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No Built-in iPod Docks in the Intel Mac mini?
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Spanky Deluxe said:
This is exactly why Apple won't be producing a DVR, because it will mean their hardware will be location dependant. I hope that Apple perhaps do a deal with Elgato that integrates their software into the Front Row frontend, so people who want their mini to be a DVR can do so, but I don't expect Apple to be making a DVR any time soon.
Besides that, wouldn't having a DVR Mac directly conflict with their iTMS video store?
I have not completely thought this through, but I initial reaction is to agree with you. As am I disappointed by the business side winning over the "that's so cool" technology side. If it doesn't have DVR functionality, I'd probably still buy it just so I could watch home videos, show family pics and listen to music from my living room. But then the XBox can do all that, integrate with Macs and is a lot cheaper too. Maybe the Mini just isn't the living killer just yet. Hmmmm.......MacQuest said:
rog said:
Yeah, I am concerned that the single core will not cut it with H264...as we have seen to date. If this is to be a PVR then I would have thought dual-core would be needed + good graphics card, 7200rpm HDD (160gig+), etc
bretm said:
no, a G4 can compete pretty near a G5 and a solo clock for clock. The difference is that a G4 can't get to high enough Ghz to continue to compete.
g4 vs. core solo
I think it's pretty clear from all the benchmarks and information out there that the core solo will DESTROY a 1.5 g4 mini. Just as the Pentium-M (centrino & celeron-m) has been all this time.
xejn said:
I think it's pretty clear from all the benchmarks and information out there that the core solo will DESTROY a 1.5 g4 mini. Just as the Pentium-M (centrino & celeron-m) has been all this time.
Merging El Gato with Front Row is a bad idea. I don't know about anyone else, but I sure as hell don't want to watch my favorite programs (NHL, Hockey, AD, Grey's Anatomy) on my computer. The interface for El Gato's products is nasty anyway.
If apple made a dvr-mini it would HAVE to be bigger than the current minis considering the need for a A/V in/out card, a mpeg 2 decoder, logic board, processor, RAM, HD, and Combo/Super drive.
If apple made a dvr-mini it would HAVE to be bigger than the current minis considering the need for a A/V in/out card, a mpeg 2 decoder, logic board, processor, RAM, HD, and Combo/Super drive.
Dock Why?
I for one would much rather see an aditional USB, Firewire, or DVI port then an iPod Dock! The existing iPod docks work and look great!
I for one would much rather see an aditional USB, Firewire, or DVI port then an iPod Dock! The existing iPod docks work and look great!
MacQuest said:
You're probably right about the disincentives for a PVR right now. I hate to see business decisions get in the way of tech geekery and increased functionality. However, the mac mini has great potential to break into people's living rooms. Probably not talking about iPod levels of success for the company, but it's an area where no one has come out with what (IMO) is the "it" entertainment center device.
I sold a Mac Mini so I could get the new one that Steve didn't announce in January. While waiting to replace it, my wish list is still the same: same small elegant form factor, bluetooth, PVR, gig-ethernet connection, and a remote control / Front Row.
Onizuka said:
Aren't all of those already in the Mini except for the A/V I/O?(I think you meant MPEG2 encoder).
As far as the I/O goes, They could probably get away with just implementing an HDMI port and provide optional adapter cables to DVI, VGA, component, composite, S-video, etc...
B
Apple should release an external DVR component for the Mini, not include it in the Mini, b/c that would most likely drive up price. They could release something with similar form factor that sits on top or below the Mac Mini (like a lot of the add-ons for the Mini's do now). Something like the MiniStacks but with DVR functionality (pictured):
Attachments
How much is something like that going to cost?? I can't see spending $800 for a DVR! And besides, from the pics it's kinda ugly.Jovian9 said:
balamw said:
(I think you meant MPEG2 encoder).
As far as the I/O goes, They could probably get away with just implementing an HDMI port and provide optional adapter cables to DVI, VGA, component, composite, S-video, etc...
B
You will need both (encoder is needed if you want to be able to record from an analog input such as composite & S-video) and you need to a decoder to playback MPEG content. MPEG decode in software is possible, but would be CPU intensive.
As for the HDMI, how many Cable/Sat boxes do you know of that has an HDMI output?
Jovian9 said:
Agreed. I think Apple will leave Mini to be a cheap option to lure the Windows users to Mac. I sure hope they do not mess with the form factor.
