Fuck it, if we aren’t getting an Apple TV update then this might have to do!
I had a Mac Mini as a media centre before I had an Apple TV.
Purposely bought a server model that fried both its drives, never to be seen again. It was not a happy experience, or one that I’d recommend.
The UI alone required both keyboard and mouse, you’re forever dealing with on-screen alerts, none of the software is really intended for full screen use 100% if the time, etc.
On the plus side, you can have an on screen clock all the time if you want, something I’ve never achieved with the Apple TV.
Not sure why you’re being down voted. I bought a 2012 Mac mini a few years ago and it ultimately became the media centre PC, but it was never perfect for the same reasons you said.
And this week the damn thing just died, absolutely no power. I presume the PSU died but yet to confirm. Now I’m planning to replace it with a Leader SN6 NUC I have around running some Linux distro with KDE and using the KDE Connect app to control it instead
And this week the damn thing just died
Just in time to buy the new one! Coincidence? Probably.
I’ve had good success using old laptops and old desktops running Linux as media center devices. The hardest part is getting them to recognize Windows networks, and that’s not very hard at all. I thought I’d be removing some headaches by replacing the Linux machine with an Nvidia Shield device, but it has just caused different headaches, and is pretty slow. I’m about to start shopping for hardware to build a slick little mini PC for integration into my home theater system.
I’d much rather have upgradeable RAM and SSD thanks.
Never gonna be a thing with the way Apple Silicon Macs are built.
I was hoping when the Mac Pro came out they’d do some sort of 2 tier memory solution where you have 32 gigs of very fast ram, and 1TB of slow RAM. But instead they just put glued two M2s together and called it a day.
I just hope a well specced Mini doesn’t sell for more than the base model Studio, and still have worse specs.
Just give me 32 gigs of ram, 4 thunderbolt ports, and 10 gig ethernet so my poor i5 Mac Mini can retire. He’s been screaming in pain.
If it’s smaller than the current mini, it’ll likely have a lot less ports. They’ll probably do this to push people to the Studio.
The article said smaller but taller, so I’m thinking Airport-shaped with still plenty of room for ports.
Article said one HDMI, at least 3 USB-C + power. Doesn’t mention Ethernet at all. Does the Apple TV have Ethernet? That looks like the form factor they’re starting from.
Hopefully this will mean competitive pricing once again, since they have the Studio to take care of the pro-sumer market now.
Realistically they could just make this a hybrid model that can be either an entry level Mac or an Apple TV all in one device.
The “Apple Hub”, use it as an Apple TV or use as a lightweight family computer on your existing display. Perfect!
Then sell for $225 with 1TB nvme and 16GB RAM but no display or camera.
