Advice connecting MacMini to smart TV

[dmfresco]

We just finished some remodeling in our basement and have a 50" smart TV with multiple HDMI ports hanging on the wall. An AppleTV is in one port, but I am beginning to wonder if I can reliably attach a MacMini, leave it booted and wake it up from a wireless keyboard and trackpad? Any heat considerations? It's mostly a multipurpose TV watching, exercise room. I want to sometimes work and peddle or work and walk with a computer in front of me; or attend webinars with zoom pushed to the TV. The latter works pretty fine with the AppleTV and a Mac laptop. I am sure I am not the only one to have this thought with a MacMini. Any considerations for functionality? heat from the MacMini? Heat from the TV? TIA for any advice.

 

[mfram]

What are you going to be displaying from your Mac Mini? If you have a new enough Mac Mini, can you do a remote display to the Apple TV? Then you don't have to plug the Mac Mini directly into the TV at all. Play through the Apple TV.

 

[dmfresco]

Thanks for your question. I had overlooked the idea of using Airplay the way I use it with my MBP. I think the appeal of possibly hardwiring it to the TV was to get the MacMini and cables out of sight. I figure my use of the MacMini will be mostly attending Zoom meetings off camera, web browsing and email, light word processing. Probably to use mostly when exercising during a Zoom meeting. In my job, I routinely need to watch videos that are hosted on a PHI secure server too. I don't need the computer to be a true workhorse but it does need to perform the basic functions.

 

[macsound1]

I have a Mac mini connected via hdmi to my living room projector for the sole purpose of watching tv. It’s great.
The biggest downside is some streaming services websites suck more than others. You also have to use a mouse to navigate, no easy Apple TV remote shortcuts, unless you can pair it, in which case I’d love to know.