Mac Mini for the Home

Hello,
This question has been posted many times all over the internet but the responses are not specific to what I need to know. I have a MBP 2010 that is my main workhorse for everything. I was thinking of adding a Mac Mini to my network to host iTunes so that when I take my MBP away from my network I can still stream media from iTunes. I also do not want to worry about having to remebert to turn on my MBP if I decide to stream from iTunes. Basically, I want a dedicated iTunes server.
The price of a Mac Mini is not cheap and I could build a windows platform to handle the iTunes service but I do not want to deal with cross platform issues.
I want to know what other things can I do with the Mac Mini besides have it host my iTunes library. I have a drobo fs and was going to hook that up to it for storage.
I have been reading online that I can access shared folders with the Mac Mini so I can still access the drobo from my MBP. I might want to host my own website later and thought that was a cool feature of Server.
I dont have any other Macs in my ecosystem. Could I access the Mac Mini remotely and share files that way if I want to. I am thinking if I get the Mac Mini I can off load some contnet off my MBP and some tasks to the Mac Mini. Im not sure what else I can use it for. I guess Im asking how can I get the most out of a Mac Mini?
Sorry if this thread is sort of inconsistent with asking for help. I went into the Apple store to take to someone about it and they were fixated on my Drobo thinking that it could do all the work that I wanted to do. They had no idea of what a drobo was.

OS X Server does address iOS devices through Profile Manager. I'm not versed on that because I don't use it.
Yes, with VPN you can share files and Screen sharing remotely when not on your Local Area Network (LAN).
A Mac Mini can be "the brains" if that's what you want. I use my Mac Mini as a home server. I keep files for Macs and PCs on it so those computers don't have to store them on their local computer. I use VPN so I can access files when away from my LAN. I have a USB 3.0 drive I use with the Time Machine service to back up my MBP Retina over the network. I have my iTunes files on the server and use iTunes Home Sharing to share THAT iTunes library to all computers on the network.
I purchased the base model ($599) which I feel is inexpensive for a home server. It has the base RAM of 4GB which works perfectly for me since it's not using CPU/Memory resources like my Retina does which is my day-to-day computer.

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OSX LION SERVER on Mac Mini for a home media server?

Would a Mac Mini with Mac OS X Lion Server be a good alternative for a home multi media movie server?
Has anyone done this?
If so please give advice or success stories vs. HP Home Media Smart Server (i added a link to the HP server)
http://www.hp.com/canada/products/landing/mediasmart/ex.html
I would really rather use a Mac product but not sure what Apple offers and if it will do the same or better than the HP Media Smart Server.
Again, any advice would be great.
Cheers,

It would make a great server. Bonus over Apple TV for example is that you have access via both wired ethernet and wireless. Plus if you load tools from XBMC, Firecore and others you have a significant media server. Cost is right too.
Many people are doing this - google mac mini media server or other for more info.
Total downside to any windows based system - dealing with constant anti-virus, major security hassels, lack of true media integration and PITA to update, etc.
You should be aware that Lion Server is not ready for prime time - it stil has significant issues if you are migrating from SNL 10.6.8. If you buy an apple fresh Lion Server mac mini you should have no problems.
You'll probably be pleased.

Which mac mini for the same price?

Hello. I am about to purchase a new mac mini. Either the 1.24 ghz w/combo drive or the 1.42 ghz w/combo drive..
here are the specs for the 1.25ghz model i would get:
1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 DIMM
80GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
Internal Bluetooth
56K v.92 Modem
Mac OS X - U.S. English
1.25GHz PowerPC G4
ATI Radeon 9200 w/32MB DDR video memory
Here are the 1.42ghz specs that I would get:
1GB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 DIMM
80GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
Internal Bluetooth + AirPort Extreme Card
No modem
Mac OS X - U.S. English
1.42GHz PowerPC G4
ATI Radeon 9200 w/32MB DDR video memory
Both models with the specs above will cost the same at the apple store at 774.00
I have heard the 1.25ghz model's hard drive is a bit faster at 5400rpm. Is this a good reason to go with the 1.25ghz model? The only other difference in specifications between these two models is that the 1.42ghz model also includes the airport extreme card(I dont plan on getting the base station, but it could always be a possibilty in the future).
The way I want these models configured costs exactly the same...the only differences being are the cpu speed, hard drive speed, and the airport extreme card.
I have owned a G4 dual 1ghz powermac, and a g3 800mhz ibook. Needless to say, I love apple and the OSX opperating system!
I am also considering the emac, but I am on a budget here. I will only be using this for the basic stuff(no cpu-intensive programs running here).
I also dont want the superdrive becasue if I ever need one, I will buy an external firewire burner.
Any and all advise will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer in my decision!
-jason

