Apple iTV or Mac Mini

[ftaok]

You're right, a good number of HDTVs are sub 1k, I saw a 20" for $299 today - with HDMI input; I'm surprised how quick prices are dropping. My comment was based on the OP's 50" plasma.

I'm curious why it says it won't take a computer feed. What's the model #?

A lot of times, when an OEM says that a certain input isn't for computers and such, it's because they don't want the hassle of having to support that type of use. Imagine the call center fielding a million calls from customers trying to hook up their computers and having problems. How are the OEMs supposed to support the infinite numbers of PC configurations?

It's mainly a catch-all. You call up with a support question and they say, "sorry, we don't support PCs."

With that said, as long as the TV passes the correct EDID information on a particular input, new Macs should be able to figure it out and offer the correct outputs.

ft

 

[apple_iBoy]

... actually, FrontRow will be part of Leopard so if you can wait a few more months, you'll have your setup right there.

Hmm, I don't think I realized that. So I could just get a bluetooth remote or something, and have the nice FrontRow interface! That would be great! And save me 300 smackers too...

 

[flopticalcube]

You could also hook an EyeTV Hybrid to your Mac Mini and have a proper digital PVR. All in all, I think the AppleTV is a solution looking for a problem.

 

[ipedro]

Yes, just get a BT remote and you're set once Leopard hits the shelves.

You could also hook an EyeTV Hybrid to your Mac Mini and have a proper digital PVR. All in all, I think the AppleTV is a solution looking for a problem.

For those of you looking to be a part of the past century's way of watching TV

I see Apple's strategy as that of becoming a content provider, or a "TV network" in a different sense. They already provide most of the popular TV shows and there is talk that they're working with Google to provide YouTube content through the Apple Store, the Apple TV and/or FrontRow. If they can get a major news network like CNN to provide CNN Pipeline and sports networks like TSN to provide live sports content, Apple will be an all in one à la carte "television" solution.

I intend to cancel my cable network since I don't watch sports and already subscribe to CNN Pipeline, I'm just waiting for TV shows to become available in Canada as Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying.

Now all I need is a perfect entertainment server: AppleTV or MacMini?

 

[ipedro]

By the way, I already subscribe to a free Podcast of my local nightly news and CNN and NBC offer their evening news free via Podcast as well. That and LIVE CNN Pipeline takes care of my news needs.

There's also a bunch of very high quality entertainment available via podcast like TikiBar and National Geographic shorts.

In essence, I already spend 90% of my entertainment time watching free content via podcast sitting in front of my computer. All I need is to add the A+ tv shows that are available for paid subscription on iTunes.

I really like where this is going and can't wait to disconnect my overpriced cable tv + PVR box.

 

[flopticalcube]

For those of you looking to be a part of the past century's way of watching TV

LOL

I see Apple's strategy as that of becoming a content provider, or a "TV network" in a different sense. They already provide most of the popular TV shows and there is talk that they're working with Google to provide YouTube content through the Apple Store, the Apple TV and/or FrontRow. If they can get a major news network like CNN to provide CNN Pipeline and sports networks like TSN to provide live sports content, Apple will be an all in one à la carte "television" solution.

The thing is you could be waiting a long time before Apple becomes this à la carte "television" solution. Although I do agree a lot of cable bandwidth is wasted pushing so many unwatched channels down the cable pipe at the same time. I still think it would be a better solution to have a full-fledged computer as a video source rather than a half-baked "AirTunes on steroids".

I intend to cancel my cable network since I don't watch sports and already subscribe to CNN Pipeline, I'm just waiting for TV shows to become available in Canada as Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying.

Now all I need is a perfect entertainment server: AppleTV or MacMini?

Cable TV is still more convenient for "impulse" viewing, and cheaper if 2 or more people live in the household.

 

[ipedro]

Cable TV is still more convenient for "impulse" viewing, and cheaper if 2 or more people live in the household.

.. hence I live alone

I've been noticing my tv habits to see if it's worth trying out the internet content route. The results are in and I notice that my TV is usually on CNN or my local 24 news network. If not on the news, then I'm watching my favorite shows that my PVR was scheduled to record through the week.

