Mac Mini Newest Gen. vs Last Gen for Media Center

[sammyman]

I just purchased a couple of Mac Mini's off of eBay and am thinking of using one for a HD media center, and one for my parents.

Mac Mini Current Revision
1.83Ghz Core 2 Duo processor
Combo Drive
Broken Audio (I'm going to fix this)
2GB RAM
80GB

Mac Mini Older Revision
1.83Ghz Core Duo processor
Super Drive
2GB RAM
80GB

I have a 160GB 7200rpm drive that I will be installing in my media center. Which would be best for a HD Media Center?

 

[techound1]

I don't know mini guts, but I'm going to assume interchangeable parts.

(1) kit out the C2D with all the best stuff (superdrive, etc) and give that to mom and dad. It will serve them well for some time.

(2) use the lesser CD for the media center - you won't need the computing "pony" power to play iTunes. Movies should do fine on a direct connect to the tv.

 

[sammyman]

I don't know mini guts, but I'm going to assume interchangeable parts.

(1) kit out the C2D with all the best stuff (superdrive, etc) and give that to mom and dad. It will serve them well for some time.

(2) use the lesser CD for the media center - you won't need the computing "pony" power to play iTunes. Movies should do fine on a direct connect to the tv.

So there will not be a difference in CD vs C2D with video watching?

 

[PeterQC]

The Mac Mini has an Intel GMA950 which can't play very well HD content. Even the old generation Macbook has the same issue, and it got a better graphic card.

 

[sammyman]

The Mac Mini has an Intel GMA950 which can't play very well HD content. Even the old generation Macbook has the same issue, and it got a better graphic card.

So both are not good for an HD media center?

 

[aethelbert]

The Mac Mini has an Intel GMA950 which can't play very well HD content. Even the old generation Macbook has the same issue, and it got a better graphic card.

That's simply not true. I use a mac with that chip and HD video plays just fine. The laptop hardly even heats up.

I second the call to use the Core Duo for the media center. You could probably swap out the optical drives since you won't need to burn with a media center. Leave the 64 bit CPU for the real computing; you won't see a difference in multimedia playback.

 

[sammyman]

That's simply not true. I use a mac with that chip and HD video plays just fine. The laptop hardly even heats up.

I second the call to use the Core Duo for the media center. You could probably swap out the optical drives since you won't need to burn with a media center. Leave the 64 bit CPU for the real computing; you won't see a difference in multimedia playback.

Not sure my parents will be doing any "real computing", but i guess it will make it more future proof for them.