Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

mac mini and home theatre, a cry for help!

  • 23-02-2007 1:29pm
    #1
    Fallschirmjager
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭


    hi,

    i am sorry if this was asked before but i checked and didnt find anything at all.

    i am ripping all my movies, music, photos ets to a raid array on a home network as we speak. finally got an infrant nv+

    i was going to buy a video streamer (tvix as it happens) but the gui is like something from 3.11 windows.

    since it is also about 400 euro, i thought i maybe better holding off saving a bit and buy a mac mini instead.

    here is what i will need it to do

    1080p output to an lcd screen (more a future proofing exercise then anything else
    5.1 surround sound with dts (i believe it has a spdif out port on the back for this


    here is my questions
    1. i read a lot on the web but am totally flummoxed now. can frontrow stream movies in a .ts format from a networked drive.

    2. is the gui to the shared movies (maybe frontrow or somethign else) more file structured or graphic and by that i mean do i have to click to a .ts directory or click an image of the movie?

    3. should i wait for leopard, since i guess its about 6 months away

    4. anything glaring you see that i have missed?

    thanks for any suggestions. if it has been asked to death before..sorry for the annoyance.


Comments

  • #2
    Urban Weigl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Urban Weigl


    Have you considered the Apple TV? It's definitely a lot more affordable, and does HD TV output: 720p, which isn't as good as 1080p, but is better than 1080i.


  • #3
    Dont be at yourself
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,592 ✭✭✭✭Dont be at yourself


    1. i read a lot on the web but am totally flummoxed now. can frontrow stream movies in a .ts format from a networked drive.

    Frontrow will only play whatever Quicktime will play. You can install quicktime plug-ins to play almost any movie format, but it won't play video ts folders. It will play movies across a network, though it's not something I've ever tried.
    2. is the gui to the shared movies (maybe frontrow or somethign else) more file structured or graphic and by that i mean do i have to click to a .ts directory or click an image of the movie?

    You can play around with a demonstration of the front row interface on apple.com. It's mostly file/folder orientated, but it also recognises your itunes library movies etc.
    3. should i wait for leopard, since i guess its about 6 months away

    Possibly. I'd personally expect that Front Row will receive an update, perhaps bringing it more in line with the appleTV interface.
    4. anything glaring you see that i have missed?

    There are alternatives to Front Row for the Mac. Check out Media Central, iTheater, and CentreStage. The latter looks the best to me, but I've used none of them, so I cant really comment.


  • #4
    Fallschirmjager
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭Fallschirmjager


    thanks for the help.

    as for apple tv. but from what i can see it doesnt support what i need.

    i guess i will wait then as from what i can see quicktime doesnt support dts, 5.1 and obviously that would be a bit of a step back sound wise.

    i will have a look at the other apps tho. they might serve as a solution.


Advertisement