Thanks matt big help. you just sold me on back blaze. good work. can't wait for the video even if it is a fair well. Life does that sometimes. I hope you mean you will be giving up just the youtube channel and not the applemediacenter website. That is a keeper.
@doomque My time is really being taken up by work and my personal life (gotta have a little of that right?!). But while I may be somewhat hands off with the site, the good thing is that the information stays relevant for a while. So I could get by with doing just a few updates a year. We'll see. You've got me thinking again ;)
please get around to posting your new setup. I would love to see how far you have come. my goal this year is to set up something like your initial setup. Do you still use the Drobo? I have heard complaints. Let's us know what is new. Give us a good long video update.
@doomque I want to get around to it but unfortunately life is getting in the way. I still love and use my Drobo. I'd recommend it to everyone. My setup is basically the same but way more streamlined. I can't even put a date on when it will happen, but I may make a video as a send off since I really don't have time to maintain the site.
@mattarrr which drobo do you have? 1st or 2nd gen? Any issues with it or loss of data. Considering getting one but also have synology in mind. Still using plex?
@doomque I recently updated to the Drobo Gen 2. No data loss ever. I did once have a drive fail, and I just swapped it out, just how it was supposed to work. In conjunction with my drobo and my time machine disk (separate hard drive from the drobo) I also use Backblaze (google it) which is a service that backs up all your important files to the cloud for something like $5/month for unlimited space. I've got 3.5TB in the cloud now. My house could burn down and I'm covered.
Great set up! I was wondering what are the specs of your Mac Mini. I know it's a 1.66 ghz but how much ram and hdd space is it using. Saw some cheap Mini's on Ebay but would I need to upgrade the ram or should I just save up and get a new Mini? Thanks in advance!
Dude, I think that your setup is sweet. The guy who says that Apple TV is better than a Mac Mini is stupid. Maybe for his needs, Apple TV can suit those needs but in no way can Apple TV be considered better than a Mac Mini. Kudos on the sweet setup. I actually ordered a Mac Mini last night to use as a media center. Can't wait to get it setup. Plex looks amazing!!
@lostmars84 Haha, you don't need to tell me he is a moron. That was abundantly clear!!! I'm glad you like the setup. I really need to get around to posting my new and improved setup. It's 200% more bonkers.
@mattarrr Yeah I know nothing...good burn. What I know is that I'm a minimalist and what you've got in your living room is excessive, to say the least. You can run XBMC on that Xbox and run all the crappy 1980s emulator games you want. You can use that jailbroke Xbox and an ATV2 (as is) and replace that RAID stack, mac mini, keyboard remote, dvd player and 2nd xbox .
@muthafuknRIDLA You really don't know anything do you. 1. You can't run XBMC on an XBOX360. 2. If I get rid of the RAID, I wouldn't have any HDs, and that means, no content. If anything the RAID simplifies having hard drives. 3. Without the keyboard how would you control it? With an XBOX controller? Yeah, that would be real awesome. 4. I don't have a DVD player. 5. You are even more of a jackass than you were 10 minutes ago... Did I leave anything out? The ATV2 is great, but not better. Period.
@mattarrr IYO. Here, let me break it down mathematically for you. 1 xbox (XBMC = shitty atari games no one cares about) + raid in living room + mac mini + extra xbox 360 + 2 other devices that are probably obsolete = hoarders + geek = someone puked all over your entertainment junk pile.
1 xbox running xbmc (if you must have the games from 20 yrs ago), 1 ATV2, 1 RAID at your computer (not in your living room for everyone to stare at) > your eyesore pile of unneeded electronics.
@mattarrr I think you left out the part where you are PMSing because you spent about $1000 too much to fall short of the functionality of something around $300
@muthafuknRIDLA Hardly. You keep saying the ATV2 is better than a Mac mini. You can't store any files on it! How can you say it is better when you are restricted to streaming? It can't do 1080p. You can't browse the web on it. You can't use it as a file server (you know, the other thing you can do with a computer). I bought an ATV2 when it came out and it didn't make sense in my setup, so I sold it. Some people want the ATV2 and like it (which is great), and some people want this.
@mattarrr yes it didnt make any sense in your setup, because it makes your setup obsolete. How often do you surf the internet on your TV? I surf the internet in the living room all the time, on my iPad. I use my Mac Pro for any real computing needs, ie: FCP, CS5, etc.
I wouldn't really call it "restricted" to streaming- it's a BENEFIT. No need to sync, all your media in one place, & now with iTunes Match I can access all of it from anywhere w my iPad or iPhone too.
@mattarrr Like I said, in '09 I wouldve thought ur setup was sick, in fact I even started to pursue making a media center similar. But when the ATV2 came out and I really looked at both, the answer was clear. So clear in fact, a month after getting 1 for the living room I got 1 for my bedroom. If you wanted to do that, you'd have to spend another $1k+, why not just spend $99? As far as the 1080 goes, it will be unlocked soon...I cant tell the difference though.
@mattarrr Yes, in 2009 or even 1 yr ago I would've been totally stoked about that setup, but the fact is the ATV2 and one xbox can do the same thing as that monstrocity of equipment in your living room.
hey Mattarr please get back to me if u can. Im using a Mac mini (late 2009) I'm trying to get 5.1 sound out of it. Will it work properly if I get a RCA to TOSLINK adapter and then use a toslink cable to connect it to my AV receiver. Thanks for your help!
@JavierSlamm Did you even check the website? Click the link in the description and then select Topics (from the top menu), Connecting to a Television, and then review the audio section. It's all there dude :)
Hey Mattarr, Where exactly did you buy your Microsoft wireless controller dongle. I see a couple on Amazon, but they seem to be cheap Chinese knockoffs that say Xbox360 on it instead of "Microsoft" on the top. I would like to get the authentic product, but for some reason google is being a dick:)
You are probably looking at around $2,000 in stuff right there. But you don't need all of it at once, and you can get a better deal buy getting stuff used/previous generation/finding deals. I completely understand that a lot of people can't go out and drop that kind of cash. But for me it started with a Mac mini, and grew from there.
@QVIVOApp Love the video, but you guys are trying to reinvent the wheel. Plex does everything you are talking about (including resuming videos on other devices), and the idea of syncing terabytes to the cloud is insane when you could just stream it off your home computer. Additionally, I don't want social networking with my videos. I want to just be able to watch a video when I want. Period. In short, I would not use this app. I'm sorry, just being honest. Good luck though.
@mattarrr No probs - appreciate the feedback. We felt Plex was still quite techie compared to what we're building and if your computer's offline or your outside the home then accessing your media is a no-go. We're more like Google Music with video support than Plex.
