Which Mini for HTPC?

[shoebobs]

I am also looking at using a mini as an HTPC, but the one concern is Amazon instant video. As far as I can tell, there is no standalone app and HD is not available through the browser.

The media player software options I've looked at (such as Plex) usually have Netflix/Hulu integration, but don't include Amazon Instant Video. Any options out there that I am missing?

 

[paulrbeers]

All current boxes are aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps not as a ATV, but still, there are not ugly and you can have them nicely displayed.

Also, there are several form factors, mATX and ITX or mini-ITX. Take your pick.

Build an aluminum encased mini-itx HTPC w/ OS that has built in IR with roughly the specs of the base Mac Mini and since it won't have a any support that comes with it, it needs to be at most $500....

 

[Gaidin43]

Build an aluminum encased mini-itx HTPC w/ OS that has built in IR with roughly the specs of the base Mac Mini and since it won't have a any support that comes with it, it needs to be at most $500....

When I get a chance I will post my build that I did for less then that price. Post the specs you want me to compare to a Mac mini.

This is a copy of my build that at the time I did for less then $500 with sales and promotions. But regardless take out the ssd rack, ssd, sata power cable and you have an incredible cheap HTPC.
Intel i3 2105 HTPC build

Also OS win 7 licenses are dirty cheap now. He'll I updated 5 computers to windows 8 for $14.99 a piece and some of those were fresh installs.

From AVS forums, one of the best HTPC resources out there.

"Just heard of a great way to get discounted Windows 7 x64 OEM licensing from a volume discount

Home - $50
Pro - $60
Ultimate - $70

and

5x Home - $200

If interested, there is also XP Pro for $20

LINK

Also worth mentioning

Windows Server OEM 2008 Standard (r2 1-4 CPU 5clt) - $300"

 

[Radiating]

I was not talking about buying a prebuilt one. I was talking about building your own from the component shoes. You end up with better quality and overall a better device when you do it this way. Not to mention you save thousands of dollars instead of paying the Apple premium

No you don't end up with better quality. I've used motherboards from every major manufacturer and OEMs like dell and HP, and all consumer grade computer parts are built like children's toys and ridiculously unreliable. Apple makes the highest quality consumer grade electronics period, by a factor of 5.

 

[Gaidin43]

No you don't end up with better quality. I've used motherboards from every major manufacturer and OEMs like dell and HP, and all consumer grade computer parts are built like children's toys and ridiculously unreliable. Apple makes the highest quality consumer grade electronics period, by a factor of 5.

I am not comparing components in respect to build quality. Or longevity. The fact that you attribute Apple product being five times better than all other consumer electronics in this category is ridiculous.

What I am trying to say is that you are able to build a better home theater computer with off-the-shelf products instead of taking what ever Apple put in the Mac mini.

After talking on this thread I actually looked into the Mac Mini and I admit it is very slick looking and nice little device. However the removal of a DVD or Blu-ray drive is a game changer for most people. I have to continue to look at the specs of the variety of years models that are out there. Also the inability to add a PCI slot such as a TV tuner or a video card without using USB dongle's is somewhat limiting as well

If you are looking for a computer attached to your network to play digital media and attached to your TV yes the Mac Mini would be a good choice. But for a normal HTPC it is limited in a variety of factors.

 

[Gaidin43]

Build an aluminum encased mini-itx HTPC w/ OS that has built in IR with roughly the specs of the base Mac Mini and since it won't have a any support that comes with it, it needs to be at most $500....

OK so I built an HTPC for $468.95, before the OS which you can get for $50 or less for Windows 7. It has a better CPU, the same graphics, same RAM, better hard drive, and better motherboard with more options, especially the Optical out. Hell you could even use a different CPU Intel Core i3-3225 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 55W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 that will do EVERYTHING you need to do on an HTPC and has the same graphics for $75 cheaper. It has an IR remote that comes with the motherboard and it has a metal case. Not to mention you can add an SSD for cheap if it is an extender and you have a media server.

