Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

No Built-in iPod Docks in the Intel Mac mini?

QCassidy352 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.
Click to expand...

The difference is that (1) the G4 has a memory bus that runs at an abysmal clock speed, which limits the maximum available bandwidth to less than half of that of a Celeron M, and (2) it takes heroic programming efforts to get just a third of the available bandwidth out of a G4.
 
gnasher729 said:
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;
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with you, much. ;)

However, it has been pointed out that this kind of analyis often leaves out many of the support chips that are required to make the system go which were custom (and thus more $) for the G4 than they would be using Intel chipsets. Perhaps they're making up a good chunk of the $140 by using fewer custom parts, and relying on economies of scale.

B
 
Hattig said:
Oh, and why not pay the extra $40 for the dual-core Yonah instead of the single core? Unless Apple are getting them for very cheap...
Click to expand...


because aside cost, there's a heat issue in the mini.

chucking a dual core probably won't be quite as easy as an extra $40...

yeah, the macbook pro has a DC yonah, but, it may be just as good at frying sperm as the current G4 powerbook... :rolleyes:
 
Im glad the mac mini wont have a dock also. It would seem that if they did add one, it would make the case look more inactractive, and a not-apple like design.
 
With nothing but internal changes, the Mini would still make an awesome computer. It's not just cheap, but the cheapest and most powerful machine I know of in that form factor (similar to nano ITX).

It doesn't need a DVR, it doesn't need a goofy looking dock, it just needs updated hardware, a little more TLC, and maybe a slightly more attractive price (but that's not necessary if they make the machine worth it)..

The current mini's shortcomings are the graphics chip and the hard drive, if they swap the HD with a nice 80gb 5400rpm drive and swap the graphics chip with something lowly (an x600 maybe).. They'd still be awesome machines.

Adding a DVR to that machine would not just screw up the purpose of the machine, but make it annoy everyone, you'd be opening a can of worms...

What people want in a DVR/"media center"
*The ability to record HD
*The ability to record and watch TV at the same time (dual tuners?)..
*1080p H.264 recording (which I don't even think a dual G5 will do in realtime)
*Complete Media center system (recording of every F-ing kind, including DVDs of course)
*HDMI output (it better not, I'd be mad) and input (HDCP? No thanks).
*Some crazy wireless interface that can transfer video to other machines on the network simultaneously....

What this would require..
1. Huge price raise: I don't care what you say, pigs will fly before a dual tuner (and single output) HD DVR that does 1080p H.264 in realtime (on 2 tuners not to mention decoding on the output) machine can be made for $499.

Dish and DirecTV sell dual DVR boxes of the sort and they're NOWHERE near as capable as a computer -- they cost $799.

2. Said boxes are about 4 times the size of a Mac Mini, at the least. Your run of the mill cable box with similar capabilities is about 6 times the size of a Mac Mini

3. People want cheap macs more than they do a stupid media center.


Anyway, last thought: Why does anyone want an iPod dock built in? They look stupid.
 
Since we're talking Mac Mini's again...

If the Mac Mini really becomes the center of an entertainment hub for your TV, it really needs to impress people while keeping the price down. The current high-end Mac Mini ($699) should be the limit. I think there will be one or two low-end, regular Mac Mini models that don't really have the capability for being an entertainment hub to have that "el cheapo Mac" of $499 and $599. Then, the high end should be like called something special like the "DV" or "DV Special Edition" Mac Mini just like they did with the iMac's long ago when FireWire was first introduced hitting up the $599 and $699 range.

I think the new form factor should go back to the LC days... Pizza boxes! Not so long and wide as the LC's, but something wide as two Mac Mini, but high has only half a Mac Mini. Get some ports front and back, add some additional video and audio output ports.

If Apple has any plans for a digital entertainment hub connecting your living room to your computer, they need a whole keynote dedicated to just that like they do for the iPod and iTunes. I couldn't imagine this all being explained by a portion of a regular MacWorld Keynote or the like. Any events coming up soon? :D
 
I am glad Apple didn't put a dock in the Mini. It was a bad idea from day one.

Apple needs to put DVR into the Mini. They need to get a jump into the Media market before Microsoft does.
(and Apple better not charge extra for Mac OS X Media Edition - that would be stupid)
 
I did not see a reason for the dock anyway....it would take away from there dock line they have and we all know how apple feel about there money. Also
it would mess up the tight design of the mini

Bless
 
JoeG4 said:
*HDMI output (it better not, I'd be mad) and input (HDCP? No thanks).
Click to expand...
HDMI is not HDCP, HDCP protected content may require HDMI but not the other way around.

e.g. My DirecTV box (below) has a very useful HDMI output, but doesn't (yet) support HDCP. In contrast the new iMac supports HDCP, but doesn't have an HDMI port. HDMI devices are supposed to respect HDCP and if anything in the chain doesn't support HDCP (like Composite analog outputs), they are supposed to downgrade the signal to 480p.

JoeG4 said:
Dish and DirecTV sell dual DVR boxes of the sort and they're NOWHERE near as capable as a computer -- they cost $799.

