Carbon fiber 360 controller is fast, furious

This sweet Xbox 360 controller mod comes to us direct from Germany, where a forum reader called MueMue used the shell of an extra wireless controller to shape a sporting new carbon fiber case. He's also replaced the original removable battery pack with two built-in 1100mAh cells to preserve the lines and coloring of his work, and we think it came out looking pretty hot -- we'd definitely take this bad boy over the eh-so-it's-black 360 Elite controller.

[Via Make]

[Clay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Can all of this be simplified using firewire? My Sony HDTV, Motorola 6214 settop box, and hopefully new Mac-mini. All support firewire. I am aware of the 6214 fw limitation (no graphics overlay), but all i want to do is use the mac mini as as my DVD player and provide external storage to the 6214 hard drive. My HDTV also has dvi in.

[Diego @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Wow, I can't believe no one's mentioned this:
OS X projected at 300 inches (diag.)!
Half of HTPC is the PC...
and I'd rather it have class.

[Charlie Lesoine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

If the whole point of using your Mac Mini as a media center is that "its diminutive form factor makes it a good candidate to fit unobtrusively into an existing audio/video or home theater setup", then what the hell is the point of using another old G4 or pc laptop in plain sight or at all? I mean doesnt that sort of defeat the whole purpose of embracing the mac mini to begin with? It seems like all the functions of any other computer you guys were using (music from the laptop or files from a fileserver etc) could easily be done by the mini with a firwire hard drive. Admit it you just wanted to use more computers because your all dorks....but I'm not really one to talk. Think about it man...

[barb dybwad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Just a few comments - this topic is huge, so I'll try not to be as long-winded as in the article - I may fail. ;)

* Will VNC work on a wireless network: yes. It's just TCP/IP, no difference wired or wireless. I am controlling my Mac Mini from my wireless Powerbook as well as my old Dell.

* OSXvnc works with the Mini headless. As someone else pointed out, you just log in to the Mini and change the resolution in System preferences the first time it is booted up.

* Thanks to the folks who pointed out the Griffin breakout cable will not work due to the lack of 'pro' audio jack on the mini.

* As far as complexity of setup goes: my setup is 'complex' because that's how it fits my needs - I'm a tweaker and I enjoy that sort of thing. The benefit of using the Mini over a ready-made HTPC is its flexibility/versatility. If you need a simple setup, just get the Mini and EyeTV 200 and be done with it. The advantage over getting something like a Silverstone HTPC is that, 4-5 years down the road, the Silverstone could never find its way into your kids' room as a hand-me-down PC. It's a specialized product that does one thing and one thing only. Is it a 'simpler' way to set up HTPC? Of course! That's what it's designed for.

As far as needing to think about so many things - storage, etc. - this is no different from what you need to consider when you're setting up an HTPC on any operating system with any equipment. If it seems complex... it is complex. :) The bigger picture is that our society is in the middle of a huge transition from analog to digital, and there are problems to solved in that process. Some of us enjoy problem solving and tweaking, and want a setup as detailed above. Others want something simple they can plug in and go, which the Mac Mini can also pull off admirably *for anything other than HDTV.*

For playback of HD content, the reason the Mini will *do better natively* than playback via the EyeHome is that the EyeHome makes the Mac's processor so all of the work. Elgato cannot take advantage of the hardware acceleration in the graphics card, because Apple hasn't given developers access to that information. However, of course Apple itself has access to that information and its software offerings maximize the usage of the graphics card to offload much of the number crunching from the processor itself. This is exactly why they are able to offer HD editing capability in *iMovie* of all things, which is merely a consumer-level video editing program. If you stop and think about that for just a moment - that's pretty cool.

Now - there is a way to test whether or not any system in question can handle playback of MPEG-2 HD content. There is a handy sample file at the top of this article by EFF:
http://www.eff.org/broadcastflag/eyetv500.php

I used VLC to test this file on the 1.25 Ghz Mac Mini out to my VGA monitor. It didn't hose it, but it wasn't perfect, either. In scenes with camera sweeps and heavy motion, there were some digital artifacts that were noticeable when sitting right in front of the monitor. However, I came across accounts on the web of folks who had tweaked VLC to enable smooth playback of HD content on machines even less powerful - 1Ghz Powerbook, e.g. I will be curious to see if VLC can be tweaked to further improve HD playback on the Mini, and I would also be curious to see if the Quicktime MPEG-2 upgrade (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/products/mpeg2playback/) would allow 100% smooth playback. If anyone has tried either, please let us know.

