Mac mini home theater dock concept
By Joshua Fruhlinger 
posted February 16th 2005 12:49PM
posted February 16th 2005 12:49PM
While everyone scrambles to get the Mac mini into their home theaters, some people are thinking (har-dee-har) outside the box. This concept, mocked up by Lester Ward, fits the mini into a home theater component-width dock with entertainment center-friendly connectors on the back. Instead of buying a digital audio connector, component video converters, and external Firewire drives, this box would have it all. The larger box also makes room for additional hard drives to turn the Mini into a true media server. The idea is a good one, and we'll probably see some accessories like this in the near future. Will they look this good, though?
[Thanks, Brian and Wordman]
Will they look this good, though?
Not unless Apple does it themselves. The only other company I trust would pull it off would be Griffin, maybe.
Plus this makes for a more normal looking sized component to place in your media cabinet.
That is a pretty ugly concept. I'd rather see a stackable solution like the bookshelf stereo systems companies like Sony make. Make a bunch of boxes the same size of the Mac mini that stack up underneath it.
i would pay $250 or less.
This is absolutely the kind of thinking that's going to take the mini off the desk and into people's living rooms. Everyone forgets that it's a matter of practicality for a "convergence" device to get to critical mass. Look ma, no wires.
Taking a second look at this I'm thinking that a major part of the allure of using a Mac mini is the size+style of the thing. Adding a larger wrap around appliance could negate this.
I like this design. I don't think the design should be stackable though because of heat issues. Also, nothing should be stacked on top of the Mac mini because that will interfere with the BT and Wi-Fi antennas.
Speaking of heat issues... there is one flaw that I can't tell if it has been thought of or not in this concept. The heat exaust is on the back of the Mac mini, near the top. I would assume that there is a inlet for the exaust from the mini to go into, which will then be exausted out the back of the HT dock. Overall, heat issues would have to be worked out for this concept since it also looks as though the back and sides of the bottom of the mini are also blocked from sucking in air.
I really do like this concept though. I would most likely buy it since it's a great concept and I am in the market for buying a mini to incorporate into a HT system.
Adding a larger wrap around appliance could negate this.
Maybe, but it's a lot nicer than seeing dangling wires and 3rd party devices hanging off of it to make it home theater ready.
this is a perfect solution for someone like me that has a component stereo system pieced together with mix and match high end parts. That being said, i'm not sure that that is the market the mini is shooting for, and for the masses, they may want the smaller footprint (stackable rather than spread out).
i like it though... i like it a lot!
What is the big deal with making the Mini a media center device? It must be just because it looks cool? And what's up with all these 'concept' devices? When will someone come up with a real, working prototype?
Where are people going to put this thing if it's stackable? Not in their entertainment systems that's for sure. I think the design is perfect the way it is.
So why is it so much bigger?? Are there 10 HD's in it?? a PC?
what is the application of this exactly? With no Dolby or DTS out it doesn’t replace even a $50 DVD player (never mind High Def audio options). It also won’t function as much of a PVR (no cable card slot, no video in), but let’s assume bit torrent takes care of that (for now). It might be used to surf the net on the TV, but the mini can do that just as well (or badly) without this docking station. It might work as a music server, but an iPod and stereo connection kit would be a way cheaper and more flexible option there.
Again, what is this for, exactly? Give me some real world examples.
Well, two are obvious: Card Reader and Remote Control interface.
I like. I'm sure that inside could include hard disks, a plethora of ports (USB/FW), and every video out imaginable.
A good concept. Now, lets see if someone does it.
This has got to be the ugliest concept picture ever. Why is the dock--that for all intents and purposes does less than the Mac mini--have a physical footprint 3x that of the Mac mini it "docks" with?!??!! What's in that extra space? Spare hamsters?
I dodn't buy a Mac mini so I could have a flat Pizza box computer ala the PowerMac 6100. If there are any add-ons, they should be stackable. Plain and simple.
Wow, you guys either can't read or don't have any AV equipment. If it's going in your AV rack the last thing you want are stackable add-ons. It's made that size to match the other components like your receiver, DVD player, DVR, etc. It's a dock for your living room, not your office.
Holy Missed Points.
Granted, it doesn't have to look *exactly* like that, but what's with all the people asking what's inside of it, or complaining about what this device - which is IMAGINARY - "doesn't come with"?
Jeez, people, think:
It would be a FireWire (and USB, see below) attached device, and could have:
- Additional internal drive bay(s) for fast(er) 3.5" drive(s)
- Analog/digital TV tuner(s) with CableCard support
- H.264 hardware codec, for recording and playing back HD content
- Digital audio input and output
- Media readers and front mounted USB ports (which is why it would also have USB connectivity) and potentially front mounted FireWire (via an internal FireWire hub)
- Infrared support with a remote
- Some software to tie it all together
- Other things I'm sure people could imagine
And YES, all of this stuff could most definitely be done via a single FireWire port (and USB 2.0)
Don't you people see the promise of something like that, if reasonably priced? And another "reason" it's "so big" is so that it's the SAME WIDTH as everything else in your entertainment center. Cripes, I've never seen so many people miss the point of something in my life, and complain so much about something that doesn't even exist!
