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Windows 7 on Mac Mini

All Good points here folks, but....

1. I am waiting on the refresh before making any decisions...I think i mentioned that so you can't compare price/specs until that is annouced.

2. These "media boxes" do not have good support for formats of videos (much like Apple TV does not do 1080P). I would have to re-encode everything to .mp4 instead of my current method which is just repacking it into an MKV.

3. Windows media center is heads and shoulders above anything that is offered in OSX, which is why I am considering this.

4. I like the sexy look of apply products sitting in my living room.
 
XvMMvX said:
All Good points here folks, but....

1. I am waiting on the refresh before making any decisions...I think i mentioned that so you can't compare price/specs until that is annouced.

2. These "media boxes" do not have good support for formats of videos (much like Apple TV does not do 1080P). I would have to re-encode everything to .mp4 instead of my current method which is just repacking it into an MKV.

3. Windows media center is heads and shoulders above anything that is offered in OSX, which is why I am considering this.

4. I like the sexy look of apply products sitting in my living room.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, what makes you like windows media center so much?
I have tinkered with it, but never given it the time required to have an opinion.
Are you running any plugins? If so, which?
 
XvMMvX said:
2. These "media boxes" do not have good support for formats of videos (much like Apple TV does not do 1080P). I would have to re-encode everything to .mp4 instead of my current method which is just repacking it into an MKV.
Click to expand...

What CPU do you have in your gaming PC? Plex Media Server transcodes video on the fly if it's not a format that the Roku box supports. Granted, that means your setup isn't as energy efficient as playing native files on the Roku would be, but you'd have a much cheaper setup.

Another thought... how many rooms are you looking to set up in this manner? If you really want to experiment, try a Mini for one room, and a Roku box for another... see which method floats your boat. If you end up liking the Roku better, you can sell the Mini and send me the difference so I can finally build my hackintosh :p.
 
XvMMvX said:
All Good points here folks, but....

1. I am waiting on the refresh before making any decisions...I think i mentioned that so you can't compare price/specs until that is annouced.

2. These "media boxes" do not have good support for formats of videos (much like Apple TV does not do 1080P). I would have to re-encode everything to .mp4 instead of my current method which is just repacking it into an MKV.

3. Windows media center is heads and shoulders above anything that is offered in OSX, which is why I am considering this.

4. I like the sexy look of apply products sitting in my living room.
Click to expand...

2. True, but unless you're sitting 5' from a 52" HDTV most people don't notice a difference.

3. IMHO not really. Try an ATV2 with an iPad running Remote and a computer somewhere on the network running iTunes. Too bad SageTV was bought by Google, it makes an excellent OTA DVR that can even re-encode to H.264 for iOS stuff. The ATV2 interface passes the wife test.

4. The ATV2 is small and black, not much to see aside from a wee white LED.
 
Funny that you bring up the ATV2...as I have been doing a lot of research on it... It seems to fit the bill of what I am looking for and "it just works".

My major concerns are 1080P and the fact that it does not support MKV. It would take my twice as long to rip and re-encode my movie collection. With MKV I can just remux, anybody know of a way to just remux for MP4?

I only have a handful of movies that i would want in 1080P anyway (Movies like Star Trek & Transformers).
 
XvMMvX said:
Hello All,

I am considering using mac minis as media center extenders. How well does windows run on them?

I would like to be able to wipe it entirely and just boot straight to windows if possible, I do not need OS X on there.

I will be waiting to see what the refresh brings so i can decide to buy new or a refurb for a lower cost.

Thanks for the input in advance!
Click to expand...

BTW, I'm using a late 2009 mini 2.66 CTD as a Windows only machine. It feels more responsive than SL did on the same machine. I bought an OEM copy of 64-bit Windows 7 Pro from B&H for about $140.

The machine still has the original 4GB RAM and the Hitachi 500GB 5400 RPM drive. I've got the urge to put a 7200 RPM WD Black drive and 8 GB RAM in it for less than $200. So far it's been a great machine, just Windows and the Bootcamp drivers.

For a new media machine I'd give up the older mini's easily replaceable HD and get a new one with HDMI.
 
Funny, how people try to talk you out of getting a Mac Mini. I take from it that money is not your core concern. As some one else pointed out, look at the MacMini Server if you can live with an external Superdrive (or want an external BlueRay drive). Put the two HDs in a Raid 0 and the mini rocks.
 
The mini is definitely sleeker than the alternative models. If the case design is the most important feature then go for it. But other small computers will be upgradable and much less expensive. It just depends on your priorities.
 
Air2 said:
Funny, how people try to talk you out of getting a Mac Mini. I take from it that money is not your core concern. As some one else pointed out, look at the MacMini Server if you can live with an external Superdrive (or want an external BlueRay drive). Put the two HDs in a Raid 0 and the mini rocks.
Click to expand...