For HD playback, natively out of the box, the Mini is not your best bet right now. But don't be surprised if it becomes the best bet in town in a few months. That's just my hunch, admittedly, I could be wrong. We'll see. :)

[barb dybwad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Clay - yes, it can be simplified with Firewire. This goes for any HDTVs that support Firewire. Check out this thread for more info:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=3616279

[Thom Brooks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Grr, I accidentally deleted part of my comment above. The line,

"Therefore, to ensure compatibility with the v1 administrator application, you typically need to use the v2 administrator application to "Upgrade Client..." to the v2.1 version."

...which makes no sense, should read:

Therefore, to ensure compatibility with the v1 administrator application, Apple left the 1.2.4 version in. The idea being, only after you buy v2.1 of the ARD Administrator, you'd need to use it to "Upgrade Client..." to the v2.1 version.

* * *

Also, "Amy" (around comment #36) asked for diagrams. Well, here's mine: http://www.unithom.com/avstuff/ -- hope it helps.

[WSTE_M @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

What about surround sund ?

How do you get the mac to play back Dolby 5.1 or even DTS-ES 6.1 ?

:(

[silentfool @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Like a few others here, I have to say this is complete nonsense. "The mac mini makes a great HTPC, except, except, except...". I agree with another poster, the only reason to do such a setup would be to prove that it is possible. I have both a mac and a pc and it seems a whole lot more reasonable to hook up my shuttle pc as a HTPC...it has an ATI AIW, DVI out, dolby digital out, 250gb SATA, DVD burner...it's capable of RAID...so the only real problem is there's no current way to record in HD. But it's a whole heck of a lot closer than the mac mini!

[egork @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

+ Mac mini with wireless whatever
+ USB to S/PDIF
+ Panasonic Projector PT AE 500 (has DVI)
+ AV Reciever with S/PDIF
+ Loudspeaker Boxes
+ Your laptop with the same wireless whatever
+ USB or Firewire TV tuner
+ USB or FireWire video input card
-------------------
= Home Multimedia center

+ Remote control
+ USB Hub
+ ...

See, hardware part is EASY! Challenge is there to make it as simple to use as an all in one DVD-Recoder or TiVo.

[egork @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

How do you get the mac to play back Dolby 5.1 or even DTS-ES 6.1 ?

http://www.midiman.de/transit.htm S/PDIF, Dolby� Digital 5.1 (AC3), DTS� and Dolby Pro Logic�

[ko123 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

To the retard saying she was the first one to write a how to, let me say this:
Not really, you just pointed out what we were all thinking when it debuted, it might be a great HTPC, you didn't really say anything comprehensive or how to put it together. Get a brain retard.
As for this, this is totally ridiculous.
1.
Size, mac mini is great for size, but if you have to add an external enclosure/tower, and on top of that some capturing hardware, and it can't eve output HDTV nicely, than what is the point?
2.
Price. Ridiculous, get yourself an HDTV tuner, mini-ixt mobo+cpu, half-decent video card, some cheapo ram and a hard drive, and for something twice as large as the mini, you'll get a functioning hdtv capable HTPC without the stupidity, hassles, LESS POWER CONSUMPTION, probably less noise than running an HTPC+external file server+tv capture unit.

[WSTE_M @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

#59 egork

Yes, but does the Apple DVD player support surround sound ?
In any format ?

[egork @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

#59 it is not the DVD drive, it is the player software and the soundcard hardware that should.

[GonePecan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This is a great article! Just what I have in mind for when I get my mini! I'm hoping to get a free one from the same guys who brought us free ipods.. If you sign up, please use my link and help a poor guy get one of these expensive little devils!
http://www.FreeMiniMacs.com/?r=14229502
Thanks!!

[pedro pistolas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

why even bother with all that when you can mod an xbox and run the MEDIA CENTER, it's Cheaper and it's desingned to run on your TV it even has (with the special adaptor ) a 5.1 optical outpout

[Jamie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

If you've got an old VCR lying around, or pulled a "dead" one of of a dumpster, they work fine as an RF modulator, provided macrovision isn't an issue.