I have a core 4 or 5 shows that I watch regularly, plus a bunch of classics like Seinfeld or Friends that I occasionally switch to.

New shows will definitely become available via the iTunes model so I really don't see a reason to pay for 100's of channels of which I watch a very small percentage of.

Wouldn't it be nice to have my TV always on, displaying a painting or family photos and then grab the miniscule Apple remote when I want to watch CNN Pipeline or a new episode of my favorite show? All the while, I'd be building my library of back episodes so that within a year, I have a huge amount of "reruns" which accounts for 90% of what's on TV most of the time anyway. I could even instruct iTunes to play a random selection of TV episodes so in essence I'd have a reconstruction of what I have on TV now, except that the content playing is something I've bought, hence most of the content playing on my TV would be something I like.

I would say that original content, first time aired shows are a very small percentage of what is on TV. Reruns constitute the majority of the content universe on TV now. So really, we're all paying through the nose for something that has already aired, that we could have already recorded and in the AppleTV model, we own every single episode that we've ever paid for.

5 shows per week is under $10 per week. Currently, I pay $60 for cable per month. Do the math

 

[jsw]

Mod note: threads merged.

 

[adamyoshida]

I use on with my HDTV, and mine's an old Core Duo 1.66 GHz. Works like a champ. Any one you buy now (or later) will work even better, but even the oldest Core Solo 512MB RAM mini would be fine as a media device and superior in almost any way to the iTV.

Running OSX, I think that you'd want at least a Gig for high definition video, wouldn't you?

 

[jsw]

Running OSX, I think that you'd want at least a Gig for high definition video, wouldn't you?

A gig would be nice, but, if you didn't have other apps running, 512MB would probably work. But, yeah, I'd recommend a gig for optimum video. Still, 512MB should be OK.

 

[adamyoshida]

A gig would be nice, but, if you didn't have other apps running, 512MB would probably work. But, yeah, I'd recommend a gig.

For High-Def video? At least a Gig, I'd think.

 

[jsw]

For High-Def video? At least a Gig, I'd think.

We'd have to ask someone with a base mini, but I'd actually expect it to work fine, as long as their was some free RAM. The HD is more than fast enough to fetch high-def video on the fly, and on my 1GB one, I seem to have more than enough free RAM (i.e., a half gig) when I'm just playing HD content. Still, someone with 512MB would need to weigh in.

Agreed wholeheartedly, though: 1 GB is a safer bet.

 

[adamyoshida]

We'd have to ask someone with a base mini, but I'd actually expect it to work fine, as long as their was some free RAM. The HD is more than fast enough to fetch high-def video on the fly, and on my 1GB one, I seem to have more than enough free RAM (i.e., a half gig) when I'm just playing HD content. Still, someone with 512MB would need to weigh in.

Agreed wholeheartedly, though: 1 GB is a safer bet.

Hmmm... I am interested now - that'd make the base refurb Core solo models a much better deal than the iTV.

 

[apple_iBoy]

Yes, just get a BT remote and you're set once Leopard hits the shelves.

I was just doing some online research, and came across a way of tricking the Mac Pro to let Front Row run (involved editing some plist files so that that lack of a IR port didn't prevent the software from running). I was very excited, because I already have a Keyspan IR remote.

Well... sad to say, I must of screwed up somewhere, because I ended up making my BT mouse and keyboard stop working. So... (an archive and install later) I'm much chastised, and more than a little annoyed that my new MP is hobbled in this way.

Oh well... hopefully Leopard's version of Front Row allows the use of 3rd party remotes.

 

[Danksi]

Oh well... hopefully Leopard's version of Front Row allows the use of 3rd party remotes.

I'm still hoping for an iSight update, with the rumoured IR functionality built-in.

 

[zioxide]

For those of you looking to be a part of the past century's way of watching TV

nah..

Mac Mini + EyeTV Hybrid = DVR to record over-the-air High Definition TV, so you could record all of your favorite shows in HD on your mac and then watch them later.

I know I want this so I can record 24 in HD at my house and then when I'm home from college I'll be able to watch the episodes in HD instead of on my ****** old tv at school.

