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Media Center Project: Gathering Ideas
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Moderator  Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
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I've bought new speakers and I can hear that my iPods (and iBooks) audio out just isn't good enough. I have another machine, but it's a Netfinity 5000, it's as loud as a vacuum cleaner (which defeats the purpose of new speakers).
Just by (lucky) coincidence, I bought two 15" LCDs really cheap (2 years old, 85 € a piece), and I want to use them to build a little media center.
Here's what I want to do: I want to build a quiet, not too expensive computer system that'll interoperate with my iBook as well as possible. This means, it should share its music library one way or the other. The system should be quiet, so I can enjoy the music. Then, the audio out should be good, so it's ok if I have to put in another sound card.
If possible, it should be fast enough for movies as well.
I'm familiar with FreeBSD, Windows, and MacOS X. If I have to, I could do it with Linux, too.
I think the question of hardware is easier than software. I don't like Windows that much, I would prefer using a *nix system.
In then end, I would like to have a GUI for all that. I want to be able to put playlists together, add new CDs and preferable understand .aacs with DRM (meh, iTunes Music Store). iTunes itself does a pretty good job, but alternatives would be ok, too.
Can you give me some ideas how I can achieve my goal? Does anyone have a similar config running?
Another comment: I wouldn't mind Mac hardware at all, but in general it is more expensive and if I get Mac hardware, it should run at at least 500 MHz, otherwise I can't run Panther or Tiger on it. (It's just for iTunes and/or movies, for multitasking it's too slow.) I'm saving for a PB G5 (looks like I still have time), but I don't wanna spend too much on a machine that doesn't need to be too powerful.
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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Washington, DC
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Save yourself a ton of headache and money and buy something like this.
http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyehome
It's probably not what you were thinking of, but I'm VERY happy with my setup. The only down side is that all the movies etc. would have to be on your Mac (and you probably have a small HD on your portable... just get a firewire drive).
Other then that... wait until tomorrow.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
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"I start fires!"
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Moderator Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status:
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Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
Save yourself a ton of headache and money and buy something like this.
http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyehome
It's probably not what you were thinking of, but I'm VERY happy with my setup. The only down side is that all the movies etc. would have to be on your Mac (and you probably have a small HD on your portable... just get a firewire drive).
Other then that... wait until tomorrow.
I have a FW drive, but it should be an autonomous solution if possible. Then, believe it or not, I don't have a TV! 
My music and my movies are on a 250 gig FW hd ...
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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Washington, DC
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Originally posted by OreoCookie:
I have a FW drive, but it should be an autonomous solution if possible. Then, believe it or not, I don't have a TV!
My music and my movies are on a 250 gig FW hd ...
I was thinking of connecting the Elgato EyeHome to the LCDs, but I can accept the autonomous requirement. Side note, the elgato uses very little resources from your computer.
ALSO, if you are in a dorm and on a local network (that isn't locked down a ton) you could take the box to another room with a TV and use it over the network with your Mac.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Why don't you wait a day or two, Oreo? Maybe Jobs will introduce something tomorrow that'll make you rethink your project.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: London
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I've got a cobbled-together 'media centre' using an old yikes! g4 (too slow).
I'd get a headless iMac (assuming they're announced).
Remote Control: Belkin DMR
Radio: Griffin RadioShark.
TV: Hmm, tricky. Japan seems to have gone with its own digital TV standard (ISDB) - so I think you'll have trouble finding a digital tuner that will work with a Mac. You might have to go with an analogue tuner.
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Moderator Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status:
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Originally posted by Diggory Laycock:
I've got a cobbled-together 'media centre' using an old yikes! g4 (too slow).
I'd get a headless iMac (assuming they're announced).
Remote Control: Belkin DMR
Radio: Griffin RadioShark.
TV: Hmm, tricky. Japan seems to have gone with its own digital TV standard (ISDB) - so I think you'll have trouble finding a digital tuner that will work with a Mac. You might have to go with an analogue tuner.
I'm back in Germany already, but I'll probably return soon, yet another reason not to spend too much.
The thing with the headless mac is that it'll probably set me back quite a chunk of change that I'd rather use for a PB G5, but I thought about that, too.
But then, my media machine would be considerably faster than what I have now …_ 
The guys in the forum that was suggested some posts earlier seems a bit extreme
Thanks for the ideas, keep it coming …_there's an iTunes streamer (iTunes sharing) for *nix which would be interesting, I think.
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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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