Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center

Zardon · May 30, 2009, 09:05 PM

Excuse the shoddy pic, but I thought id share my media center with any of our fellow mac users. Its a custom remote controlled mac mini (mixture of gyro remote/apple remote and latest apple wireless keyboard) with 4gb of DDR3 ram, 2.26ghz Core 2 Duo and Nvidia 9400 with 10TB of local storage (another 12tb over QNAP 509 Pro/409 Ultra and 409 pro NAS systems - in another room), hooked into my Samsung 100hz 1080P tv via Razer Mako Speakers.

Handles all our music (over 50,000 Mp3's), TV shows, and a mixture of MKV movie files and other HD files.

Me and the lady couldn't be without it !

Playstation 3 is for our blurays...

swimtech · May 30, 2009, 09:22 PM

Finally, you found a use for all those adapters the rest of us keep in drawers somewhere!!!

Really classy - and geeky as he... Digital video all the way to the display of course...

You've still enough free storage to handle the Library of Congress?

No editing articles from bed now!

Mac Daddy · May 30, 2009, 11:31 PM

Cool Z and looking good man

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimtech

No editing articles from bed now!

My thoughts exactly

Al_Vampyre · May 30, 2009, 11:46 PM

Nice setup mate...and if I'm not mistaken all sitting pretty on a beer fridge - Good call!!

Judas · May 30, 2009, 11:59 PM

it's so foriegn to me... i can't tell what is what precisely.....

Zardon · May 31, 2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al_Vampyre

Nice setup mate...and if I'm not mistaken all sitting pretty on a beer fridge - Good call!!

Bonus points for spotting that !

**dj_stick** · May 31, 2009, 11:02 AM

heh I like that the computer itself is the smallest component in that rig!

also is that a laptop cooler it's all sitting on?

you using your iPhone as a remote too? IIRC there are some cool apps that use the iPhone's motion detector as a way to direct the mouse pointer

Zardon · May 31, 2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

you using your iPhone as a remote too? IIRC there are some cool apps that use the iPhone's motion detector as a way to direct the mouse pointer

I used it for a while as a remote for VLC player and I know there is one for itunes, but tbh no. I use a gyro remote Gyration for VLC (and general OS use) in combination with the apple remote for front row. (Zalman laptop cooler yes, just helps keep things a little cooler when watching 1080p HD).

Have a little sony bluetooth mouse and apple bluetooth keyboard for the bed as well.

lepel · May 31, 2009, 01:50 PM

Looks nice. That zalman cooler matches all the rest of the equipment. (&whoa at the 22TB of storage you've got)

swimtech · Jun 10, 2009, 01:13 PM

Hey,
I meant to ask this when I first saw the setup and your mention of the massive storage along with the tens of thousands of media files you have stored, but I forgot...

What software do you use to manage all those thousands of files with, and how easy is it to get to your stuff? Do you ever rediscover things you forgot you had? Also, do you have this setup networked with another computer/media system and how easy is that aspect of use?

Lots of questions I know, but I really was pondering the usability issues...

Zardon · Jun 10, 2009, 03:01 PM

ive three NAS systems over the network which share files over gigabit between pc's and macintosh systems in my house.

The media center system has dedicated storage as well however as it will only ever be accessed from that machine - this would be all music or movies and not the shared files.

I use front row for store purchases and Mplayer extended for downloaded HD content as it gives the best performance and picture quality. All are controlled by an apple remote, a gyro remote and a tiny apple wireless keyboard (expensive!) and a sony bluetooth mouse if needed (not often).

I have a 2TB HD for itunes
I have a 2TB HD set via time machine to back up the itunes Drive.
I have 3x 3TB drives set for downloaded media from newsgroups or other places.
Internal Mac mini drive runs the OS with a 250gb Firewire drive via Carbon Copy Cloner to back it up.
Additional 12GB Network files are mixed Windows and Macintosh backups and files and all the NAS systems have full support across both platforms.

Belkin 12 port gigabit switch is the hub.

I do have other computers in the house for those interested.