Hey Mat... II've been trying to learn plex w/ some headaches. Mainly, why cant I watch the LOST Season 1 dvd (that I rippid with Ripit) In my TV section in Plex. My guess is it has something to do with the video format. BTW thank you for the awesome video... I ordered a mac mini after watching it!!! In the meantime I just need to learn Plex...
@craigdwlr If it is a DVD Image that you ripped, that would be your first problem. You could get it to play, but it won't show the episodes. If you rip the individual episodes to a folder (using ripit and then handbrake) you will be able to see the episodes. Glad you are liking things so far, when you figure it out you will really like it!
@mattarrr Ya, it was the DVD image... so, now I'm using handbrake, and spent all night trying to get it to work, I understand you need to have the files in "title" "season" "episode" folders etc. But when I do all this, still nothing shows up in Plex... I used "apple universal" (among others) presets and they were able to play in quicktime & itunes. I'm thinking that plex for some reason doesn't see these files. Is there any preset in handbrake that you know will work?
@craigdwlr You probably still need to play with a few settings and then rescan the folder. Additionally, your files should look like "Lost s01e01.avi" or whatever. Google "Adding Movie, TV Show and Music Sections" and it should come up.
@mattarrr They keep coming out as data files, and look like a piece of paper lol! my mac pro will play them with quicktime, but my mini will not. sorry to keep bothering you but this is driving my NUTS!!! I've tried most of the presets i.e. 'normal, high, apple universal' among other suggested presets from bloggers...
@craigdwlr What is the file extension. That may be your problem. If you don't see an extension, "get info" on your file and make sure that "hide extension" is unchecked.
Thanks for the video, I use plex and use to steam to iphones and ipads as well as use to watch on my tv.. but I need it to also stream to ps3 and encode MKVs on the fly (all media is on my nas) to the tv downstirs... how can I go about doing this? I know you can use XBMC but It seems to kind of crash out so would you run windows in parallels 6 and use a windows upnp server?
@UniSkibum Use the mac as a PC as in run Windows? Use Boot Camp or Parallels. Connect your surround sound speakers... should be as easy as plugging them in, no more no less. View the mac mini in your living room? Run a long ass HDMI cable to your receiver, done and done. You have two video outputs on your mac, so this shouldn't be hard. The distance between you and your living room may be the only problem.
@mattarrr Well I would run Windows at times but primarily OS X. I cannot connect the logitech speakers because I have 3 cables leaving my subwoofer and only 2 audio jacks on the mini.
Is there no way to stream over the air in my living room?
@UniSkibum It comes without hard drives, but sometimes you can buy it from the Drobo website as a package with drives. I'd still recommend only buying the enclosure and then adding your own drives.
@prototype715 One XBOX360 Wireless dongle can accommodate four wireless controllers. If you are using wired controllers, you don't need the dongle, but will need 4 USB ports.
Does the HD quality playback look as sharp as it does on cable TV? Most of the video I have downloaded looked crappy on my HP windows laptop. I'm looking to do the same thing you have set up with either a hackintosh or mac mini. So the mini video card has enough for full HD?
I got a sony home theater and I want to connect it to my mac mini (10/09) to use it when I'm watching movies (with PLEX!!)
The problem is that my home theater has only HDMI input. I have connected the HDMI cable to my mac mini (with adapters, cause it has no HDMI input) but I do not get any sound out of it.
Could you please help me to solve this problem so I could enjoy my movies even more !
@portpower27 So many people with setups like this don't even have cable service, and opt for streaming and downloading video. It doesn't seem necessary at all in this setup.
I use a PS3 hooked up to the TV and to a LAN. Connected on the same network over wlan are 2 Macs and a PC, all of which have have Terabytes of media either on board or attached via USB hubs. Using PS3 Media Server (available for both OS X and Win 7), my PS3 streams just about every format out there. My Samsung android's phone's all share also connects seamlessly. I love technology. mwahahaha
@computermilkwade the jolly roger, two xboxs, TB-nas, bittorrent, emulator, wasn't a clue for you..... or do you live in a wold were people OPENLY incriminate by answering such stupid questions
@dukeraider2 wtf dude? chill the @#@# out, I actually was asking a calm and real question because i want to know. I actually have purchased DRM content and i wanted to know because i wanted to know if it would WORK or not. I'm interested in setting this up, i just want to know if it will work. Chill the @#@# out.
@computermilkwade as long as iTunes is running and managing DRM in the bg you should be fine. But if you never buy DRM-protected media then DRM is never issuse..... "Oh, im chill, im the chillest mutha-fuka on Da planet" :P
@bgggbb The word on the street is that it should work with a PS3 controller as well. but since I cannot get my hands on one to test I don't want to tell you it works.
@damnhatesyou Absolutely! Go to applemediacenter and then select "Video Game Emulation & Controllers" from the Topics menu and go to the section on controllers. There are TONS of ways to control your games.
Excellent video. I too have a MacMini and Drobo hooked up to my 56 inch DLP TV. You may want to get the EyeTV HD to turn your MacMini to a DVR. I have been using it for several months and it works great.
Very nice planning to do the same thing. Got 650 movies and counting adding more everyday. Just a little tip I'm not gonna use the mac mini as a mac at all. As soon as it starts up it fires Plex. From out plex i can start other applications Mame os x PCSX (playstation emulator) NFS carbon, underground 2, most wanted and ZUMA I never even see my background use a xbox remote have to set it up Once and use Sofa remote with makes it possible to improve apple remote usability MAC RULEZ
Hey Matt, I finally got Plex up and running on my mac mini; although i had to do some serious clean up and upgrading to the system since I was still running Tiger. But now I am stuck. I ripped a couple discs of Breaking Bad using Ripit and the settings you sugested, but now in Plex I add the source Home Folder: Movies: TV Shows and Plex does not recognize them in the Watch TV or Watch Movies section... I am pulling out what is left of my hair and I am hoping you can shed some light! Thanks!!!!!
@TripSe7en It took me a while at first too. Admittedly, it is NOT easy. But the new version of plex (who knows when it is showing up) will make everything SUPER easy. Google "Adding Your Media to the Plex Library" and click the first link.
Your setup is Epic Matt! I have had the same mac mini for almost 4 years now and it never crossed my mind to use it the way you do! Plex looks awesome! If you don't mind me asking, where do you get all the HD Media that you have on your HDD? When I get out of work, im going to try to get mine up and running in my media closet!
@TripSe7en One of these days I'm going to make a new video to show people how much more you can do... in the mean time, go to the website listed in the description and look in the guides section for "obtaining content." You'll have 1080p videos up the wazoo.
@mattarrr One thing about bittorrent that i heard is that it is an easy way to get virus's on your cpu, is that necessarily true? Im not a newb, but im not an uber techie either... Also, do i run high risks of getting caught for pirating? I'm 30 and I havent done p2p since i was in college back in the Napster years...