Whether Apple are, or are not, about to release bumped minis is not something anyone who has genuine knowledge is permitted to discuss or confirm. That there are rumors is true, but there have been rumors of all sorts of Apple products before - so proved true, but an amazing number proved otherwise.
Given the intended use the original poster described, it seems highly likely to me that ANY mini would be more than adequate. The more RAM the better, the faster the better, but where budget is tight and where there are no extraordinary user expecations or demands, a 1.25 mini with 512Mb RAM is a very capable system.
If Airport and or Bluetooth is required, the cost of adding them to the 1.25 model is sufficiently high that the 1.412 would make more sense. If a modem is needed and yet Airport or BT is desired, the 1.42 with built to order modem would be best. If using a RAM-hungry application such as Photoshop, the 1.25 qwith 1GHz RAM will run more smoothly and faster than a 1.42 with 512Mb RAM. Where processor hungry applications are involved (video editing for example) a 1.42 with 512Mb would generally perform a tad faster than a 1.25 with 1Gb - except when it comes to rendering effects and transitions etc.
If budget allows, the 1.42 model with 1Gb RAM and a modem added would be pretty much ideal for power vs cost. And if still considering after a week, who knows, there may be bumped up models - though the same general principles by which to weigh the options would still apply.

I bought a Mac Mini for the family but there's something very odd. Windows looks completely different and I'm completely confused. Is this because of Windows 8? How do I get back to my old Windows!

Windows looks completely different and we can't use the computer. We're flumoxed, we did some research and read about this new version of Windows - is this the problem? Is there a way to revert to the older version of Windows? Apple has shot themselves in the foot with this change. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Macs don't come with Windows. They come with OS X. If you want Windows, you'll need to install it yourself, or return the Mac and buy a PC.

I am considering purchasing the Mac mini for home studio audio production using Adobe Audition and a USB microphone. Will the base mini model run these programs?

I am considering purchasing the Mac mini for home studio audio production using Adobe Audition and a USB microphone. Will the base mini model run these programs?

The base mini has 4GB and a 5400 RPM hard drive. It is slow to start up and slow to launch large application such as Word (and I'd assume Adobe Audition) due to the slow drive. I've not used a new 4GB model, just the 8GB model, and the 8GB model (except for the slow drive) handles everything I've thrown at it, including running Photoshop, Word, Safari, and Mail at the same time but there is sometimes a delay switching between programs as the swapfile is updated. Overall I was not happy with the 5400 RPM drive (perhaps because I have MBA and iMac with Fusion drive) so I eventually upgraded it with an SSD. Now the mini is truly a warrior.

Which Mac mini for home server, Aperture & HTPC

Hi,
I'm buying a Mac mini for:
- home / small business server
- Occasional HTPC usage (will be hooked to my TV via HDMI)
- Occasional Aperture / iPhoto usage (minimal iMovie)
Which one is most suitable for this?
I was planing to go for Server version (with bumped up RAM to 8GB), but now I read about video card and I'm not 100% anymore.
I will NOT use it for 3D - gaming or similar tasks!
Thak you all for help!
Vasja

I went for the non-server dual core i7 with AMD GPU and am very happy with it. Do quite a bit of Aperture work and it never misses a beat (so far). I'm not a fan of integrated Intel graphics and wouldn't trust it for HTPC duties.
I'm not sure how many/much of the 'server' functionality you're going to be using as it sounds more like file transfer and other tasks that could be accomplished through normal Lion.
Unless I'm missing something I assume the two hard drives in the Mini Server are just as much of a pain to replace as the one in the non-server Mini so I didn't see the point of having a two hard disc Mini.
For your requirements I would definitely look at how much of the server functionality you really need to utilise, and if the answer is 'not much' I'd recommend the i5 or i7 non-server Mini with AMD GPU and some sort of NAS, plus a sensible offsite backup plan for your data.

After i installed updates for my mac mini server, the web services for the server app wont start, it gives an error massage: "Error Reading Settings"

After i installed updates for my mac mini server, the web services for the server app wont start, it gives an error massage: "Error Reading Settings"
The system logs reads:
Mar 29 22:06:25 server servermgrd[82]: servermgr_web: Error Domain=XSServerFoundationErrorDomain Code=4 "Failed to read settings: Exception:
          undefined method `downcase' for nil:NilClass
          ." UserInfo=0x7fc547901080 {NSLocalizedDescription=Failed to read settings: Exception:
          undefined method `downcase' for nil:NilClass

To check the local network for some of the common configuration problems, launch Terminal.app and issue the following diagnostic command:
sudo changeip -checkhostname
That'll report some local configuration information and then either no errors detected and no changes required, or it'll point to whatever configuration errors or issues it might detect. That doesn't catch everything, but it catches the common errors.
FWIW, 192.168.0.0/24 and 192.168.1.0/24 are poor choices for the local network, as VPNs are based on IP routing and IP routing gets tangled when the same subnet is used on both ends of the VPN. 192.168.0.0/24 and 192.168.1.0/24 are near ubiquitous in home networks and coffee shops.