(HD configuration is more a Server concern than an Extender one, no?)

I'd like to think that we're just presenting options, not trying to talk anyone out of anything ;)

I'm all for paying a premium for good design, I've already got a lil' nest egg set aside for the MBA refresh, and I'm super excited about it. I just think it'd be a shame to pick up a mini and go through the trouble of putting Win7 on it, just to have it act as a media extender. The only bit of value you'd see is the form factor, not any of the parts inside.

I guess it's like buying a Harley to get your mail: sure, it'll get you there, and you'll look cool as hell doin' it...but if all you're gonna do is head to the corner and back, is that really the best option?

Spend the $700 hardwiring the house, and throw a Revo or something onto the other display. Now you get your media to your other room, at gigabit speeds, and your place is set up for future expansion.

Just another option :p
 
whooda4 said:
Just out of curiosity, what makes you like windows media center so much?
I have tinkered with it, but never given it the time required to have an opinion.
Are you running any plugins? If so, which?
Click to expand...

I'm curious about this as well. I've been a long time WMC fan, mostly for the beautiful guide and overall UI. But for playback of mkv or other locally/network stored digital content why not look at smaller devices for extender type use and still get a great UI through something like xbmc/plex?
 
Can anyone with a dual boot mini setup, run windows 7 performance rating system and post the breakdown of the resulting score ?
This way will be easy for people to compare the cpu,disk,memory and gpu scores with their current pc w7 score.
stoca
 
stoca01 said:
Can anyone with a dual boot mini setup, run windows 7 performance rating system and post the breakdown of the resulting score ?
This way will be easy for people to compare the cpu,disk,memory and gpu scores with their current pc w7 score.
stoca
Click to expand...
here you are:
Windows 7 Home Premium, SP1 (have also Windows 7 Professional on my laptop but saw no need for Professional on the Mac Mini)
mac mini mid 2010 - 2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo (P8600)
4 Gb OWC memory (1066 Mhz)
Boot Camp 3.2 (Snow Leopard, Boot Camp 4.0 is included with Lion, has updated drivers)

processor: 6.0
memory: 5.9
original 2 x 1Gb Apple supplied memory: 5.5
graphics: 5.3 (desktop performance for windows Aero)
gaming graphics: 6.0 (3D business and gaming graphics performance)
primary hard disk: 5.8
 
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PS
under parallels with 2 Gb memory
Processor: 4.5
Memory: 3.9
Graphics: 4.1
Gaming graphics: 4.4
Primary hard disk: 5.9
 
Bootcamp with AMD stock mini:

Processor: 7.1
Memory: 7.4
Graphics: 5.7
Gaming: 6.6
Disk: 5.6
 
Questions about Win 7 on the new 2011 Mac mini (base model):

Assuming the mini is fully powered off, how long does it take to finish loading into Windows after powering it on? And if possible, how much faster is it with the 7200 RPM upgrade? And again if using the Apple-configured SSD?

If connected to an external blu-ray drive, will it play them perfectly fine? Anyone here running the 2010 mini with Windows and an external blu-ray drive and playing them perfectly fine?

I, like the original poster, very much like the aesthetics and general hardware quality of the mini as a potential HTPC without so much concern about the cost difference of building my own. But I prefer physical media so ATV2 and similar products are definitely not what I'm looking for (and yes, I can see the difference when sitting 10 feet from my 120" screen, thanks). I like OSX and am continually disappointed in its inadequacy as a full HTPC, but the hardware continues to tempt me. However, I don't want to experiment when I have no other use for the box if it won't cut it.
 
MJL said:
here you are:
Windows 7 Home Premium, SP1 (have also Windows 7 Professional on my laptop but saw no need for Professional on the Mac Mini)
mac mini mid 2010 - 2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo (P8600)
4 Gb OWC memory (1066 Mhz)
Boot Camp 3.2 (Snow Leopard, Boot Camp 4.0 is included with Lion, has updated drivers)

processor: 6.0
memory: 5.9
original 2 x 1Gb Apple supplied memory: 5.5
graphics: 5.3 (desktop performance for windows Aero)
gaming graphics: 6.0 (3D business and gaming graphics performance)
primary hard disk: 5.8
Click to expand...

Upgraded the HDD to a Seagate 320 Gb Thin (ST320LT023 - 7200 rpm / 16 Mb cache). I choose this model because it has the lowest noise factor and it has the lowest power consumption (except for going to a SSD).

To my surprise I noticed other numbers than the HDD change as well:
Processor: 6.0
Memory: 5.9
Graphics: 5.4
Gaming Graphics: 6.1
Primary Hard Disk: 5.9
 
I'm planning on potentially putting Windows 7 on a Mac Mini I plan on buying. I'm waiting to hear if Bitstreaming HD Audio is supported in OSX or Windows. I also hear right now in OSX at least that some hardware acceleration for videos is messed up on XBMC.