@TripSe7en Considering there are no OSX viruses, I'm pretty certain you'll be fine. As far as piracy goes. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. That's all I can really tell you.
@mattarrr the 2009 2.26ghz is still solid. The main difference is based on the incorporation of HDMI and a better graphics card. When I get things a little a more organized I plan on making a video to show off my 2010 setup. Also, thank you for having a drobo, you showed me the way man. Also, I like your remote, but I'm going with the Controllr App on my iPod touch cause it's out of hand. Lastly, nice work on your website. Thanks again.
@mattarrr awesome. thanks for the guides. i've been reading your site for info on how to pimp out my mini...which arrives today! one question...is there a program that edits your library titles so that they'll work in plex? i have over 3tb of movies, and there's no way i'm going to edit them individually.
matt luv the site..will post my htpc soon it is very similar to urs...mac mini.. drobo..sony reciever.samsung 40 1080 p..PLEX ,eye tv and ADDING MORE..Working on controling everything with iphone/pad
@gutssss Nope. This cable is meant to take the minidisplay port and output it to a TV via HDMI. You want to input HDMI and have it output to minidisplay port. Sorry, but this cable only goes one way. Good luck!
hi. i dont know what sort of mac to get. the Imac 21.5 inch or the mac mini? i have the time capsule 1tb. but i dont know weather to get a propper computer or the mac mini connected to my 32inch 1080p tv. which one will be best for me???
@09xboxdude Well, that is a good question. If you only want it for TV stuff, then get the mini and connect it to your TV. If you need it for other things where you will be sitting in front of a computer (typing docs, web browsing, etc) then get an iMac and a LONG DVI/HDMI & audio cable. That or you could stream to an XBOX360... another feature I will be discussing in my NEW GUIDE (coming soon).
Yo, Whats up mattarr?! just wanted to let u know that this video was pretty much my inspiration... lol. kinda sorta... my tv isn't as big but i'll post a video real soon... be on da look out... i purchased the dinovo mini b/c of this video i don't have a mac mini rather a win based pc and a ps3 rather than xbox360... complete opposites. lol.
@jorrickwesley Glad I could help dude! Believe it or not, I'm in the process of redoing my guide and making a whole new video with a crazy amount of new information. Check back in a month or so and you should see it (I hope).
Is there a way to increase the Safari Browsers URL Line and the buttons?? I'd like to browse on my TV which has Full HD 46. When I sit 3.5 meters away it's very tiny and heard to read the URL line."
yeh cant you hold Cmmd and scroll on your mouse and it zooms the whole screen right?
Is there a way to increase the Safari Browsers URL Line and the buttons?? I'd like to browse on my TV which has Full HD 46. When I sit 3.5 meters away it's very tiny and heard to read the URL line.
Hey Matt I just got mine build base on your Video. I am realizing quickly that my internal HD is not going to be sufficient. You mentioned that the Drodo is the bottleneck. How big of drag is for pushing video.
@s8jiwa The Drobo is a bottleneck, but it doesn't at all hamper you from playing video. I have the 1st Gen Drobo and it works just fine (with Blu-Ray & 1080p material). When you are copying, etc, it will top out at like ~25mb/sec. If you can, get the 2nd Gen Drobo with Firewire 800 or the Pro (although I don't know the difference really) and that will be more than enough. I really need to make a new video soon. Enjoy dude!
Thanks for the video. I have everything set up, however, with MAME OS X - I can not add coins. No wireless keyboard is recognized. I read in other threads that this is an issue with MAME OS X when it added HID years ago and only usb keyboards work - not bluetooth... How did you get your keyboard to work with it? It may be that the diNovo uses a usb dongle... Thanks Other then that, Mobile Air Mouse for the ipod touch/ iphone works amazing as a keyboard and mouse.
Hi! I'm just about to fix me the same set-up (McMini + TV) Nice video! Love this Drobo thing! :-) Also nice Koi on your arm! You should definitely colour it! :-)
I have been thinking about this guide for a long time now. I'm just wondering if you leave your mac mini on all the time or what? I'm getting rid of cable and strictly using internet for shows and movies. Always on seams like a way to go. Are you still rockin the 1.6 mini? What are your power bills like if you leave it on? just wondering thanks for the guide man
I recently upgraded to the 2.26 Core 2 Duo, it flies! I leave this thing on 24/7 as well as the Drobo which has 4 hard drives going 24/7. I haven't noticed a hit to my power bill by any means. Considering that you aren't playing movies on it all the time when it is idle it isn't using too much power. The money you save on cable will be worth it.
Thanks for the update. I'm gonna pick up a MacMini but didn't know which one to get... 2.2ghz vs 2.5ghz but your post convince me to just get the cheaper one. Do you have any input on RAM? 2gb vs. 4gb? Worth it? Or Not? Great Video and keep up the good work!
Personally. I think you are good with the base model. The biggest bottleneck I have experienced so far is just hard drive speed from my Drobo (1st Gen model). Unless you need to use it for anything other than an HTPC (video editing, etc) then just stick with the base model.
8.6TB. DAMN dude! I'd give Windows about 30gb of space since you can access all the other files from within Windows if you are running 10.6 OR if you have MacDrive (PC app). You could get all the roms you want on the internal, but once you start adding PS1 games that will really slaughter your space. Pretty much every system up to the PS1 will fit on that internal drive. But really, why do you want to do that?
is your drobo connected to your mac mini? lol stupid question but do you connect it directly to the back of your mac mini or did you like drill a little hole to mod it?
@mattarrr lol i saw a vid to connect the external hard drive to it directly through the SATA port.according to the guy. its better but lol he cut a hole in the side to run the cable straight throo the sata to the external. is the newer $600 mac mini good for running games like World of warcraft? i dont play i just wanna know its power capability. my brother plays and we gonna share it but can it run WOW smoothly?
The model I've described is one-up from base, yes. Seems to be the most sensible balance of power and price... do you find the 320GB drive sufficient, though? I was just thinking about PlayStation ROMs this afternoon, and I reckon a couple of hundred of those could wipe that drive out; along with MAME, N64, SNES, NES, Genesis and Windows software.
Also, do you have any complaints at all about your Mini? Is there anything it falls short on?
Thank you for this. It's very heartening to *see* what's previously only been described to me.
I'm about the pull the trigger on a 2.53GHz Core Duo Mini, with 4GB of RAM and the Nvidia 9400M. I take it that this will handle all of my media and emulation needs very nicely indeed...?
By the way - given that Apple are hostile to Blu-ray, will I need to remux all of my Blu-ray rips to run them on the Mini? Or will I need to go further and run Windows 7 through Boot Camp?