Windows.
Nehalem EP with 2TB of storage (all pc related files) - dual boot with linux for testing.
Dell Inspiron laptop (2.4ghz)
Toshiba Laptop (2.2ghz)

OSX
Mac Mini (above)
Macintosh Generation 5 17inch Macbook Pro - 2.93ghz CPU and 8gb of ram with 1TB of shared storage (updated it with a 80gb Intel SSD as well).
Macintosh Generation 4 17 inch Macbook Pro - 2.53ghz CPU and 4gb of ram - hooked into a 30 inch Samsung screen (one I reviewed here) - with 2tb of storage.
Macbook Air - 80gb drive with USB2 backup and files (320gb).

Also have a few toshiba 320gb USB2 self powered drives for travelling and files.

Tyrsonswood · Jun 10, 2009, 03:54 PM

Nice!

comp_ali · Jun 10, 2009, 09:29 PM

Hell of computers

I see you prefer OSX over Win.

Zardon · Jun 10, 2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comp_ali

see you prefer OSX over Win.

Yeah absolutely much better operating system IMO.

Still like windows however and use both regularly. Always have done since 1989, like to keep my fingers in all the pies. Only way to do this job well on DH is to experience and know as much as possible. A lot of the site owners and journalists in this industry are limited by their own narrowmindedness and lack of experience.

swimtech · Jun 11, 2009, 02:08 AM

Amen, nothing beats personal familiarity and your own exploration of the equipment and its use.

What a great assortment - the NAS system has got to work wonders to increase the ease of access and flexibility of actually using the files when and where you want to - so much easier to set up, more reliable, and more secure than doing file sharing from individual networked computers.

Thanks so much for the insight! Gonna give MPlayer a go...

Zelig · Jun 11, 2009, 03:49 AM

Awesome looking setup.

I've just been playing with a Mac Mini the past few days, not being a big Mac person, I never realized just how mini they actually are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

I use front row for store purchases and Mplayer extended for downloaded HD content as it gives the best performance and picture quality.

Have you tried CoreAVC and/or GPU acceleration with it? Is there a specific IQ reason you're staying away from it, or something else?

Zardon · Jun 11, 2009, 07:25 PM

Not sure what you are asking Zelig. staying away from what?

and yes they are tiny aren't they? like the Nvidia ion, just nicer looking and more powerful. (and considerably more expensive obviously).

Zelig · Jun 11, 2009, 08:16 PM

If you're using MPlayer for Mac OS, I was under the impression CoreAVC didn't work with it.

Since you said MPlayer gives the best performance and picture quality, I was just wondering if you'd tried CoreAVC (regular, or with CUDA), and had decided to go with MPlayer instead?

Zardon · Jun 11, 2009, 11:07 PM

i have had more success with the perian codec pack and mplayer extended (I have a guide for the settings in the mac forums) than the coreplayer pro / codec for OSX - coreplayer pro still has some issues with AC3 streams. I dont think they give the same support for OSX as they do for windows anyway so unless you run windows via boot camp and the coreavc codec for that platform it is a bit flaky.

I don't really want to run windows for my media system, I did for a while but I find OSX is a much more stable OS, particularly for these requirements.

May 30, 2009, 09:05 PM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center Excuse the shoddy pic, but I thought id share my media center with any of our fellow mac users. Its a custom remote controlled mac mini (mixture of gyro remote/apple remote and latest apple wireless keyboard) with 4gb of DDR3 ram, 2.26ghz Core 2 Duo and Nvidia 9400 with 10TB of local storage (another 12tb over QNAP 509 Pro/409 Ultra and 409 pro NAS systems - in another room), hooked into my Samsung 100hz 1080P tv via Razer Mako Speakers. Handles all our music (over 50,000 Mp3's), TV shows, and a mixture of MKV movie files and other HD files. Me and the lady couldn't be without it ! Playstation 3 is for our blurays...

May 30, 2009, 09:22 PM	#2
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	Re: Bedroom Media Center Finally, you found a use for all those adapters the rest of us keep in drawers somewhere!!! Really classy - and geeky as he... Digital video all the way to the display of course... You've still enough free storage to handle the Library of Congress? No editing articles from bed now! __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

May 30, 2009, 11:46 PM	#4
Al_Vampyre HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,532 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Re: Bedroom Media Center Nice setup mate...and if I'm not mistaken all sitting pretty on a beer fridge - Good call!! __________________ "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad" - Brian O'Driscoll - Ireland Rugby Team 2009 Grand Slam winning Captain.