[Alan Oppenheimer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Please check out our Envision software, as this is the exact type of thing it's intended for. A Mac mini connected to an HDTV running Envision (along with other things you describe) is a great conversation piece and party pleaser, as well as being just way cool (IMHO).

http://www.opendoor.com/envision/

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Just thought I should mention that if you don't want to fork out the $20 for the Salling clicker there is a free (provided you don't decide to donate money towards the developers iBook fund) option, Romeo, which I find works perfectly fine with my T610. It has support for iTunes, VLC, DVD Player and more. Plus like Salling clicker it is also Apple Scriptable so with a little know-how it can do all the same things.

http://www.irowan.com/romeo/

[cheesetoast @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

if your g4 server is agp, i suggest running it in firewire disk mode, you didn't mention if you were doing this or going through a network, but i suspect the latter.

[Deano @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This article is about as useful as:

"How To Turn Your Mac Mini into a Ferrari"

Buy a Ferrari, and put the Mac Mini in it

You Applets never cease to amaze in your blind following of this company. The iPod Shuffle is a flash based MP3 player with no LCD. The reason it's so cheap is because it has no features. Yet you line up for them because it's white and Steve Jobs tells you it's cool.

I will say one thing - he IS the genius you make him out to be. Anyone who can build this kind of following around these products deserves all the respect in the world.

[.dark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

to all you wet blankets who keep saying "i can make a cheaper HTPC out of a transistor radio, a tube of toothpaste and an old sock!" why don't you bloody well go off and do it then and leave the rest of us alone? you're missing the point entirely. oh look - your HTPC neds some duct tape, you'd better go attend to that.

hey cool, creative hack for a mac mini. nice work.

[MightyDave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

.dark - I couldn't agree with you more. How many Engadget how-to's tell of a simple process? Rarely.

That's why they are fun to read. Personally, I've already got the mini firmly planted in my home theater, took no longer to set up than my TiVo and DVD player, and it's a computer to boot. I want to browse the web, check my email, watch a DVD, record HD content - doesn't matter. It'll do it all!

To each his own. Remember that folks.

[Thom Brooks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I just went back to the Apple Store website to look for the USB Surround output device I'd seen there before. I was pretty sure it was the M-Audio 'Sonica' (I confirmed this on their site) but I didn't see it on the Apple Store site anymore. Was pretty sure I'd seen it there when helping a friend buy a Mac Mini.

Personally, I'm surprised that Apple carries ANY M-Audio gear on their site, given that M-Audio is owned by Avid. (Who competes with Apple because Apple makes Final Cut Pro, etc.) But there were still plenty of other M-Audio devices listed, just not this one.

Anyway... more information is here: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/SonicaTheater-focus-1.html

[Larry Maloney @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I want a Mac Mini, but I can do all that you have outlined with my $99 Tivo Series 2.

(BestBuy has them on sale usually)

[Mr. Binks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Fellow nerds, hax0rs, dorks and couch potatoes:

It's JUST T.V. for christsake! Is tv really that good nowadays?! I say, just like when someone asks me if I'll ever watch the last two Star Wars again, hellll no!

I'm just as obsessed with my Mac, be it Salling Clicker via Bluetooth phone, iMic adapter, AirTunes at home and even JHymn-ing (which rocks btw!) all my tracks out onto an external drive on my home network (which has an imap and various other servers on it). However, I gotta draw the line with the monstrosity described above.

What really killed it for me was using a x86 laptop to remote into the mini! Plus, having iTunes visualization on it via, above all, the slug that is Vnc! I mean, think about this one point: people strive endless hours to get huge frame rates out of their video games and that performance will run roughshod over the mini's 'underpowered' video.
Now, running any kind of music visualization under 30fps is noticably lame. So how many fps will you get over Vnc? Not much, esp. if you're running over 802.11g which averages around 35Mbps. Sure the screenshots looked like the visualization was on a host of 800x600, but still, doesn't matter.

Now that that minor point is out of the way I still don't see, as much as I would like to, any reason to buy a mini over something like Tivo. Personally I don't see much for Tivo as I consider myself a nerd WITH A LIFE, but some pople like it.

Anyway, until there's something that actually works at turning your mini into a not-so-fugly Win media center, there's really no point to this whole exercise other than to say to fellow nerds/hacker crowd: "oh yah, well look how *I* spent a $1k bucks this weekend!"

[Thom Brooks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

re: #74. Larry: I'll start out by saying that you're right. TiVos are great! They're a nice, self-contained box, they've got fast and responsive playback, they do what they advertise.