The model you want is a step up from the current 'base' model which I just bought. 1080p Blu-Ray material plays without a hitch. VLC might give you a little trouble at times (as far as codecs), but ironically, Plex will handle it with ease.
If you run Boot Camp you can play Blu-Rays with no problem. On OSX, you can play the main stream, but you may need to remux. Not entirely sure.
@ matterrr not a single nipple on that hdd you say...hmmm cos I bet one of your millions of movies an tv shows have a slight nudity or flash in it!! Anyway was wondering wer all this movies just DVD rips or torrents!! Cos there's alotttttt
Thanks matt big help. you just sold me on back blaze. good work. can't wait for the video even if it is a fair well. Life does that sometimes. I hope you mean you will be giving up just the youtube channel and not the applemediacenter website. That is a keeper.
doomque 1 week ago
@doomque My time is really being taken up by work and my personal life (gotta have a little of that right?!). But while I may be somewhat hands off with the site, the good thing is that the information stays relevant for a while. So I could get by with doing just a few updates a year. We'll see. You've got me thinking again ;)
mattarrr 1 week ago
please get around to posting your new setup. I would love to see how far you have come. my goal this year is to set up something like your initial setup. Do you still use the Drobo? I have heard complaints. Let's us know what is new. Give us a good long video update.
doomque 2 weeks ago
@doomque I want to get around to it but unfortunately life is getting in the way. I still love and use my Drobo. I'd recommend it to everyone. My setup is basically the same but way more streamlined. I can't even put a date on when it will happen, but I may make a video as a send off since I really don't have time to maintain the site.
mattarrr 1 week ago
@mattarrr which drobo do you have? 1st or 2nd gen? Any issues with it or loss of data. Considering getting one but also have synology in mind. Still using plex?
doomque 1 week ago
@doomque I recently updated to the Drobo Gen 2. No data loss ever. I did once have a drive fail, and I just swapped it out, just how it was supposed to work. In conjunction with my drobo and my time machine disk (separate hard drive from the drobo) I also use Backblaze (google it) which is a service that backs up all your important files to the cloud for something like $5/month for unlimited space. I've got 3.5TB in the cloud now. My house could burn down and I'm covered.
mattarrr 1 week ago
What's the name of the program you
Click on for your game emulation ?
timgrigg1 1 month ago
Just this "old" 500 GB hard drive.... pshhh.. iv been using a pair of 320's for a long time. id love to upgrade...
Thepockets88 2 months ago
Emulation looks like shit on HDTVs
Arcade Emulation looks second best on a 480i CRT with Component input, a MovieShow PC VGA XGA to TV Video scan converter and a CSY-2100.
The only way it could look better would be if you had an arcade monitor and a PC with an ArcadeVGA 3000.
I have a cheap ass scan converter and metal slug looks better on my 480i TV than my "HD" monitor.
commodore256 2 months ago
Great set up! I was wondering what are the specs of your Mac Mini. I know it's a 1.66 ghz but how much ram and hdd space is it using. Saw some cheap Mini's on Ebay but would I need to upgrade the ram or should I just save up and get a new Mini? Thanks in advance!
656er 3 months ago
@656er This video is old, so I would not recommend getting anything that doesn't have a Core 2 Duo. Although if you can get a new Mini, even better!
mattarrr 3 months ago
apple likes it when people touch things
holdingspace 3 months ago
Dude, I think that your setup is sweet. The guy who says that Apple TV is better than a Mac Mini is stupid. Maybe for his needs, Apple TV can suit those needs but in no way can Apple TV be considered better than a Mac Mini. Kudos on the sweet setup. I actually ordered a Mac Mini last night to use as a media center. Can't wait to get it setup. Plex looks amazing!!
lostmars84 3 months ago
@lostmars84 Haha, you don't need to tell me he is a moron. That was abundantly clear!!! I'm glad you like the setup. I really need to get around to posting my new and improved setup. It's 200% more bonkers.
mattarrr 3 months ago
@mattarrr Nice! I'm looking forward to seeing the new and improved setup. Just subscribed to your channel.
lostmars84 3 months ago
You must've been really bummed when the new AppleTV came out.
ATV2 > Your Media Center
Sick setup for pre ATV2 though!
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago in playlist Hack ATV
@muthafuknRIDLA Haha, you clearly know nothing. Silly troll.
mattarrr 4 months ago
@mattarrr Yeah I know nothing...good burn. What I know is that I'm a minimalist and what you've got in your living room is excessive, to say the least. You can run XBMC on that Xbox and run all the crappy 1980s emulator games you want. You can use that jailbroke Xbox and an ATV2 (as is) and replace that RAID stack, mac mini, keyboard remote, dvd player and 2nd xbox .
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
@muthafuknRIDLA You really don't know anything do you. 1. You can't run XBMC on an XBOX360. 2. If I get rid of the RAID, I wouldn't have any HDs, and that means, no content. If anything the RAID simplifies having hard drives. 3. Without the keyboard how would you control it? With an XBOX controller? Yeah, that would be real awesome. 4. I don't have a DVD player. 5. You are even more of a jackass than you were 10 minutes ago... Did I leave anything out? The ATV2 is great, but not better. Period.
mattarrr 4 months ago
@mattarrr IYO. Here, let me break it down mathematically for you. 1 xbox (XBMC = shitty atari games no one cares about) + raid in living room + mac mini + extra xbox 360 + 2 other devices that are probably obsolete = hoarders + geek = someone puked all over your entertainment junk pile.
1 xbox running xbmc (if you must have the games from 20 yrs ago), 1 ATV2, 1 RAID at your computer (not in your living room for everyone to stare at) > your eyesore pile of unneeded electronics.
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
@mattarrr I think you left out the part where you are PMSing because you spent about $1000 too much to fall short of the functionality of something around $300
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
@muthafuknRIDLA Hardly. You keep saying the ATV2 is better than a Mac mini. You can't store any files on it! How can you say it is better when you are restricted to streaming? It can't do 1080p. You can't browse the web on it. You can't use it as a file server (you know, the other thing you can do with a computer). I bought an ATV2 when it came out and it didn't make sense in my setup, so I sold it. Some people want the ATV2 and like it (which is great), and some people want this.
mattarrr 4 months ago
@mattarrr yes it didnt make any sense in your setup, because it makes your setup obsolete. How often do you surf the internet on your TV? I surf the internet in the living room all the time, on my iPad. I use my Mac Pro for any real computing needs, ie: FCP, CS5, etc.
I wouldn't really call it "restricted" to streaming- it's a BENEFIT. No need to sync, all your media in one place, & now with iTunes Match I can access all of it from anywhere w my iPad or iPhone too.
