04-17-2009, 07:07 PM
rz wrote:
[quote=Wags]
Blu-ray, HDMI, 7.1 channel High Definition Audio, etc - seems like it would make a nice media device, at a decent price.
Then why don't you buy one? If it has "everything" you want... oh, right. It runs Vista. Not such a bargain now, is it?
Hmm, you clicked on the link/subject line to get into this thread but somehow missed the point?
Can this Dell be hacked to run OSX?
Rough estimates I read said DVD sales dropped off 30% in 2008 and Blu-ray increased over 200% to 63 million units. That would put Blu-ray somewhere in the 9% to 15% of the market share for retail discs. Apple has 23 HD movies in iTunes and just opened them up to non Apple TV owners in March.
If you want to compare similar form factors, go with the Dell Studio Hybrid. Up until the March 3rd when Mac mini got the Nvidia 9400, the Dell had better graphics.
Dell Studio Hybrid 2GHz/2GB/250GB/802.11n/HDMI-cable/kybd/mouse - $720 http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/c...oc=ddcwla2&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=productdetails~desktop-studio-hybrid
Apple Mac mini 2GHz/2GB/250GB/802.11n/kybd/mouse - $847 http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/sh...co=MTI2OTg
To hook up to a typical HDTV the mini still needs a mini DVI to HDMI adapter and a HDMI cable, neither of which seem to be available at the Apple store. Only the more expensive HDTV sets have DVI inputs with HDCP.
Ion based computers with the Nvidia 9400 graphics that can play Blu-ray discs should go on sale at about $300 in a couple of months but that will be with an Intel Atom CPU instead of a Core 2. The Core 2 models will be closer to $400 to $450.