Configure your own Apple Mac mini. All refurbished Macs from OWC are fully inspected and certified by our technicians to perform reliably and at peak performance. 14-day 100% Money-Back Guarantee FREE shipping within the contiguous 48 States Warrantied and backed by OWC's US-based support team. Find your TV's HDMI input. While TVs can use a variety of video inputs, HDMI is the most commonly used one for high-definition televisions. You'll have the best results using the HDMI input on your TV when connecting to your Mac.
The Mac mini is a tiny computer with enormous capabilities. Measuring just 7.7 inches (19.7 centimeters) square and 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters) high, this small machine can be connected to almost any large display screen and numerous peripheral devices. Introduced by Apple in 2005, the Mac mini was marketed towards people switching over from PCs to Macs. The upgraded 2011 model, priced at $599 for the most basic version, is the perfect computer for a budget-conscious computer buyer who wants to move on from PCs but who also doesn't want to splurge on an iMac [source: Apple].
Because the targeted audience is former PC users, the Mac mini is sold without a mouse, keyboard or screen. PC users can use all of their old accessories with their new Mac mini while enjoying a new easy-to-use software package. Because of its small size and multiple ports, many Mac mini customers use the system as the hub of their home media center. It's nearly silent when running, stores easily and is less susceptible to viruses than a PC.
Advertisement
Advertisement
The 2011 Mac mini includes a new innovation, Thunderbolt. This upgraded display port supports both video and data connections and is capable of transferring data at 10 gigabits per second [source: Apple].
One possible downside to the Mac mini is its lack of an optical drive, a cut that might be a deal- breaker for people who frequently use their computers to read CDs or DVDs. Although this move cuts down on Apple's costs in production, and CDs and DVDs might soon become the next floppy disk (replaced by streaming data), the lack of a CD drive may isolate customers who primarily want to use the Mac mini as a part of a media center. On the upside, you can use the DVD or CD sharing feature of the Mac mini's operating system to wirelessly borrow the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. In other words, you can install applications from CDs or DVDs without having an optical drive in the Mac mini.
Read on to learn more about Mac mini specs.
Advertisement
Contents
The Mac mini is available in three versions, and these specs are for the most basic computer. The Mac mini is 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters) in height, 7.7 inches (19.7 centimeters) wide, 7.7 inches (19.7 centimeters) deep and weighs 2.7 pounds (1.22 kilograms). It is equipped with a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache processor and has 2GB of memory and a dual 500GB hard drive [source: Apple].
In terms of available storage space, the Mac mini is configurable to dual 750GB hard drives, single or dual 256GB solid-state drives or 256GB solid-state drive and 750GB hard drive. It features Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 288MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory [source: Apple].
Advertisement
Advertisement
What sets the latest Mac minis apart from other home computing options is the addition of Thunderbolt port, which Apple says is 12 times faster than the previous FireWire 800, can handle several peripherals at the same time and allow 10 Gbps of throughput in both directions. There is also an HDMI port to connect your big screen HDTV, an HDMI to DVI adapter, and support for dual display and video mirroring [source: Apple].
The Mac mini also has a FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps), four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps), a SDXC card slot, a gigabit Ethernet port and audio in/out connections [source: Apple].
On the next page, we'll discuss Mac mini software.
Advertisement
The Mac mini comes equipped with all of the software included in the OS X Lion bundle, Apple's newest operating system released in July 2011. We'll take a look at just a few of the highlights.
If you're already familiar with Macs, you'll recognize many of the features of OS X Lion and catch some new additions to Apple's newest operating system. The OS X Lion software bundle includes all of your favorite Apple applications. You can access your iTunes library, talk with friends on iChat, make video calls on FaceTime, take pictures in Photo Booth, play GarageBand, make an iMovie and view a QuickTime video [source: Apple].
Advertisement
Advertisement
The package also includes all of your communication and organizational applications such as Mail, iCal and Address Book. The Mac mini comes equipped with Time Machine, an app that allows you to back up all of your data. You can access the Mac App Store to purchase and download additional apps for your Mac mini. You also can surf the internet through the Safari web browser. All of your apps are stored on your Launchpad start screen, giving you quick and easy access to them. Some new features and upgrades to the Mac mini include AirDrop, a Lion-to-Lion sharing feature that uses a WiFi connection, vertical text displays to support East Asian languages and multiuser screen sharing [source: Apple].
Even though the variety of apps might seem overwhelming, OS X Lion is user-friendly and intuitive. Its simple design and interface should make the switch from a PC to a Mac mini pretty effortless. In general, reviews for the operating system are very positive: MacWorld gave the system a 4.5 out of 5 rating [source: Snell].
Advertisement
Although the Mac mini is significantly less expensive than an iMac, you have to provide all peripherals and accessories. If you don't already have a screen, keyboard or mouse, you'll have to buy them to operate your Mac mini, and you might end up spending more than you would if you bought an iMac. The 2011 iMac comes with a camera, more powerful processor and hard drive, speakers, keyboard and other accessories for $1,199 [source:Apple] .
Depending on how and where you plan to use your Mac mini, you might need a mounting kit. For instance, if your Mac mini is going to be mainly used as part of a home media center, you could mount the computer on a wall or ceiling. You could also choose from a variety of Mac mini table mounts. These mounting systems will securely affix your Mac mini to the surface that you choose so that you can easily access your device and not worry about it falling and breaking. When choosing a mounting system, keep in mind that you won't want the mount to cover important ports that you frequently use.