May 31, 2009, 01:50 PM	#9
lepel HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 552 Rep Power: 39 System Specs	Re: Bedroom Media Center Looks nice. That zalman cooler matches all the rest of the equipment. (&whoa at the 22TB of storage you've got)

Jun 10, 2009, 01:13 PM	#10
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center Hey, I meant to ask this when I first saw the setup and your mention of the massive storage along with the tens of thousands of media files you have stored, but I forgot... What software do you use to manage all those thousands of files with, and how easy is it to get to your stuff? Do you ever rediscover things you forgot you had? Also, do you have this setup networked with another computer/media system and how easy is that aspect of use? Lots of questions I know, but I really was pondering the usability issues... __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

Jun 10, 2009, 03:01 PM	Thread Starter #11
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center ive three NAS systems over the network which share files over gigabit between pc's and macintosh systems in my house. The media center system has dedicated storage as well however as it will only ever be accessed from that machine - this would be all music or movies and not the shared files. I use front row for store purchases and Mplayer extended for downloaded HD content as it gives the best performance and picture quality. All are controlled by an apple remote, a gyro remote and a tiny apple wireless keyboard (expensive!) and a sony bluetooth mouse if needed (not often). I have a 2TB HD for itunes I have a 2TB HD set via time machine to back up the itunes Drive. I have 3x 3TB drives set for downloaded media from newsgroups or other places. Internal Mac mini drive runs the OS with a 250gb Firewire drive via Carbon Copy Cloner to back it up. Additional 12GB Network files are mixed Windows and Macintosh backups and files and all the NAS systems have full support across both platforms. Belkin 12 port gigabit switch is the hub. I do have other computers in the house for those interested. Windows. Nehalem EP with 2TB of storage (all pc related files) - dual boot with linux for testing. Dell Inspiron laptop (2.4ghz) Toshiba Laptop (2.2ghz) OSX Mac Mini (above) Macintosh Generation 5 17inch Macbook Pro - 2.93ghz CPU and 8gb of ram with 1TB of shared storage (updated it with a 80gb Intel SSD as well). Macintosh Generation 4 17 inch Macbook Pro - 2.53ghz CPU and 4gb of ram - hooked into a 30 inch Samsung screen (one I reviewed here) - with 2tb of storage. Macbook Air - 80gb drive with USB2 backup and files (320gb). Also have a few toshiba 320gb USB2 self powered drives for travelling and files.

Jun 10, 2009, 09:29 PM	#13
comp_ali Sniper Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Egypt Posts: 10,441 Rep Power: 331 System Specs	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center Hell of computers I see you prefer OSX over Win. __________________

Jun 11, 2009, 02:08 AM	#15
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center Amen, nothing beats personal familiarity and your own exploration of the equipment and its use. What a great assortment - the NAS system has got to work wonders to increase the ease of access and flexibility of actually using the files when and where you want to - so much easier to set up, more reliable, and more secure than doing file sharing from individual networked computers. Thanks so much for the insight! Gonna give MPlayer a go... __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.

Jun 11, 2009, 07:25 PM	Thread Starter #17
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center Not sure what you are asking Zelig. staying away from what? and yes they are tiny aren't they? like the Nvidia ion, just nicer looking and more powerful. (and considerably more expensive obviously).

Jun 11, 2009, 08:16 PM	#18
Zelig HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 3,187 Rep Power: 69 System Specs	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center If you're using MPlayer for Mac OS, I was under the impression CoreAVC didn't work with it. Since you said MPlayer gives the best performance and picture quality, I was just wondering if you'd tried CoreAVC (regular, or with CUDA), and had decided to go with MPlayer instead? __________________ --

Jun 11, 2009, 11:07 PM	Thread Starter #19
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	Re: Mac Mini Bedroom Media Center i have had more success with the perian codec pack and mplayer extended (I have a guide for the settings in the mac forums) than the coreplayer pro / codec for OSX - coreplayer pro still has some issues with AC3 streams. I dont think they give the same support for OSX as they do for windows anyway so unless you run windows via boot camp and the coreavc codec for that platform it is a bit flaky. I don't really want to run windows for my media system, I did for a while but I find OSX is a much more stable OS, particularly for these requirements.