Home Theater and Your Mac Mini

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tuaw.com/2009/08/21/tuaw-guide-setting-up-the-ultimate-mac-mini-home-theater/' target='_blank'>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/08/21/tuaw...i-home-theater/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The Mac mini has always been the perfect form factor for a media center appliance (often called a Home Theater PC/HTPC). It's extremely small, almost completely silent and it can easily blend into an existing electronics shelf - or be hidden away completely."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1250900857.usr105634.jpg" /></em></p><p>This is a pretty complete article if you are interesting in setting up your Mac Mini for your home theater. It covers the hardware you have available, software choices, software settings and even remote options. The perspective is from someone that has just gone through the setup process, so at the very least it can help you avoid some of the pitfalls you might have encountered.&nbsp;</p>

[doogald]

I'll add one more thing: buy Applecare. I just brought the almost two year old Mini that I use for the same purpose in after it died, and a new logic board (on Apple's dime) later, it's back after two days gone (plus it got priority repair over non-warranty items.) $150 for Applecare, $285 for a new logic board.

[Jeff Campbell]

AppleCare definitely worth it. The only time I didn't buy it, I got lucky. Was on used laptop and they reported problem with video chipset so it was covered, otherwise I would have been out 600 or 700 dollars. I've had it come in handy several times for covered repairs after the normal one year period on standard warranty.

[Macguy59]

I'm an eyelash away from replacing my ATV with the Mini but I keep reading rumors of a hardware update coming for ATV