 

[cleung]

I have the same question as all of you. I have a MBP now but my 100 GB hard disk is almost full. 1/3 of it is occupied by shows I bought on iTunes. Since I live overseas, iTunes gives me the best way to catch shows like 24 and Desperate Housewives. I could just get an external hard drive to store all the old episodes that I have watched but I also want to be able to watch the shows on my HDTV. Last weekend, I connected my MBP to my TV. Resolution wasn't the best but it worked. Before Apple TV came out, I thought I'd want to get that but now I'm wondering if Mac Mini should be my choice. As I mentioned, I already have 30 GB of stuff on iTunes. 40GB on the Apple TV will be filled up so fast. Of course, price is a concern but if I can get more use out of it, it might be worth it. Also, I'm not entirely sure I can just move my shows onto Apple TV and delete them off my MBP. If it syncs with my computer, how could I then delete them off it? If that's the case, wouldn't it totally defeat the purpose of me getting an Apple TV to free my computer some HD space? I need a solution soon before I run out of space to download new episodes of 24.

 

[ftaok]

I have the same question as all of you. I have a MBP now but my 100 GB hard disk is almost full. 1/3 of it is occupied by shows I bought on iTunes. Since I live overseas, iTunes gives me the best way to catch shows like 24 and Desperate Housewives. I could just get an external hard drive to store all the old episodes that I have watched but I also want to be able to watch the shows on my HDTV. Last weekend, I connected my MBP to my TV. Resolution wasn't the best but it worked. Before Apple TV came out, I thought I'd want to get that but now I'm wondering if Mac Mini should be my choice. As I mentioned, I already have 30 GB of stuff on iTunes. 40GB on the Apple TV will be filled up so fast. Of course, price is a concern but if I can get more use out of it, it might be worth it. Also, I'm not entirely sure I can just move my shows onto Apple TV and delete them off my MBP. If it syncs with my computer, how could I then delete them off it? If that's the case, wouldn't it totally defeat the purpose of me getting an Apple TV to free my computer some HD space? I need a solution soon before I run out of space to download new episodes of 24.

I think in this case, the aTV would work for you. However, you still need to address the issue of HD space on your MBP. I don't think the aTV is intended to sync the entire iTunes library. Only parts of a library. Think of it in terms of a iPod nano or such. You will only sync up certain playlists, photo albums, TV shows, etc.

As such, you really shouldn't delete the files from your Mac. You have a few options for extra storage. You could go external with a FW/USB hard drive. Or you could replace the 100GB with a larger internal one, if you're handy. I think they have 200GB 2.5" drives nowadays.

One last thought. You mentioned that you connected the MBP to your TV? What kind of connection did you use? Keep in mind that the aTV only has HDMI and component connections. So if your TV doesn't have either of these, the aTV wouldn't work.

ft

 

[The General]

Everyone's been talking about HDMI as if it's something special ---

HDMI has the same pin outs as DVI. HDMI is just DVI rearranged to have 2 more wires for digital audio. There is no benefit in using HDMI instead of DVI, the video quality is identical.

Just want to make sure that people know this ... The only benefit of using HDMI over DVI is for the companies who sell protected content, because HDMI supports HDCP encryption.

 

[Blazer5913]

Correct me if I am wrong here, but....

I am a college student who has tons of videos/shows on my computer, mostly of which are .avi and divx's. I was at first really excited about the aTV and didn't mind converting ALL of my DVD's and shows to mp4s and all... but now that you guys have been talking about the Mac Mini as a serious media server thing, it really sounds interesting. Especially if I added the EyeTV hybrid, this thing would be a monster, something that many people hoped the aTV would be. So I would have another DVD player, web access, theoretically a better computer than the aTV with internet access and OSX, and it can play all my files, as well act as a PVR with the EYETV? I really don't buy anything from the iTunes store, so now that I think of it, the aTV is somewhat useless to me. What do you guys think, maybe get a Mac Mini with a refurbished or student discount? Add RAM to 1GB, maybe add an external HD down there, and an EYETV hybrid? And connect it via DVI? Sounds great to me, but I may be mistaken, what do you guys think? Thanks

 

[ftaok]

Everyone's been talking about HDMI as if it's something special ---

HDMI has the same pin outs as DVI. HDMI is just DVI rearranged to have 2 more wires for digital audio. There is no benefit in using HDMI instead of DVI, the video quality is identical.

