Is it overkill to get a mac mini solely for the purpose of running iTunes for your Atv? Right now I'm running it off my MacBook Air but it would be nice to have iTunes available all the time for my Atv without having to pull up iTunes on the Air.
I know some of the routers have built in iTunes servers like RTN66U. I do not know how they work but something worth exploring.
A mini just for iTunes and literally nothing else? That's an expensive option. I'd build a cheap windows PC or buy a really cheap used one if that's all I wanted it for.
edit: on second thought, I would also consider looking around at Walmart/Microcenter/Newegg/etc and look for sales on really cheap prebuilt PCs. You can probably get one for less than half the cost of a base mini. You probably couldn't build one much cheaper than that once you consider the cost of Windows.
These iTunes servers do not work with the ATV 2/3. They cannot and do not use Home Sharing. Instead, they use the old outdated way of broadcasting iTunes libraries over the network. This works fine for Macs and PCs but will not work with your iOS devices, Apple TV, or other Home Sharing accessories (receivers, sound docks, etc).
I would LOVE to have a mini as my HTPC but I just can't justify it. Maybe when I replace my '09 server... Anywho, I currently use an OLD Dell GX620 with a Pentium D and it BLOWS. HARD. (No really, the fan sounds like a hair dryer when this thing gets going, lol).
I use XBMC with streaming online video (Hulu and TV networks; I don't care for the XBMCFlicks app compared to my PS3/Sony streamer); any chance that a G4 mini could handle this? It is FLASH, after all, and Flash and PPC don't tend to get along. If it could, though, it might be an idea for the OP, too...
Mini still sounding like the best option?
and turning on iTunes.
Hello everyone,
New member
I am a very long time user of Mac/Apple computers; I have a Woz in the attic. Im also a regular reader of MacRumors and find the information on this site invaluable.
Anyway regardless of my lengthy use of Mac/Apple products I am a basic user
With little understanding of the inner workings of the machines and can barely keep up with all the changes and up-dates.
I teach and develop copious amounts of PowerPoint and Keynote presentations and I also review and edit other presentations on-line.
Will a current generation Mini allow me to go on-line and display web sites on my 50-inch television?
I have no interest in watching movies or music with it.
Take care,
Garv
Great advice guys. I'm leaning towards the mini a bit right now. I guess when I said the sole purpose of the mini would be running iTunes was a bit off. I guess what I actually need is a server. I have multiple HD's that I would like to connect to it and be able to access them from multiple ATV's and multiple computers. On the mini,I don't want to have to buy an extra display. Can I use my MacBook Air for a display for the mini? I suppose the only time I would need a display is when I'm setting it up and turning on iTunes. Mini still sounding like the best option?
I bought a 'second-hand' Mac Mini, installed PLEX and runs now as home theater. Nice and smoothly
(in parallel, iTunes is always active and can be used/accessed/started by ipad,...)
MVa
Am also thinking of the same setup as you, running plex media server on the mini. Which model of Mac mini did you get? Do you know what the minimum spec is to run plex media server? I am also interested to hear how you have arranged your storage - do you have drives attached directly to the mini or are you using a NAS? From what I have read I understand that it is probably best to keep itunes media files off the NAS (so I would look to store those files either on the mac mini or on a hard drive attached to the mini) with any other media on the NAS. Any thoughts/comments?