question for the mac losers

[SaintHax]

is iLife like a windows media center type setup? I'm thinking about getting a mini to put on my TV (Dell 26" LCD) but it would be more of a media center type thing vs. a personal computer...so is iLife what I'm looking for?

[Cozmo D]

Sort of, I guess. iLife is a suite of programs. Most of the stuff that Media Center does is built into Mac OS. iLife does the more advanced stuff and a bit more. Only thing I'm not sure if you can do is watch TV through the OS.

http://www.apple.com/ilife/

[SaintHax]

well I have all the inputs for normal TV on the TV so I have a satellite coming in, and I have VGA and DVI inputs for the PC connection...I have a media server on the network and I'm basically looking to use it for basic web surfing, playing mp3's, and movies stored on the server.

If it will do that then that's really all I need.

[Etherspin]

you want FRONTROW... shipped with the new revisions of the mini, imac and powermac or downloadable (but not intended for the older ones...

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/frontrow101.html

as for the tv bit .. i know with the tuners you can get TV guide widgets where you put a tick next to any programs you want recorded and it does it for ya.. other than that i think its all frontrow

[Cozmo D]

well I have all the inputs for normal TV on the TV so I have a satellite coming in, and I have VGA and DVI inputs for the PC connection...I have a media server on the network and I'm basically looking to use it for basic web surfing, playing mp3's, and movies stored on the server.

If it will do that then that's really all I need.
Yep, does all of that right out of the box, nothing more to buy or install. I don't think that Frontrow works for the Mini though, since its basically a program that allows you to control your multimedia stuff via remote. As far as I know only the iMac has a remote. That would be sweet for what you're setting up though.

[eternals layre]

neither are media canter. Media center is just that a media center. Frontrow is away to access programs on a tv. If you are wanting a pvr and a way to watch networked shared movies or music, media center, sage, meedo, media portal (used xp and is free great setup) or theres a ton of linux based options, are the way to go. Apple is no where close but they arent trying (yet) That may change in jan.
I myself have media center with orb.com i can strem live video to my laptop if my wife is watching some crappy movie or there's more than one game i want to watch. Media center is limited to what cards you can have. sage, media portal have more options but you will need least a 1.2gz with 512 ram. and thats still slosshy sometimes

[Etherspin]

Yep, does all of that right out of the box, nothing more to buy or install. I don't think that Frontrow works for the Mini though, since its basically a program that allows you to control your multimedia stuff via remote. As far as I know only the iMac has a remote. That would be sweet for what you're setting up though.


it does... you can even use a bluetooth phone as a remote..
it works on other macs you just have to buy an extra remote.. griffin makes one and im sure theres a lot more comin out..

ive even seen a mod where a dude installed his Mini into his car and hooked it up to his GPS screen and was using frontrow..

frontrow is , as eternal pointed out, in its infancy..
BUT
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0511contentdist.html

[Cozmo D]

Nice! :)

[Etherspin]

ARRRG .. attention all geeks!!! ... http://www.thisweekintech.com/

Steve Wozniak has joined the TWIT podcast...

[Etherspin]

http://www.foursprung.com/2005/12/mac-mini-integrated-to-infiniti-m45.html

theres the mac mini installed into a car, with frontrow :)