Advertisement
Use Tv For Mac Mini Mac
Advertisement
Although the Mac mini comes with four USB ports, an extra USB hub might come in handy if you're connecting multiple devices to the computer. Once you plug in your mouse and keyboard, you've used up two ports already and you haven't added your printer or other peripherals yet, so this could be useful.
Finally, since the Mac mini does not come with an optical drive, a good accessory to have on hand is the MacBook Air SuperDrive [source: Frakes]. Although it's designed to be used with a MacBook, it's compatible to the Mac mini and is a good option if you plan to play CDs or DVDs on your computer.
Advertisement
Related Articles
Sources
- Apple. 'Built-in apps.' (August 16, 2011). http://www.apple.com/macmini/built-inapps.html
- Apple: 'iMac.' (August 29, 2011). http://www.apple.com/imac/
- Apple. 'iPhoto.' (August 17, 2011). http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4162009.stm
- Apple. 'Mac mini.' (August 16, 2011). http://www.apple.com/macmini/
- Apple. OS X Lion.' (August 20, 2011). http://www.apple.com/macosx/
- BBC News. 'Apple Unveils low cost Mac mini.' January 11, 2005. (August 17, 2011). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4162009.stm
- B&H. Mac mini mount.' (August 20, 2011). http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/784683-REG/Premier_Mounts_ECM_MAC2_ECM_MAC2_Adaptor_for_MAC.html
- Electronista. 'Review: Mac mini 2011.' August 7, 2011. (August 20, 2011). http://www.electronista.com/reviews/mac-mini-2011.html
- Elliot, Matt. 'Battle of the Cheap.' CNET. (August 16, 2011). http://reviews.cnet.com/1990-3118_7-5690541-1.html
- EPEAT. (August 30, 2011). http://www.epeat.net/
- Frakes, Dan. ' New Mac minis deliver serious performance.' Macworld. August 3, 2011. (August 16, 2011.) http://www.macworld.com/article/161414/2011/08/mac_mini_mid_2011_review.html
- H-Squared. 'Mini Mount.' (August 20, 2011). http://store.h-sq.com/HSQ-MINI+MOUNT-X.html
- Siracusa, John. 'Review: Mac OS X Lion.' Ars Technica. July, 2011. (August 20, 2011). http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7.ars/
- Snell, Jason. 'OS X Operating System.' MacWorld. July 20, 2011. (August 20, 2011). http://www.macworld.com/article/161026/2011/07/osx_lion_review.html
- Wipro Green Tech. 'FAQ on PVC/BFR Productions. (August 30, 2011). http://www.wiprogreentech.com/pvc_bfr_faqs.html
HomeNewsShould I use Apple TV or a Mac Mini for a Media...
Over the past couple of weeks I have begun ripping my personal DVDs to an external hard drive on my iMac. Why you might ask, because I have my iMac hooked up to my 42″ LCD TV. You can ask, why not just go ahead and use a DVD Player? Well, I currently have 5 different remotes to use to control all of the components I have connected to the TV, and I would rather not have to keep an entire DVD collection on shelves that take up space. Just for reference, this article will be using a Mac Mini as the Mac of Choice.
There are benefits and disadvantages to both setups. The Apple TV is very useful for those who have purchased a significant amount of content from the iTunes store, or for those who do not want to spend time determining how to hook up a sound system to a Mac computer. While, on the other hand, the Mac mini is good for those who have obtained their media using non-iTunes means or do not mind getting their hands dirty to get the perfect setup.
The positive aspects about the Apple TV are the slim design, simple setup, easy update function and it just works right out of the box. The Apple TV has digital out, for both audio and video. The video can be outputted using Component cables (Red Green Blue) with RCA Audio (Red and Yellow), or via HDMI. HDMI has both audio and video being outputted over the same single cable. The Apple TV has some negative things, including the fact that it has not had an update in months, and who knows when the next update will be.
Use Tv As Monitor For Mac Mini
Despite all that the Apple TV has going for it, there are some downsides. It does not have the ability to play DVDs (no optical drive at all). It cannot be easily modified or re-configured if your needs change. There is no expandability support, excluding any software updates that Apple releases. The Apple TV works best as an all-in-one media center for the iTunes centric. It does support 720p content (if encoded by the user). However, remember the Apple TV can ONLY play items that iTunes can play. It must be attached to an iTunes library.
Using a Mac as a media center is a different story. It has the ability to do better than 1080p (1920×1200 resolution). You have the option for playing DVDs. Using Front Row on OS X 10.5 Leopard along with some programs will allow you to play just about ANY type of file that your mac can play, not just iTunes content. You will not be limited by what iTunes can play, as you are with the Apple TV. This mean that you could play, DIVX, XVID, DVD, mp3s, ogg, flac, any file type that a Mac can play. This has significant improvements over just having a limited number of file types that you can play. Additionally, you have significant upgrade capabilities with the Mac Mini. If you would rather build your own DVR you can always get an El Gato Eye TV to use and being recording programs to your Mac for viewing later.
The downsides to using a Mac as a media center are the extra cables needed to convert the DVI connection to HDMI. The audio is not transmitted on the same cable. Since the DVI Specification does not include audio. There is no digital audio on the Mac like the Apple TV, so you will only have analog (â…›” mini-jack out). However, if you have a USB to digital audio out, I do not see why it would not work as a digital audio source. The cost of the mac mini is also a factor, considering that the base price of a mac mini costs twice as much as the Apple TV does.
Use Tv For Mac Mini Ipad
Whichever solution you decide on, it behooves you to do your research into which will work for your situation. If I had to suggest a solution, I would suggest the mac mini. It has more capabilities than the Apple TV and can be expanded and upgraded much easier.