How about the Mac mini as an Apple TV with a HD?

Has anyone tried a Mac mini with its HDMI output as a substitute for the now old model Apple TV? Yes, it is more expensive and needs a keyboard but it has a huge HD that could hold all your music photos and video and be located right at your TV. Once it booted you could use Front Row and a remote to control it. Once I saw that the Mac mini came with an HDMI output, I wondered if the days were numbered for Apple TV.
Any obvious downsides?

Has anyone tried a Mac mini with its HDMI output as a substitute for the now old model Apple TV?
Yes, I did and it works great. It's a Mac, so it has the OS X desktop rather than the ATV media browser, but playing HD video through it's HDMI port is great. It can play all of my iTunes videos in addition to just about everything an ATV can't play. I'm using it mainly to watch Hulu Plus at present.
It has been correctly pointed out in the past that some HD rentals from the iTunes store are available only through the ATV, but the new ATV does not have a hard drive, so direct purchases will be impractical. I expect that rental restriction will change in iTunes 10 as all content for the new ATV will have to stream from another location.

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Is the mac mini g4 spost to come with the hardware test disks?

Hi,
Is the mac mini g4 spost to come with the hardware test disks?
If so how do I get them?
I did not get it when I got my mac mini?
Thanks.

I know that booting up while holding the D key with the Install disc in the drive will boot to the Apple Hardware Test on a Macintel, and although I haven't tried that key on my G4 yet, I believe that the proper way to select AHT as the startup volume from the Install disc is to do so from the Startup Manager (which is accessed by holding the Option key during startup) ...

Opinions about the Mac Mini

Hey!
I wanna know if Mac mini is good performance.
I would like to use it mainly for Web Design (Photoshop) and Video Editing (less than Web Design though)
What's your opinions about it.

Hello,
The Mac Mini is a great computer. And, it is capable of doing everything you are asking about.
But, you will potentially find it less pleasurable to use for intensive graphics work than an iMac.
The Mac Mini uses an Integrated Video system that borrows it's memory from the system's memory. So, it's performance is going to be lower when compared to the iMac.
This primarily affects things being drawn to the screen, not the processing of information / graphics data.
So, you won't find a problem in terms of crunching information and producing stuff. But, you may observe in some situations that the video / pictures being displayed on the screen may lag a bit.
But, you'll usually only notice that in something with a high frame-rate (such as animations) or in 3D drawing or animation.
Otherwise, it's a perfectly fine computer.
It's price is a bit high for the lower performance it offers in comparison to the iMac systems. So, if you really want the best performance and the most for your money, then look towards the iMac.
But, if the performance of the Mac Mini is acceptable to you, and you already have a large monitor that you like, then the Mini may be a good buy for you.
My main complaints are that the CoreDuo model has rather humble specs compared to the iMac and it costs $800 before you add the additional memory that you will definitely want.
The iMac starts at $1299, but comes with a monitor built-in, a much faster microprocessor, a significantly larger hard drive, and a dedicated graphics controller with it's own memory. So, you really get a good deal for your money.
So, the way I see it, the Mini is an excellent computer, but hardly a deal when you compare what you get for your money.
The iMac costs a bit more, but you get a lot for your money.
And, you can always buy a refurbished iMac from Apple, and get the price as low as $1099.
Apple Certified Refurbished Products
Either way you go, you'll get a great computer. You just need to decide how much computer you want for your money.
If you want a system with a large (and fast) hard drive, a fast graphics card, fast processor, and large screen, then go with the iMac.
If you just want a computer that will get the job done, and have your own monitor already, then the Mac Mini may be a good purchase for you.
You should also consider that Adobe has not upgraded their programs to be "Universal" yet. So, they will run using the slower and more demanding "Rosetta" translator built-into OS X.
This means that you will need more memory (to hold the translated code). It also means that the performance of those programs will be slower. So, you'll want the fastest processor you can get (or afford) to help off-set the reduced performance.
Basically, Rosetta is a translator that converts PowerPC code to run on Intel processors. This translated code is stored in memory while you are using the program, and therefore requires more memory to operate. So, you'll observe a decrease in performance if you start running low on memory. So, you'll want as much memory as you can get (1 GB or 2 GB would be preferable).
Additionally, running in Rosetta is slower. So, you'll want a faster processor to help speed things up a bit when using older PowerPC programs.
It has been said that Photoshop will run acceptably on the iMac, but it is noticeably slower. I could only imagine that it would be even slower on the Mac Mini due to it's slower processor.
I hope this helps.