Anyways I was going to ask those that say OSX is terrible for HTPC, have you used XBMC or Plex? I plan on using XBMC on my OSX or Windows 7 on the AMD Mac Mini I plan on buying, only reason I might use Windows 7 is because I might want to use MPC-HC as an external player.
 
MrWillie said:
Why use external firewire drives. Try this, plus one reviewer even stated you can use it to rip BluRays.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822319005
Click to expand...

From the Newegg listing:

"SATA HDD SUPPORT
The LG N2B1DD2 is pre-installed with two SATA hard drives for a massive 2TB storage capacity. The advanced SATA II interface delivers fast data transfer rates of up to 3.0 Gb/s and hot-swappable connections for easy installation and replacement of the HDDs"

Statements like "massive 2TB storage capacity" and "Advanced SATA II interface" typically turn me off of stuff like this...especially when the specs are sub-par.

That said, the concept *is* very, very sexy...I love the idea of occasionally just archiving stuff onto a BD50 and being done with it.
 
I just purchased a new Mini (i7, dedicated graphics) and Windows 7 to use as a movie ripping station. Up until this point, I've been using OSX exclusively since 2007 and the last Windows OS I used was XP. I bypassed Vista entirely.

I've been hearing a lot about Windows 7 and the vast improvements it has made. However, I have to say that I've been thoroughly disappointed. There are so many design decisions that just don't make any sense.

So glad I switched to OSX years ago.
 
Alucardx03 said:
I just purchased a new Mini (i7, dedicated graphics) and Windows 7 to use as a movie ripping station. Up until this point, I've been using OSX exclusively since 2007 and the last Windows OS I used was XP. I bypassed Vista entirely.

I've been hearing a lot about Windows 7 and the vast improvements it has made. However, I have to say that I've been thoroughly disappointed. There are so many design decisions that just don't make any sense.

So glad I switched to OSX years ago.
Click to expand...

[douche]
So you opted for a dual-core driveless device to use as a movie ripping station (rather than an earlier model with a drive, or the current quad-core option for easier encoding)...and it's the OS your'e disappointed in?

There are so many purchase decisions that just don't make any sense ;)
[/douche]

....seriously tho, which specific design decisions don't make sense?
 
ess5 said:
[douche]
So you opted for a dual-core driveless device to use as a movie ripping station (rather than an earlier model with a drive, or the current quad-core option for easier encoding)...and it's the OS your'e disappointed in?

There are so many purchase decisions that just don't make any sense ;)
[/douche]

....seriously tho, which specific design decisions don't make sense?
Click to expand...

You're an idiot. I don't think you should comment before you have the whole story. I've got 9 external Blu-Ray drives. I have a high-end home theater with almost 50 TB of storage.

So, for me, the Mini makes sense. It joins two other minis which have been in operation for two years. Guess what? I haven't used their internal drives more than twice.
 
Alucardx03 said:
You're an idiot.
Click to expand...

No, I'm a douche. It's a subtle (yet important) distinction (well...important to douches, anyway.)

Alucardx03 said:
I don't think you should comment before you have the whole story. I've got 9 external Blu-Ray drives. I have a high-end home theater with almost 50 TB of storage.

So, for me, the Mini makes sense. It joins two other minis which have been in operation for two years. Guess what? I haven't used their internal drives more than twice.
Click to expand...

Yes, if we're measuring intelligence by the number of external Blu-Ray drives we've purchased (9, was it?), you've demonstrated your superior purchasing prowess and I agree...I'm definitely the stupid one. Thanks for clarifying :)

Back to the question: What don't you like, design decision-wise, about Win7? I've got that exact Mini ordered, and was planning on putting Windows onto it as well...just wanted to see if you've encountered any specific gotcha's.
 
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ess5 said:
No, I'm a douche. It's a subtle (yet important) distinction (well...important to douches, anyway.)



Yes, if we're measuring intelligence by the number of external Blu-Ray drives we've purchased (9, was it?), you've demonstrated your superior purchasing prowess and I agree...I'm definitely the stupid one. Thanks for clarifying :)

Back to the question: What don't you like, design decision-wise, about Win7? I've got that exact Mini ordered, and was planning on putting Windows onto it as well...just wanted to see if you've encountered any specific gotcha's.
Click to expand...


Are you so arrogant that you think you know my needs better than I do from a single post? I choose my equipment carefully and after much research. So, when you're trying to tell me that I would have been better off going with the quad core, it's obvious that you don't know what my needs are. And, if you would have read my post instead of being so quick to judge, you would have seen that I never mentioned encoding. Only ripping.

I have 9 drives because I need them for work. Not sure why that makes me "the stupid one."

You only look like an idiot when you make snap jugdements.
 
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