Running XBMC for Mac on on $199 shuttle with OSx86!
#1
Shuttle recently released their tiny KPC...
http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/04/10/s...index.html

It looks promising for it to run osx86, and then osxbmc
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=98788

Just add software.

If you need more CPU power for 1080p, start with the $99 barebones KPC, then add a more powerful Conroe. Only downside is no room for internal DVD. This could be an amazing HTPC!
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#2
Is the mac mini proving to have the horsepower for 1080p h.264? Which CPU in the mini?

The shuttle solution would probably fit an e8400 which would put to rest any CPU horsepower issue.
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#3
What about the GMA 950? Does it still have tearing?
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#4
BigJim Wrote:Shuttle recently released their tiny KPC...
http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/04/10/s...index.html

It looks promising for it to run osx86, and then osxbmc
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=98788

Crappy IGP (below of what is recommended) + no DVI/HDMI + no PCI express x16 fo fix that
Regards,
Embrion
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#5
I think one of the great draws of the mini is how quite it is.
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#6
iordonez Wrote:I think one of the great draws of the mini is how quite it is.

Shuttle offers an optional fanless, higher power, silent, and external power supply that can be used instead of the interal which is pretty quiet to start with. It'll be as quiet as a mini. Dead silent if you add noise isolation material, and a different fan.

The other option, though no where as cheap as the shuttle, nor as small as the Shuttle or a Mini, but cheaper and more flexible then a Mini is the Psystar.

If you're not brave enough to OSx86 your own PC, psystar will sell you its OpenMac clone for $400. For that price you get 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo E4500 processor, 2GB of memory, integrated GMA 950 graphics, 250GB disk and 20x DVD burner. Add another $155 and they'll even install Leopard on the non-Apple kit with the help of an EFI V8 emulator. Even at $555 it's still a spec-for-spec bargain compared to the Mac mini (albeit without the mini dimensions). If interested you'd better snap one up quick. Jobs, you'll recall, put a swift end to [i]official Mac-clone licensing when he resumed power at Apple. No reason to think that he (or his lawyers) feel any differently now.

[/i]
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/14/psyst...ist-order/
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#7
I got $10 down that OS X by the 10.5.5 updates those psystar units won't accept anymore updates/will brick forcing all their owners to switch to OSX86 anyways.
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#8
embrion Wrote:Crappy IGP (below of what is recommended) + no DVI/HDMI + no PCI express x16 fo fix that
I give up. Let's not even try.

The MacMini costs at least $500. Its not clear to me the broke-dick notebook CPUs apple uses can handle 1080p h.264. Would like to hear from someone who's tried it. I have a machine with an e6300 that can't handle it at 1.8 Ghz; I have to OC it to 2.8 and then its ok.

There are more expensive Shuttles that have PCIe and room for a DVD drive. But even this $99 one, for $200 you can put an e8400 in it. And it has one PCI expansion slot. EVGA makes a PCI card with DVI for $50 that could be used. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...E168141302

I'd do it soon, before the clowns at Psystar bring Jobs' wrath down on the whole scene.
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#9
embrion Wrote:Crappy IGP (below of what is recommended) + no DVI/HDMI + no PCI express x16 fo fix that

News Flash! Mac mini has the same "Crappy IGP"! But go ahead and pay 5x the zloty's for it...

"The numbers look too good to be true for Apple Inc.'s Mac followers -- A 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB of DDR2 667 memory, a 250 GB hard drive, DVD, and Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics, all for a lowly $399. To put this in perspective a Mac Mini with a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, equivalent memory, a 160 GB hard drive, DVD, and the same graphics processor, will cost you a hefty $949." http://www.dailytech.com/Apple+Kills+Psy...e11495.htm
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#10
BigJim Wrote:I give up. Let's not even try.

The MacMini costs at least $500. Its not clear to me the broke-dick notebook CPUs apple uses can handle 1080p h.264. Would like to hear from someone who's tried it. I have a machine with an e6300 that can't handle it at 1.8 Ghz; I have to OC it to 2.8 and then its ok.

My MiniMac @2.0Ghz/2GB ram works perfectly with 1080p. Many other reports on this subject in this and other forums...
"Use the Search, Luke..."
/Starg4ze

---
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#11
I would be interested to know how many different 1080p sources you have tested - and what sort of bitrates they reach at their peak.

I am using a Macbook with the 2.0Ghz C2D, not the Mac mini but I imagine they have about the same horsepower.

I have yet to find a 1080p source that plays flawlessly (no dropped frames)
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#12
Other than the mac pro, apple's entire line is made of laptop components, just in different packages... mac book, mini, iMac. I think on all but the iMac the disk is crippled with a laptop drive. The Mac Mini uses a 2.5-inch laptop hard drive, like an iBook or a PowerBook, and these drives are not as fast as the 3.5-inch drives used in Power Macs. A workaround is to use an external 3.5" drive over firewire. That said, I don't think disk speed is causing your dropped frames. QuickTime is reputed to have slow h.264 codecs. On my PC at least, I found that a 1.86 GHz desktop processor was right at the edge of being able to render 1080p. I had to either overclock it to 2.8GHz, use different codecs, or both. The CoreAVC codec is faster than the "graphics card hardware assist" codecs. They've been talking about porting CoreAVC to the mac for years now, not sure what the current status is. Anyway, are you using osxbmc on your mac laptop and having this problem, because I think osxbmc has at least better than average codecs.
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#13
Hear me now believe me later! Did some searching through the forums. Ran across this thread http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=31539 which says early on... "as mentioned in the forums a couple of times is that for a steady 1080p playback a 2,6ghz or even better a 3ghz is needed.. so i was wondering is this really a 'perfect' system for XBMC?"

Those numbers fit my experience. Though, I've seen a lot of mileage come out of a good codec. Like coreAVC... ok found this as of 2 months ago... "Looks like they've finally released the CoreAVC player [for mac], but is it worth it. It does not... integrate with any other software, most importantly FR." http://www.mobihand.com/product.asp?id=16794 Wonder if osxbmc can use it or what codecs it uses instead. I promise you CoreAVC was the fastest h.264 decoder on windoze.
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#14
has any one tried running the kpc with a decent cpu (2.6Ghz+) with xbmc? i am particularly interested in the performance at *1080p* under the following:

1) under linux - i've read that the 950's driver suck under linux
2) mac osx

thanks!
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Running XBMC for Mac on on $199 shuttle with OSx86!0