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
@mattarrr Like I said, in '09 I wouldve thought ur setup was sick, in fact I even started to pursue making a media center similar. But when the ATV2 came out and I really looked at both, the answer was clear. So clear in fact, a month after getting 1 for the living room I got 1 for my bedroom. If you wanted to do that, you'd have to spend another $1k+, why not just spend $99? As far as the 1080 goes, it will be unlocked soon...I cant tell the difference though.
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
@mattarrr Yes, in 2009 or even 1 yr ago I would've been totally stoked about that setup, but the fact is the ATV2 and one xbox can do the same thing as that monstrocity of equipment in your living room.
Like I said, sick setup for pre ATV2.
muthafuknRIDLA 4 months ago
hey Mattarr please get back to me if u can. Im using a Mac mini (late 2009) I'm trying to get 5.1 sound out of it. Will it work properly if I get a RCA to TOSLINK adapter and then use a toslink cable to connect it to my AV receiver. Thanks for your help!
JavierSlamm 5 months ago in playlist mac mini media server
@JavierSlamm Did you even check the website? Click the link in the description and then select Topics (from the top menu), Connecting to a Television, and then review the audio section. It's all there dude :)
mattarrr 5 months ago
@JavierSlamm oh sorry. thanks mate!
JavierSlamm 4 months ago in playlist mac mini media server
does your mac mini have ddr dor ddr3 n how many gigs
ladyhype21 5 months ago
I miss Lost :((
liljoey112 5 months ago
Hey Mattarr, Where exactly did you buy your Microsoft wireless controller dongle. I see a couple on Amazon, but they seem to be cheap Chinese knockoffs that say Xbox360 on it instead of "Microsoft" on the top. I would like to get the authentic product, but for some reason google is being a dick:)
AllCityUnit 5 months ago
DUDE!!! YES!!!! THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!!!! I gonna pimp my setup now!!!!!!! YEAHHHHH BOIEEEEE
dnichols24 6 months ago
@dnichols24 You sir win the most enthusiastic response award. AWESOME :D
mattarrr 6 months ago
i like the logitech remote but it seems that with plex 9 that using an iPad or iPod touch as a remote is the cooler way
MattAG02 6 months ago
You are probably looking at around $2,000 in stuff right there. But you don't need all of it at once, and you can get a better deal buy getting stuff used/previous generation/finding deals. I completely understand that a lot of people can't go out and drop that kind of cash. But for me it started with a Mac mini, and grew from there.
mattarrr 6 months ago
I know money is a thing people don't like to talk about but can you give us a ballpark of how much all that cost?
senorseis66 6 months ago
@QVIVOApp Love the video, but you guys are trying to reinvent the wheel. Plex does everything you are talking about (including resuming videos on other devices), and the idea of syncing terabytes to the cloud is insane when you could just stream it off your home computer. Additionally, I don't want social networking with my videos. I want to just be able to watch a video when I want. Period. In short, I would not use this app. I'm sorry, just being honest. Good luck though.
mattarrr 6 months ago
@mattarrr No probs - appreciate the feedback. We felt Plex was still quite techie compared to what we're building and if your computer's offline or your outside the home then accessing your media is a no-go. We're more like Google Music with video support than Plex.
QVIVOApp 6 months ago
Hey Matt, keen to hear your thoughts on our startup. Looks like it's right up your alley.
QVIVOApp 6 months ago
@QVIVOApp Send me a message with some info. I would love to hear about it.
mattarrr 6 months ago
is plex and mac thing free?
Mrawesomeball 7 months ago
@Mrawesomeball Yep. Plex is free. Although the mac is clearly not.
mattarrr 7 months ago
@mattarrr haha. i ment mac gameing thing
Mrawesomeball 7 months ago
LMAO!! I like the getting wasted and play old school games part. Good Vid!
vicrod74 7 months ago
@vicrod74 It is SO much fun.
mattarrr 7 months ago
Hey Mat... II've been trying to learn plex w/ some headaches. Mainly, why cant I watch the LOST Season 1 dvd (that I rippid with Ripit) In my TV section in Plex. My guess is it has something to do with the video format. BTW thank you for the awesome video... I ordered a mac mini after watching it!!! In the meantime I just need to learn Plex...
craigdwlr 7 months ago
@craigdwlr If it is a DVD Image that you ripped, that would be your first problem. You could get it to play, but it won't show the episodes. If you rip the individual episodes to a folder (using ripit and then handbrake) you will be able to see the episodes. Glad you are liking things so far, when you figure it out you will really like it!
mattarrr 7 months ago
@mattarrr Ya, it was the DVD image... so, now I'm using handbrake, and spent all night trying to get it to work, I understand you need to have the files in "title" "season" "episode" folders etc. But when I do all this, still nothing shows up in Plex... I used "apple universal" (among others) presets and they were able to play in quicktime & itunes. I'm thinking that plex for some reason doesn't see these files. Is there any preset in handbrake that you know will work?
craigdwlr 7 months ago
@craigdwlr You probably still need to play with a few settings and then rescan the folder. Additionally, your files should look like "Lost s01e01.avi" or whatever. Google "Adding Movie, TV Show and Music Sections" and it should come up.
mattarrr 7 months ago
@mattarrr They keep coming out as data files, and look like a piece of paper lol! my mac pro will play them with quicktime, but my mini will not. sorry to keep bothering you but this is driving my NUTS!!! I've tried most of the presets i.e. 'normal, high, apple universal' among other suggested presets from bloggers...
craigdwlr 7 months ago
@craigdwlr What is the file extension. That may be your problem. If you don't see an extension, "get info" on your file and make sure that "hide extension" is unchecked.
mattarrr 7 months ago
Thanks for the video, I use plex and use to steam to iphones and ipads as well as use to watch on my tv.. but I need it to also stream to ps3 and encode MKVs on the fly (all media is on my nas) to the tv downstirs... how can I go about doing this? I know you can use XBMC but It seems to kind of crash out so would you run windows in parallels 6 and use a windows upnp server?
mtxgamer 8 months ago
Is there a way to make it work with a playstation 3 controller? Congratilations for the great video.
rodolfombarros 8 months ago in playlist mac mini media server
His the how to setup on your website? I don't see it.
UniSkibum 8 months ago
Thanks for the quick reply
So essentially I want this setup in my room. I also want to be able to use the mac mini as a PC.
I also need to connect my Logitech surround sound speakers to the mac mini (how do I do this?)
I would also like to be able to view the mac mini in my living room and have the audio play thru my home theater system. How can I do this?
UniSkibum 8 months ago
@UniSkibum Use the mac as a PC as in run Windows? Use Boot Camp or Parallels. Connect your surround sound speakers... should be as easy as plugging them in, no more no less. View the mac mini in your living room? Run a long ass HDMI cable to your receiver, done and done. You have two video outputs on your mac, so this shouldn't be hard. The distance between you and your living room may be the only problem.
mattarrr 8 months ago
@mattarrr Well I would run Windows at times but primarily OS X. I cannot connect the logitech speakers because I have 3 cables leaving my subwoofer and only 2 audio jacks on the mini.