But Larry, one quick question. Did you pay the up-front, one-time 'life of your device' fee to TiVo? You know the one I'm talking about -- the TiVo "plus" service? Which gives you up to TWO WHOLE WEEKS of advance TV listings, instead of just THREE DAYS?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that fee cost something like $300? As opposed to a monthly $14 fee? Those are two great options. [/sarcasm]

I'll be up front that this solution (EyeTV + Mac Mini) would cost more than even your $99 TiVo + $300 device activation fee. But does your TiVo burn DVD's of program content? I know there's a Phillips DVD-R + TiVo box that can do it, but last I checked it was around $800. That's a Mac Mini and a EyeTV. Hmm. Dont' forget the $300 one-time fee! $1100. Heck, that's a nicely equipped Mac Mini, etc.

And what happens when your $99 TiVo's (what? 80GB?) hard drive fills up? You have two choices: Delete Stuff, or Don't Record Any More Stuff. Unless, of course, you've hacked your TiVo, in which case you've voided your warranty. :) And you'd still need a computer in order to do something with that content.

If you'd even have said ReplayTV, I could give you props, because you can at least get your content OFF of those (iirc, I don't own one of those, either.)

Furthermore, does your $99 TiVo do anything ELSE? You know, like surf the web, play games, play DVD's you put in it, create archival 'backup' copies of those DVDs (strictly legal, of COURSE), do iPhoto/slide shows, iTunes music playback... etc? Heck, word processing, if you wanted to on your TV? (With DVI input to a good enough TV, it'd probably be do-able.)

I guess it's all in what you want it to do, and how long you want to keep paying for it, huh? Well, I don't like the idea that I'm still subject to the whim of the TiVo corporation making their box 'phone home' so they can see what I've been watching. Nielsen is dead, this is a much more scary way to gather data about you, Larry. Screw that. If they want to collect that kind of information, let THEM pay ME for it. (How many times did YOU replay the Janet Jackson wardrobe mishap, Larry? Is that clip still stored on your device? Big Brother is watching, Larry. He knows if you've been naughty.)

Same goes for, "Oops, we decided not to let you record certain programming." You know, the same kind of stuff you can record on your antiquated VCR? (Better keep that thing around.) After this Broadcast Flag garbage, it'll probably get even worse. They don't just *prevent*, by the way. They go in and DELETE, if they feel like it, if they think something you've got on there isn't entirely above board. Shouldn't YOU be the one making that decision? Maybe it's a relief to you to not have yet another choice to make.

Besides: it's the mentality of the thing. Remember DivX, the thing that was supposed to compete with DVD's? They were 'pay to play' DVDs that phoned home every time you wanted to watch a movie. Pretty dumb, huh? Well, what would happen if TiVo decided to shift their pricing model? Better keep that box from phoning home! I'm not saying something that drastic would ever happen (they'd tank), just that they COULD, if they felt like it.

Enjoy your TiVo, Larry!

[Don Truett @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This is all very interesting, but my needs are simple. I would like to add a mini with airport and bluetooth and use it to play my 800+ albums through iTunes and my surround AVR (well explained here). Problem is my TV is analog (Mitsubishi 60" HD-ready). I'm content to use my HD-DVR for TV but would like to surf the web also. When I test the TV with my PowerBook & S-Video cable I can get 1024 x 768, but poor text resolution. Is there a device to improve this? Would and adapter from S-Video to component improve, or is it GIGO (garbage in-garbage out)?

[Matthew Weinreb @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

It seems to me that one of the greatest uses for a Mac mini has got to be in car... How about building it into one with a nice little control panel on the dash for all that music + Sat Nav + a heads up display for the Sat Nav (easy enough to do with a small monitor working backwards sitting on the dash and some sort of plastic reflector) Chuck out the old dreadful music player in the car and put a power amp under the other seat!

[Tim Houghton @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

re #79: who needs a Mac Mini for that? Take a look at this:
http://www.mujmac.cz/art/hw/tatra_mac_eng.html
Everything you suggested and more...

[oculos @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

See, one thing must be clarified (the article was excelent, in my opinion!)

1 - DVI doesn't make the mini able to play HDTV properly, as it's just a video-signal transport medium.

2 - A good way to make it play decent HDTV is using firewire, in case your TV has it. At least that's what I heard at www.pbs.org/cringely this week.

Cheers,

oculos

[Bradford Riley @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I have a really important question and would SO grateful to anyone who can help:

I have a Mac Mini and an HDTV, a Panasonic 47 inch projection screen. I have it hooked to the HDTV through the DVI connection, but I am experiencing significant overscan - all edges are off the screen by a considerable degree. This is may be some limitation of my television. I have been searching the web for solutions, and on the mac, it seems there exist a couple applications which allow for the creation of "custom resolutions" - two of which are "SwitchResX" and "DisplayConfigX."

