XMBC + Mac mini

[maxxis]

Hi guys

Now that I am finally happy with the setup in my car Im moving to improve the audio experience at home.

I've been spending some time over the last few weeks playing with different options and thus far the following is really impressing me.

Source: Mac Mini running XMBC / Sony DVD player
Amp: Sony STR DE698
Speakers: DLS D3 towers (still researching the right drivers to build a nice center and surrounds)
Sub: Sony 12" active from my previous system.
Media Server: Quad Core Xeon with 4gigs of ram and 2TB of storage.
Streaming: Wireless network.

For now I am super happy with how it sounds.

XMBC has really shown itself to be a fantastic media player although limited by the Mac Mini at the moment. Its quite old and only had 512mb of ram. Decoding HD content is a pain.

Would it be best to just upgrade the ram on it and use a proper external dac or do I ditch it in favor of a PC with an ASUS Xonar card for example?

[Robert_E]

I'm not familiar with the hardware in the Mac-mini but if it's got issues decoding HD it's most likely CPU related and it would probably be better to upgrade.

[maxxis]

Thanks for the reply.

My initial thoughts also that the CPU might not be strong enough.

IIRC it is a 1.8ghz single core. 720p content stutters on it quite badly.

[gavinbirss]

You can swap out wireless mini pci express 1x card with a broadcom HD card. It does hardware acceleration of 720p video and is also a good mod for the Apple TV.
see : http://www.broadcom.com/products/Consumer-Electronics/Netbook-and-Nettop-Solutions

BCM70012 is now replaced by a single IC version : BCM70015

[dotVIBE]

hmm, first thoughts are, 720p over wireless??? not in a gazillion years! Try it cabled first before blaming the CPU.

Streaming video is problematic via wireless, even when using Type N tech.

[maxxis]

Good point. 

To be dead honest I have not tried it wired.

Worth a shot I think.

[Robert_E]

hmm, first thoughts are, 720p over wireless??? not in a gazillion years!

I can watch 720p over my wireless N connection to the popcorn hour no problem

[Robert_E]

But it'll be easy to rule out the network by plugging a usb drive with a problamatic movie on straight into the mac. (Or just copy the file over first and see if it plays correctly)

[maxxis]

720p seems to be working fine on the 2 PCs at home via the wireless.

Mac is not happy with decoding 720p via USB or network so that seems to be the weakest link.

[dotVIBE]

well, there ya go.

[maxxis]

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

We are moving into our own place end of the month and I had a chat with the wife last night about the following.

My Xeon server PC will become the HTPC serving up the audio / video then via a Asus Xonar. The Mac will be retired to our bedroom to watch normal SD content.

I will create a new thread when the renovations start for the AV room / lounge.

[Enigma_2k4]

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

We are moving into our own place end of the month and I had a chat with the wife last night about the following.

My Xeon server PC will become the HTPC serving up the audio / video then via a Asus Xonar. The Mac will be retired to our bedroom to watch normal SD content.

I will create a new thread when the renovations start for the AV room / lounge.

Hey Maxxis welcome, more familiar faces are good :-)

I fully support using the decent machine for your HTPC, but before deciding the XBMC is the way to go maybe check out this thread here:
Enigma's HT build log thread

[maxxis]

Big thanks for the welcome man. Really nice group of people on here. I appreciate all the help.

Back to the Mac. I weighed up all the options of the HTPC and the Mac Mini and I bought a Mede8er

It just made more sense having a dedicated media player for the same money as a HTPC case. Thus far very happy with it.

I will however alway have the PC itch in me and Im sure Ill build myself a little something down the line.

For now the priority is to build me center channel and surrounds and get the HT room at home setup.

[dotVIBE]

Dude, i hear you on the PC itch 

my next project is a proper NAS.  a headless system in a nice compact case, micro ATX board, with maybe a Atom or undervolted AMD X2 driving it, a couple of GIGS of RAM and then either WHS or FreeNAS or whatever on top of it.

In the meantime, to keep yourself busy, check out WAMJ for your mede8er.