Again my point that a Mac Mini can be used as an HTPC, but that there are BETTER and CHEAPER options out there that you can build as a PC for an HTPC. Just cause it has an apple logo on it does not make it a better solution for all applications. Yes, apple makes great computers, tablets, and phones, but the HTPC market is still dominated by PC computers because of the customization available and cost of components. Not to mention the HTPC software market is controlled by PC software.

PC HTPC Compared to Mini Mac as HTPC

 

[paulrbeers]

OK so I built an HTPC for $468.95, before the OS which you can get for $50 or less for Windows 7. It has a better CPU, the same graphics, same RAM, better hard drive, and better motherboard with more options, especially the Optical out. Hell you could even use a different CPU Intel Core i3-3225 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 55W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 that will do EVERYTHING you need to do on an HTPC and has the same graphics for $75 cheaper. It has an IR remote that comes with the motherboard and it has a metal case. Not to mention you can add an SSD for cheap if it is an extender and you have a media server.

Again my point that a Mac Mini can be used as an HTPC, but that there are BETTER and CHEAPER options out there that you can build as a PC for an HTPC. Just cause it has an apple logo on it does not make it a better solution for all applications. Yes, apple makes great computers, tablets, and phones, but the HTPC market is still dominated by PC computers because of the customization available and cost of components. Not to mention the HTPC software market is controlled by PC software.

PC HTPC Compared to Mini Mac as HTPC

See, but that's kind of my point. So now you are at $535 if you add in Windows 7 right? I can buy a Mac Mini at BHPhotoVideo right now for $549

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?is=REG&Q=&A=details&O=productlist&sku=897209

So for $15 more I can walk into an Apple store if there is a problem and make them figure out what is wrong. I used to build PC's, but my time is worth something now (especially more than $15). I always felt like something was breaking and I was chasing component failures (okay I wasn't "always" chasing failures, but it felt like every 6 months something was acting up).

I still contend that a Mini is still a nicer looking box than what you linked to, but I'll give you the whole "to each his own".

Even if you want to run Windows 7 or 8 on the Mini, the cost difference is still only $65 for a full "someone else figure out what is wrong" warranty and not a "you figure out what is wrong and contact the manufacturer of the component". $65 is less than an hour and a half of my time. To me that's worth it. Just my opinion.

Edit: I will give you that the processor is much superior than the i5 in the base Mini; however, I will also point out that for HTPC purposes even the CPU in the base mini is over kill unless you are doing transcoding on your HTPC.

 

[Gaidin43]

I completely agree the CPUs in both builds are overboard. You can use the i3 I linked or even a $60 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116888 for HTPC purposes and save even more money. And it will still do 3D with the on board graphics.

What is the warranty of the Mac mini? 1 yr or 3yrs?

I would totally grab a mini if I could scale it to my purposes and customize it more. But apple as well as dell and many other brands are reducing the customization of products to streamline supply lines and reduce costs.

 

[paulrbeers]

I completely agree the CPUs in both builds are overboard. You can use the i3 I linked or even a $60 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116888 for HTPC purposes and save even more money. And it will still do 3D with the on board graphics.

What is the warranty of the Mac mini? 1 yr or 3yrs?

I would totally grab a mini if I could scale it to my purposes and customize it more. But apple as well as dell and many other brands are reducing the customization of products to streamline supply lines and reduce costs.

1 year warranty on the Mini or at BH when buying the Mini you can pick up a 3 year for $52 making the total investment $600.

The i3 you linked to only has the Intel HD graphics. Not even the HD3000 in the Sandy Bridge or the HD2500 in the low end Ivy Bridge. I will admit from an HTPC standpoint, the AMD products are better, but I've pretty much stopped following AMD a few years ago when I switched fully to Macs. I used to pay way more attention to what is out there, but I just don't have time to care that much anymore. Hell I think I spend too much time on these boards and should really take a step back.

 

[Gaidin43]

1 year warranty on the Mini or at BH when buying the Mini you can pick up a 3 year for $52 making the total investment $600.