Just want to make sure that people know this ... The only benefit of using HDMI over DVI is for the companies who sell protected content, because HDMI supports HDCP encryption.

While HDMI and DVI are pretty much identical, the implentation of the two connection types aren't. For instance, DVI can support many more resolutions, whereas HDMI, as implemented, really only support HDTV resolutions (where 1366x768 is not an HDTV resolution).

Also, does anyone make an HDMI to DVI cable going the other way. Typically, the output device is DVI and the input device is HDMI. The output device needs a separate way for the audio in this case. In the case of the aTV, the HDMI would be the output, but the input device may not be able to accept the HDMI audio. I suppose it would work with aTV's optical audio out, but I'm not sure if the aTV can be set that way.

Thinking about it a little more, I stand corrected. If "clueng" has a TV with DVI, he could probably use the aTV via HDMI-DVI and audio through the aTV's audio out.

ft

 

[ftaok]

Correct me if I am wrong here, but....

I am a college student who has tons of videos/shows on my computer, mostly of which are .avi and divx's. I was at first really excited about the aTV and didn't mind converting ALL of my DVD's and shows to mp4s and all... but now that you guys have been talking about the Mac Mini as a serious media server thing, it really sounds interesting. Especially if I added the EyeTV hybrid, this thing would be a monster, something that many people hoped the aTV would be. So I would have another DVD player, web access, theoretically a better computer than the aTV with internet access and OSX, and it can play all my files, as well act as a PVR with the EYETV? I really don't buy anything from the iTunes store, so now that I think of it, the aTV is somewhat useless to me. What do you guys think, maybe get a Mac Mini with a refurbished or student discount? Add RAM to 1GB, maybe add an external HD down there, and an EYETV hybrid? And connect it via DVI? Sounds great to me, but I may be mistaken, what do you guys think? Thanks

Sounds good to me. I think most of the people who are complaining about the aTV (me included) are going the Mac mini HTPC route. Personally, I'm waiting for the Core 2 Duo version of the mini before I plunk any money down.

ft

 

[The General]

While HDMI and DVI are pretty much identical, the implentation of the two connection types aren't. For instance, DVI can support many more resolutions, whereas HDMI, as implemented, really only support HDTV resolutions (where 1366x768 is not an HDTV resolution).

Also, does anyone make an HDMI to DVI cable going the other way. Typically, the output device is DVI and the input device is HDMI. The output device needs a separate way for the audio in this case. In the case of the aTV, the HDMI would be the output, but the input device may not be able to accept the HDMI audio. I suppose it would work with aTV's optical audio out, but I'm not sure if the aTV can be set that way.

Thinking about it a little more, I stand corrected. If "clueng" has a TV with DVI, he could probably use the aTV via HDMI-DVI and audio through the aTV's audio out.

ft

You bring up a good point, HDMI would do 720p, 1080i or 1080p. But with DVI you could set it to 1366x768 which is the native resolution of the majority of HDTV's. So DVI would actually be better, because you can run it at your TV's native resolution. My TV is 1920x1080, so DVI or HDMI are fine by me, I just prefer unencrypted data streams.

Unless his TV supports HDCP over DVI, then it will simply not display anything. The cable may exist, but if the signal is encrypted, the TV will not be able to display it.

I don't like audio over HDMI, I prefer TOS Link.

 

[Apple2Mac]

I currently have a mac mini setup, I like it allot but the major problem it doesn't properly support the projectors resolution. I would hope that the iTV would properly support native TV and projector resolutions...

I'm actually going to switch to a iTV..... as long as it will play my current archive of Mp4s

 

[mkrishnan]

I currently have a mac mini setup, I like it allot but the major problem it doesn't properly support the projectors resolution. I would hope that the iTV would properly support native TV and projector resolutions...

It isn't necessarily a purely Mac side problem. There're lots of standards compliance issues with the inputs on home theater devices vs. the inputs on PCs. Did you try SwitchResX to get the Mini to adapt to the projector resolution?