AppleTV or Mac Mini with Front Row?

I'm trying to decide whether to get an Apple TV, or a Mac Mini running Front Row. Cost is not the main issue. I live in The Netherlands where Apple has no movie rental service. I have a large DVD collection that I am slowly ripping to an external hard disk for use in iTunes. Any thoughts on which is the better approach?

iMac (mid 2007) 24" 2.8GHz, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 24, 2009 12:40 AM

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8 replies

Oct 26, 2009 11:29 AM in response to Dean W.

Yes - I had actually stumbled across Plex since posting my original question and have been playing with it on my iMac. It is very nice indeed and a whole load more functional than Front Row yet with a very nice user interface. The information and graphics it automatically downloads on movies in your library is especially impressive. Apple would do well to consider taking over this project and incorporating it into the next release of Front Row and Apple TV! Incidentally, I see that it is a port of the popular XBMC application, that started life as the open source home theatre application for the X-Box, but has since gone on to be the main home theatre applications for Linux. Indeed, Plex has swung it for me - it is a class above what the Apple TV can provide and justifies the extra expense of the Mac Mini. In terms of user interface, it is no more difficult to use than Front Row, but because of the power of system it is more complex to set up (but not by any means impossible). Integration with the iLife apps is automatic.

Nov 24, 2009 5:48 PM in response to pvonk

I've been researching Plex on the web and have discovered a whole underground movement that uses a Mac Mini and Plex to create a home theater center. The mini can do 1080p and you can get the cables or converters to get the mini to hdmi for the tv and optical cable connection for sound. I've put Plex on my laptop as a test case and I'm impressed. With the frequent drops of ATV from the iTunes devices list, I'm ready to give up the ATV for the Mini/Plex solution.

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AppleTV or Mac Mini with Front Row?

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