Is there no way to stream over the air in my living room?
UniSkibum 8 months ago
@mattarrr It would be cool if you did a how to setup the whole system video.
UniSkibum 8 months ago
You, sir, are incredibly cute. And thanks for restoring my faith in Mac. I forgot that I planned on having it as my media center.
calisuni 8 months ago
@calisuni Haha, thank you for the compliment! And yes, you can do amazing things with the Mac :)
mattarrr 8 months ago
Does the Drobo NAS come with HDD or do you add them yourself?
UniSkibum 8 months ago
@UniSkibum It comes without hard drives, but sometimes you can buy it from the Drobo website as a package with drives. I'd still recommend only buying the enclosure and then adding your own drives.
mattarrr 8 months ago
Can You Run Games From A Disk With Mame, Instead Of Downloading, Because I Have A Whole Lot Of Original Xbox Games.
SuperCrazyJunk 10 months ago
@SuperCrazyJunk nope
mattarrr 10 months ago
@mattarrr can u create virtual images of the disks perhaps??
SuperCrazyJunk 10 months ago
I like your decal, haha :)) is the manage & player software is XBMC, it looks pro like TVX
mrtuanvnn 1 year ago
@mrtuanvnn It is PLEX.
mattarrr 1 year ago
this guy is so cute
tirederic 1 year ago
do you get your movies for free or from itunes could u get me a link for the games and mac mame
MritalkApple 1 year ago
@MritalkApple Everything you need to know is on the site.
mattarrr 1 year ago
do you get your movies for free or from itunes
MritalkApple 1 year ago
how do you connect more than one xbox controller at a time? USB hub with 4 xbox receivers?
prototype715 1 year ago
@prototype715 One XBOX360 Wireless dongle can accommodate four wireless controllers. If you are using wired controllers, you don't need the dongle, but will need 4 USB ports.
mattarrr 1 year ago
Does the HD quality playback look as sharp as it does on cable TV? Most of the video I have downloaded looked crappy on my HP windows laptop. I'm looking to do the same thing you have set up with either a hackintosh or mac mini. So the mini video card has enough for full HD?
DeerHammer308 1 year ago
where'd you get all the game emulators? would that work for just a regular windows PC?
senorseis66 1 year ago
Where did you get all of the tv shows and movies
chase5029 1 year ago
Excellent video! How do you download your movies and tv shows for Plex to play them?
AltonMerrell 1 year ago
Hey man
I got a problem and I think you could help me
I got a sony home theater and I want to connect it to my mac mini (10/09) to use it when I'm watching movies (with PLEX!!)
The problem is that my home theater has only HDMI input. I have connected the HDMI cable to my mac mini (with adapters, cause it has no HDMI input) but I do not get any sound out of it.
Could you please help me to solve this problem so I could enjoy my movies even more !
ToothieSatan 1 year ago
@ToothieSatan Check the website in the description, there is a whole section on Audio/Video.
mattarrr 1 year ago
Sweet setup! Thanks for the video.
SurfAwave69 1 year ago
It's a nice setup but without a cable card it's not "ultimate", it's just XBMC.
portpower27 1 year ago
@portpower27 So many people with setups like this don't even have cable service, and opt for streaming and downloading video. It doesn't seem necessary at all in this setup.
vantageIIx 1 year ago
This looks great man. I have a similar set up.
I use a PS3 hooked up to the TV and to a LAN. Connected on the same network over wlan are 2 Macs and a PC, all of which have have Terabytes of media either on board or attached via USB hubs. Using PS3 Media Server (available for both OS X and Win 7), my PS3 streams just about every format out there. My Samsung android's phone's all share also connects seamlessly. I love technology. mwahahaha
robbenter 1 year ago
How do you get 1080p in full screen. When I put anything but stretched res it always cuts off most of the screen.
jeff666p 1 year ago
i dig the mario plumber hat in the background... lol.
jorrickwesley 1 year ago
can you run two xbox controllers off one wireless dongle if so would you include that in your next video.
your videos are awesome keep them coming
jboone2012 1 year ago
nice setup
choxxolate 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
That is a freakin awesome setup!!!!!!
ocountyboy 1 year ago
That is a freakin awesome setup!!!!!!
ocountyboy 1 year ago
Old school games with emulation is the only reason your setup is great !!!
Excellent video!
mohsin213jc 1 year ago
Did you buy your movies? or what?
your tv shows? etc etc are they DRM protected?
computermilkwade 1 year ago
@computermilkwade the jolly roger, two xboxs, TB-nas, bittorrent, emulator, wasn't a clue for you..... or do you live in a wold were people OPENLY incriminate by answering such stupid questions
dukeraider2 1 year ago
@dukeraider2 wtf dude? chill the @#@# out, I actually was asking a calm and real question because i want to know. I actually have purchased DRM content and i wanted to know because i wanted to know if it would WORK or not. I'm interested in setting this up, i just want to know if it will work. Chill the @#@# out.
computermilkwade 1 year ago
@computermilkwade as long as iTunes is running and managing DRM in the bg you should be fine. But if you never buy DRM-protected media then DRM is never issuse..... "Oh, im chill, im the chillest mutha-fuka on Da planet" :P
dukeraider2 1 year ago
Would that work with a ps3 controller?
bgggbb 1 year ago
@bgggbb The word on the street is that it should work with a PS3 controller as well. but since I cannot get my hands on one to test I don't want to tell you it works.
mattarrr 1 year ago
hey are their any other better gamepads available than the 360. that will work?
damnhatesyou 1 year ago
@damnhatesyou Absolutely! Go to applemediacenter and then select "Video Game Emulation & Controllers" from the Topics menu and go to the section on controllers. There are TONS of ways to control your games.
mattarrr 1 year ago
@mattarrr cool thanks
damnhatesyou 1 year ago
Really nice work done here...
but could you make a video about how you setup the xbox 360 wireless controller and hooked it with your mac mini..?
BlueSeez 1 year ago
@BlueSeez That is the next video! I'm working on emulation right now!
mattarrr 1 year ago
Excellent video. I too have a MacMini and Drobo hooked up to my 56 inch DLP TV. You may want to get the EyeTV HD to turn your MacMini to a DVR. I have been using it for several months and it works great.
drticzon 1 year ago
tbnrobin 1 year ago
@tbnrobin What controllers do you use for PSX and Mame emulation?
mattarrr 1 year ago
Hey Matt, I finally got Plex up and running on my mac mini; although i had to do some serious clean up and upgrading to the system since I was still running Tiger. But now I am stuck. I ripped a couple discs of Breaking Bad using Ripit and the settings you sugested, but now in Plex I add the source Home Folder: Movies: TV Shows and Plex does not recognize them in the Watch TV or Watch Movies section... I am pulling out what is left of my hair and I am hoping you can shed some light! Thanks!!!!!
