.
WHAT?!?!
As someone looking into a Mac Mini/Plex video streaming solution, I had no idea this was possible with a PS3.
If you all will excuse me, I've got some Googling to do.
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Pulling the plug on Apple TV for a Mac Mini
- Thread starter skruggie
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WHAT?!?!
As someone looking into a Mac Mini/Plex video streaming solution, I had no idea this was possible with a PS3.
If you all will excuse me, I've got some Googling to do.
To enlighten everyone:
PS3 is a very powerful machine. It has built in Bluetooth (so it supports Bluetooth headsets, keyboards, speakers and mice without any modification whatsoever) and is designed for use on a TV. The interface is very snappy although not completely perfect. If you're not comfortable using the gamepad to navigate it, there is an optional Bluetooth remote control which you can buy too.
Relevant to this forum, it's a Blu Ray and DVD player with the capability to stream video from your Mac or PC over a network (it has built in WiFi and Ethernet). You can copy files to the hard drive too, and if you fill up the hard drive or just want a bigger one they are very easy to replace - one screw lets you in and then it's just a matter of swapping the old one out for a new 2.5" SATA drive (like the ones Apple uses in MacBooks and which are very cheap). Doing this won't invalidate your warranty.
You can connect external drives via USB (there are two ports on the most recent consoles) or insert DVDs or CDs with files burned to them and again, copy them right over to the console's own drive.
If you live in Europe you can buy an add on called PlayTV which allows it to receive over the air digital TV (DVB-T, known as "Freeview" in the UK), pause it, record it, rewind it and generally do everything that Sky+ or Tivo can.
If you live in North America there is a video store which has a wide range of movie and TV show content. Prices are competitive with iTunes I believe, and the store is being launched in other areas (Europe) later this year.
There is also a web browser with Flash 9 included, meaning that it can play back videos from Flash enabled websites like BBC iPlayer and STV Catch Up.
All of that and I didn't even mention games yet. It's widely perceived to be the most powerful games console currently available and it has hundreds of games including compatibility with PSOne titles. You can buy games from the PlayStation Store or on disc.
I am stunned by the number of people who buy Apple TV when this is available for slightly more money and it does so much more.
So I have a friend who has a PS3, and while I agree with everything you say here, I have to throw in my 2¢ on what a horrible interface I've seen on this thing to say play Rock Band. If that's any indication on how well the navigation is for other things, then no thanks. One thing I like about my ATV is the no brainer navigation, just like other Apple stuff. You'd think Sony, with all their money, could figure out a better GUI for their toys like the PS3. Like I said, my 2¢..
I have a PS3 and it works great.
However, there are things that aren't great.
-GUI (fine for a gaming system, horrible for navigating a media library)
-external drives must be FAT32 (4gb size limit)
-I've got MediaLink, but don't like always having a computer running to stream stuff.
-no MKV playback
But I'm probably going to pick up a mini and run Plex. boom, problems solved.
However, there are things that aren't great.
-GUI (fine for a gaming system, horrible for navigating a media library)
-external drives must be FAT32 (4gb size limit)
-I've got MediaLink, but don't like always having a computer running to stream stuff.
-no MKV playback
But I'm probably going to pick up a mini and run Plex. boom, problems solved.
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Perhaps check something like this out if you're not too opposed to Vista.
Perhaps check something like this out if you're not too opposed to Vista.
Seems everyone mentions the FAT32/4GB limit for PS3, but I just use a NAS drive and stream HD across ethernet. No stutters, no 4GB limit, no problem. PS3 is far more powerful than ATV, and in an HD world my ATV has become a paperweight. I love it, but it can't handle my content so it has become kinda irrelevant. But I could get interested in a mac mini with internal blu-ray drive!
I bought the Apple TV very early and for the most part like. It's just too flakey. I switched to just pluging my laptop to the tv and an external drive to watch stuff. Ant the ATV is sitting in it's box.
I think i might hack it though. I don't care about DVD's but I so wish I could just plug in my external drive to the ATV and let it store all my media for playing on the tv or computer.
It is so frustrating to know all the hardware is there.
I think i might hack it though. I don't care about DVD's but I so wish I could just plug in my external drive to the ATV and let it store all my media for playing on the tv or computer.
It is so frustrating to know all the hardware is there.
Go for it. I hacked mine (upgraded HD- 500GB). There are plenty of sites on how to do it. Wasn't difficult at all.
I had a change of heart about the mac mini, instead I'm using my macbook pro for video watching - best of both worlds, since with the dual screen I can surf the net and watch tv at the same time. Using my HDTV for even light internet browsing wouldn't have worked out, the screen is way too far away to be useful.
This is still a better setup than the apple tv, and I have a time capsule on the way so that I can keep all of my video and music consolidated together on a harddrive that I can network on all my computers.
This is still a better setup than the apple tv, and I have a time capsule on the way so that I can keep all of my video and music consolidated together on a harddrive that I can network on all my computers.
I found it incredibly easy. Overscan ON on the mini (which is its default mode), OFF on the TV. Result, a perfect screen-filling desktop with no messing around with SwitchResX or that kind of thing.
FWIW, HDMI is essentially just DVI with a different-shaped connector. There is no video signal conversion involved at all.
I'm wondering if you'd be better off using one of these in your set up...
Monoprice
...especially if the mini-DP on the Mac Mini transmits the audio as well.
no he wouldn't be better off...
and we've been through this, the miniDP on the mini does not send audio.
and we've been through this, the miniDP on the mini does not send audio.
Oh, I was under the assumption that the miniDP provided audio as well, since the new Apple 24" LEDs have built-in speakers (and no dedicated audio in jack). So they must get their audio feed via the USB connector.
My bad.
Those of you running Plex, how do you play your iTunes content? Front Row, or do you remove the DRM and use Plex?
Part of the frustration I had with the mini in the media center had to do with getting the resolution settings just right. The other was the wife factor.
Apple tv solved both of those problems for the most part, but now it's kind of a pain dealing with .avi's, and Hulu hasn't been that impressive in Boxee.
Is Plex super easy to use?
Part of the frustration I had with the mini in the media center had to do with getting the resolution settings just right. The other was the wife factor.
Apple tv solved both of those problems for the most part, but now it's kind of a pain dealing with .avi's, and Hulu hasn't been that impressive in Boxee.
Is Plex super easy to use?
The limitation was my TV, it has no overscan adjustments at all. Either I had black borders all around or I had 10% of the picture cut off on each side.
I know that HDMI/DVI are the same over video, I'm just saying that the video that comes out of AppleTV's is already 'properly scanned' in that there are no menu bars or docks to display so any slight overscan is basically irrelevant to operation.
I did this, and am not sure if I'm entirely happy with it. If all I needed to play were iTunes or converted my files, this would be fine. I too had trouble with getting settings "just right" for my mini & plasma, but was close. Really was hoping to use Hulu w/Boxee, but it just isn't quite there.
I may have to look at Plex again, after getting Leopard of course.