Does the i5 Mac Mini have Infra Red (IR)?

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lyonrouge

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#99069 12-Mar-2012 11:31

The Apple Site (http://www.apple.com/nz/macmini/specs.html) does not state IR as being included, I'm not sure if this was removed in this current generation of Mac Mini or if they didn't specify it as they consider it trivial? I was planning to use this blog http://www.geekzone.co.nz/lotech/7433 impliment teh Mac Mini, but if it has no IR that would be quite the show stopper.

gehenna

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#594006 12-Mar-2012 11:31

Pretty sure all Mac's now include an IR receiver for their remote.

mike

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#594011 12-Mar-2012 11:38

Yes, it's the black circle on the front and on the spec link you posted under Configurable Options is Apple Remote which uses IR.

MacBook Air and Mac Pro are the only Macs without IR.

lyonrouge

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#594022 12-Mar-2012 11:53

Thanks (I thought that circle was the power indicator LED).

stevenz

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#594050 12-Mar-2012 12:24

Works on mine. It'd hurt sales of the device if they removed it given how many of them would be used as HTPCs.

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lyonrouge

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#594201 12-Mar-2012 15:54

Thanks. I've rolled the dice and ordered one. Will be another voyage into HTPC arena.

Does anyone know how the analogue audio works, i.e. when a headphone jack is plugged in, is audio still sent via HDMI? If it is, can audio be switched between HDMI and analogue?

I'm connecting this to a dal zone amp, and sometimes I want sound via the primary (digital) and sometimes via secondary (analogue) and other times I would like both (not currently available on the HTPC I?m using today)

lyonrouge

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#597038 19-Mar-2012 11:07

Installed the Logitech Harmony desktop application to the Mac mini and swapped the Windows Media Centre with Mac Mini and remote worked. Up / down controls line level volume while volume +/- controls the reciever, all good.

Installed xbmc and it worked with the remote without user intervention.

The challenge now is that the Mac mini does not seem to want to allow me to toggle the audio out, i.e. it displays headphone and HDMI, but when the headphone socket is connected, it will not allow HDMI selection. Do I need elevated rights to toggle this?

Dunnersfella

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#597050 19-Mar-2012 11:45

I 'think' the only way to achieve this is to use HDMI and USB audio...
BUT, as USB is a digital stream, you'll need to run it through a USB DAC first, then connect the USB DAC to your receiver via RCA.
I've done it with my MacMini - works a treat.

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lyonrouge

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#597051 19-Mar-2012 11:46

Great news. Can you advise the USB device you are using and what is cost?

Dunnersfella

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#597069 19-Mar-2012 12:22

I'm using a mid-fi grade Firestone ILTW USB DAC... but it'll sting you $800 RRP.
However, I'm using it at the front end of a $10000 2-channel stereo. You don't need that to send audio to zone 2 (surely?) so take a look at some of the other kit from Firestone - maybe the Firestone Audio Spitfire MKII DAC? It's about $500.

BUT, if it was me, I'd go even cheaper for your zone 2 setup - get your googlefoo on and you should find what you need :-)

lyonrouge

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#597108 19-Mar-2012 13:18

That would indeed be overkill for an MP3 / AAC audio stream. I'm going to try a switch box to see if the presence of a connection causes the Mac to switch to analogue or if it's the completion of the circuit. If that works I can just switch it to a plug that isn't connected.

Dunnersfella

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#597316 19-Mar-2012 18:45

I did see a USB DAC at Jaycar for $185 today.
It's 192/24 bit asynch, so the spec looks decent. Can't comment on the sound - but the price is right!

lyonrouge

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#597463 20-Mar-2012 08:32

Basic switch didn't work, if the is something plugged in it switches to analogue, regardless of the circuit being closed out not (our maybe my cheap switch has a circuit leak).