TripSe7en 1 year ago
@TripSe7en It took me a while at first too. Admittedly, it is NOT easy. But the new version of plex (who knows when it is showing up) will make everything SUPER easy. Google "Adding Your Media to the Plex Library" and click the first link.
mattarrr 1 year ago
Your setup is Epic Matt! I have had the same mac mini for almost 4 years now and it never crossed my mind to use it the way you do! Plex looks awesome! If you don't mind me asking, where do you get all the HD Media that you have on your HDD? When I get out of work, im going to try to get mine up and running in my media closet!
TripSe7en 1 year ago
@TripSe7en One of these days I'm going to make a new video to show people how much more you can do... in the mean time, go to the website listed in the description and look in the guides section for "obtaining content." You'll have 1080p videos up the wazoo.
mattarrr 1 year ago
@mattarrr One thing about bittorrent that i heard is that it is an easy way to get virus's on your cpu, is that necessarily true? Im not a newb, but im not an uber techie either... Also, do i run high risks of getting caught for pirating? I'm 30 and I havent done p2p since i was in college back in the Napster years...
TripSe7en 1 year ago
@TripSe7en Considering there are no OSX viruses, I'm pretty certain you'll be fine. As far as piracy goes. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. That's all I can really tell you.
mattarrr 1 year ago
Plex is cool but I like Boxee
KungFuChess 1 year ago
I would seriously consider the new mac mini if you haven't already. It handles Plex like a dream.
MattAG02 1 year ago
@MattAG02 Compared to what? If you can tell me that it is leaps and bounds better than the 2009 2.26GHz C2D mini then I'll go out and buy it today.
mattarrr 1 year ago
Comment removed
MattAG02 1 year ago
@mattarrr the 2009 2.26ghz is still solid. The main difference is based on the incorporation of HDMI and a better graphics card. When I get things a little a more organized I plan on making a video to show off my 2010 setup. Also, thank you for having a drobo, you showed me the way man. Also, I like your remote, but I'm going with the Controllr App on my iPod touch cause it's out of hand. Lastly, nice work on your website. Thanks again.
MattAG02 1 year ago
my first two movies are 28 days and 28 weeks later too :D
chocolate632 1 year ago
Hey Matt , is there a way to increase the font on the mini I just got one and can't figure it out , it sucks hitting command to zoom all the time
cmurdertru187 1 year ago
@cmurdertru187 Unfortunately no.
mattarrr 1 year ago
@mattarrr Fantastic movies :)
mattarrr 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
How do I do this with the ps3 controller?
chriscash1982 1 year ago
how do I do this with a PS3 controller?
chriscash1982 1 year ago
Thanks for the info. This is very helpful.
KLackey 1 year ago
@JoshCisme
the first rule about Usenet is you don't tell others about Usenet
mongoose8p 1 year ago
Where in the helllllll do you get all your movies and tv shows???
800hennessy 1 year ago
@800hennessy
Usenet and BitTorrent Obvi
mongoose8p 1 year ago
nice vid i was going to get an imac but i think i new mac mini is going to be a great media center!!
Alucardx72 1 year ago
holy shit my name is matt harr. no seriously. it is. i was looking for mac mini stuff and this popped up. small world
jarhead6288 1 year ago
oh.SHARP!!
h1mayos2 1 year ago
...also...is it possible to emulate that logitech badboy with an android app? that would be rad as hell.
brendanisdead 1 year ago
does the size of the tv matter? i have a 52" lcd, and am ditching my htpc for a mac mini. i don't want to hook it up and find that it stutters.
brendanisdead 1 year ago
@brendanisdead It matters in only one regard... the bigger the better :) But no, it does not matter at all.
mattarrr 1 year ago
@mattarrr awesome. thanks for the guides. i've been reading your site for info on how to pimp out my mini...which arrives today! one question...is there a program that edits your library titles so that they'll work in plex? i have over 3tb of movies, and there's no way i'm going to edit them individually.
brendanisdead 1 year ago
@brendanisdead The latest version of PLEX will have that ability. I would say just wait for it instead of trying to edit everything on your TV.
mattarrr 1 year ago
matt luv the site..will post my htpc soon it is very similar to urs...mac mini.. drobo..sony reciever.samsung 40 1080 p..PLEX ,eye tv and ADDING MORE..Working on controling everything with iphone/pad
vonfreshrus 1 year ago
@mattarrr
Question, can you get sound via a dvi - hdimi?
L1VeEDGE 1 year ago
Hey what's up? tell me, would it work using Kanex iAdapt plugged into lets say a ps3 and my mac so i could play on my mac screen? THX!
gutssss 1 year ago
@gutssss Nope. This cable is meant to take the minidisplay port and output it to a TV via HDMI. You want to input HDMI and have it output to minidisplay port. Sorry, but this cable only goes one way. Good luck!
mattarrr 1 year ago
Why 2 xboxes?
jsquad192837465 1 year ago
hi. i dont know what sort of mac to get. the Imac 21.5 inch or the mac mini? i have the time capsule 1tb. but i dont know weather to get a propper computer or the mac mini connected to my 32inch 1080p tv. which one will be best for me???
09xboxdude 1 year ago
@09xboxdude Well, that is a good question. If you only want it for TV stuff, then get the mini and connect it to your TV. If you need it for other things where you will be sitting in front of a computer (typing docs, web browsing, etc) then get an iMac and a LONG DVI/HDMI & audio cable. That or you could stream to an XBOX360... another feature I will be discussing in my NEW GUIDE (coming soon).
mattarrr 1 year ago
Yo, Whats up mattarr?! just wanted to let u know that this video was pretty much my inspiration... lol. kinda sorta... my tv isn't as big but i'll post a video real soon... be on da look out... i purchased the dinovo mini b/c of this video i don't have a mac mini rather a win based pc and a ps3 rather than xbox360... complete opposites. lol.
jorrickwesley 1 year ago
@jorrickwesley Glad I could help dude! Believe it or not, I'm in the process of redoing my guide and making a whole new video with a crazy amount of new information. Check back in a month or so and you should see it (I hope).
mattarrr 1 year ago
Looks like the only thing you don't have here is the EyeTV. Who needs TV when you have a Drobo full of media!!! Great Setup Matt
MattAG02 1 year ago
"
Is there a way to increase the Safari Browsers URL Line and the buttons?? I'd like to browse on my TV which has Full HD 46. When I sit 3.5 meters away it's very tiny and heard to read the URL line."
yeh cant you hold Cmmd and scroll on your mouse and it zooms the whole screen right?
lockoshamface 1 year ago
Awesome setup man, I might be investing in a mac mini soon... Anyhow what's your gamertag?
