Re: Apple Announce New Mac minis - Media Player Perfection

[Mark McCall <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>  OK - I'm gonna play Devil's Advocate here.

Not like you at all ;)

> ...as long as you don't want to play a Blu-Ray movie. :-D

It would be nice if it was integrated.  The famous "bag of hurt"
quote=20=20
springs to mind, although I see there have been recent changes in BR=20=20
licensing costs which will hopefully make integration happen sooner=20=20
rather than later.

> I have the 2.0GHz version of the "last" model and 1080p MKVs
don't=20=20
> seem to
> cause mine any issues but maybe I'm lucky?

We discussed that last year, the 2Ghz is what's recommended for 1080p
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ukha_d/message/152744

> In the new range the baseline model has been upped from 1.83GHz
to=20=20
> 2.0GHz (a
> whole 170MHz)

A 9% Jump.  But agreed not big.

> and the top spec unit has been upped from from 2.0 to - erm -
> 2.0GHz!

Well, as you point out there's a 2.26Ghz CPU.

> which makes the top spec unit the best part of =A3800.

You don't need the top spec for Plex though.  Although I agree it's=20=20
definitely still expensive.  I'd much rather pay less of course.  I=20=20
had the Popcorn Hour for an evening and if you are prepared to put up=20=20
with a crap UI and slow firmware updates then it may be a better=20=20
option for some.

You don't mention the other changes - the base model has gone from 80=20=20
to 120Gig. The new machine uses <13 Watts at idle - up to 45
percent=20=20
less power than its predecessor  and the new NVIDIA graphics give up=20=20
to 5x faster performance (although admittedly this doesn't translate=20=20
to Plex speed - yet).

Most of the price increase is due to exchange rates I think
though.=20=20=20
The Netbook I bought off Amazon at Christmas for =A3200 is now =A3270.

> The Apple remote seems to be an optional extra now (=A315)

Yup, a sly move they first used with the new MacBooks :(

> go from 2x1Gb memory modules to 2x2Gb memory modules (so just a
2Gb=20=20
> upgrade)
> that's another =A380.

Apple upgrades are well know for their crazy prices.  Upgrading from=20=20
120gb to 320gb drive costs =A3140, when you can buy a 500Gb drive for=20=20
around =A3100.

> Hmmmm ... Plex works for me most of the time but given that I
have=20=20
> the Mac
> Mini dedicated to just running Plex (that's all it does and all
it=20=20
> has ever
> done) I do find that every so often I end up having to do a=20=20
> reinstall of the
> machine

Secretly you love restoring OS's I think Phil :)  I've run Plex
pretty=20=20
much from the start.  I'm also part of the team that tests new=20=20
versions before they are released.  I run Plex on my MacBook and iMac=20=20
and have never had anything like that.

> Add in that the UI isn't exactly the most sensible in the world
-=20=20
> going to
> "Watch Videos" gives me my "DVD share" and my
"TV Shows" share as=20=20
> well as my
> "Videos" share (It was explained to me on the Plex forums
that that=20=20
> is right
> and "Watch Movies" is just a different view of the same
fileset=20=20
> which seems
> daft to me.)

TV is under the TV menu.  Movies are under the Movies menu.  All=20=20
videos can be seen together under the Videos menu.  Yes?

> I still use Plex - don't get me wrong

OK, so have a coke and a smile and.... ;)

> - but I think it's far from the ideal
> HTPC front end. It doesn't understand a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD file=20=20
> structure
> from a network, local hard disk or USB connected Blu-Ray drive

What can though?  What's your ideal system that does all this and
what=20=20
does it cost??

> course there's no support for off air DVB-T playback or
recording=20=20
> and none
> planned.

Absolutely.  It's a media player - not a PVR.

As far as I'm concerned the Mini/Plex combination are as good as it=20=20
gets for me currently in this price range.  Wanting perfection, and=20=20
every feature for =A3500 is a nice dream.  The fact you are using
Plex=20=20
and a Mini suggests you haven't found it in reality either though?

M.




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