retiring active Mac Mini as a Media Server w/o Plex?

[roland.g]

I keep hearing that a Mac Mini makes a great media server, which is essentially what our current 2014 Mini is. It is actually our home desktop with Music and Apple TV apps open so that any non-streaming purchased content from iTunes store can be streamed to any TV straight off the Mini.

I'm thinking of replacing the Mini but it isn't worth much. So then comes the question of whether to make the Mini a dedicated media server. But I'm not really thinking of connecting it directly to the TV or installing PLEX or anything like that. I just figured I would disconnect it from a monitor and leave it running with the External Hard Drive connected (all iTunes media is on an external) as the machine that shows up on Apple TVs under Computers app. I could move my Time Machine drive to my MBP or a new M1 Mini or whatever I use as my main machine.

And then occasionally remote into the Mini to ask Apple TV and Music apps to download new purchases, as well as reconnecting the TM drive to update the backup with new content. Would this work as a viable config for a media server. The Mini wouldn't act much differently than it does now except for the fact that other software, etc. that I use, Mail, Safari, Quicken, Photos, Photoshop, Pixelmator etc. etc. would be on something else and it wouldn't get taxed like it does now. I assume for all the sharing to continue working I would maintain the iCloud settings but leave all the mail, messages, etc. apps closed, and turn off all notifications, widgets, etc.

 

[mcnallym]

That is essentially how I run my 2018 mini.
Fitted a 4K headless to the hdmi port so the GPU works properly etc.
For streaming iTunes effectively an AppleTV then is fine.

 

[roland.g]

That is essentially how I run my 2018 mini.
Fitted a 4K headless to the hdmi port so the GPU works properly etc.
For streaming iTunes effectively an AppleTV then is fine.

Why did you need to fit something to the hdmi port? And what is a 4K headless?

 

[velocityg4]

Why did you need to fit something to the hdmi port? And what is a 4K headless?

A headless adapter will make the computer think a monitor is attached. When one isn't. So, it has a resolution to output when screen sharing.

I guess Apple doesn't have something like Remote Desktop for true headless operation.

FUERAN 4K Dummy Plug，Virtual Monitor Display Emulator, Headless Display Adapter Supports up to 3840x2160@60-1080@120 HDMI-Compatible Graphics Acceleration for Ethereum ETH ZEC BTC Mining (2P)

FUERAN 4K Dummy Plug，Virtual Monitor Display Emulator, Headless Display Adapter Supports up to 3840x2160@60-1080@120 HDMI-Compatible Graphics Acceleration for Ethereum ETH ZEC BTC Mining (2P)

www.amazon.com

 

[Boyd01]

I use a 2014 Mini like this, have kept it on Mojave to use iTunes with home sharing. I have all my media on a 4tb USB SSD and use Carbon Copy to automatically clone it to a hard drive late every night. Works great and I use it constantly with two Apple TV's, a Mac, iPhone and iPad. But I have it connected to a 24" screen so I can also watch movies directly on it as well as streaming with Sling. It's connected to my stereo system with speakers throughout the house for listening to music.

I also have a 2012 quad Mini that I use as file server and Time Machine destination. It is headless with no keyboard or mouse, so all four USB ports are used to connect 20tb of hard drives. You can run "headless" without an HDMI dummy plug, but when you connect with screen sharing, it we display at some odd resolution that is very awkward. A search at Amazon will find lots of dummy HDMI plugs at prices under $10.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

My 2012 mini is used this way. I also have a HDMI plug-in so that the resolution is “normal” if I remote into it, but I ran it for quite a while without that. I also have the mini set to sync my iCloud photos, with “Keep originals on this Mac” and the mini backs up to both Time Machine and a 3rd party cloud service, so it keeps my photos safe as well as the media features.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I guess Apple doesn't have something like Remote Desktop for true headless operation.

They do, in my opinion. I use Screen Sharing and it works perfectly fine on LAN for 100% headless operation.

If you need a WAN/outside the home option, you'll want to explore 3rd party software.

 

[Boyd01]

They do, in my opinion. I use Screen Sharing and it works perfectly fine on LAN for 100% headless operation.

I think @velocityg4 meant that Screen Sharing displays at a strange resolution if you don't use a dummy HDMI plug. But aside from that, it works very well. Note that there is no audio with screen sharing however.

 

[BeatCrazy]

I think @velocityg4 meant that Screen Sharing displays at a strange resolution if you don't use a dummy HDMI plug. But aside from that, it works very well. Note that there is no audio with screen sharing however.

I use SwitchResX and get a beautiful Hi-DPI image while remoting in on my Pro Display XDR.