I am not sure how to configure an application like this. Any time I tried a custom resolution either the problem remained or the screen went black! I could not revert back, and everytime I restarted the Mac Mini would go back to the poorly chosen resolution and make my HDTV go black. I was able to hook it to a Dell monitor but when I hooked it back to the HDTV it was again black. I had to reinstall my OS just to get it back to default - even resetting the PRAM hadn't worked! Also worth noting, my television does not have settings to shrink the screen or anything like that.

Does ANYONE have any way of helping me with this significant OVERSCAN? I would reward anyone who can provide a practical step by step solution. There are many individuals out there experiencing similar problems and who cannot enjoy their Mac Mini in a way they originally anticipated being possible.

Kind regards,
Bradford

[Bradford Riley @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I have a really important question and would SO grateful to anyone who can help:

I have a Mac Mini and an HDTV, a Panasonic 47 inch projection screen. I have it hooked to the HDTV through the DVI connection, but I am experiencing significant overscan - all edges are off the screen by a considerable degree. This is may be some limitation of my television. I have been searching the web for solutions, and on the mac, it seems there exist a couple applications which allow for the creation of "custom resolutions" - two of which are "SwitchResX" and "DisplayConfigX."

I am not sure how to configure an application like this. Any time I tried a custom resolution either the problem remained or the screen went black! I could not revert back, and everytime I restarted the Mac Mini would go back to the poorly chosen resolution and make my HDTV go black. I was able to hook it to a Dell monitor but when I hooked it back to the HDTV it was again black. I had to reinstall my OS just to get it back to default - even resetting the PRAM hadn't worked! Also worth noting, my television does not have settings to shrink the screen or anything like that.

Does ANYONE have any way of helping me with this significant OVERSCAN? I would reward anyone who can provide a practical step by step solution. There are many individuals out there experiencing similar problems and who cannot enjoy their Mac Mini in a way they originally anticipated being possible.

Kind regards,
Bradford

[ko123 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Dark, you're an idiot.

THIS IS NOT A HACK!
THIS IS NOT A HACK!
THIS IS NOT A HACK!
THIS IS NOT A HACK!
THIS IS NOT A HACK!

This is a mac, and purchasing peripherals until you're broke, favorite quote from comments,

How To Turn Your Mac Mini into a Ferrari

Buy a Ferrari, and put the Mac Mini in it

That's what this is, it's not a hack, it doesn't turn the mac mini into an HTPC, it just gives it the ability to act as the backend of an incredibly stupid, expensive, and power consuming system of hardware boxes, from server to tv tuner to mac mini.

How is the mac mini an HTPC here? All it does it output to your tv, that's not an HTPC, it can't do much of anything besides give you a pretty interface. This is totally worthless.

[hal meeks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I scanned through your article. I understand the rush to get it out before 20 other souls write exactly the same thing. It's kind of kludgy as a result -- I would not want this in my living room. Keyboards and mice are for computers -- not TV's. You have managed to hot glue a bunch of related equipment together -- but it has about half the functionality of a $400 Tivo ($99 + $300 life time service) at almost 3 times the price.

Plus you didn't once mention CyTV. Tsk. Tsk.

I am in the process of writing up my experience with HT/PC integration over the last few years. Synopsis -- Microsoft has it horribly wrong, and I can prove it.

--hal

[hal meeks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I scanned through your article. I understand the rush to get it out before 20 other souls write exactly the same thing. It's kind of kludgy as a result -- I would not want this in my living room. Keyboards and mice are for computers -- not TV's. You have managed to hot glue a bunch of related equipment together -- but it has about half the functionality of a $400 Tivo ($99 + $300 life time service) at almost 3 times the price.

Plus you didn't once mention CyTV. Tsk. Tsk.

I am in the process of writing up my experience with HT/PC integration over the last few years. Synopsis -- Microsoft has it horribly wrong, and I can prove it.

--hal

[Mark Dorset @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I've had a quick scan through the comments and am surprised no one's mentioned that a project has already started to try and act as a front end for the mac in order to act as a media centre. I'm not involved with the project, but am hoping that they pull it off :-)

MAC MEDIA CENTER PROJECT

http://mrzippy.org.uk/macmediacenter/

[Thom Brooks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

re: Mark Dorset's comment above: I have the eyeHome. It's got a 'simplified' interface for interacting with your media on your TV, and is available right now for $150. Maybe this is useful at a low screen resolution, for appearing on a 480i (standard def) screen. But my intent all along has been to use the *DVI* port on the Mac Mini, to drive an LCD HDTV. At that higher resolution, I hope I'll be able to see everything from the 'actual' apps in sufficient detail (maybe I'll map function keys to the Universal Access zoom on/off and in/out?)