2. Said boxes are about 4 times the size of a Mac Mini, at the least. Your run of the mill cable box with similar capabilities is about 6 times the size of a Mac Mini
Click to expand...
A couple of minor corrections: I just bought one for $399 ($599-$200 rebate). They are as capable as a computer 'cause that's what they are. A simple Linux box with a satellite reciever and a huge hard drive. (250 GB for the DirecTV one).

The size of these boxes is driven by two things. Heat, and integration into existing AV systems. The pizza box design allows for easy/cheap solutions to both problems. Having opened a few, they are mostly air, unlike the Mac mini.

EDIT: Actually another thing that drives the size of the box is all the freaking RCA connectors on the back side to support component/composite/S-video/HDMI digital audio out, etc... If all you had to do was support HDMI, you could significantly reduce the size of the rear panel. See http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_1/directv-hr10-250-hd-dvr-satellite-box-2-2005.html

NOTE: I don't disagree with your thesis. A fully featured Mac-based PVR would not be cheap.

B
 
This isn't really a disappointment for me... all the content I have on my iPod would obviously be on the Mac mini as well. I don't know if I want an Intel Core Solo machine yet, though. I'd much rather save up for the iMac. But the Mac mini is so... cute. :p Ah, decisions!
 
I dont see why everyone is excited about a 1.67 ghz processor? I can understand the Duo being a slower clock , its a dual core. But come on?!? 1.67 GHZ in a desktop? Thats what , so 2001. Not gettin me excited.
 
balamw said:
EDIT: Actually another thing that drives the size of the box is all the freaking RCA connectors on the back side to support component/composite/S-video/HDMI digital audio out, etc... If all you had to do was support HDMI, you could significantly reduce the size of the rear panel. See http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_1/directv-hr10-250-hd-dvr-satellite-box-2-2005.html
Click to expand...

I agree - but I'm not sure you could eliminate component out in a consumer box just yet. For instance, my brand-new 46" Toshiba DLP TV has one HDMI input, but that's it. It has 3 component, and 3 more s-video/composite slots. A lot of TVs still don't ship with HDMI input.

If you've already got your 5-changer DVD player hooked up to HDMI, the DVR box has to hook up to something else. Nothing is insurmountable, but if the Apple box limits you, why would you choose it over other options that are easier to hook up.

What I want is something that can take my DVD changer, Game Cube, and Satellite inputs, add DVR functionality and wireless computer functionality, and route everything through a single HDMI input. Now that I would pay real money for.
 
Arcus said:
I dont see why everyone is excited about a 1.67 ghz processor? I can understand the Duo being a slower clock , its a dual core. But come on?!? 1.67 GHZ in a desktop? Thats what , so 2001. Not gettin me excited.
Click to expand...

These new "core" prosessers are insainly fast for a mobile chip. If you have done any reseach you would have read that the 2.1 Core Duo is almost as fast as AMD's top prosesser* on the market. I relies that it will be running at a lower clock speed, one less core and under emulation but its still one hellofa processor.

Link to read

Edit: Didnt mean to sound so harsh, sorry :)
Edit2: *Um take that back desktop proesser, but close enough
 
DVR?

If they let you record cable tv, from a business point of view, why bother having shows on iTunes?
 
JoeG4 said:
People want cheap macs more than they do a stupid media center.
Click to expand...

There is nothing stupid about a media center. Obviously the ideal solution is the leave the Mac mini as is and create a Mac media hub as a separate product. The Mac media hub could be sized comparably to other a/v components and feature a DVR and wired/wireless networking.
 
I don't think we need 1080p to be coming out of this little bugger. I would be plently happy with only 480p, hell I still have regular cable. As long as it is in h.264 I will be happy, have you seen the crappy stuff tivo records? the quality sucks unless you get like a 250gb one and always record at super best quality which takes up LOADS of room.
 
gotohamish said:
DVR?

If they let you record cable tv, from a business point of view, why bother having shows on iTunes?
Click to expand...

Well, you can record Cable TV to a VCR so why do people bother downloading anything off iTunes? Probably because they don't get that particular show on Cable or maybe they don't even have Cable. So one does not preclude the other.
 
gotohamish said:
DVR?

If they let you record cable tv, from a business point of view, why bother having shows on iTunes?
Click to expand...


I've been recording satellite TV using the receiver's built in HD made for recording for years.It's nothing new..

If they want the mini to stay at the current price spec it will have a single core Intel ONLY because all the new Mac's are going Intel.And I'm still guessing Intel is giving Apple some nice discounts..
And besides Apple can lose some margin with the mini if it sells more higher end Macs.
 
runninmac said:
These new "core" prosessers are insainly fast for a mobile chip. If you have done any reseach you would have read that the 2.1 Core Duo is almost as fast as AMD's fast prosesser on the market. I relies that it will be running at a lower clock speed, one less core and under emulation but its still one hellofa processor.

Link to read

Edit: Didnt mean to sound so harsh, sorry :)
Click to expand...

Read that article when it came out. Those are not the fast AMD processors on the market. Those are similar speed AMD processors. AMD proc's go up to 2.8 Ghz single core 2.6 Ghz dual core. Also, the new AMD's since revision E3 have insane undervolting abilities, my E4 is running at 1.200 Vcore stable and my roommate's E3 is running at 1.250 with an overclock of 340 Mhz. The core duo and solos are still damn good chips though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back