iTunes movie media center

Hi All,

I live in a mixed household of PC and Mac devices and need some ideas on setting up a media center. At its most basic, the object is to be able to play downloaded itunes (and maybe others) that will be stored on a NAS into a HD TV. The needs are pretty modest. There won't be a lot of ripping, simultaneous applications or gaming.

This all came about because most of our video library is MPEG-4 DRM movies that refuse to go through Twonkymedia. We also have an ATV3 that can't play any of the special features or director's commentaries on the downloads. They are fine on the PCs but not the iPad or through the ATV3. I'm the PC half of the equation but also chief IT officer. I understand that the DRM issue isn't unique to Apple and I don't want to spend time transcoding stuff.

My thinking right now is to look at a gently used Mac Mini in the 2009-2010 vintage as a media server. I've been lurking here for a few days reading all the threads about that very thing but still have a few questions. I don't need the storage and don't need an optical drive either. Goal A is to be able to play all features in SD of HD as-purchased from itunes. Goal B is to be able to be able to handle non-Apple formats -- probably with Plex.

Pretty much all the parts are in place but the media center and a gigabit switch. My cable reception is often spotty so wired may help a bit more than the wireless LAN for parts that don't move. I also have a 3T external drive that could plug into the Mini.

So my basic question is what should I look for in a Mac Mini for essentially a playback unit but capable of 1080p and adequate audio? Thanks, sh

Thanks phrehdd,

How I got here is a long, dull story and certainly filled with misinterpretations. I got the 3T backup drive and a Sony BDP-S3100 on the advice of a large retailer to be able to transfer movies stored on a bulging computer hard drive and play them on the TV. You can imagine how far that got me. Then I got a QNAP TS-119 II NAS to go into the network to do the same thing. Again, didn't work right. Probably nothing to do with the NAS since the devices can all see it. It does use a media player called Twonkymedia which the Blu-Ray can access but in the M4V format (with or without the DRM) it comes up with an error warning that the audio is not supported. There are issues with seeing them on the Windows Media Player from my computer but that is probably my fault.

I'm leery of recoding the movies (nearly all of which were downloaded from itunes) and would rather get a system that is known-friendly with that format. My wife is the expert on movie quality and she feels Apple has the best resolution and also also offers the holiday-issue special compilations that are more than just the movie. I don't particularly want to jailbreak anything but I am pretty handy so building an HTPC is certainly possible. The WD TV, Xios and Boxee formats have some appeal but there are issues too.

That keeps bringing me back to the Mac Mini. I know it will play itunes movies and can also handle Plex, WMP and XBMC. Depending on the era, $200 - $300 on eBay gets me there. I just need to be sure it will handle 1080p.

One of the reasons this is taking so long is because I want so little. We don't have a big collection and won't expand it rapidly, I don't have a burning ambition to rip all our existing DVDs, we don't need gaming graphics and usually only have one device going at a time. We use the TV speakers so as long as it doesn't look like it was dubbed, that's OK too. No 3D, rarely music (plenty of room for those on the computers) and for things without special features, the ATV3 from the cloud works great. It could be that we have both confused that device too. As I understand it, when we access movies on it, it only brings up the main feature, even if the downloaded version has all the extras. Surfing around I found we aren't the only ones with that issue but if there is a work-around, this would be a good time to know.

I do have to consider the remotes. It would be great if the iPad could run it. Picking one letter at a time from the grid gets old. There are small QWERTY remotes with IR built in that have potential so any advice there would help.

Thanks again for looking and don't be afraid to point out errors in my process. I'm not married to any of it and not too proud to change direction. sh

All of them are DRM movies.

I hadn't anticipated something so simple could be so complicated -- store movies on a NAS and play them on a television set. Easy, right?

I think I have all the network issues worked out so now I am down to formats. The NAS came with Twonkymedia which categorically won't play DRM media. I find that on the network through the Blu-Ray which probably isn't the best anyway.

So it seems I either strip the DRM and possibly change the container (I don't like that one) or I find something that will accept media from the NAS as-purchased and make it usable for the TV. It may be more money but definitely less labor.

I've attached the layout as I see it in my head right now. Everything but the gigabit switch and the media player are in place. I need the switch because both the NAS and a phone extender (not shown) need ethernet. The computers are shown as hardwired because the wires are already in and it is a little faster than beaming it through brick walls.

I think if I can get the right solution for playing itunes movies I'll be on my way.

Thanks, sh

Yes, they are MPEG-4 DRM movies purchased through itunes.

You lost me on the ATV part. When the PCs are on , the ATV will play the feature off the network but not the extras. I opened one of the movies on the PC showing the special features menu but the ATV still starts at the beginning of the movie with no menus shown. Airplay is on on the ATV. The laptop housing the movies now is being retired so there won't be any PCs within sight of the television.

Is there a way around this? Still seems like I need some kind of box in the TV room but I could be talked out of it. The Mac Mini seems like a good choice but an HTPC with a DVR built in has some advantages. Thanks, sh

I waited until I got home and switched on my wife's machine. On it, itunes shows three entries for movies that came with special features: one HD in MPEG-4, one SD in MPEG-4 and one itunes extras ending with .ite

In Explorer those features all show in sub (and sub sub) folders. I have no clue which is the director's commentary since it is an audio track laid-over the video feature. Individual folders open into itunes just by double clicking.

On the computer, the special features offering (all of which have what looks like a stack of paper symbol next to the MPAA rating) opens into the DVD-like menu and you choose from there. Through the ATV3, only the SD and HD choices show up. No sign of the .ite.

From what I've gathered, lots of people can't play them so I don't feel particularly special. As long as a standalone server running itunes, plex, XBMC or whatever can service the hdmi port to the TV, I think I'm OK. sh

Looks like eBay time!

One further question: the iPad user isn't always the TV user. It would make sense to have a dedicated remote for the Mac Mini. I'm thinking a mini wireless keyboard with a trackball or touchpad. Any recommendations?

Thanks again for all your help, sh