Mac Newb has questions about the Mini

DingoAce10 · Feb 12, 2008

What's up all,
I am finally going to be making the switch to Mac and was thinking about getting the Mini. Just have some basic questions to see if it is right for me.

First...My father keeps telling me to wait for the "quad-core" version of the Mini to come out...Is it coming out soon or no plans?

If I buy the DVI to hdmi adapter/cable will it output full 1080p on my Sammy DLP?

One of the main reasons for get the Mac is to create home movies easily...will the Mini do this efficiently or is it just not powerful enough?

I am just basically using if for an HTPC. No gaming...Just music and pic storage along with the ability to make movies (and surf the net on my TV).

Thanks in advance for the input!

Wingnut330 · Feb 12, 2008

I bought one for the same reasons. It looks amazing connected to my 52" LCD. I got mine just before Christmas and have enjoyed it. I'm considering selling it, so if you decide to buy one PM me and maybe we can work something out. Mine is the $799 version upgraded to 10.5.2. I have since bought a MBA for use in my great room and may get another solution for my office/den.

It's a great machine and it looks very cool in my great room. It's elegant and simple. It was my transition from the Windows world to the Mac world. I am really happy I made the switch but I haven't thrown out my PC just yet. I have about 5 years of email to convert over - then I'm done.

I used the DVI-HDMI cable and I had no issues connecting to my TV and the picture looks amazing.

If you are interested in the Mac world, the Mini is a great way to start and get your feet wet without spending a lot of $.

AliensAreFuzzy · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 said:
First...My father keeps telling me to wait for the "quad-core" version of the Mini to come out...Is it coming out soon or no plans?

If I buy the DVI to hdmi adapter/cable will it output full 1080p on my Sammy DLP?

One of the main reasons for get the Mac is to create home movies easily...will the Mini do this efficiently or is it just not powerful enough?

The mini will not be updated with a quad-core processor for quite a while. Especially considering the mobile version (which is what the minis use) isn't supposed to be out until, I think, May. Then the higher end computers need to get them, then after a significant lag, the mini might be update, but that's probably about a year away.

You should have no trouble hooking it up to your HDTV with the DVI->HDMI and running it. The mini supports the 23" ACD which has a higher resoultion than 1920x1080 (1080p) so it shouldn't have a problem.

For basic home movies, the mini will be fine. I was editing video on my G4 mini just a few years ago and the C2D minis are WAAAAY faster.

Cave Man · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 said:
First...My father keeps telling me to wait for the "quad-core" version of the Mini to come out...Is it coming out soon or no plans?

Unlikely to happen anytime soon.

If I buy the DVI to hdmi adapter/cable will it output full 1080p on my Sammy DLP?

Tricky question. First, there is no such content other than through a TV (e.g., Eye TV Hybrid). Second, if such content becomes available it will largely depend upon bit rate as to whether the Mini can handle it. Other than (possibly) MPEG-2, the Mini does video decoding through the cpu. Also, some have reported overscan issues with some displays - YMMV.

One of the main reasons for get the Mac is to create home movies easily...will the Mini do this efficiently or is it just not powerful enough?

Mini is plenty powerful enough if you're talking about a conventional DV camera. You'll likely need to invest in a firewire hard drive.

bluedoggiant · Feb 12, 2008

I can see quad core in 1 ½ at the least, more likely 2 years if not 3. I recommend the imac.

DingoAce10 · Feb 12, 2008

Wow! Thanks all for the replies!
Looks like the Mini is for me

And since the quad is not coming our for it for a while, I will just get what is available now.

I have just a regular MiniDV video camera right now, so no need to get something like the Mac Pro (which is what my father is getting cause he is buying an HD video camera).

Cave Man, sorry maybe I phrased my question about the 1080p wrong...I wasn't talking about "TV content" just wanted to know if the Mini would be able to do 1920x1080 (1080p) with the HDMI cable to my Sammy DLP. And as "AliensAreFuzzy" stated, it seems that it does.

bluedoggiant, thanks for the suggestion, but the iMac is basically a monitor...Where as I want to use my Samsung DLP tv as my monitor...Kinda using the mini as a "mini HTPC".

Last question...I am an avid PC user (Software developer), so I am sure that I will pickup the mac OS pretty easily...I am more worried about my wife...She is still scared of doing certain things on the PC...Will she be able to convert her little PC knowledge over to the mac OS?

Thanks again!

