Things we all want in the MacMini!!!

Question

Howdy everyone,
I am very excited about the new MacIntel Mini! Some great enhancements Apple made was the addition of two extra USB 2.0 ports! Yea! They also added Front Row and the Apple IR Remote too! However, when they did this, lets go all the way in terms of a media center. I posted some things I think they should add to the MacMini either in a small revision or the next big upgrade. Or it could be the third option, basically three options for the MacMini, with these additions. If you have anything to add to this list, post away!
Here is my wishlist for MacMini:
1.) Add some coaxial cables for:
- TV
- VCR
- Cable/Dish TV input
2.) Add support for the additions, (above), in Front Row. Try to work out a deal with the Cable/Dish company so that the MacMini acts as a descrambler box. The channel can be displayed on the TV screen, as well as the time.
3.) Add one extra FireWire 400 port the the MacMini. The reasoning will be explained in addition 7, see below.
4.) In addition to the VGA adapter, Apple should also include an ADC port on the MacMini or the adapter so that it can work with Apple monitors. It is a little weird that an Apple computer would not add support for their own monitors.
5.) More Harddrive options, lets go for a harddrive that has 160 GB of storage with 16 MB Cache, and is 7200 RPM. I am not saying this should be standard, just an option for people who want extra power. The real size I would like is 500 GB HD.
6.) Once you have the connections and the harddrive, add DVR support to the MacMini. The only reason I included VCR to the list is so people can still watch and record VHS tapes as they please.
7.) Additions 6, 5, and 3 are related. If it is not technically possible at this time to fit a larger HD onto the MacMini, it would make number 6 less effective. Therefore, you can add an external FireWire HD for the DVR functions. The second FireWire port can be used for an iSight, or anything else the user needs/wants. I wouldn't recommend USB 2.0 HD's because I my experiences has taught me that FireWire has been much more consistant in data transfer rates.
8.) Add a FireWire 800 port to the MacMini. This would be used for networking, and special operations.
9.) Re-Add the 56K modem. This computer targets the PC market, and people who buy PC's don't normally have the money for a Mac. Therefore, quite a few people probable use 56K modems. In my case, I would use it for faxing purposes.
10.) There is no number ten!
Hence concludes the features I would like in the MacMini, lets move onto pricing.
$400 MacMini Solo Core
$500 MacMini Duo Core
$650 MacMini Duo Core + Extra Features
The picing would take advantage of the Low and high ends of the PC market, and with the $650 MacMini, that would compete with the way over priced and underperforming PC Media center computers, that go for thousands of dollars.

Answer 1

• Coax is not dead, quite a few people still use Coax
and have Coax installed in their homes. The question
for me was not of the efficiency of the Coax, more of
the current services the Coax provides + the fact a
lot of homes have it.
I agree there is a huge coax deployment. My dead was based mostly on looking ahead - I just don't see anyone building with it anymore - you may cerainly have a better handle on it than I and perhaps it will continue to be installed for decades (I'm sure the existing stuff will serve well for decades and only get upgraded when the devices have moved on.)
I do have to ask - how would you use coax on a mini?
• So what happens to all the ADC monitors out there
and the people who own them? Since the MacMini is
suppose to be priced competitively, why would it
leave out all the ADC monitors, spending an extra 80
bucks hurts the price competitiveness.
I would imagine that ADC support would costs a whole lot more than $80 to shrink it to fit inside a mini (not that there is any extra room - have you actually opened a mini up? It's a marvel of dense assembly)
Even if there were a compelling economic interest to support ADC (i.e. there were still ADC monitors being designed, produced and sold today) - I seriously doubt the engineering could fit in the size constraints the mini was designed for (fitting under the monoitor - sitting next to a DVD player, etc...)