I am buying a MAC MINI :-)

[Thaiman]

Anything I need to know before press that "buy now" button?

cheers

 

[chebby]

Thaiman:
Anything I need to know before press that "buy now" button?

cheers

Yes. If you only intend to use it for iTunes then a 160GB Apple TV is cheaper. (You can spend the saving on an iPhone or iPod Touch to use as a nifty remote.)

A Mac Mini on the Apple store is £450 (with 160GB HD option).

A 160GB Apple TV is £263.

 

[Anonymous]

I assume you are going to be using it as a music server of some sort... how are you planning on getting the music from the Mac to your sound system?

 

[Thaiman]

My plan is MAC MINI/NAS server + (optical output) into Marantz CD 7 digital input (the rest are Mcintosh MA 2275 and ART Emotion Signature)

Then 2 Squeeze box classic (1 for pub and the other for restaurant) streaming of the MAC.

I hope they should work OK

 

[Anonymous]

It should work well. The squeezebox classic is excellent (with the right DAC). As far as the optical out it seems to me that the mini uses a mini optical out - it's very hard to find the cable in this part of the world - hopefully your source will be able to sell you one. The Mac is an excellent platform; I'm sure you will be happy with it.

 

[Thaiman]

I think without DAC, the squeeze box should sound OK as a back ground music in the commercial place.

Question?

Is it run noisy?

Does the Video output support 1080i?

The Squeeze box will be about 30 - 40 yards away from Mac Mini with at least 2 bricks walls, would the signal still be OK?

 

[Anonymous]

The Mac mini will support 1920 x 1200 so resolution should not be a problem. As background music the squeezebox will be fine without a DAC. The mini is extremely quite; but I am worried about the distance and the brick walls for the wireless signal. You may need to look into some sort of wireless extender.

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman, what speakers/amp do you have in your pub? I know this is going to sound really wiered, but apparently the Mac Mini has a brighter sound than the apple TV?! Don't ask me why, it's just what I have been told...

 

[Thaiman]

The pub is Linn magik and restaurant is Cyrus 7.

Mac mini will only work as a server for the pub but it will also act as a transport in the main system, hughsey.

I am working on that "MAC" have a bit perfect data output so it should have no effect on sound quality (as a transport send 0 1 0 1 signal in to the pair of almighty DAC that build into Marantz CD7)

After a little dig posts direct at Ashley (the AVI top man) a while back, I did some intesnsive research on the PC base music and I am now thinking that he might be right! (if that is the case, apology post will be coming your way soon Ash

)

Can anyone tell me if the DVI output on the back of MAC mini can carry sound as well as picture or not?

 

[Anonymous]

DVI output is a video only output (although I don't have the specifics of the Mac Mini).

If I was you and not in a huge hurry I would wait a little while with the Mac Mini.

A new model is apparently just around the corner. Its going to be smaller and better in the graphics department so probably also better suited to playback of 1080p.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OT: Thaiman, with a Cyrus hi-fi system, I've got to have a meal at your place! Where abouts are you?

 

[John Duncan]

Thaiman:
Anything I need to know before press that "buy now" button?

cheers

OSX isn't as good as they make out?

 

[John Duncan]

Thaiman:The Squeeze box will be about 30 - 40 yards away from Mac Mini with at least 2 bricks walls, would the signal still be OK?

That will be more dependent on how your wireless network is set up (router etc) than the Mac per se. How's it set up at the moment?

 

[Thaiman]

John, I haven't bought it yet mate! The Yamaha wireless system is still in place but due to the distance from main server, it can be a bit of a hit and miss (depending on the weather!)

I am not going to use it for Photoshoping or Quarking! It is going to be for entertainment purpose only.

Although If the post above is true (next generation is out soon) I might even hang on and see as it might be good enough to replace my DVD player too.