Could be this is true, but I suspect the real reason is that it would throw the Minis in too close of a competition with the new iMacs. The average consumer doesn't really have a full grasp of all the nuanced things that make a computer speedier - they'd just hear "Core Duo" and some GHz value associated with it. Which means, if the Minis started with the Core Duo chips folks would simply see the difference between the "Core Duo" cheaper and the "Core Duo" more expensive.Hattig said:
My guess is that once the iMacs, Power Macs and laptops get further chip upgrades, that eventually the current Core Duo chips will matriculate down to the Mini in a year or two (unless they replace the single core chip with something entirely different).
I'm kind of glad that there won't be any iPod dock in the new Minis as well - aside from aesthetics and future-proofing, my Mini at work tucks neatly beneath my monitor riser, and, darnit an iPod dock would ruin the Mini's ability to fit into small spaces.
I do remember reading last year that someone took apart the Mini and found what would be at least the solder points for an iPod dock, which I think was one of the examples cited with the Mini/dock rumor... anyone else remember this?
Hardware assisted MPEG2 decoding is part of any modern video chip, otherwise CPU load during DVD playback would be terrible on lower end machines. The X1600's in the new iMacs have gone well beyond this with hardware MPEG4/H.264 acceleration.YunusEmre said:
HDMI is an extremely compact connector, and is gaining usage as it will be necessary for HDCP protected streams. The new iMacs already have HDCP passthrough on the mini DVI connector. Putting a pair of HDMI connectors as the AV I/O connectors on the new mini would be insurance for the future, and compatibility for non HDMI devices could easily be handled in the cables/adapters, just like they do for the current mini DVI port.
For analog inputs on the HDMI connector, you'd need the hardware MPEG2 (or better still MPEG4/H.264) encoder.
EDIT: I could well be wrong that HDMI can support analog in the same way that mini-DVI can, but I would hope not.
B
I beg to differ. i have a 1.8 G5 an it plays 720p H.264 just fine. If the Core Solo is faster than an MHz equivalent than a 1.67 Core Solo should work just fine with H.264.aswitcher said:
balamw said:
However, is there a possibilty that the HDMI connections could go out much like ADC, or are other manufacturers using this as well?
What about the DVI port? Adding a couple of those suckers could definately do SD and HD, whichever you choose.
This of course is all speculation anyway. The enw mini will probably be not much more than it already is, sadly.
Plus, with a hard drive, you REALLY need an 80 Gig drive in the least. With HD content much more. This won't fly in a mini. Sorry, it just won't. A 3.5 inch HD would take up quite a bit of space in that mini as is. Trying to cram morre content onto a 2.5 inch drive...nah.
xejn said:
It is not at near parity. Core Solo costs about $210, G4 costs about $72. Replacing the G4 with a Core Solo means an increase in cost for parts of $140; add 25 percent margin for Apple, thats $175, add 20 percent margin for reseller, that's about $210 more to get a Mac Mini with Core Solo processor into customers hands.
Expect a Celeron M chip; one MB L2 cache + 1.5 GHz at $107, or 1.4 GHz at $86; it might be just about possible to use these chips without a price increase. And don't confuse Celeron M with Celeron; Celeron M is quite capable; this machine will eat a G4 of same clockspeed for breakfast.
Jovian9 said:
That's actually a REALLY good idea! It works because it wouldnt have to be JUST for the MacMini. I could work with iMacs or PowerMacs. It would have to have several important things. THe ability to conect it to a TV via RCA, s-video, and coax (for SD stuff). (Maybe there shoudl be 2 versions, HD and SD) The box would have a built in encoder/decoder so all the Mac Mini would have to do is spin it's HD to recoded/playback the data. FrontRow would control the recordings ans stuff like that.
Theoreically, all this would only cost $200-300? I think that is VERY resonable
Unlike ADC HDMI is a growing standard that is being driven by the content providers and a broad consortia of hardware developers. http://www.hdmi.org/ You can basically think of it as DVI and digital audio in one cable. The key distinctions over DVI are: 1) support for audio in the same cable 2) support for DRM in the digital stream.Onizuka said:
I recently saw a $69 HDMI equipped DVD player from Toshiba at Costco that upconverts DVDs at 480p to 720p or 1080i.
I'm also using the HDMI output of my DirecTV HD DVR to drive an 27" LCD HDTV, and the setup couldn't have been easier. It's truly Apple simple.
B