Apple Mac Mini

[neo75903]

Apple announced Mac mini:
http://www.apple.com/macmini/

I am interested to use it as a media player, but since i dont have much experience with the Mac, maybe you can guys can help me out.

Can the MacMini play MPEG files, DVDs, Xvid files out of the box?
I know there is plenty of pc software to do so, but dont know about the Mac and the possible additional cost for.

Thx.

[auenf]

out of the box, a windows XP machine requires a dvd player to be installed, OSX doesnt, as for mpeg-4, quicktime std should be able to play them back out of the box, or at least all it needs is to automagically download something from the apple software update site ;)

keep in mind the mac mini is only a G4, not a G5 ;)

Enf..

[neo75903]

interesting, it depens on how the PSP will be, i am considering one of the two.

[Geza Anda]

I do hope on a geexbox mac ported version !

from thir site
www.geexbox.org/en/donate.html (http://www.geexbox.org/en/donate.html)

>At the moment, we're really looking for specific help :
[...]
>* a Macintosh G3 (or even G4 or G5 :-) to port GeeXboX to.
[...]

[neo75903]

Just seen an online video from Mac2005 Expo.
Quikctime 7 looks very good, but how is multichan achieved? for example, the mini only has a phone out, or do you have to buy a USB adapter for it?
Quicktime be released at the same time as Tiger?

[keel]

Originally posted by neo75903
I am interested to use it as a media player, but since i dont have much experience with the Mac, maybe you can guys can help me out.Thx.
Here are some links to using the Mac Mini as an HTPC
http://mac-htpc.com/
http://www.mac-htpc.com/modules.php?name=Forums
http://www.hometheatermac.com/
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=494500

[Inc]

I see theres a problem with the audio out as 5.1 digital Audio is not supported no coax, neither optical.

This is a cheap solution imho:
http://www.music-town.de/cgi-bin/mtshop/front/shop_main.cgi?func=dlink&artnr=03.106.00248&order=&wkid=82241630503

Also that Radeon VGA out could be feeded by a selfmade VGA2RGBscart adapter:
http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/
.. in combination with a Mac software similair to Powerstrip:
http://www.madrau.com/html/SRX/About.html

Mplayer and the latest VLC release for mac "should" directly support the OSx's Quartz engine and so the GPU access for fast and jerky-free HDTV playback.

DVB Receivers are available at http://www.elgato.com for macs.

[keel]

Originally posted by incredible
I see theres a problem with the audio out as 5.1 digital Audio is not supported no coax, neither optical....
DVB Receivers are available at http://www.elgato.com for macs.
My feeling is after the Mac Mini is out for a month or two there will be all kinds of accessories that will provide HTPC functionality, and will integrate well, so that the less brave (and less adventuresome) will not have to hack something together.

You could hook up all kinds of goodies to this little puppy...and look at the third-party aftermarket for the iPod!

[neo75903]

i really hope so, maybe a usb soundcard with spdif.
Elgato software is not really mature in my opinion. You will have to go windows for a true PVR solution. There is more software available, i personally uses snapstream's beyond tv. But only as a recorder, i control most of the things by using its web interface.
There is more hardware available, and much more choice to suit ur needs and budget.

I am 80% satisfied about snapstream, is there another pvr software which supports multi cards, has a web interface and records in MPEG2 ?