I can appreciate the iTheater project, but I don't expect to see anything from it for a long time, if ever, forgive my pessimism.
While using eyeHome and directional buttons (only) for navigation, I keep finding myself wishing that I had the actual apps themselves for interacting with my media: iTunes for music, iPhoto for slideshows, Safari to surf the web, EyeTV for playing back TV shows it recorded in the first place, etc. Even if eyeHome were just able to run a VNC client... but it's just better to have a dedicated HTPC (eg the Mini) running the Mac OS itself.

By using a BT kbd/mouse (on the coffee table), that's better and a lot more powerful than any remote control, IMO. But if I want to use one, I've got one with the EyeTV.

[Thom Brooks @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

re: #82 (and #83) by Bradford Riley. I can't help specifically with your issue because I don't have that TV, but I can offer some pointers

There are a few people on the AVS Forum website who have had success with their differing cards / mac minis, and different TVs:

This guy has a Loewe Anaconda 30"
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=5039291


This guy has a PowerBook 15" and a Sharp Aquos 37":
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=5050713
He attached a 'test pattern' graphic you can use to help calibrate.

He also wrote a 'helper' FAQ, located at http://est.org/~dorfman/HDTV/SRX-FAQ.html

Hope this is useful.

[James P @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

who cares if a TiVo's cheaper? a tiVo is only good for being a TiVo. if you can do your video recording on a *REAL COMPUTER* that has umpteen million other uses for a bit of extra investment, then that is a no-brainer, IMHO.

[Wes Felter @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

"The bad news is, you�ll need either a digital TV with a DVI connector, or a serious horsepower Mac to play back your recorded MPEG-2 content"

This is wrong; please correct the article. The mini cannot (smoothly) play HD content, period.

[Steve W @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Well, after reading some of the comments, I have a few observations:

1) Not everyone needs to do HD rez.

Basically, my wife and I want a replacement for the VCR with better and easier scheduling. A Tivo would do fine, but IMO, its way too limited for its price. Its hard to get media off it and you have to depend on Tivo to create every feature you might want. I'm sure its a better solution if you ONLY want to just record and play back broadcast video. Heck, the Tivo is like a PS2, in that its a custom chipset and PPC processor doing nothing but its primary task. Just like you have to build a pretty expensive PC gaming system to equal a PS2, you'd have to build a pretty nice system to be quite as good as a Tivo. But, some people want a bit more in capability and open architecture.

Besides, if you want to do HD, then you're WAY better off building a MythTV, than messing with any of this Mac or Win stuff at the moment, price and performance wise. I'm guessing this may change soon for the Mac... which is the only reason I'm doing a lot of research on this, and haven't just run out to buy one.

2) Mac mini isn't a wimpy machine as some keep trying to emphasize.

Basically, the Mac mini is similar to the PowerBook computers. Sure, its slower hard drive, bus, etc. make it 'slow' in comparison to the better desktops. Its no G5 for sure. That said, I do all kinds of stuff with my PowerBook, to which a Mac mini is very similar. For example, I create 12+ track compositions in GarageBand. I have a pretty large iPhoto library from the digital camera. I often create killer presentations in Keynote. I burn DVDs. I do word processing and internet research... in other words, for just about every typical task an average or above average computer user might want to do, a PowerBook or Mac mini is going to be excellent at.

But, I don't stop there. I also do quite a bit of 3D animation and rendering. Sure, if portability wasn't important to me, I'd get a G5. But, my PB 1.33 holds its own for the most part. I render an equivalent scene at a similar rate as users on a Pentium 4 2.4 GHz machine. (and I could always use a Mac mini as another render node if its not busy doing something else).

I also work in IT, and often have 6 to 8 Timbuktu connections open, many terminal window, FTP client, E-mail, spread sheets, utilities of various kinds (and I usually also run Folding@home at the same time as all this).

My point... while a Mac mini might not be the most snappy computer money can buy, unless you're a hardcore gamer or in some special field, its a fine little computer. Granted... for doing video encoding, speed is important... but for the topic of this thread... the Video hardware should be doing that... not the CPU. If you need to do a bunch of heavy encoding... then build a AMD based MythTV box, and hide it in some closet.


