Trying to pick a Mac Mini '09, '10, or '11 models

Here's where I'm at, what I want, and what I have owned.
Let's start with owned.  3 MacBook Pro's from early 2009 model to late 2011.  For reasons out of my control, they are now in foster homes.
I have purchased Lion and Mountain Lion versions of OS X which of course can be downloaded again.
I never took the MacBook Pros out that much so am rethinking my strategy a bit differently thinking I will get a Mac Mini this time (dual boot with Boot Camp 5 and Windows 7) and later in year buy an iPad mini for portable use.  Trying to balance upgradeability, features, cost, etc is the trick.  Right now looking at the oldest being a 2009 Mini to meet Mountain Lion requirements.  Then either 2010 or 2011 models assuredly increasing in cost.  I have upgraded my MB Pro's and been a tech on many systems for long time so no fear to up the ram and HD if necessary and want to get a model to which I can do both.
I also have a huge video and music collection in Flac/Alac format for music and Mkv for HD videos.  On my MB Pros I ran a cable from the 2011 models Thunderbolt port to an HDMI port on my LED tv which worked great.  I see the 2009 Mini has a mini-displayport and mini-Dvi port while the newer ones have HDMI and Thundebolt.  For all intents as of now I have no future plans for Thunderbolt until if and when the prices become lower.  Oh, and I do need a Firewire port (prefer 800) to connect my media ext HD which 2009 to 2011 seem to have.
Since all 2009 and up will:
*Run Mountain Lion
*Are upgradeable
*have Firewire and USB
How would you choose?  I will most likely use a normal 19" or so monitor for most computer use but want to be able as I could on Mountain Lion to mirror displays to the normal tv.  I think only the newer models with Thunderbolt though will let me send video AND audio to the regular tv?  Isn't that right?
What are the forum's thoughts?  Randy

For your purposes, I would get the 2010 version of the Mini.
As a media center it will be more than adequate.  The added
bonus with that model it still has a built in DVD drive if that is
a factor.
You CAN get a 2011 model that has a discrete graphics chip
(Radeon HD 6630M). 
See the specs here->http://support.apple.com/kb/SP632.
The 2.5 GHz and the special order 2.7 GHz models were equipped
with it.  You do lose the internal DVD drive.  Personally, I prefer
to have it external anyway as in past experience (both PC and Mac)
the DVD drive was the first device to fail in the computer.

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