Comments on: My next computer … Mac mini? http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/ coding in the rain Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:49:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Andrew http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-758 Andrew Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:40:00 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-758 Thanks for all the feedback. I found some good Geekbench and Xbench runs to compare with my current MacBook Pro. Regardless of how good (or bad) either benchmark is, the new Intel Core Duo 2 Mini is within range of my MBP. That should be sufficient for what I want to do. So I put an order in for one. Thanks for all the feedback. I found some good Geekbench and Xbench runs to compare with my current MacBook Pro. Regardless of how good (or bad) either benchmark is, the new Intel Core Duo 2 Mini is within range of my MBP. That should be sufficient for what I want to do. So I put an order in for one.

]]> By: Zan http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-757 Zan Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:43:36 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-757 Oh, one more thing... if you use encoding software that takes advantage of XGrid (like VisualHub), you can make your mini media center distribute encoding jobs out to other machines on the network when they're available. That's really handy when you want to crank through a lot of conversions. Oh, one more thing… if you use encoding software that takes advantage of XGrid (like VisualHub), you can make your mini media center distribute encoding jobs out to other machines on the network when they’re available. That’s really handy when you want to crank through a lot of conversions.

]]> By: Zan http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-756 Zan Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:38:23 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-756 I had a G4 Mac mini as our living room computer and recently updated it with a used intel 1.6G that crunches video much better and has the built-in IR for the remote. If you really want it for a high-powered desktop, I'd say go for one of the new ones, but if you can find one of the older Intel minis, they're a good bargain, and you can always swap out the processor for a beefier one. (I haven't shopped around for an upgrade yet, but I probably will now that newer versions are out there.) I also swapped out the wireless card with on of the Mac Pro "N" cards, and store all of the media files on a USB disk attached to our Airport router. Added advantage: all the files are available to me on the road with my laptop, as long as I have a good internet connection. (On a recent trip, I was still able to do my nightly laptop backup by mounting the disk over the 'net.) I had a G4 Mac mini as our living room computer and recently updated it with a used intel 1.6G that crunches video much better and has the built-in IR for the remote. If you really want it for a high-powered desktop, I’d say go for one of the new ones, but if you can find one of the older Intel minis, they’re a good bargain, and you can always swap out the processor for a beefier one. (I haven’t shopped around for an upgrade yet, but I probably will now that newer versions are out there.)

I also swapped out the wireless card with on of the Mac Pro “N” cards, and store all of the media files on a USB disk attached to our Airport router. Added advantage: all the files are available to me on the road with my laptop, as long as I have a good internet connection. (On a recent trip, I was still able to do my nightly laptop backup by mounting the disk over the ‘net.)

]]> By: mike mcc http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-755 mike mcc Sun, 12 Aug 2007 17:59:37 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-755 The mini is silent. Not just quiet - silent. To me that was a deciding factor. When I wanted to add a small, home media server appliance I looked to see if something as small and quiet as the mini was offered by another vendor, but I couldn't find anything. Go sit in front of one of those Dell machines before making up your mind. If your next box will be on all the time in the same room where you watch TV, you'll appreciate the ultra quiet mini. The mini is silent. Not just quiet - silent. To me that was a deciding factor.

When I wanted to add a small, home media server appliance I looked to see if something as small and quiet as the mini was offered by another vendor, but I couldn’t find anything.

Go sit in front of one of those Dell machines before making up your mind. If your next box will be on all the time in the same room where you watch TV, you’ll appreciate the ultra quiet mini.

]]> By: John H http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-754 John H Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:58:45 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-754 I'm looking at the Mac mini to handle some of my needs as well. I have 24/7 surveillance cameras so I want something low power to handle that job. I also want to off-load video encoding on the little guy and maybe handle some light server duties. My surveillance software is mac based (securityspy) so I'm sticking with the Mac stack. This review isn't exactly what you're looking for but you can probably gleen a lot using the information for relative comparisons. Bottom line is the Core 2 Duo is a really solid cpu and I'm really glad the mini got this upgrade: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2808 Good luck. I’m looking at the Mac mini to handle some of my needs as well. I have 24/7 surveillance cameras so I want something low power to handle that job. I also want to off-load video encoding on the little guy and maybe handle some light server duties. My surveillance software is mac based (securityspy) so I’m sticking with the Mac stack. This review isn’t exactly what you’re looking for but you can probably gleen a lot using the information for relative comparisons. Bottom line is the Core 2 Duo is a really solid cpu and I’m really glad the mini got this upgrade:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2808

Good luck.

]]> By: Jack Foster Mancilla http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-753 Jack Foster Mancilla Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:08:10 +0000 http://ascarter.net/blog/2007/08/11/my-next-computer-mac-mini/#comment-753 I have a dual 1.8 g5 tower I use as a webserver, and video editor. I have a PowerBook g4 for email, surfing, iChat. And I have a MacMini 1.67. The Mini used to just be for ElGato, and to run Parallels/WindowsXP for some windows support that I have to do. ... But that little sucker has grown in uses. ... I use it for Adobe CS3 (Intel) because it is all I had that was an Intel machine. Now I use it to download TV, and play to my large screen. Photoshop, DreamWeaver, RadioUserland, MarsEdit. All kinds of things. ... The funny thhing is that when I bought it, I thought of it as just a little nothing machine. ... Boy was I wrong about the "Little Nothing" part. ... I find myself using it for about 50% of my work. ... That surprised me. I will get another Tower to move FinalCut Pro and Aperture to. That will probably replace 90% of what I do in the Mini. ... The Mini will retain its control over TV recording Playing. It is also my screensaver for the large plasma screen during parties. ... I have 3000 images I took that the Plasma screen displays so that there is no TV, nor is there a large black spot in the room. The Mini will also be the repository of all my music, the dock for my Garmin. ... And my musical alarm clock. ;-) My photo galleries are at ... http://www.classannual.com/php/gallery/ Jack I have a dual 1.8 g5 tower I use as a webserver, and video editor. I have a PowerBook g4 for email, surfing, iChat. And I have a MacMini 1.67.

The Mini used to just be for ElGato, and to run Parallels/WindowsXP for some windows support that I have to do. … But that little sucker has grown in uses. … I use it for Adobe CS3 (Intel) because it is all I had that was an Intel machine.

Now I use it to download TV, and play to my large screen. Photoshop, DreamWeaver, RadioUserland, MarsEdit. All kinds of things. …

The funny thhing is that when I bought it, I thought of it as just a little nothing machine. … Boy was I wrong about the “Little Nothing” part. … I find myself using it for about 50% of my work. … That surprised me.

I will get another Tower to move FinalCut Pro and Aperture to. That will probably replace 90% of what I do in the Mini. …

The Mini will retain its control over TV recording Playing. It is also my screensaver for the large plasma screen during parties. … I have 3000 images I took that the Plasma screen displays so that there is no TV, nor is there a large black spot in the room.

The Mini will also be the repository of all my music, the dock for my Garmin. … And my musical alarm clock. ;-)

My photo galleries are at …
http://www.classannual.com/php/gallery/

Jack

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