3) Tivo is great... but Mac mini is much more

We looked at getting a Tivo, but there were a few problems. My wife and I determined 3 minimum things we wanted to do when adding a device to our stereo / TV center.

a) It had to have the basic capabilities of a Tivo like system.

b) It had to be able to stream internet radio, or audio from any web source we want to our stereo system.

c) It had to be able to play all our iTunes libraries (and even better if it could play the encrypted AAC files from iTunes Music Store... though I could run them through Hymn... but that takes time).

There were a few other things that would be nice to do as well... web surfing could be nice. Watching a DVD with it. Playing iPhoto slide shows for people who come over. Easily using recorded materials to burn to DVD. Easily convert old VHS tapes to DVD or use them in iDVD or iMovie, etc. Running a network rendering on it when its not busy... the list goes on and on, because it is a full computer.


4) Cool article, but overkill... also agree the EyeHome just doesn't do it for me.

The EyeHome takes away just about every nice thing I've listed above. I suppose its interface is a bit more remote friendly, and it leverages the existing computer equipment better... but its just not what I'm after at all.

I also think the described setup is overly complex, and some of it kind of defeats the purpose. What I plan on getting are the following so far:

Mac mini with 512 MB RAM - $574
ATI Wonder Remote - $33 (or v2 of it for $48)
DVI to Video adapter - $19
Plextor ConvertX PVR Mac - $159
(basically similar to a EyeTV 200, but USB2... maybe a EyeTV 200, or maybe the new EyeTV Wonder 2 when it comes out... need to do more research... EyeTV Wonder 2 does not compress to MPG in hardware it seems).

So, that's a total of: $785

If I need more or faster storage, I already have a FireWire 80 GB HD I can just plug in... and hide that down in the entertainment center somewhere. But, even with the default drive in the base model Mac mini, it seems similar to the base model Tivo in storage at similar quality.

(I might at some point add a wireless kbd/mouse... like the Logitech for $80, but I think we'll mostly use a remote and I can hood USB keyboard and mouse to it to set it up... and control with VNC or TB2)


5) There are a lot of Win users who need to get a life.

I can't believe all the silly troll posts here by PC hacker wanna bees who have obviously never used a Mac for any time. If you want to use Windows media center with a nasty looking box in your entertainment center... more power to you. But, some people care about their OS and only a fool would think any of the cheap PC cases are even close to the elegance of the Mac mini (and before you flame... I realize if you're willing to spend as much as a Mac mini, you can get really nice entertainment center cases for your PC hardware).

I also realize that if I were serious about HD or raw performance, then I'd build a MythTV box (not Windows Media Center)... or if about the lowest cost to just do PVR, then a Tivo. This is a compromise to do more than either could do towards meeting our goals, yet in a very elegant package and reasonably good interface, and at a reasonable price for all it can do.

The only thing I'm still debating, is as indicated, which model of Elgato (or Plextor) interface to go with... and also the nagging suspicion that Apple will be bring something to market in this area soon after Tiger ships (with the new codecs). However, I doubt it would be till fall... so I'm not sure my patience won't run out before then. :o)

-Steve

[barb dybwad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Yeah, what Steve said.

It's worth mentioning that my original idea WAS to have the Mac mini as the 'front end' as well as the 'back end' - but I could only score one of them before they were gone gone gone. ;)

Note also that I really have/intend to have two 'front ends' - one in my office and one in the living room, using Mac mini for both. But as I tried to make the disclaimer in the article - I *don't* think my setup is typical and is certainly not the simplest route. Which is why the article reads more like "this is what you should think about and one or other of these solutions may work for you" instead of "this is the only way to set up a Mac mini media center."

I also said you only need the EyeHome if you need to hook up to a TV with component video.

So... if you strip away the extra cruft from my audiophile and my front end/back end uniqueness, the setup is quite similar to the one you descirbe, Steve.

My only advice for you on the Plextor PVR vs. EyeTV 200 issue is - go with the firewire (eyetv) over the USB interface. Firewire will handle throughput for HD if/when you ever decide to go that route whereas USB is not going to cut it.

I also have to say, really great of you to point out the 'distributed computing' aspect of the mini via using its spare cycles to render. It's got to be only a matter of time until distributed computing becomes the no-brainer approach over trying to build one machine to rule them all (not that i don't want it!) and will do every single task a single user/family requires. Why quibble with dual processors when you have 8 machines in your house already that are always on? Distributed computing is where it's at. Take that, TiVo. :)

[Colin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

What are the real differences between the Plextor PVR and EveTV 200? The Plextor costs $100 less, but is that only because of the USB (instead of firewire)? It says that the Plextor can connect to satellite, cable, or broadcast. I can only find EyeTV 200 mention cable. Also, it looks like the Plextor comes with all the EyeTV software, just a different tv tuner.

