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Dec 02
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Well, I bit the bullet and built a Mac mini media center. As with most things Mac it was very simple after doing some basic research. Based on that research, to create this monster, I used a Mac mini, VIZIO 32 inch TV/Monitor, Apple wireless keyboard, Mighty mouse, Scientific Atlanta digital cable box, EyeTv TV tunner and various cables.Once I had all the componets in hand I hooked it all up in the following way. Mac mini to TV via RGB, cable box via composite video to the TV, sound via 1/8 male to male from the Mac mini to the TV. To hook up the cable TV, screwed in the incoming 75 ohm cable to the splitter and then one out went to the TV and the other to the EyeTv tuner on the mini. The keyboard and mouse are connected via wireless, as you might have guessed. Network connection is provided via Airport Extreme. Originally, I had it connected via Linksys WRT54G, but the set up begged for “N” speed, so I updated the router to an Airport Extreme multi channel router. That did the trick, the network flying now! All this could have been done with many other computers, but there are very few that provide the power of the mini with a near zero noise level. This is very important when you realize this is in a bedroom. Also, there were many other ways to hook all these components up, but I went with the most standard setup I could, given the components that I already had. Future updates, will be to move components to HDMI and a hardwired gigabit ethernet connection. Ripping 100+ DVDs stored on some sort of central storage to be shared across the network. Possibly via the USB port on the Airport Extreme? This was a truly enjoyable project that just allows the enjoyment to keep going and going.
Component list below:
Scientific Atlanta digital cable box
Two three feet sections of 75 ohm cable
Note: Links are for illustration only and do not reflect where the components came from.