Official "I Ordered an Intel Mac Mini" Thread...

[jsw]

I'd mentioned that I'd post pics of my TV setup after I built a cabinet, so here it is - along with portions of my yet-to-be-completely done family room.

I still need to touch up some paint in the room and probably put some polyurethane on the cabinet top, as well as paint or otherwise hide the speaker wires. I'm also planning to put some sort of separator (cloth, wood, dunno) to block the view of the wiring. The cabinet had to be as tall as it is to accommodate the UPS in the back (behind the white power brick for the mini).

The cabinet was built from a $15 4'x8' sheet of MDF and 9' of wood trim, then painted and wall-mounted (the TV is also wall-mounted)

The setup is a 37" Westinghouse LCD with Cambridge Soundworks Newton MC300 speakers (B stock, but they look "as new" - the Westinghouse speakers were OK, but I needed to mount the cabinet higher to accommodate the two "spare" coffee table/ottoman pieces we store underneath, and the TV speakers, being below the TV, prevented that but fortunately were removable), the Comcast/Motorola cable box, a Toshiba DVD player, the mini, a 250GB Lacie external drive, and, of course, the 12" PB. The power outlets, cable hookup, telephone, and ethernet ports are all on the wall behind the TV. You can see the TV showing a small PIP screen (it can be bigger) in the lower right.

The cabinet lid is removable, which makes wiring much, much easier.

It's not a fantastic setup, but it's the most I could get away with. Now I can work in the family room while watching the kids and cable TV (via PIP). The 1920x1080 TV resolution far exceeds that of the 12" PB, and I can work from the couch.

 

[gekko513]

That's just amazing!

But why two Macs?

 

[Artful Dodger]

Nice job JSW I like that floating look and it holds everything so nice and tucked away. Oh to be able to work using your 37" must be nice...well even surfing MR kicked back on the couch with the feet up

 

[jsw]

That's just amazing!

But why two Macs?

I apologize. Of course there should be more.

Actually, it's just a nice place to keep the PB. I still like using the laptop most of the time, and, placed where it is, it's always nearby.

Nice job JSW I like that floating look and it holds everything so nice and tucked away. Oh to be able to work using your 37" must be nice...well even surfing MR kicked back on the couch with the feet up

Like now. I think I'll move the speakers closer to the TV, and likely move one of my AirPort Expresses to inside the cabinet so as to be closest to where the PB is most often used. I added two ethernet ports to the wall behind the TV (installing wiring in older house = not fun), so there's one remaining, and the AE would be perfect for it. Also, I'll likely add an Elgato EyeTV product next to the mini for recording onto the LaCie, but that's for later. My budget is gone.

 

[DrStrangelove]

I'd mentioned that I'd post pics of my TV setup after I built a cabinet, so here it is - along with portions of my yet-to-be-completely done family room.

I still need to touch up some paint in the room and probably put some polyurethane on the cabinet top, as well as paint or otherwise hide the speaker wires. I'm also planning to put some sort of separator (cloth, wood, dunno) to block the view of the wiring. The cabinet had to be as tall as it is to accommodate the UPS in the back (behind the white power brick for the mini).

The cabinet was built from a $15 4'x8' sheet of MDF and 9' of wood trim, then painted and wall-mounted (the TV is also wall-mounted)

The setup is a 37" Westinghouse LCD with Cambridge Soundworks Newton MC300 speakers (B stock, but they look "as new" - the Westinghouse speakers were OK, but I needed to mount the cabinet higher to accommodate the two "spare" coffee table/ottoman pieces we store underneath, and the TV speakers, being below the TV, prevented that but fortunately were removable), the Comcast/Motorola cable box, a Toshiba DVD player, the mini, a 250GB Lacie external drive, and, of course, the 12" PB. The power outlets, cable hookup, telephone, and ethernet ports are all on the wall behind the TV. You can see the TV showing a small PIP screen (it can be bigger) in the lower right.

The cabinet lid is removable, which makes wiring much, much easier.

It's not a fantastic setup, but it's the most I could get away with. Now I can work in the family room while watching the kids and cable TV (via PIP). The 1920x1080 TV resolution far exceeds that of the 12" PB, and I can work from the couch.

Nice work. I long for the day when I can organize my office in a manner that is equally as organized as my computer.

At present, my computer(s) is the only thing with any organization. I'm a mess.

 

[jsw]

Nice work. I long for the day when I can organize my office in a manner that is equally as organized as my computer.

At present, my computer(s) is the only thing with any organization. I'm a mess.

Believe me, my office is not even remotely as organized as this - in there, entropy is nearly at a maximum. Hence, another reason to enjoy working in the family room.