BMAN89IROCZ 2 years ago
Is there a way to increase the Safari Browsers URL Line and the buttons?? I'd like to browse on my TV which has Full HD 46. When I sit 3.5 meters away it's very tiny and heard to read the URL line.
kenshin3002 2 years ago
Sadly, no.
mattarrr 2 years ago
Hey Matt I just got mine build base on your Video. I am realizing quickly that my internal HD is not going to be sufficient. You mentioned that the Drodo is the bottleneck. How big of drag is for pushing video.
s8jiwa 2 years ago
@s8jiwa The Drobo is a bottleneck, but it doesn't at all hamper you from playing video. I have the 1st Gen Drobo and it works just fine (with Blu-Ray & 1080p material). When you are copying, etc, it will top out at like ~25mb/sec. If you can, get the 2nd Gen Drobo with Firewire 800 or the Pro (although I don't know the difference really) and that will be more than enough. I really need to make a new video soon. Enjoy dude!
mattarrr 2 years ago
Thanks for the video. I have everything set up, however, with MAME OS X - I can not add coins. No wireless keyboard is recognized. I read in other threads that this is an issue with MAME OS X when it added HID years ago and only usb keyboards work - not bluetooth... How did you get your keyboard to work with it? It may be that the diNovo uses a usb dongle... Thanks Other then that, Mobile Air Mouse for the ipod touch/ iphone works amazing as a keyboard and mouse.
rboudway 2 years ago
It's like the number 4 or 5 to add coins, or whatever you map it to.
mattarrr 2 years ago
Hi! I'm just about to fix me the same set-up (McMini + TV) Nice video! Love this Drobo thing! :-) Also nice Koi on your arm! You should definitely colour it! :-)
TurekPolski 2 years ago
I have been thinking about this guide for a long time now. I'm just wondering if you leave your mac mini on all the time or what? I'm getting rid of cable and strictly using internet for shows and movies. Always on seams like a way to go. Are you still rockin the 1.6 mini? What are your power bills like if you leave it on? just wondering thanks for the guide man
alltoorobot 2 years ago
I recently upgraded to the 2.26 Core 2 Duo, it flies! I leave this thing on 24/7 as well as the Drobo which has 4 hard drives going 24/7. I haven't noticed a hit to my power bill by any means. Considering that you aren't playing movies on it all the time when it is idle it isn't using too much power. The money you save on cable will be worth it.
mattarrr 2 years ago
Thanks for the update. I'm gonna pick up a MacMini but didn't know which one to get... 2.2ghz vs 2.5ghz but your post convince me to just get the cheaper one. Do you have any input on RAM? 2gb vs. 4gb? Worth it? Or Not? Great Video and keep up the good work!
j2tran77 2 years ago
Personally. I think you are good with the base model. The biggest bottleneck I have experienced so far is just hard drive speed from my Drobo (1st Gen model). Unless you need to use it for anything other than an HTPC (video editing, etc) then just stick with the base model.
mattarrr 2 years ago
arrgh!... i hate the fact yu cant legally rip dvd's but you can cd's even if its for personal use.
i mean you aren't affecting the industry if you do that unless you was to share them and well what do you gain from that?
TOG2G 2 years ago
Why do you care so much? They are your DVDs. Rip them ILLEGALLY and do what you want with them.
mattarrr 2 years ago
Yeah.. dont blame yu
TOG2G 2 years ago
Thanks for the reply.
Yeah, I saw that you use a Drobo. I have all of my media on external drives... 8.6TB and rising!
I was thinking more about OS X, Boot Camp, Windows 7, emulators and ROMs. I'd be looking to run those things from the internal drive.
How far d'you reckon 320GB will take me?
Thanks again,
DH.
mbchfdh2 2 years ago
8.6TB. DAMN dude! I'd give Windows about 30gb of space since you can access all the other files from within Windows if you are running 10.6 OR if you have MacDrive (PC app). You could get all the roms you want on the internal, but once you start adding PS1 games that will really slaughter your space. Pretty much every system up to the PS1 will fit on that internal drive. But really, why do you want to do that?
mattarrr 2 years ago
is your drobo connected to your mac mini? lol stupid question but do you connect it directly to the back of your mac mini or did you like drill a little hole to mod it?
guystuff100 2 years ago
It's USB and it plugs right in. Drill a hole? Are you nuts?
mattarrr 2 years ago
@mattarrr lol i saw a vid to connect the external hard drive to it directly through the SATA port.according to the guy. its better but lol he cut a hole in the side to run the cable straight throo the sata to the external. is the newer $600 mac mini good for running games like World of warcraft? i dont play i just wanna know its power capability. my brother plays and we gonna share it but can it run WOW smoothly?
guystuff100 2 years ago
Cheers, buddy. I appreciate the advice.
The model I've described is one-up from base, yes. Seems to be the most sensible balance of power and price... do you find the 320GB drive sufficient, though? I was just thinking about PlayStation ROMs this afternoon, and I reckon a couple of hundred of those could wipe that drive out; along with MAME, N64, SNES, NES, Genesis and Windows software.
Also, do you have any complaints at all about your Mini? Is there anything it falls short on?
Thanks
DH.
mbchfdh2 2 years ago
Haha. I have the Drobo loaded with 4x1TB drives, giving me about ~3TB of space. So no, 320 is not enough.
mattarrr 2 years ago
Thank you for this. It's very heartening to *see* what's previously only been described to me.
I'm about the pull the trigger on a 2.53GHz Core Duo Mini, with 4GB of RAM and the Nvidia 9400M. I take it that this will handle all of my media and emulation needs very nicely indeed...?
By the way - given that Apple are hostile to Blu-ray, will I need to remux all of my Blu-ray rips to run them on the Mini? Or will I need to go further and run Windows 7 through Boot Camp?
Thanks in advance.
DH.
mbchfdh2 2 years ago
The model you want is a step up from the current 'base' model which I just bought. 1080p Blu-Ray material plays without a hitch. VLC might give you a little trouble at times (as far as codecs), but ironically, Plex will handle it with ease.
If you run Boot Camp you can play Blu-Rays with no problem. On OSX, you can play the main stream, but you may need to remux. Not entirely sure.
mattarrr 2 years ago
@ matterrr not a single nipple on that hdd you say...hmmm cos I bet one of your millions of movies an tv shows have a slight nudity or flash in it!! Anyway was wondering wer all this movies just DVD rips or torrents!! Cos there's alotttttt
recorps1 2 years ago