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Using a Mac Mini with a HD TV - specs needed?

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  • 28-11-2010 4:21pm
    #1
    BOZG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭


    Hey,

    I want to buy my girlfriend a Mac Mini for Christmas but not sure what spec machine to get. It will basically only be used by her to watch films on her 42" HD TV and nothing else really, so I doubt it's worthwhile spending a fortune on a new one just for that so I was looking at picking up an older, secondhand one but I'm not sure what type of spec I'm looking for.

    Does anyone have any suggestions?


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    #2
    iMax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,489 ✭✭✭iMax


    Any of them are suitable. The only difference in the older & newer is the sound goes through the HDMI on the 2010 model as well as the video. With the older ones you'll need a 3.5mm to RCA into the TV or optical cable to amp for surround. Mine is a 2008 (1gb ram/80gb Hard drive & 1TB external) model with a DVI -> HDMI connector & an optical to amp & I'm running plex on it no problem.


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    #3
    BOZG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭BOZG


    Ah cool, thanks. What processor is your model?


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    #4
    akadesign
    Registered Users Posts: 406 ✭✭akadesign


    Are you only using it to play video? You could probably pick up a media player of some kind that would do the same job.


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    #5
    BOZG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭BOZG


    akadesign wrote: »
    Are you only using it to play video? You could probably pick up a media player of some kind that would do the same job.

    Yeah, I had thought about the media player option. She likes Mac though and is comfortable with them which is why I wanted to look into it.


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    #6
    BOZG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭BOZG


    Another reason was that she could directly download to the device which doesn't seem to be an option with any of the media players I've seen.


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    #7
    iMax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,489 ✭✭✭iMax


    You can with the Popcorn Hour. It has it's own torrent engine built in.


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    #8
    acous
    Registered Users Posts: 486 ✭✭acous


    Make sure the GPU in it is a Geforce 9400m or 320m, as these are the only GPUs which support hardware accelerated video decoding under OS X. You may have issues playing back 1080p content on a model with Intel GMA video.

    Alternatively, if you don't mind Windows and a bit of fiddling around, an Acer Aspire Revo is a cheap machine that will do the same job including 8 channel HDMI audio. No optical drive though. I picked mine up pretty cheap from ebuyer. Any of the top 6 results here will do silky smooth 1080p, but the linux versions need to be wiped in favour of Windows.

    If you want easy, stylish and easy to integrate with existing macs, go Mac Mini + Plex.

    If you want cheap with a slightly harder initial setup, I recommend the Acer or another ION based nettop + XBMC.


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