Mini Or Windows For Home Theater 1080P For Action

Im using the Logitech DiNovo Mini bluetooth keyboard with a Mac Mini.

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It is the centralized media gateway for Live TV, DVR, Movies, Photos and Music.

Mini Or Windows For Home Theater 1080P For Action

I encode everything with Handbrake to H.264 files in 720p for comedy and romance, and 1080p for action and sci-fi.

Any of the mid-2011 (current) Mac mini lineup are capable of being a HTPC.

The new 2012 Mac mini will be even more powerful and likely more efficient.

The Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics are very bad at the 2959 frame rate issue.

The AMD 6630M GPU in the mid-range model is significantly better.

You will need more CPU power for extenders, media browser, channel logos, etc.

A desktop Sandybridge Intel i3 is capable of performing these tasks.

The system restart is almost as fast as the cable company DVR.

I also have an external 2TB hard drive and a blu-ray drive for ripping.

Using Plex for normal HT use along with MakeMKV and Handbrake for ripping.

Going fairly smoothly except for dealing with subtitles and BBCs silly 1080i format, those will require some further research.

I figured out a couple things in this process.

Norton Ghost 15 can shadow copy the Boot Camp drive.

The destination should be unallocated space.

Copy the MBR. - Extend the drive to fill unallocated space.

Do not assign a drive letter.

Immediately shutdown and swap the drives, failing to do so will cause a drive letter conflict with the source drive and failed Windows authentication (locked out to blue screen).

These steps allow you to copy the Boot Camp partition after you have applied the AHCI hack.

As shortcut3d said The Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics are very bad at the 2959 frame rate issue.

Ive seen that comment other places although I really dont understand it.

As far as I know there are no 29 (or 59) frames per second sources.

Im just now starting to rip some PAL (25 frames per second) DVDs from New Zealand.

I did a short test earlier where I tried both the Same as Source and 24 frames per second framerate options in Handbrake.

My TV is running at 24 frames per second so I thought that might be better than the 25.

I have the Apple keyboard and magic trackpad joined together with a MagicWand, and its a fantastic setup for home theatre needs.

However, it might be more than you want to spend for a keyboardtrackpad combo.

Mac Mini Or Windows For Home Theater