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

gadgetgirl85

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 24, 2006
3,807
373
So mum doesn't like the mac mini and wants to give it back. I went out and bought a MBP so I don't really have much use for both. Or do I? Any suggestions what I with the mini? I don't want it to go to waste
 
You can sell it.

I am considering selling mine, although I am giving STRONG consideration to installing it into my car.

You can also use it as a media center for recording shows and such

As your itunes music server


just some suggestions
 
technicolor said:
You can sell it.

I am considering selling mine, although I am giving STRONG consideration to installing it into my car.

You can also use it as a media center for recording shows and such

As your itunes music server


just some suggestions

I don't really want to sell it considering we only got it about 6 weeks ago. How would I go about doing the media center thing?
 
2 Options:

1. Network Install
Set up the mini with all your music/movies/photos, etc and share everything on the network. Your other macs can connect to it and listen to music, watch movies, view photos, etc.

2. Set Top Install
Hookup the DVI port to your TV and run the audio into your TV as well. Or, if you've got a set-top receiver, plug both the video and audio into that, which in turn hooks up to your TV. This configuration hard wires your mini into your home stereo, with no need to mess around on the network.
 
viccles said:
I don't really want to sell it considering we only got it about 6 weeks ago. How would I go about doing the media center thing?
There are a couple of ways..
you can hook your mini directly to your tv/cable box
or you can get eyetv or some other dongle that turns your computer into a tv recording station...

run a search on the forums and on google
 
Just sell it. You will be surprised how much you get. I sold my PPC mac minis last month for $600 each and that was way after the Intel ones came out.
 
I really don't want to sell it. I thought perhaps I could use it somehow as an external backup drive? Expensive way to do it I know but at least it would get some use.
 
I would love a spare one in my car... If I had some extra money BUT NOOOO.
anyway I would keep it as a server for my website and the laptop for on the go (but that is just me)
 
Is there someway I could hook up the Mac mini to the MBP to use it as a backup?
 
How would u set it up in a car? That sounds pretty awesome. You'd have to buy monitor and have that installed as well obviously. Wouldn't it get fried from the heat when your car is in the sun?
 
viccles said:
Is there someway I could hook up the Mac mini to the MBP to use it as a backup?

Backup in what manner?

To Backup your data, or to backup the functionality of your machine? (like if your notebook stops working)
 
My Intel mini replaced the DVD player that was hooked up to the living room TV. All I used to hook it up was a the $19.99 Apple DVI -> SVIDEO adapter and a $5 audio cable. On my TV, the mini set at 800x600 looks the best. The desktop isn't very sharp, but when you're in Front Row, everything looks nice and crisp.

I wasn't sure how it was going to work out, but I totally love it now. Front Row and the little remote control that comes with the mini makes the mini easy and fun to play DVDs, stream shared iTunes or check out shared iPhoto pictures from my MacBook (or my roommates laptops). The movie trailers are cool to watch, too.

In addition, I plugged in an external firewire drive and used SharePoints to share it out. My roommates and I use it as a place to backup our files and for common storage.
 
It makes a great EyeTV box. Too bad the dvd-rom drive can't be hacked on Macs, else they'd make good media centres as well.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.