for Mac for capturing TV signals. It also works with the HDHomeRun.

If you don't want to pay for PVR software you could install the open source MythTV on your Mac Mini. I personally had trouble getting the Mac OS X version of the MythTV backend to work, so I installed Mythbuntu (variation of Ubuntu optimized for MythTV) on a VirtualBox virtual machine on my Mac Mini and it worked fine:

Installing Mythbuntu backend on Virtualbox virtual machine running on Mac OS X

 

[englishman]

Thanks Andy. The Elegato looks like then main solution. I don't mind paying.

 

[EvilC5]

I use the elgato eyetv HD with my mini and have been very happy. I can even stream to my DLNA enabled tv's the eyetv encoded shows without having to transcode to ATV format.

 

[Tilpots]

I use the elgato eyetv HD with my mini and have been very happy. I can even stream to my DLNA enabled tv's the eyetv encoded shows without having to transcode to ATV format.

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm looking for a bedroom TV and thought I'd have to get an ATV2. What TV do you have that accepts the mpg from EyeTV wirelessly?



To the OP,

I'd definitely go with the Elgato product that suits your needs. There's plenty of info out there about the whole process. If you need specific questions answered, though, ask away.

 

[EvilC5]

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm looking for a bedroom TV and thought I'd have to get an ATV2. What TV do you have that accepts the mpg from EyeTV wirelessly?



To the OP,

I'd definitely go with the Elgato product that suits your needs. There's plenty of info out there about the whole process. If you need specific questions answered, though, ask away.

the new samsung, I cant remember the model number off the top of my head. but essentially, the tv and for that matter my PS3 looks for media servers on my network, and the eye tv connect software acts as one.

so my tv can browse the directory structure of the eye tv software to the recorded programs folder and can play the .eyetv files.

it was just by accidnet that I figured this out, but it appears to be pretty solid except for the fact that DLNA is a dumb technology meaning there is no ability to do too much other than fast foward or rewind, play and pause the files.

I also use the tvmobili dlna server on my mini to stream MKV's to my tv's without having to transcode them to ATV format.

 

[Tilpots]

the new samsung, I cant remember the model number off the top of my head. but essentially, the tv and for that matter my PS3 looks for media servers on my network, and the eye tv connect software acts as one.

Very cool. Does your TV have to be connected by Ethernet, or does it work wirelessly?

 

[EvilC5]

Very cool. Does your TV have to be connected by Ethernet, or does it work wirelessly?

you can do it wirelessly I would think, but I got the netgear powerline adapter setup mainly because my ATV2 was having issues streaming 2 HD movies from netflix over my 11.n network (dont ask me why...).

so I have a 4 port hub coming off 2 of the adapters by my family room (TV, BluRay, ATV2) and in my basment (TV, PS3, ATV1, and ATV2)

 

[Tilpots]

Gracias! Nice setup.

 

[EvilC5]

Gracias! Nice setup.

to quote your quote....lol

If you have a difficult task, give it to a lazy man, he will find an easier way to do it.