For a simple user like me, who just want to watch and record tv in high quality (and be able to easily edit and burn those recorded shows to dvd using toast), which product would you recommend? Also, any recommendations on the best dvd burner available that records all kinds of media (including dual layer)? Thanks a lot for any help you can give me.

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Griffin now offers a surround sound output device for Macs via Firewire.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave/index.php

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

EyeTV records to your Mac via a FW interface. It is a high quality recorder.
EyeTV 200 records analog TV
EyeTV 500 records digital (there are various resolutions broadcast from standard digital up to high definition. The same stations are broadcasting digital and analog. Often they broadcast different programs at the same time. In a few years, no one knows for sure when, analog broadcasts will cease.)

Most Macs should be able to display all sorts of TV except high definition. You may need a G5 to display HD without dropping frames. Slower Macs will drop frames at HD resolution on a large monitor.

A possible way around this is a TV that accepts FW inputs. I think any recent Mac can pump through even HD video in MPEG4, about 2 MB/s. I don't know details about driving a FW equipped TV screen.

[Olaf @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Rather than buy a bulky 50" HDTV with DVI, our son connected a COSTCO video projector with direct DVI from the Mac Mini for excellent 90" projection of DVDs, Web, CDs, Norwegian Television (Nett-TV @ http://nrk.no ) or whatever. I assume with your tuner/cable allows watching US HDTV also?

[Zo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

>Isn't the current MacMini just a trojan horse, and the truly cool version will be coming in year with all the features we really want?

Yes.

[Mark P @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

All this bitching, I'd be happy just to know what the sam hill "DKM" is --- i mean i get the BYO / buy your own bit, but... DKM? Digital... something or other. WTF? :)

By the way iPod fans, novatech.com now sell their NPod gadget with a 20gb, 1.8 inch toshiba hard drive. It's got all the features, ease of use and storage space of a full size pod, the size of a mini, less battery problems, looks good without being this-was-the-cheapest-plastic-we-could-buy white, oh and did i mention a built in FM radio you can record from?

For half the price of even the closest apple equivalent (full size 20gb pod) and far less of a crime target.
Yes, half price (�133 including delivery in the uk, vs about �259 raw for an ipod). Think of all the goodies you can get with the cash you're not wasting. Even if that does boil down to "60gb 1.8-inch drive".

Sure you lose AAC playback, but I for one see that as no big loss when comparitive listening tests always come back inconclusive on it's goodness or otherwise (remind me - is iTunes AAC only? if so, im sure either a decoder, or a suitable firmware update is available, if you want to use that particular downloading service). But it DOES handle OGG Vorbis.......

(personally i'm sticking with buying CDs and encoding them because thats just the sort of anachronistic sod i am)


Soon enough some resourceful PC guy will come along and replicate the mini with *slinky* success...... it may have pioneered, but its exclusivity won't last. Already you can get PCs squashed into cases the size of 5 1/4" bay CDROM drives, not so much smaller than a mini.

Anyway - if you are so stuck for space, why not get a cheap laptop? The keyboard, mouse & power supply (mac mini's is external, isnt it?) take up less room then, too.

[barb dybwad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

@#93: Colin, the EyeTV 200 will do satellite and broadcast also. check out the "product matrix" comparison sheet on the elgato site; it shows all the possible sources.

as soon as you say the words "high quality" - you're really going to want to invest in the firewire interface over the usb. usb just has limited bandwidth, and down the line when all cable broadcasts are high-quality digital, you would kick yourself for being stuck with a legacy usb video interface.

hope that helps!

[Cap'n Ken @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Hey Barb (if you're still monitoring comments on this ...):

On HD via Mac Mini and EyeTV 500 - you said if my HD set has a DVI input the Mini can handle playback? Is that correct? I love the idea of getting a Mini and the EyeTV to create an over-the-air HD DVR system (rather than paying the satellite company probably more money to upgrate to an HD DVR), but this is the first place I've heard mention of being able to play HD back on anything less than a G5.

But through DVI there's less processor capacity involved or something?

If you can give some clarity, Mr. Jobs will sell another Mini, and Elgato will move a 500.

Thanks