development

Apr 27 2009

mini $50 Apple TV

I can’t wait to get an Apple TV. But it won’t be happening anytime soon: I am a television Luddite. My 25″ CRT TV is as close as I get to home theater. But, should that stop me from watching iTunes video on my TV? No!

Somewhere in all the rabid excitement of a new Apple product launch, we forget that, “hey, I can already do that.” In fact, as you’ll see here a repurposed 2-year-old Mac mini makes a great Apple TV and even includes some extras.

miniappletv mini $50 Apple TV

What you’ll need:

Software

If your mini is a recent purchase, you already have Front Row. If not, don’t despair. Tiger users should try the CenterStage project. While still in development, this project supports EyeTV recordings and sports a slick interface. If you are still rockin’ with Panther, try iTheater. iTheater is a streamlined interface supporting anything QuickTime can play. These media applications will serve up your pictures, DVDs, movies and more in a TV friendly format.

Hardware

We need a remote to match the function of the Apple TV. These are cheap. RF remotes have a better range, and do not depend on line-of-sight like IR, but either will do.

The adapter will downsample the video output of your mini to your television’s resolution. So, you may have to adjust your display settings to get things looking their best. Also, do not mistake this solution for an external monitor. The picture quality you will get is great for movies and photos, but not for general computing.

The Apple TV may be the best product you don’t buy. It might also be a great excuse to retire your mini to the entertainment system and buy that new Intel Mac.

Brian

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Apr 27 2009

What’s Realô really doing ó Part 3– Realô Replies

By: Jon Gales

A MacMerc reader sent me
a reply he got from Real concerning
the lack
of RealPlayer for OS X. It’s the first reply I’ve gotten. If you have any
replies please send them in so I can post them! If you click on the [comment] links throughout the email you will get my take. Feel free to send in any rebuttals
you have.

LETTER FROM REAL:

Hello
**NAME OF SENDER**. Actually you are about the 50th person who has stated
this question to us today via the sales email alias. If you could please sent
this response back to all of the other people that have emailed this same
response. Real appreciates all of your input and understands your dying need
to have RealOnePlayer compatible with OSX. I personally am glad that so many
of you are enthusiastic about getting it.
I work in server sales and will pass on your messages. The thing is this.
Real is in deed working on a version compatible with OSX due to be out by
no later than the end of this year [comment]. Unfortunately
Mac versions although very important just make up such a small amount of the
computer universe that they are often the last to be focused on.[comment]
Real makes their technology compatible with over 10 different Operating Systems
and the other platforms are in much higher demand [comment]
unfortunately so we have to get to them first. The OSX version will be out
towards the end of the year. Unfortunately that is all the give me as far
as a date goes.
I will definitely forward all of this response to our product development
department in hopes that this will spur them on to expedite this process [comment].
Thanks again for your input and please  inform the others that emailed
me as well. Thanks. -Chris

–

My Take:

1) "To
be out by no later than the end of this year"

This is what I was going for. We have at least a target. A development time
of 20 months is a little lengthy but I’ll take it. At least we got a time frame
(something that wasn’t posted on their site). [top]

–

2) "Mac
versions although very important just make up such a small amount of the computer
universe that they are often the last to be focused on"

Wow. That makes me very angry. Here’s an analagy: I tend to focus my eyes on
Lexus vehicles rather than on Ford’s. Lexus has a very small market share but
they sure get respect. Imagine if no tires were being made for all of the new
model Lexus’! The stores just say "Sorry Mr. Gales there just isn’t enough
market share to fund making a tire just for your type of car. We’ll have one
out by the end of the year.". You can read the Naked
Truth to continue this analogy but I don’t think you need to. Any rabid
Mac fan will be angered by the above kill statement. Good thing I’m not militant.
icon razz Whats Realô really doing ó Part 3 Realô Replies [top]

–

3) "Real
makes their technology compatible with over 10 different Operating Systems and
the other platforms are in much higher demand"

Name them. Go ahead, try
it. This is what I came up with:

  1. Windows XP
  2. Windows 2000
  3. Windows ME
  4. Windows 98
  5. Windows 95
  6. Windows 3.1
  7. DOS
  8. Linux
  9. Unix (non OS X )
  10. BeOS

On Real.com you can download
their player for 8 OS’s, not 10:

  1. Windows 98
  2. Windows ME
  3. Windows 2000
  4. Windows NT 4.0
  5. Windows XP
  6. Mac OS 8.1
  7. Mac OS 8.5 or higher
  8. UNIX

The one’s in bold have no
chance of being in higher demand than OS X. Already OS X has a larger user base
than all GUI based Linux distributions so cancel out Unix. How many people do
you know run OS 8? I don’t know anyone. But, it runs RealPlayer. Nice. This
"fact" in the letter was complete BS, plain and simple. [top]

–

4) "I
will definitely forward all of this response to our product development department
in hopes that this will spur them on to expedite this process"

Good. I thank you for your
support in this effort. Hopefully we can all have a smug grin on our face when
RealX comes out a few months early. I congratulate you all. We did something
that one person couldn’t – get a reply out of the monster. Give yourself
a pat on the back! [top]

 

If you get any replies from
Real please forward them to jon@macmerc.com.
Thanks! – Jon

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