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Follow up: iTV/Mac Mini

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shaftcmu

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 7, 2007
5
0
I posted earlier this week about the iTV/Mac Mini and got many great replies. Thanks :apple: people:) . Now I would like to hear about some of the original media setups us :apple: people have come up with. Can anyone explain their ingenious media setup for me?

My ultimate goal is to set up a network with these pieces: 1) Visio HD TV (HDMI inputs), 2) Motorolla DVR (HDMI output), 3) Mac Mini (with external storage and capability of taking files from DVR), 4) iBook G4, and 5) Wireless router. What could I do with this? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
roland.g

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
7,414
3,153
Not sure what you are asking. Not to mention you have one of those one thing is not like the others. All new tech, but a G4 iBook? First of all, you can use a wireless mouse and keyboard with the Mini to surf the web or any other computing function on your HDTV. You can also use Front Row to play music, movies, DVD's and browse your photos/play slideshows. Not sure if you can extract the DVR content to your Mini. You might be better off with an eyeTV or Miglia MiniMax?/TVMax? to DVR directly to your Mini.
 
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shaftcmu

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 7, 2007
5
0
DVR transfer

Has anyone ever taken files from a Motarolla DVR to their computer? This would be awesome.

Also what video editing software do people tend to use for amateur editing?
 
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benpatient

macrumors 68000
Nov 4, 2003
1,870
0
getting stuff off of a DVR onto a computer is a big bag of worms to open...


the short answer is "sometimes, yes."

There are quite a few specific details that are necessary to iron out before you can get a yes/no answer to that question. First of all, are you using cable or satellite or OTA to get your HD? Who is the provider

Second, what specific model of DVR are you using, and what is the current Firmware revision of the unit (this changes any time the content provider sends an update over the wire, and features are enabled/disabled all the time on these boxes).

Third, what region of the country are you in? Different providers roll out different technology (and different Firmware revisions) at different times in different locations. Comcast updated the lineup in Atlanta before they updated the lineup in Nashville. Nashville users had older firmware that could record over firewire, but the new firmware disabled that hack, just for an example.

Fourth, what channels are you planning on recording? Many of the "premium" channels have an extra layer of encryption (not really encryption, technically, but it has the same effect), which causes problems even for people with copy-friendly setups (even with Tivo-to-Go).

I'd suggest you dive into the AVS Forums and head over to their HTPC subforum (they even have a mac sub sub forum!).

It's a complicated situation.
 
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