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slugslugslug · Nov 29, 2005, 01:46 AM

discuss

mduell · Nov 29, 2005, 03:43 AM

Discuss? No kidding. I expect to see a TV tuner option, and many potential buyers bemoaning the lack of HDTV.

OB1 · Nov 29, 2005, 07:04 AM

I hope they're right about the 3.5" hd.

Zim · Nov 29, 2005, 10:52 AM

Very much hope its a 3.5" drive, and I'll be in line the 1st day to buy one of these.

Mike

the_glassman · Nov 29, 2005, 01:26 PM

OMF, if it's true I'm going to order that 37" HD LCD and one of these to go along with it the very minute the Apple store comes back up. I so hope it's true, but have my doubts.

Lesterm10 · Nov 29, 2005, 02:51 PM

Well, there's already an equipment out there for the Mac that acts as a DVR called the EyeTV, but I guess with the an Apple Flare the remote will be like the one for Front Row and with an "Apple" style interface. But there's already at DVR out there and Iphoto works just fine.

quiklee · Nov 29, 2005, 03:32 PM

dont' think the ipod dock is necessary, but the other stuff sound great . . . i'll be first in line!

dammit . . I'm applefying out
11.4.05 - iMac 2.1
11.26.05 - ipod 60GB

now, the mac mini

and then the

PB . . .

help support my addiction!

quiklee · Nov 29, 2005, 04:41 PM

imac + http://www.netgear.com/products/details/XE104.php + Big Screen LCD = *Drool*

they better have a damn good sound card in that thing

Tuishimi · Nov 29, 2005, 06:02 PM

I don't see how they will squeeze all these added features into the current form factor.

I also wonder how cool it will run, even with Yonah/P-M? Lastly I wonder if there will be a price increase. I have been waiting for this since I traded up my mini for an iMac G5. I want a mini again, but I am wondering just what I will get (based on the article).

jhogarty · Nov 29, 2005, 06:22 PM

Maybe they will start using flash storage. Didn't they just pre-pay for some x Billion in flash? (I don't meand the flash for video storage)

J.

Tuishimi · Nov 29, 2005, 06:45 PM

I don't see how they will squeeze all these added features into the current form factor.

I also wonder how cool it will run, even with Yonah/P-M? Lastly I wonder if there will be a price increase. I have been waiting for this since I traded up my mini for an iMac G5. I want a mini again, but I am wondering just what I will get (based on the article).

lextek · Nov 29, 2005, 08:16 PM

I would love to see a Tivo like DVR in the Mini. The Mini could then be hooked up to the home theater and used as a jukebox and video source.

power142 · Nov 29, 2005, 08:43 PM

Given probable attractive pricing from Intel, Apple shouldn't have too many difficulties producing a mini capable enough to playback High Definition video in at least MPEG-2, but better still H.264. Without HD support, it's next to useless. What happened to the year of HD?

I'd be happy to be wrong about it, but I don't see Apple putting in a TV tuner at that level, so I'd be less surprised to see them offer an extra module for the mini with the tuner, encoder/decoder, remote receiver and possibly extra storage. This is all speculation though.

mduell · Nov 29, 2005, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by power142

Given probable attractive pricing from Intel, Apple shouldn't have too many difficulties producing a mini capable enough to playback High Definition video in at least MPEG-2, but better still H.264. Without HD support, it's next to useless. What happened to the year of HD?

What happened to HD? It's thriving this year! Just look at the HD iMacs, HD iSight, HD PowerBooks, HD iPods, and HD TV show downloads...

Getting back on topic, the current Dothan PMs can play 720 H.264, but I think 1080 is just out of reach (although maybe the new 2.26Ghz chips can pull it off). Assuming the decoder is multithreaded, the dualcore Jonah/Yonahs should have no problem with 1080 HD.

songoku912 · Nov 30, 2005, 01:51 AM

If this is true, sign me up.

power142 · Nov 30, 2005, 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

Getting back on topic, the current Dothan PMs can play 720 H.264, but I think 1080 is just out of reach (although maybe the new 2.26Ghz chips can pull it off). Assuming the decoder is multithreaded, the dualcore Jonah/Yonahs should have no problem with 1080 HD.

I'm sure Dothan and friends won't have any trouble with 720 and probably little with 1080 (especially the dual core chips), but I won't get my hopes up about seeing one of those chips in Apple's most inexpensive computer.... maybe that'll be the reserve of the "ultra" mini near the $900 price point (coincidentally, not so far removed from the price of a decent media PC!)

I certainly blinked and missed the year of HD

BrianZeit · Dec 1, 2005, 04:30 AM

nowt hard to see that this is where apple wanted to head-too bad they are like 5 years late on it..
but knowing apple and their innovations im pretty sure theyll fast forward to 2006

Goldfinger · Dec 1, 2005, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

What happened to HD? It's thriving this year! Just look at the HD iMacs, HD iSight, HD PowerBooks, HD iPods, and HD TV show downloads...

Getting back on topic, the current Dothan PMs can play 720 H.264, but I think 1080 is just out of reach (although maybe the new 2.26Ghz chips can pull it off). Assuming the decoder is multithreaded, the dualcore Jonah/Yonahs should have no problem with 1080 HD.

You mean the VHS iPod and VHS TV downloads

The resolution on those is nowhere near HD. And the iSight is still 640x480

.

JMII · Dec 1, 2005, 03:10 PM

I'd LOVE to get Home Theater Mac mini... however it needs several features in order for me to buy it:

1) Optical Audio out (like the PowerMac G5s) for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound
2) Ability to copy/transfer shows from my current DirecTV TiVO unit. A scheduled backup or "archive" option would be ideal.
3) Encode DVDs onto the hard drive for later playback.
4) HDTV support including component video output (RGB).

A built-in iPod dock would be great, but I wouldn't list this as a must have.

Given how cheaply you can pick up a decent DVD player with optical and component output these days a HT Mac mini has to do atleast those two things flawlessly.

I'm just not sure how Apple's version of TiVo would work, IE: just OTA (over-the-air) signals? If it can't change your satellite or cable channels to record the right show at the right time then it's pretty useless to me as the only "TiVo like" feature you'll get is the ability to pause/rewind whatever is connect to the video-in port on Mac mini.

Bottom line: I doubt they can add all necessary inputs/outputs a home theater system need and still keep the price at around $500