New HTPC (MAC MINI)

[gymfreak101]

Here is my Home theatre computer( Mac Mini) I just added to my ht collection I am building. After a huge failure trying to put together a htpc. I read alot about these on the avs forums and they are super cool home theatre computers. This is a picture showing the size next to a portable hard drive. The program I am running in the video is called Plex, it is a application which acts as a front row type program for all your media files. It will let you do everything from stream Netflix hd movies to watch basically any music video ever made in the MTV plug in. Also plays lossless audio music files. I bought the lowest model mini I could find and added 3gb ram to it. It only has a 120 gb HD but I added a 2tb external to house about 500 movies and a 100 gb of music I have. Puts out full 1080p video and encodes hd audio to pcm. Everything including the hdmi cable was about 650 dollars. Sorry about the shaky camera work.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg320/dustin052581/monstertruck009.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg320/dustin052581/monstertruck010.jpg

monstertruck011.flv video by dustin052581 - Photobucket

[tapout]

I can dig it.

[bigtoyota479]

Ya know, I'm a Mac hater for life. Let me get that out in the open right now. However, I think you may have just found a use for one. The only concern I would have is shoving that little box into an entertainment center without evaluating the cooling. It may be worthwhile for you to add/upgrade the fans in the box to make sure it stays chilly.

If it's just going to sit under the TV on a stand or something in the open air, it should be fine. Nice job mang!

[gymfreak101]

Ya know, I'm a Mac hater for life. Let me get that out in the open right now. However, I think you may have just found a use for one. The only concern I would have is shoving that little box into an entertainment center without evaluating the cooling. It may be worthwhile for you to add/upgrade the fans in the box to make sure it stays chilly.

If it's just going to sit under the TV on a stand or something in the open air, it should be fine. Nice job mang!

It does not sit in a cabinet I have a hanging shelf system I use so cooling is not a problem. Yes this is my first experience with a mac and it seems to be pretty cool. At $475 just for the mini it comes with bluetooth and wireless n built in so you can game also. Only problem is no blu ray external drives work with the macs yet, I have to download 1080p mkv files.

[tapout]

I have to download 1080p mkv files.

:crap: Those files are teh huge.

[bigtoyota479]

Yeah, the blu ray part sucks. This may or may not interest you, but if you have a Wii, you can use the WiiMote to control your HTPC via bluetooth! Just a little quirk, for us uber geeks.

Anyways, NOICE! I think you've got this shit figured out. Except for the gaming. Not having a discrete graphics card will severely hamper your ability to game.

[gymfreak101]

Yeah, the blu ray part sucks. This may or may not interest you, but if you have a Wii, you can use the WiiMote to control your HTPC via bluetooth! Just a little quirk, for us uber geeks.

Anyways, NOICE! I think you've got this shit figured out. Except for the gaming. Not having a discrete graphics card will severely hamper your ability to game.

I don't game but from what I have read it will. I actually found that the wiimote, 360, and ps3 controllers all work lol. I always thought macs were overpriced but this little thing is packed full of surprises.

[bigtoyota479]

Oh, don't get me wrong, it will play some games. I think the best it will do is Steam caliber stuff though, like Half Life 2, etc. Any more than that and you will be pushing it. Especially if you're running a 1080i TV or something.

[IamDeMan]

SUPER COOL BRO!

[gymfreak101]

SUPER COOL BRO!

thanks, I tried building a htpc with the list you gave me but I failed pretty hardcore. I guess I am either going to sell all of it off or try to build one again.

[pl8er]

I like! Good idea, and a very clean setup for an HTPC

[pl8er]

what is the list of items?

[IamDeMan]

thanks, I tried building a htpc with the list you gave me but I failed pretty hardcore. I guess I am either going to sell all of it off or try to build one again.

What? How could you not? WMC does it all for you. Or even Sage as a front end if you don't like MC would have done it just as easily as this solution you ended with.

[gymfreak101]

What? How could you not? WMC does it all for you. Or even Sage as a front end if you don't like MC would have done it just as easily as this solution you ended with.

no I know mc is similar to this program I was talking about the htpc build part, I fucked something up somewhere and got frustrated and quit. I am not to computer savy and will admit it.

[gymfreak101]

what is the list of items?

I will go home at lunch and inventory everything, its stuff like motherboard, htpc case, 4gb ram, 750 gb spinpoint f1 hd. Hd video card. 1100 dollars worth of stuff.

[pl8er]

I will go home at lunch and inventory everything, its stuff like motherboard, htpc case, 4gb ram, 750 gb spinpoint f1 hd. Hd video card. 1100 dollars worth of stuff.

If Deman helped, you may just need instructions. He pointed you in a good direction, no doubt.

[gymfreak101]

If Deman helped, you may just need instructions. He pointed you in a good direction, no doubt.

yea he pointed me in the direction with a list and you are right probably just need some guidance on the build part. I thought the case would come with good instructions but nope.

[IamDeMan]

no I know mc is similar to this program I was talking about the htpc build part, I fucked something up somewhere and got frustrated and quit. I am not to computer savy and will admit it.

Well at least you have something that seems to fit the bill for you.

[gymfreak101]

Well at least you have something that seems to fit the bill for you.

not a fan of mac I take it lol.

[IamDeMan]

not a fan of mac I take it lol.

Not of fan of anything that is restrictive. I also don't think the hardware used in that particular piece is anywhere near the level of parts I listed. In the end though, it really doesn't matter what I think, which is why I said it's good you found something that suits your needs. If you like it, then that is all that matters.

[gymfreak101]

Not of fan of anything that is restrictive. I also don't think the hardware used in that particular piece is anywhere near the level of parts I listed. In the end though, it really doesn't matter what I think, which is why I said it's good you found something that suits your needs. If you like it, then that is all that matters.

true I believe once I get the pc up and running it will offer way more including blu ray support, mac offers no blu ray support and from I read never will because they want the hidef used on a mac to come from the itunes store.