"Apple TV" or "Mac Mini" good enough for XBMC?

jdavila Wrote:If the mini itself is an Intel powered mac, the hardware in the AirPort Extreme card is already 'n' capable, you only need to get a hand on the 'enabler' package that comes with the Software bundled into the AirPort Extreme Base Station CD (dig the net or let me see if I can post it anywhere) load it into the mac, and you're done. Did that on 2 of our macs and worked like a charm.

As long as it is Intel powered, the restriction on supporting the 'n' draft is software-only.

No, the Mac mini is excluded from the list of Macs the enabler supports. Apple probably did this because 802.11n requires beefier antennas when running at 5Ghz. I'm curious if they will increase the size of the mini when/if they update. I can't see Jobs authorizing the use of an external antenna hanging off the back, but it would be pretty tough to stuff it all into the current form factor.

gateway69 Wrote:btw with the mac mini you can update the cpu to one of the faster ones

Which type of CPU socket does the Mac Mini and up to how fast FSB (front side bus) do they support?

[EDIT]: I found the answer to my above question:

Quote:Mac Mini - Core Solo and Core

With the switch to the Intel Core Solo and Duo line, Apple has begun to use a socketed CPU in their desktop computers which allows for the processor to be replaced. The Mac mini uses the older 667 MHz front side bus and 945GM chipset (with the Intel GMA950 graphics chip).

Apple Mac Mini 1.83GHz (Model: MB138LL/A)

• Processor: 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• Memory: 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) on two DIMMs; supports up to 2GB
• Graphics: Intel GMA950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
• Hard drive: 80GB Serial ATA 5400-rpm
• Optical drive: Slot-loading Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW), Superdrive build-to-order option
• Ports: One FireWire 400 port, Four USB 2.0 ports; DVI output, VGA output (adapter included)
• Networking: Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
• Wireless: Built-in 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking, Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) up to 3 Mbps
• Audio: Built-in speaker, Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack), Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack)
  

Apple Mac Mini 2.0GHz (Model: MB139LL/A)

Same as above, except:
Processor: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
Hard drive: 120GB Serial ATA 5400-rpm
Optical drive: Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

Does anyone know if Apple released any new mac minis in their expo goin' on right now?


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senz Wrote:Does anyone know if Apple released any new mac minis in their expo goin' on right now?

I know (I kept track of the MacWorld Expo this year for that reason), and no, they did not release any updated Mac Mini.

I guess that you have to buy an 'old' Mac Mini and replace the CPU yourself if you want a fast one.
...or buy a AOpen MiniPC barebone instead (but that is off-topic discussion for this topic thread).

I just finished installing Ubuntu 7.10 on my 1.6 Ghz mac-min. Compiled XBMC and got my xbox remote working and digital pass-through. The 1.6Ghz in this config can play 720P just fine.

I still have some problem getting suspend to work all the time and I didn't have any test files to check how bad the 1080P would be, but my guess is that a no go...

I also checked and the fastes CPU on hand for this socket is a Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 Merom 2.33 Ghz.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductRev...6819111300

just a little $$$ for my taste, but I might wanna try...that could be fast enough!

madmax : when you say "xbox remote working" you plug ir on USB or native ir mac support any remote ? thx

@madmax, please respect that this specific forum is for XBMC running on Mac OS X!
(Not XBMC running on Linux!, for that you want to post in the XBMC for Linux forum)

nikothebouriko:

I have my xbox IR reciver plugged into a USB adapter cable one side got a Xbox female plug and the other side a normal usb male connector. I just like to use my original xbox remote for XBMC.

Gamester17:

I posted that to confirm that the mac-mini is "fast" enought at least under linux to run 720p content. And the add. info that one could upgrade is mac-mini up 2 2.3 Ghz. is valid for both Linux and OSX! don't be so harh on those rules...

I didn't start a new topic or something...I also try to compile and get the same I did under Linux under OSX right now...

madmax