FatSweatyBlldog · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 said:
Will she be able to convert her little PC knowledge over to the mac OS?

Macs are pretty intuitive, and generally easier to use than Windows machines. I'm sure she'll be able to handle it. In fact, the PC knowledge she has may confuse her uneccesarily

DingoAce10 · Feb 12, 2008

Oh and Wingnut330, thanks for the offer...No offense, but I (personally) have not had good luck buying used PCs(computers). I am sure yours is in great condition, but I think I am just going to stick with buying new. Besides...my father can get a discount...he works for the schools

DingoAce10 · Feb 12, 2008

Thanks FatSweatyBlldog! It actually might

Cave Man · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 said:
Wow! Thanks all for the replies!
Looks like the Mini is for me And since the quad is not coming our for it for a while, I will just get what is available now.

There is one caveat to all of this. The rumor is the Mini is destined for retirement. No one knows when, but some have suggested a new Mac may show up in its place - the long-desired headless iMac, for instance. If that occurs, then all bets are off regarding a quad-core processor.

Noobish · Feb 12, 2008

Cave Man said:
There is one caveat to all of this. The rumor is the Mini is destined for retirement. No one knows when, but some have suggested a new Mac may show up in its place - the long-desired headless iMac, for instance. If that occurs, then all bets are off regarding a quad-core processor.

what about a dual quad like the pro?

FatSweatyBlldog · Feb 12, 2008

Do you need it immediately?

A more realistic reason to wait is the next mini update (if there is one) will likely include moving to the santa rosa chipset, and the X3100 as the GPU. The new GPU would be a fairly significant upgrade to the mini's specs. I would guess the mini will be upgraded to "Macbook specs" by summer. But, if you need the mini now, go for it, you won't be disappointed.

Wingnut330 · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 Oh and Wingnut330, thanks for the offer...No offense, but I (personally) have not had good luck buying used PCs(computers). I am sure yours is in great condition, but I think I am just going to stick with buying new. Besides...my father can get a discount...he works for the schools

None taken!

I totally understand.

Cave Man · Feb 12, 2008

DingoAce10 said:
Cave Man, sorry maybe I phrased my question about the 1080p wrong...I wasn't talking about "TV content" just wanted to know if the Mini would be able to do 1920x1080 (1080p) with the HDMI cable to my Sammy DLP. And as "AliensAreFuzzy" stated, it seems that it does.

1080p is a video format, not display resolution. It will display 1920 x 1200 so it can "do" 1080-sized images. It will not take an HDMI cable; you'd need a DVI to HDMI cable, then use the mini's audio port to send analog (up to 5-channel) or digital (5.1-channel) to your TV/receiver. It can also do 24fps/1080 video provided it's not encoded at a high bit rate since the Mini relies upon its cpu for decoding just about all video. Its GMA 950 has hardware acceleration for MPEG-2 streams, but I don't know if it's utilized in DVD Player app.

DingoAce10 · Feb 12, 2008

oh man Cave Man and FatSweatyBlldog! Now you have me thinking of waiting... I don't like to wait, but I am that guy that needs the "latest" if it is coming soon...
Caveman: I assume that what you mean by "headless" is that the pc portion is not built into the monitor. Any thoughts on when that may occur?

Thanks again!

robby818 · Feb 12, 2008

Cave Man said:
1080p is a video format, not display resolution. It will display 1920 x 1200 so it can "do" 1080-sized images. It will not take an HDMI cable; you'd need a DVI to HDMI cable, then use the mini's audio port to send analog (up to 5-channel) or digital (5.1-channel) to your TV/receiver. It can also do 24fps/1080 video provided it's not encoded at a high bit rate since the Mini relies upon its cpu for decoding just about all video. Its GMA 950 has hardware acceleration for MPEG-2 streams, but I don't know if it's utilized in DVD Player app.

OP may have other issues especially because he is connecting to a rear projection display. Most likely overscan will be a problem and will require tweaking to get a picture that is not cut off.
I think it is a lot easier to connect the mini to a flat panel LCD, rather than rear projection.

DingoAce10 · Feb 13, 2008

Thanks Robby for the suggestion...
I will go over to the AV forum that I am a member of to find out if someone has a mini with my same tv and if they had an problems.
From what I have heard in the past, the samsung DLPs had no PC overscan...I was planning on building an HTPC and was worried about the overscan before...but the mac could be different or even the mini for all I know

Thanks, I will report back to just add my findings.

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