Mac Mini as a HTPC

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mailmarshall

349 posts

Ultimate Geek

#19574 22-Feb-2008 08:44

Hi

Just wondering if anyone is using a MacMini as a HTPC which has a tv tuner and EPG recording?

Would you bee keen to share details? of your setup e.g are you using Eyetv and Elgato tv tuner?

Thanks

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

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#112242 22-Feb-2008 09:35

Are you interested in running Mac OS X or Windows Vista?

I have one running Windows Vista Media Center. More information in my blog and in some discussions in the forum.

Moire information here, here, and here.

mailmarshall

349 posts

Ultimate Geek

#112286 22-Feb-2008 13:38

freitasm: thanks for the reply.

Wow, runing Vista on the MacMini looks good but was wondering if anyone had a 'pure' Mac based HTPC..

Pretty much like you I have gone for the Mac Mini becuase its size (paper book) and it would be great to see if anyone has a Mac based solution. I don't have Vista Ultimate so cant go down your path but it looks awesome though.. :)

I can find articles on people overseas doing a Mac solution but none in NZ.

Perhaps one thing you could clarify for me is what compresion will the NZ DVB-T use once it goes live? I have heard that NZ will be different to the UK.

mruane

420 posts

Ultimate Geek

#112637 24-Feb-2008 11:22

I have just purchased a Mac Mini and used boot camp to install Windows XP (following Mauricio's blog) then upgraded the XP installation to Vista Ultimate. Rather than attach a USB tuner - I have another machine running Media Portal's TVEngine3 and the Mac acts as a client to that server. The whole kit works very well.

The Mac does come with Media software which provides a failry comfortable front end and works well with the included remote, but it needs to interact with iTunes.

In the absence of Ultimate (and in my case - even with Ultimate) I would still go with Media Portal because it provides the most flexible alternative if you have a second machine that you can use as a TV server. If not, then a USB Tuner will do the job nicely with Media Portal and its inbuilt TV Engine.

The only issues I have to resolve is why the Mac takes so long to shut down!

Cheers Mike

peteinakl

22 posts

Geek

#112646 24-Feb-2008 11:51

I'd have to second mruane. I am a Mac guy through and through, but the only comfortable solution for Mac OS X I have found over the past two years has always been MediaCentral; the weird thing is their hardware support keeps shrinking (probably to generate more revenue). Currently the only decoder they officially support is their own TubeStick, but as DVB-T (or DTT as I see it being called) in NZ will end up being H.264, I wouldn't commit to anything on the Mac until it's up and live.

My two cents: Even though I am not a fan of Windows, the bottom line is that a PC running MediaPortal will give give far more flexibility as many hardware vendors produce good peripherals with Windows support - I only wish the same were true for Apple.

mailmarshall

349 posts

Ultimate Geek

#112827 25-Feb-2008 08:44

MrUANE and PETEINAKL: thaiks for your reply. Sounds like the Mac a little way to go before it matures in the HTPC arena. I was checkign out the new EyeTV 3 and the EyeTV250 tv tuners but apart from the fact that they are expensive and not much is known about their support of NZ DTT I would probably go down Mauricio's path (with Mac Mini and Vista Ultimate) or just wait.