How does the mac mini perform with cs5

Just curious
How does the Intel HD Graphics 4000 in the new mac mini perform with cs5 photoshop cs6 photoshop?
thanks
Ted

Jeff, I appreciate your comment, so you haven't had any problem with using the painttools in CS 6 photoshop and the 3d type etc, in other words all the features that CS6 photoshop has.
I was thinking about buying the mac mini but was concerned how it works with CS 5 (which I have) I will have to take another look at the MiniMac server with the 3000 card. I do a lot of Digital Painting primarily Painter 12.2 but and would like to use the Painter brushes in CS 5 ( have not upgraded to CS 6.) My Imac is 6 years old and really is not fast enough.
Thanks for replying
Ted

Thinking about the Mac mini

I've wanting to get a mac and at first I was thinking about buying a Imac at first but then came across the mac mini which is a lot more cheaper and I wont be doing anything crazy on it mainly web surfing, watching videos online, stuff like that about it. Is the mac mini worth it for me to get it? Just weighing out all my opinions on what to get. So is the mac mini a good buy? This would be my first ever mac computer.

Dundee15 wrote:
However might upgrade to the Magic Mouse and apple keyboard
Good idea! That's what I did. Although I bought the Apple Wireless Keyboard and the Magic Trackpad instead of the mouse. I really like the Apple peripherals. And I'm using a 22" Dell monitor that I kept after selling my desktop PC.

How to Register mac mini into my apple id

I want to reigster my mac mini to my apple id.
for that i want a step by step procedure to solve this regours issue.

Your Support Profile for Registered Purchases

How does the MAC Mini Work?

Im having trouble understanding is that just the modem that you plug into a computer screen? also if i get a mac mini with alot of extra ram will i be able to run IMOVIE and IDVD and burn dvds with no problem and with good speed?

Julie
You lost track of your thread! Go to the right side of the screen and click on "My Posts". Your question sparked quite a discussion.
Your answers are here:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?128@@.68b9bfab

Two questions about the mac mini

How does one connect an external mic if the audio port is being used for speakers?
Having trouble installing external Newer Tech V2 hard drive thro Fire wire port.
Thx

u need an imic or similar to input audio via usb as the jack connector on the back is output only, well on the G4 it is anyway, i assume its the same in the intel. You could also get a USB microphone instead. heres the imic: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/6254000/wo/GY38d OmSXqL4236FZ1DpkFLeSf7/1.0.19.1.0.8.25.7.11.0.3
hope this helps.

How reliable is the Mac Mini or iMac (2009) models?

Greetings to you all. I have a question directed at anyone who owns the 2009 Mac Mini or has recently bought a Mac Mini either last year 2009 or this year, 2010. My Acer Aspire L-100 finally died on 29th Dec 2009 as a result of USB failure caused by a windows auto update. Fed up with Microsoft, I am thinking about switching over to Mac and thought the Mac Mini or iMac would be a good start. I am however troubled by the numerous complaints I am reading on the Apple website posts regarding the 2009 model Mac Mini loosing sound after a month or two of use and some posts claim that the sound on their Mac Mini is distorted, crackling and some had broken systems out of the box. How many of you have had similar sound issues with the Mac Mini? Also, is it better to get the iMac 21.5 inch instead? Has anyone had hardware issues with the Mac Mini and or the 21.5 inch iMac in less than 2-6 months of use? If so please let me know so that I can make up my mind, whether to purchase Mac computer platform or just build my own customized machine. What I need to know is, how reliable or durable is the mac mini computer, especially the 2009 model and how does the mac mini, especially with its small size, handle temperatures? Does the mac mini overheat? Please help. All information will be highly appreciated.