Now think about this for a second: what if Apple's "Asteroid" "breakout box" was exactly something like this...?
The guys who are complaining about the size have obviously never seen any home theater equipment - he designed the concept that way so that it would "fit in" with other home theater components that the consumer already has.
Obviously buying this dock type thing to sit on your desk would be ridiculous.
If you read the story it talks about how the dock could have built in video in/digital sudio out by including the functionality that an M-Audio Transit or EyeTV device would do.
It's an interesting concept, I wonder if anyone will run with it.
#6, you are contradicting yourself - first you say stacking would cause heat issues then you go on to say the exaust port is in the back.
Trust me as an Industrial Designer, this concept is just plain ugly. A better way is to stack it much in the same fashion that Linksys allows their networking hardware to be stacked. You could even develop some kind of stand so you could turn the mini on its side (similar to what can be done with a Sony PS2. you could create an enitre array (at least 8 units this way) since the mini is only 2" thick and regular home theatre components are 17.5" wide.
"The guys who are complaining about the size have obviously never seen any home theater equipment - he designed the concept that way so that it would "fit in" with other home theater components that the consumer already has."
Actually, I have. And I have seen full-sized computers before. And now I own a Mac mini. One tiny 2lb 6.5"x6.5"x2" box has replaced a 27lb tall and power hungry tower G4 I had.
Size is not everything, but in the case of the Mac mini it makes ZERO sense to have a dock 3x larger than the main CPU.
"Size is not everything, but in the case of the Mac mini it makes ZERO sense to have a dock 3x larger than the main CPU."
Lord in heaven....
Then don't buy it.
I like the concept - looks like something elgato should run with -
Not Stackable? - of course not! this is meant (at least I assume) to be a standard A/V component or "rack mount" size (approx 19" wide x 10-14" deep).
I would love to see a rack mount option for the mini that I could easily integrate into my DJ setup, in theory, I could be controlling live video feeds directly through my turntables with some A/V Final Scratch type application. That would be a lot of fun...
Or, you could just buy a friggin Hush PC.
I mean, wtf? Why do people insist on shoe-horning this thing into situations that it was obviously not meant for? If I need to use a wrench, I don't buy a hammer and then chisel it until it's in the shape of a wrench - I just buy a freakin' wrench.
Sheezus.
I had a similar idea, but stacked vertically, as I was not worried about integration with rack components. My concept is modular, so the consumer could get less-expensive "slices" according to need. http://myopia.typepad.com/jay/2005/01/maxed_out_mini.html
Well, Jeff, some of us want a multi tool, you know like a Leatherman. It can wrench, cut, saw, screw, wire-cut, bore, can-open, awl-punch, etc. It may not excel in everything, but it should is handy for most.
And besides, why would anyone want to take a $1,000 piece of crap Honda Civic and turn it into a 400 bhp tuner street monster? I mean, there really couldn't be a multi-million dollar market for that when all you have to do is go out and buy a Porsche Boxer...right?
The same could apply to the Mini all to the betterment of Apple sales...and is that such a bad thing?
Well if you are 'stuck' with a mini and didn't think it was suitable for the use you had originally intended it for... then this looks like a good choice.
Otherwise, move on...
will it be 8-track backwards compatible? being retro is still way cooler then being a tech'd out geeek!
What is that slot on the left?
VHS???
LOL
nothanks!
I'd pay a lot IF it had a wifi remote. Where's my wifi remote dammit! Screw this adding IR baloney. Why, oh why has no one done a real wifi remote! I just want to put everything in the basement closet and then sit on my couch, my bed, my back deck and change to the next track. *sigh* I'd pay a lot of money for that.
WiFi remote? What about a simple Bluetooth remote! Yes, I know about the Salling clicker that makes your $200 cellphone operate like a $10 remote, but where is a dedicated Bluetooth remote when there are people who definitely want them?
Wifi remote?
You can turn a (cheap old) pda into one by adding a wifi module. Not an ideal solution, runs out of battery quickly, not something you want in a remote.
Or you could get an ir receiver (like an Irman), run a long serial cable to the basement and use an ordinary IR remote along with your video or audio cables. Alternatively, you can hook it up to a local computer and control your basement equipment through over IP (with girder for example).
have fun, all of it is possible now.
>What is that slot on the left?
>VHS???
It's not a slot, it's IR and a display. RTFA.
It's stupid.
Only thing that Mini doesm't have and should are the USB & FW ports in front, like G5 FINALLY has...
And this is really poor idea - takes two times more space than Mini! Totally missed the idea that makes Mini's succes! It's just silly:] hahah, the really USEFUL would be small 2cm thin plate under the Mini (exactly Mini's contour) with FW & USB ports etc (card reader, sound, ...?)
And second thing Mini should have - iPod dock in top cover!
bye :)