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Mac mini for 4K considerations

gigatoaster

gigatoaster

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 22, 2018
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3,610
France
Hello there

I just bought a TV: Panasonic TH-55FZ950S. I am considering buying a Mac mini (new one if announced) and I will use it also for Roon Core. It will be connected via USB to Teac AI-503 & KEF R300.

It looks like that:

IMG_7556.JPG


I have a few questions:

1. Can I connect the Mac mini, watch the TV via HDMI and get the sound at the same time via USB on the speakers?
2. For 4k @ 60 Hz, I understand the Mac mini is capable of doing it. Do I need a special HDMI cable?
3. If you are using a Mac mini is a new 4K OLED TV, could you share some feedback?
4. Is it possible to watch Netflix on the website in HDR through Mac Mini at 4k @ 60 Hz?
5. If the Mac mini is not a got choice for this, what would be the alternative?


Thanks in advance.
 
Ok. Well if a new model comes, I hope it will be powerful enough to play 4K.

What are the alternatives?
 
gigatoaster said:
Ok. Well if a new model comes, I hope it will be powerful enough to play 4K.

What are the alternatives?
Click to expand...
What are you hoping to do with a Mini in this application that can't be done with an Apple TV or some other 4k streaming box? Trying to interact with a Mac to watch Netflix on a TV is far less convenient than using something purpose built for TV use.
 
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It’s because I want to use uTorrent, Roon for thé music and I prefer not to stream to the TV but use HDMI + Ethernet for the best PQ.

I’d like to have one source but flexible to do everything.

Not sure if that makes sense.
 
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I’ve run a mini as htpc for years
A few thoughts

If you can stream it with a MacBook it will stream from the mini but Mac doesn’t have apps (yet) so test it out. Depending on the service you may want to supplement with appletv

Sound controls are excellent. Sound prefs allows specific routing and midi can even operate two outputs with independent volume, say hdmi + Bluetooth headphones

The OS is not meant to view from 10 ft away. Familiarize yourself with HiDPI mode and how to activate it

Dark mode is your friend. Make sure to use nightshift or flux as well. Mac can turn your tv into a sleep safe tv no normal head units can supply.

The mini will be sitting idle hours a day. Give it other duties like a household iTunes, iOS backup, and file service.

The key questions when new mini debuts are what hdmi version it supports and what video card.
 
Thanks for answer. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer and share your knowledge. I appreciate it even more after the previous bloke just went to “no” in capital letters with no explanations.

OK for the Apple TV. I need to check with my new TV if I can connect it to HDMI, then deport the sound from the TV to the amp through digital optical to get the sound on the speakers.

Now the question is: what would be the benefit of the Apple TV, here? Like I mean what’s the purpose?

Regarding the OS, I connected yesterday the MacBook Pro via HDMI + dongle. It’s very weird: the desktop is huge and texts so small. If you could clarify what is HiDP mode, how to activate it and if it can avoid having ants fonts, that’ll be helpful.

Then, sorry but I’m not following with night shift. Is it the thing to avoid blue-ish colors? And what is Flux?

For HDMI, if I understand correctly it needs to support 4K resolutions at 60 Hz, right? What about HDR?
[doublepost=1539702927][/doublepost]I just read about HiDP here. Just to clarify I can use this mode for font and still display the proper 4K resolution of a movie, right?
 
The 2014 Mac Mini cannot handle 4K properly. Don’t even think about trying it.

And HiDP will not affect movies played from you MacBook Pro. They will play in 4K.
 
gigatoaster said:
Thanks for answer. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer and share your knowledge. I appreciate it even more after the previous bloke just went to “no” in capital letters with no explanations.
Click to expand...

Because the "current" Mac mini is simply not good for your needs. 4K @ 60 Hz is simply a no go.
That is, why I wrote the "no" in capital letters. And that is, where this was the answer for most of your questions.

* * *

However I can try to answer you the first question:
1. Can I connect the Mac mini, watch the TV via HDMI and get the sound at the same time via USB on the speakers?

In theory, this should work. But you need a 3rd party app for choosing the sound outputs, because macOS isn't flexible enough for that. And maybe you need to use an external USB soundcard (the cheap generic chinese stuff should work).

Here is an application for choosing outputs:
Rogue Amoeba SoundSource
https://rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/

And here is a standard tip to choose the sound in macOS:
How to instantly switch audio sources in OS X
 
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gigatoaster said:
OK for the Apple TV. I need to check with my new TV if I can connect it to HDMI, then deport the sound from the TV to the amp through digital optical to get the sound on the speakers.

Now the question is: what would be the benefit of the Apple TV, here? Like I mean what’s the purpose?

Regarding the OS, I connected yesterday the MacBook Pro via HDMI + dongle. It’s very weird: the desktop is huge and texts so small. If you could clarify what is HiDP mode, how to activate it and if it can avoid having ants fonts, that’ll be helpful.

Then, sorry but I’m not following with night shift. Is it the thing to avoid blue-ish colors? And what is Flux?

For HDMI, if I understand correctly it needs to support 4K resolutions at 60 Hz, right? What about HDR?
[doublepost=1539702927][/doublepost]I just read about HiDP here. Just to clarify I can use this mode for font and still display the proper 4K resolution of a movie, right?
Click to expand...

Here’s a guide I wrote some years back

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?332748

HiDPI makes text 4x larger but doesn’t effect video, which stays crisp. Get ‘display menu’ from the App Store to make it easy to enable. IINA video player even has check box to ignore it or not

Apple TV is an app machine, like putting iOS on your tv. The purpose is get access to specific apps like hbo. The choice between them comes down to where your content is. You can’t watch hbo on Mac.

I suggest using your mbp as a practice mini. Run it connected for a few weeks. During which time mini may be updated. If it works out for you, mini can provide a dedicated Mac OS experience.

Flux is only needed if you can’t enable nightshift.
 
With Apple TV, can I play BDMV or m2ts? Anyone tried on 4k HDR movie found on torrent sites?
 
The new Mac mini seems to answer my need. I hope it will work fine for 4K movies. Also HDR, you think?
 
I don't think so. But you would need a dongle, I guess. In that case, better use a HDMI cable. It has to be certified "High Speed 4K" I think to handle 4k resolution at 60 Hz.

Now the question remains: will it be possible with the correct cable, my TV (in signature) and the Mac mini 2018 to play 4K HDR torrent files? Will the TV recognizes the HDR?

I am afraid of stutter, too.
 
I did a bit of googling on your behalf, and found it is possible to stream 4k hdr mkv to the apple tv through plex. You will of course need to have quality internet (recommend hard wiring).
 
Ah thanks.

But I’ll get a new Mac mini, but it is not available in my country, yet.

I prefer this than an Apple TV as I can use the mini for Roon & uTorrent.

Do we know if HiDP is supported on Mojave?
 
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