Mac Mini, a 32" LCD TV, a DVI to HDMI cable - Coolness!

[Robert M]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick followup to a post about a DVI to HDMI cable (for connecting a mini to an LCD TV). Turns out two of my office computers went boom last week. So, instead of buying just one Mac Mini, I ended up purchasing two of them for the office. One replaces a G4/466 cobbled together from spare parts and the other replaces an aging EMac G4.

Since my original intention was to connect one of the minis to an HDTV, I ordered the DVI to HDMI cable recommended by Lew Zealand just to have handy. That way, I'd have it for use in the future.



Just for giggles, I also purchased a mini digital optical audio cable to standard digital optical audio cable. The mini supports digital optical audio out and this cable allows you to connect it directly to a surround sound receiver for 5.1 audio.

I rarely have time to configure computers during the day at work. So, I backed up the G4/466 and brought the backup drive and one of the minis home, so I can do the transfer at my convenience. Just for giggles, I connected the mini to my AOC Envision 32" LCD TV L32W861 via the DVI to HDMI cable instead of to my Dell 24" display.

Wow! This configuration worked perfectly and actually looked pretty darn good! Watching content from the Internet such as movie trailers and such (via the Apple Remote and Front Row) from the comfort of my couch was way cool. Next step is to see what happens if I throw a DVD into the optical drive, among other things.

To make a long story short, my plan backfired. I still haven't gotten around to actually configuring the computer for use at my office. Rather, I've been having way too much fun using it as a component of my home theater system. I will configure it for use at my office and return it on Monday. However, this experience inspired me to purchase a mini of my own for use with my home theater system.

I'll have to sell my Popcorn Hour (with its wireless dongle) to subsidize the expense but I think it's well worth it. The mini as a part of a home theater system is already awesome! I can't imagine how much more fun it will be when I have one I don't have to give back.

Robert

[SDGuy]

So - have you thrown in an EyeTV into the mix yet also?

[Robert M]

SD,

Nopes. I have a cable box DVR with a DVR expander. No need for anything like the El Gato just yet.Maybe in the future - lol!

'course, I still need to get a mini of my own. I have to give the one I'm using back to my office so we can use it come Monday. My ops manager needs his computer! Once he has his machine, I'll go through this whole process again.

Bring office backup and a mini home, play with it as a part of a home theater system for a couple of days, configure it for the office and return it. By then, I hope to have a mini of my own. Micro Center bumped the price up, though. Dang you Micro Center! Dang you Apple! Grrrrr!

Robert

[kj4btkljv]

This is where it gets even better - add in the Perian QuickTime plug-in, and the WMV QuickTime plug-in. These will let you play most video stuff you'll come across.

Perian
http://perian.org/

Flip4Mac WMV
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows...nents.mspx

Then, if you have another Mac in the house, and have a fast wired network, add a big hard drive to the other Mac, turn on file sharing, drop an alias of the shared big hard drive in the Movies folder on the TV Mac Mini, then open Front Row. All of the video content on the shared drive will suddenly be playable from the TV Mac Mini. Or, if you like hard drive lights and noises right there in your living room, hook the big drive directly to the TV Mac Mini, do the same alias thing into the Movies folder.

I've got an iMac at home, down in the basement, with a big external hard drive, and a Mini up in the living room. Gigabit ethernet connects the two of them, and I've got tons of stuff to watch. The kids can work Front Row just fine too, so there's even stuff for them to watch.

Jeff

[iaJim]

OK, can you make the Mini into a DVR? I'm looking for an easy to use substitute for the Mediacom DVR box. It all add$ up!

[Jimmypoo]

Don't forget the one last thing to add to the mix, and that's VLC.

The MKV video codec is lossless, and the results for compression are outstanding. The DivX player
will also play those files, and it is as smooth as QuickTime.

I have yet to try the old G4 mini in this config, but unless I update it, that's the duty it's going to get.
With the latest iTunes, and an external drive, it ought to work out nicely. I could also use the MacBook
and I picked up all the cables, just like RB got (except for the HDMI) including a 50 foot optical, as
both my Denon and the Onkyo have inputs for it. (No such beast on the G4 mini, to my knowledge).

I might actually watch some movies or something if I get it all assembled one day.

[Forrest]

Plex Media Center looks interesting http://www.plexapp.com/

[Article Accelerator]

Robert M wrote:
Just a quick followup to a post about a DVI to HDMI cable (for connecting a mini to an LCD TV)...The mini supports digital optical audio out...for 5.1 audio...I connected the mini to my AOC Envision 32" LCD TV...Wow! This configuration worked perfectly and actually looked pretty darn good! Watching content from the Internet such as movie trailers and such (via the Apple Remote and Front Row) from the comfort of my couch was way cool...this experience inspired me to purchase a mini of my own for use with my home theater system.

I'll have to sell my Popcorn Hour (with its wireless dongle)...The mini as a part of a home theater system is already awesome!

Exactly!

And Apple TV is even more so because it has:

• direct support for HDMI providing single-cable connection of both video and multi-channel digital audio
  
• support for HDCP to play protected video content
  
• support for the iPhone/iPod touch as a graphical remote control
  
• automatic synchronization and streaming
  
• totally silent operation
  
• even more compact size and completely self-contained (no power brick)
  
• custom access to podcasts, YouTube, flickr, MobileMe galleries, and movie trailers
  
• tweak-free connection to your HDTV, i.e. true plug-and-play
  
• a custom interface dedicated to media selection and display--there is no general purpose computer interface to navigate--just power up Apple TV and you're ready to go
  
• automatic software updating
  
• the ability to accept guest hosts for streaming content to your home theater
  

...and is half the cost.

[Robert M]

Article,

Please don't turn this thread into a Mac Mini vs an AppleTV thread. That is not the purpose of it.

Robert

[Jimmypoo]

Too late! I say you guys should duel!