Completed First Intel Mac mini Media Portal? (1 Viewer)

[gorman]

I'm planning on installing Windows & mediaportal during the weekend to test whether the MS MCE remote works - no reason it shouldn't though, as long as you plug in the insanely ugly IR receiver to an USB port.

Please, let me know how it goes.

If this works you should have no problem programming your Harmony as a standard MCE remote and using it with a Mac Mini. However, in my mind it won't get interesting before Windows drivers for the Mac mini IR receiver are released (if ever) so you can dispense with the MCE IR receiver.

Whoops... I was giving that for granted (that drivers had already been released). If Bootcamp doesn't give you drivers for everything... what's the point?.

Macs have no BIOS and I'm not technical enough to even imagine how you would implement the Windows specific S3 mode on a windows-mac unless Apple releases drivers / software for that specific purpose, but I don't see that one coming for the foreseeable future (!!!).

Again, I actually don't see why they would want *not* to release drivers for this. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my behalf.

 

[jk2300]

Naaa, maybe I'm being a bit pessimistic on Apples behalf. The reason is that altough they supply Boot camp they still use some pretty ugly rethorics on their web-page when talking about windows, clearly making a pioint of both Windows, and "Windows-hardware" are inferior products, almost to the point of ridicule.

Maybe you are right; it would be the sane thing to do to include Windows drivers for all mac-specific hardware including the IR-receiver. What they state on their website is

QUOTE
For your convenience, Boot Camp burns a CD with all the Mac-specific drivers for Windows:

Graphics
Networking
Audio
AirPort wireless
Bluetooth
The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
Brightness control for built-in displays
UNQUOTE

As for implementing S3... I really don't see it happening. I think Apple's programmers would have to jump through a lot of hoops because they must implement it purely as a software solution, which is _not_ the way S3 is natively supported in Windows. So they would have to reinvent the wheel and at the same time remove one of the biggest incentives to use their own media-center software (when that is done) - the ease of (hardware) use.

Luckily these are just my subjective opinions so feel free to comment. Guess I'm just a grumpy, prejudiced old (well, young) man

Jonas

PS: Oh yeah, will let you know about the windows experiment.

 

[prophetx2]

how did the bootcamp stuff work out? I just moved into the apt a few days ago so I haven't had much time to mess with my HTPC. Using the EFI hack method I had the remote control working just fine.

I can't wait until I try boot camp as it seems I will not need a keyboard connected to the mac mini during an initial reboot again!

 

[prophetx2]

Ok i have everything mostly setup in my apt now -=) When I get the couches in more pictures.

I reformated today and tried out the bootcamp thing. It is a much easier/cleaner install. The first problem was that the internal speaker would always output sound. I think the article on the frontpage mentioned that the user removed the connection from the motherboard to the speaker. This is not necessary. I installed the dell drivers from onmac.net and my internal speakers do not echo any more (the only problem is that your 'mic' is really your 'speaker' jack).

I'm having a hell of a time trying to get the 1-1 (1366-768) mapping on powerstrip for the syntax lt42hvi. If anyone knows how to do this it would be a great help -=)

Other than that dvi looks VERY sharp at the 1280x720 resolution. I'm about 5 ft away from the screen typing this out with no issues -=)

Media portal works great! It passed the gf test this afternoon.

 

[DeeJens]

Did you try the DVI to S-video cable on the Mac Mini? On some other boards I read that this is not working on a Mac Mini with WinXP.

Or is there a driver solution for it?

DeeJens

 

[prophetx2]

I'm sorry I've never tried the dvi->s-video output. I have no need for it and I do not have the necessary adapters to test this out.

I will say that DVI and VGA looks absolutly stunning =) I wish I can get 1-1 mapping, but at any rate the resolution i'm running at now is perfectly fine.

 

[jackmoo3]

i can confirm that the s-video works for me.

 

[uneekwahn]

Hi everyone,

new to the forums and new to HTPC systems.

Currently running xbox media centre through my 42" LG plasma and am wanting to get into the HD video content, which the xbox is unable to play.

I've looked at building a new machine using shuttles SD31P and fitting it out with a 3+ghz intel cpu, couple of gig of ram, a nice 500gb sata drive and a radeon x1600/1800 video card.

I came here to do some searching on what setups people were running and came across this thread and I think I may go down the path of the mac mini, purely because of it's eye-pleasing aesthetics.

I probably won't be running much 1080i/p HD content, primarly 720p I would guess, and am thinking of picking up the Core Duo system.

Does the Mac Mini play all 720p/1080i/1080p content flawlessly? I'll also be using the system for music and htel ikes, but primarly for tv shows and dvds etc.

Thanks in advance.

Jason.

 

[prophetx2]

the core duo mini has been reported to play up to 1080p flawlessly. I will probably upgrade my core solo to the new memron chip once they come out.

I've started to use more ffshow filtering and have seen my cpu start chocking on even dvds. I'll probably upgrade the ram and the cpu sometime in fall...

 

[Neph]

What is needed to run Media Portal on a Mini Mac, in terms of other peripherals? I like the smaill foot print the mini has.