The i3 you linked to only has the Intel HD graphics. Not even the HD3000 in the Sandy Bridge or the HD2500 in the low end Ivy Bridge. I will admit from an HTPC standpoint, the AMD products are better, but I've pretty much stopped following AMD a few years ago when I switched fully to Macs. I used to pay way more attention to what is out there, but I just don't have time to care that much anymore. Hell I think I spend too much time on these boards and should really take a step back.

I liked 3 different intel CPUs. The i5 in the original build with a replacement choice of an i3 with HD4000 graphics http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6148292&SID=9rm8r1yxij48 and lastly an intel Celeron which has just intel HD graphics which are pretty close to intel HD2500.

The only adjustment to a PC built HTPC is the ram and CPU depending on transcoding or server status. If it is just an extender or media viewer you can go with the lowest CPU and not notice. If you need 3D go with the i3. But they all have HD auto and 1080p.

 

[millar876]

Way to resurrect an old thread here, but I just need to chip in my $0.02.

At the moment I'm running a mac mini 1.1 as a plex media server and media center hooked up to my tv and 1000Base-T LAN. I have upgraded the mini over time by swapping out the stock 1.6GHz coreduo for a 2.0GHz Core2Duo maxing the ram, upgrading the HDD and removing the airport card and swapping in a Broadcom crystal HD card to enhance HD video playback and reduce CPU loading in plex client. In my home I also have an iPhone 5, an iPad 1, an iMac (late 2009) an old HP pc (pentium4 3GHz HT) that I'm tinkering with and my wife's work laptop (a dell sandy bridge i5 thing). All of these have the plex client installed, all of these can handle most of the files I have on the mini. However there are a few stubborn files that I either haven't got arround to converting or are just wont due to obscure codecs and handbrake throwing a wobbly at them and quitting. So I've decided that the poor old mini can't hack it any more and it's time to upgrade.

Now I've been mulling this over for near on 6 months now and have looked at both macs and pcs, desktops and laptops, compact/SFF and HTPC cases and all manner of combinations of components.

I agree that you can get higher end components for the same rough price as the mini, but I'm still going to go with the mini.

For example I recently priced up a desktop haswell i7, mini ATx mobo, psu, ram and a nice-ish (wife friendly) mini ATX HTPC case for arround £650. I already have a couple of spare sata-II hard drives lying arround the house and a spare windows 8 pro licence from when they were only £23. So that's a non issue. I already rip on my iMac using makeMKV then convert using either Handbreak or MP4Tools so optical drive is a non issue. And thes would be a beast of a machine. The geek bench scores for the haswell i7 make both my current setup and my planned mac mini look pathetic and I could probably transcode to more of my devices simultaneously on it. But you know what, I can't be bothered with the time and hassle of it all. All my external drives are formatted HFS+, all my software is for mac, and if I know I can tinker and upgrade I will, even if it's not needed. And as for all the extra grunt, I don't really need it, there's only my wife, myself and two kids under 5 in the house the most that will be going on is two simultaneous streams, at least for a few years. And to fit in thehtpc case I'd need to rearrange not just my tv stand but my whole living room. I'd need to redownload programms for windows and where I live broadband is lucky if it gets to 512kbps when nobody else in the village is online.

And as for tv tuners in HTPCs I don't see the point. Most cable and satellite providers now have DVRs as standard equipment, so there's your record pause rewind live tv functionality there. In the uk unless you live in greater London, or 2-3 other cities your stuck with either digital terrestrial tv or Sky (satellite) that's it, and you'll access those through your tv. You also plug your HTPC into your tv. And with all those things, the fact that there are people out there who turn on there tvs, change the channel from the tv to the av source their HTPC is on, start up their live tv app and proceed to watch live tv, on a pc plugged into a tv completely baffles me. And as for recording tv program's for posterity or adding to your plex library well that's what the Internet is for. In this day and age there are plenty of places, some legal, others not so that you can download everything and anything from that I don't see a need for tv tuners in pcs.

Ok rant over, long story short, after months of deliberation I'm choosing a mac mini 2.4GHz quad i7 over any pc build because I can't ae ar$ed with the hassle of a pc and the mini is SO much prettier & smaller than anything else I've seen that will do the job I want