Remember, Apple offers a 1 year hardware warranty and 90 days free software support, both of which can be extended to three years from date of computer's purchase. This means if you appear to have what is a technical issue with your machine off the bat, Apple will cover the lemon issue, if it is obvious it is not an issue you the user could have caused. Mind you, if issues appear much later during the ownership, it gets harder to justify that it is a manufacturer issue. As long as you don't upgrade the internal hardware, the hardware test CD that comes with the machine will be able to tell if there is a manufacturer issue with the machine. All bets are off, if you change the RAM, or hard drive beyond the specs of the machine. Apple publishes the specs of the machine on http://support.apple.com/
Your machine shouldn't overheat unless you excede the published specs.
The advantage of the Mac is that malware and viruses are practically a nonissue, and everything you usually could desire is already built-in to the machine. So while you could build your own machine, you can't really get the integrated hardware and software as you do with the Mac.
Yes, the 27" iMac has been hit hard with issues, more around the display than anything else. I for one, if were forced to get an iMac, would get the 21.5".
I've not seen any specific Mac Mini issues really come to the fore.
If sound is lost on a Mac Mini, it usually is due to the fact that minijack connectors themselves are fragile to begin with, and endusers tend to jiggle them a lot in the connector, causing the connectivity to get lost. If you are careful to follow these directions about cables*:
http://www.macmaps.com/frayguide.html
You should avoid most of those issues. Thankfully there are 5 USB ports on Mac Minis, and USB audio is frequently better than the built-in audio, except when adding your own 5.1 speaker system with mini-Toslink connector speakers.
Don't forget the number of posters to this board, don't even amount to 1 tenth of a percent of all purchasers of iMacs, Mac Minis, or MacBooks any one quarter. Thus the remark you said was "rude" is not. It is factual. You are basing your information on what amounts to less odds of happening than a space program disaster with NASA. Mostly people who have problems are posting, and those who don't rarely do post.
I recently had a hard drive die after the three year warranty was spent, but hard drives I've seen die on Acers and Dells on the first day of ownership too, so that's nothing new. Backing up your data is the best way to deal with data loss*:
http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html
- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

I want to hook up a mac mini and us my tv as a monitor. how can I use airplay from my phone on the mac mini like i can with an apple tv (without having to buy an apple tv!). the airplay capabilities i want to use are mirroring and streaming from my iphone

i want to hook up a mac mini and us my tv as a monitor. how can I use airplay from my phone on the mac mini like i can with an apple tv (without having to buy an apple tv!). the airplay capabilities i want to use are mirroring and streaming from my iphone!

Download AirPlayer for Mac - Transforms your Mac into an AirPlay-compatible display. MacUpdate.com

How Well Does the Mac Mini handle Garageband?

Hi, I'm wondering about how well the mini handles garageband. My sister may finally be leaning towards getting their first mac for her family. They are long time old version windows users, I think they have a 6 year old HP running Win2k still. So they don't do a whole lot with the pc as it is. They are a musical family, very involved with their church and school. She has finally realized that macs are widely used in music creation (even though I've been telling them that for years and she's starting to do some research on garageband. I recommended the mini since budget is a big priority for them. Am I setting them up to be disappointed? I've already told them to wait until the intel version is released since it will most likely be faster/more effecient. After spending say $800 for mini and non-apple lcd and 1gb of ram, would going the extra $500 to get the imac instead be the smartest route. Just concerned its either going to be not enough power (mini) or more then they're ready for (imac). Any thoughts?

Hi Leandro
I use GarageBand 3 on my mac mini without a hitch
what so ever and I can even have several other fairly
intensive apps up and running without it
complaining.
Considering that your sisters family are using the
system that they currently own without really feeling
that they are falling behind, the mac mini will be a
fantastic advantage to their lifestyle. It's plenty
powerful and it's pretty much silent meaning that it
would make a great "first mac" for them to
experience. With regards to the intel mac mini, we
don't know that there is going to be one as of yet.
Steve Jobs did however, announce that all Macs were
going to be purely running on an Intel Core by next
year, meaning that if Apple don't discontinue the mac
mini line, it would be of a greater advantage. There
is no indication as to when an intel chip will appear
inside a mac mini, so you could well be waiting
anything from a matter of days to months or even
never!
At the end of the day, the current mac mini, some of
which are now shipping with a 1.5gHz G4 processor and
64MB Graphics will be the perfect solution for your
sister and her family.
Hope this helps
-pos
thanks for the quick reply. I am concerned about them having a positive first experience with a mac, I've been preaching it to them for a good ten years now! Her husband is the real stubborn one, he would need the most convincing. Good to know that it runs well on the mini and with such praise. Which model do you have and did you max the ram? I told her about the hard drive/hub stack kit which would have a faster drive to boot from. I forgot about the 1.5's. I was sure it was a rumor. Didn't know about the 64mb video card though...that would be a great boost as well!

