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HTPC mini replace by Apple TV

B

blacka4

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2009
424
49
Pittsburgh
Hi Guys,
I only have 3 quick questions:
1. Lion doesn't have the Front Row app correct?
2. Plex will not play iTunes Bought content (because I have a lot of it)
3. Should I replace my mini with a Apple Tv and repurpose the mini as a media/time machine server?

Thanks
 
Yup, the ATV 2 is probably the best solution. The integration with iTunes is so thorough and solid that I have no interest in hacking it as a few do. My Mini makes a great home server since I connected external storage to it. It holds all my media and is a central backup location for my stuff. Highly recommended.
 
sandyjmacdonald said:
I think Plex does play iTunes Store content, no?
Click to expand...

this I don't know. Google searches are bringing up past threads to the effect that Plex doesn't play iTunes Content because if DRM. Now Apple supposedly removed the DRM from files, but I don't know if that means it removed it from the files I already purchased and downloaded or just the more recent stuff
 
Apple only removed the DRM from their music files but not from their video content. So Apple music will play on any device or player but video will only play in Quicktime, iTunes or any Apple hardware device(eg ATV, iPod and so on), basically Apple approved hardware and software.
 
blacka4 said:
Does any one here think Atv will ever get 1080i support?
Click to expand...

On the existing hardware? No, I doubt it.

On the next version? It's possible, but based on the previous model you may be waiting another couple years for that to be released.
 
blacka4 said:
Does any one here think Atv will ever get 1080p support?
Click to expand...

I was in the same boat last week. I didn't want to get an ATV due to a 1080p model possibly coming. Then I realized 2 things: 1, it's only 100 bucks and 2, I can always move it to another room and get AirPlay in there. The ATV is seriously one of my best purchases this year. It works so well with my iTunes library that I'm not sure why I didn't get one sooner.
 
HazyCloud said:
I was in the same boat last week. I didn't want to get an ATV due to a 1080p model possibly coming. Then I realized 2 things: 1, it's only 100 bucks and 2, I can always move it to another room and get AirPlay in there. The ATV is seriously one of my best purchases this year. It works so well with my iTunes library that I'm not sure why I didn't get one sooner.
Click to expand...
ya, this is pretty much how I feel.
 
Guess I need to get a Apple Tv.

I think this is what I am going to do. I just don't know what its going to look like on my 60in
 
sandyjmacdonald said:
I think Plex does play iTunes Store content, no?
Click to expand...

Not video, and removal of Front Row from Lion makes it less convenient to access from an HTPC than before. Using PLEX in Snow Leopard allowed you to open Front Row right from PLEX to play any iTunes DRM content and then return to PLEX when finished, thus eliminating the need to use a mouse/trackpad to access the video in iTunes.
 
I have both a Mini based HTPC and an Apple TV2 and I have to say the former gets very little use now. The ATV2 does the majority of what I need.

The one exception is TV recording which i do not do nearly as much as I did in the in the pre-Netflix days. For that the mini still soldiers on with its EyeTV250 from Elgato.
 
blacka4 said:
Guess I need to get a Apple Tv.

I think this is what I am going to do. I just don't know what its going to look like on my 60in
Click to expand...
I was surprised when I found out how much content is broadcast in 720p. I suspect you'll be fine with the ATV 2. If I want something that will really knock my socks off, I grab a blu-ray. There's no substitute for an full bit-rate 1080p signal with 7.1 channels of lossless sound. But, the ATV is good enough that I don't care, most of the time.
 
At $100 each we have two ATV and will most likely pick up a third soon (October). Just a great purple device, needs to get a app store soon but for your iTunes content, Netflix and YouTube it is great. Allowed us to cut out cable about a year ago.
 
From A Buick 8 said:
At $100 each we have two ATV and will most likely pick up a third soon (October). Just a great purple device, needs to get a app store soon but for your iTunes content, Netflix and YouTube it is great. Allowed us to cut out cable about a year ago.
Click to expand...

Granted I haven't had a full cup of coffee yet this morning, but purple device?
 
well, the verdict is in. I am getting 2 apple Tv's and going to repurpose the Mini into Lion Server for media and VPN services among time machine back up server.


Anyone here know if I jailbreak the ATV2 I can get a VPN app installed to allow it to connect to a VPN server so I can do remote streamingm between houses? My Parents have a Apple TV, but when I moved out I took my mini what was the media server so to speak, now they can't watch any of the movies I had and I would like to be able to to this again. they have the First version of the apple tv from what I read running tiger.
 
I have a mini with plex running in my living room, and an appletv in my bedroom jailbroken with plex running. Great combo. Can stream my plex library to the appletv or itunes content.
 
me too

Ventucky said:
Here is a link with an installer to activate Front Row in Lion. I did it on my machine and it works great.

http://www.mac-hatter.com/blog/frontrowenablerforlion
Click to expand...

I have done the same, and it works just as before.

I started trying to use my original mini as a htpc...too much stutter. dvi to hdmi, then usb to toslink. pain. clutter. then moved to appletv gen1. much better, but still laggy and took forever to "hack" no netflix, etc.
just a few months ago i bought an atv2 and within 2 weeks i bought a 2nd for the bedroom tv. Very easy to set up. ive used firecore and ripit, and now have all of my itunes, dvd's, cd's, photos, etc. accessible from any tv in the house.
I got rid of cable years ago. 7 to be exact.
 
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