Iv bought a touchpad app for my iPhone 5 to use on my Mac mini, all the functions work accept the zoom one, how can I fix this problem

Iv bought a touchpad app for my iPhone 5 to use on my Mac mini, all the functions work apart from the zoom one. How can I fix this please

Iv bought a touchpad app for my iPhone 5 to use on my Mac mini,''
Considering the app for the iPhone is for iOS, you may have problems using it on the Mac (Mac OS X)
Two different operating sysems.
From iTunes for the touchpad app:
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
From here > https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touchpad/id297623931?mt=8

I want to link my Mac Mini through my independent hifi system, which forms part of my home tv system which is the monitor I am using with the Mac Mini. The hdmi cable I am using comes from the receiver of the tv. I cannot get sound from the Mac Mini. Do

I cannot link my new MacMini with my TV's sound system. It's a Pioneer screen & receiver with an independent Pioneer Amp. The Mac Mini does not pick up the sound through the hdmi cable, so how do I get sound going through the MacMini so I can appreciate the music and films I want to hear. Do I need another piece of Apple kit? I have seen 'Express' on Apples web site. Surely I dont have to pay for this as well?
I used to have an Apple TV box which had a seperate audio connection from my Pioneer Amp and it worked great.
Help will be appreciated

The Mac Mini is going to be used for an Internet connection on the Pioneer Plasma/receiver so I can also play stored films from a seperate hard drive. The receiver has an HDMI connection which I have connected the Mac Mini too. the picture is fine, but there is no sound. I have checked the 'sound' settings on the Mac Mini and it registers the Pioneer PDP receiver is connected but states it has no audible connection?

I am going to buy a mac mini i7 with 3 thunderbolt displays for forex trading. the question is if i use bootcamp and run windows on the mac mini will the displays still run the same way as if i was running it on Lion?

I am going to buy a mac mini i7 with 3 thunderbolt displays for forex trading. the question is if i use bootcamp and run windows on the mac mini will the displays still run the same way as if i was running it on Lion?

No idea if Windows will do it, but you can run Windows without Bootcamp & have OSX available at the same time, which should give you all the Monitors that OSX uses.
Parallels...
http://www.parallels.com/
VmWare Fusion...
http://www.vmware.com/mac

I recently purchased a Mac mini with the Yosemite operating system, but I cannot find a driver that works for a canon MP 450 all in one printer.

I need a driver for a Canon MP 450 all in one printer to be used with a Mac mini with the Yosemite operating system.
Canon does not have a driver. Third party providers drivers do not work with "Yosemite."
Any suggestions?

Canon does seem to have a driver.... http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/printers_multifunction/pixma_mp_s eries/pixma_mp450#DriversAndSoftware

Can i use my mac mini for some users at the same time?

can i use my mac mini for some users at the same time? i mean with their own screen, mouse, and keyboard

If you're asking whether more than one user can use the computer at the same time with multiple displays, the answer is no. Other users can log in over a network with Screen Sharing, but each one will need his own computer (not necessarily a Mac.)

I now have a macbook pro and my iPod was originally sync to a pc that isn't in use any more, how do i set my mac book as the "home computer" for my iPod 4?

i dont want to lose all my apps and songs
i just want to make my mac book as the home computer so i can update my ipod

The only other thing I can think of is to pull the drive out and hook it to another machine with a USB enclosure. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-NexStar-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure/dp/B002JQNXZC/r ef=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1388312417&sr=8-2&keywords=2.5+enclosure
Then you could read it like an external USB drive. It's easy to open up and get the drive out.

Does the iPhone Remote control a Mac mini in the same way as ATV?

My ATV1 has packed in.
Rather than having my MBP switched on just to listen to music through a new ATV to my hifi I am thinking of using a Mac Mini in the same way as ATV1.
Does the iPhone Remote work with the Mini the same way as it does with the ATV or do you need to use a mouse and switch on the screen?

If intending to use the Mini s a home theater system,
you may want to consider getting Rowmote or Rowmote Pro
app for the iPhone and the companion app for the Mac.
Not only will you get Apple Remote functionality, but
you will also get trackpad and keyboard functionality
as well. This will make it even easier to navigate the
Mini on the TV.

Using a Mac Mini for DSP

Hello!
I am wondering how many users are there out there using a Mac Mini for DSP to allow for more processing power.
wondering what types of experiences people have had out there/how well the machines work together. and if you would or would not recommend doing so
i would assume that it would help out with all of the processing and makes things sound better in the end?

I don't do it on a regular basis, but I tested out using an intel mini as a node on a G5, and it worked fine. Probably added about an additional 25% of what the quad could do (so if the quad did 100 of a plugin, the mini added 25 more).

Mac Mini for the Home

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