How stable is the mac mini as a server?

Hi List,
I am planning to get the mac mini with snow leopard server.
Has anyone tried it?
How stable is the mac mini as a server?
I'd be setting it up for 10 mac clients.
It will be used as a file/print/dhcp server.
thanks.
Dp

max out the memory to reduce / eliminate paging. although you might not need to in your situation. I think printing is a light use of memory. Inkjet printers are heavy on the cpu.
electronics don't usually fail. It's the moving parts. Doesn't the mini take the 2.5 inch drives that are not as reliable as the 3.5? An external drive will get past this.
You could get an external bootable harddrive.
You need an external Firewire drive to boot a PowerPC Mac computer.
I recommend you do a google search on any external harddrive you are looking at.
I bought a low cost external drive enclosure. When I started having trouble with it, I did a google search and found a lot of complaints about the drive enclosure. I ended up buying a new drive enclosure. On my second go around, I decided to buy a drive enclosure with a good history of working with Macs. The chip set seems to be the key ingredient. The Oxford line of chips seems to be good. I got the Oxford 911.
The latest the hard drive enclosures support the newer serial ata drives. The drive and closure that I list supports only older parallel ata.
Has everything interface:
FireWire 800/400 + USB2, + eSATA 'Quad Interface'
save a little money interface:
FireWire 400 + USB 2.0
This web page lists both external harddrive types. You may need to scroll to the right to see both.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATAFW800_FW400USB
Here is an external hd enclosure.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MEFW91UAL1K/
Here is what one contributor recommended:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10452917#10452917
Folks in these Mac forums recommend LaCie, OWC or G-Tech.
Here is a list of recommended drives:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5564509#5564509
FireWire compared to USB. You will find that FireWire 400 is faster than USB 2.0 when used for a external harddrive connection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UniversalSerial_Bus#USB_compared_toFireWire
http://www23.tomshardware.com/storageexternal.html
Here are two utilities for making a complete backup of your internal hard drive. I've recommend using one of these so that you can create a bootable system on your external hard drive. ( PPC require a firewire connected drive. ) Once created, you can run your system from the external drive. Hold down the option key on your keyboard then power on your machine. This will bring you in startup manager click on the drive image you wish to boot then click on the arrow key to the right.
"Clone, synchronize, backup. Schedule and forget it."
http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
"SuperDuper is the wildly acclaimed program that makes recovery painless, because it makes creating a fully bootable backup painless."
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
Robert

How can I connect multiple speakers to the Mac Mini?

Just received and setup up my new Mac Mini (Dual-Core i7, 8GB memory, 750GB disk) with OS Lion. Still in newbie phase. I have a set of 3-way Boston Acoustic speakers (w/ subwoofer) from an old Gateway computer. Is there any way/adapter available to connect them to the Mac Mini in order to improve music played within iTunes. Appreciate your responses.

Here's Apple's link to information about scanners that are supported by Mac OS X:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/scanners.html
-Doug

Does The Apple USB Modem Work With The Mac mini ??????

Just wanted to know if anyone has successfully used the new Apple USB Modem with the Mac mini, is it compatable ????
Thank you for your input on this.
Mike D.

It says it works with the Mac mini, but does it really? I just received my modem yesterday and could not get it to work with my 1.42 mini - the more expensive one that comes without a dialup modem! I looked carefully at the specs and it appears the Apple USB modem requires Mac OS 10.4.3, not the 10.4.2 that comes with the Mac mini.
Talk about stupid! And the mini docs say it comes with the "latest" version of Tiger. Not! So I can download the upgrade, I guess. IF I could get on the internet! This is extremely annoying. I guess I'll have to download the upgrade on another computer and transfer it somehow. Boy, those Apple guys sure are tech geniuses, aren't they???
[ Edited by Apple Discussions Moderator ]

How do I transfer files from one user account on the mac mini to another user account?

I had to set up a new user account for my son. I need to transfer files from his old user account and from my user account to his new user account on the mac mini. How do I do this?

Move them to /Users/Shared/ and then into the new account.
(85692)

How about the Mac mini as an Apple TV with a HD?

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