source media

Apr 27 2009

Build a Mac mini Media Server

When Steve unveiled the Mac mini, most people thought they were looking at the most inexpensive Mac Apple had ever turned out. For those of us used to beating the most out of our machines the Mac mini represents a whole new application for the best OS.

This week I’m featuring freeware that will help you in your quest to turn your Mac mini into a home media server.

First, there’s plenty of freeware that will allow your mini to interface with your video recorder of choice.

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerDreamStream – For your Dreambox

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerEyeTV Remote and eyetv RPM – For your EyeTV

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerTiVo Desktop and TiVoFerkey – For your TiVo

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerDVArchive – For Replay TV

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerEarphoria

Remotely control iTunes via Rendezvous. Perfect for running a music server from another Mac on the network.

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerRomeo

Use this Bluetooth app to turn your phone into a remote for your media mini.

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerQT XList and ClipLinkViewer X

These solutions are different, but both will play a series of QuickTime files in a playlist fashion. Perfect for queuing up video clips.

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerVLC Media Player

This Open Source media player will play just about anything, and is a must for your media server.

If you’ve read Apple’s documentation on the mini you should know that the mini will interface directly or via adapter with most new TV’s. Have fun!

Brian

mu Build a Mac mini Media ServerDownloads provided by MacUpdate

By admin • Articles, Freeloader Friday Download of the Week • 1 • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Apr 27 2009

Media on the Go

We are beginning to see the world of pro-level Open Source media applications mature. As they become more popular, the benefits of their free source code are becoming evident. This week we have a collection of new portable versions of some Open Source’s best applications. As a bonus, we have a couple previews of good things to come in free multimedia applications on the Mac.

Portible Apps

Through the ever cheaper phenomena of Flash memory, the following applications can be installed to a pocket-sized drive and used on any OS X Mac without being installed on the Mac. These apps are content to live and run right from removable media, making any Mac you can get your USB drive in to yours.

Portable Gimp is one of the best-loved Open Source media applications. Now you can take it on the road, however the Mac you’ll run it on must have X11 installed. Ditto for Portable Inkscape, Gimp’s vector drawing counterpart.

We know about Portable Firefox and Thunderbird. Now you can enjoy XULtastic web designing on the go with Portable NVU.

But of course, if we what to cut to the heart of media, we want video and audio. Watch and listen to a plethora of media formats with Portable VLC. For recording and mixing on the closest Mac you can find, grab Portable Audacity.

Coming Soon

Yesterday Google announced a free 3D authoring environment (for PC, Mac version coming soon). If you don’t want to wait, you can download a free 8 hour trial of the Pro version of Sketch for the Mac.

NeoOffice is a OS X-friendly rework of OpenOffice. NeoOffice 1.2 is based on the 1.x version of OpenOffice, however an early release of the 2.0 version is available now – for a fee. The free download comes at the end of next month. Of course, you are welcome to compile the source yourself now, for free.

You can forget reinstalling all your favorite apps on each Mac you touch. Ahh, the freedom.

Brian

By admin • Articles, Freeloader Friday Download of the Week • 0 • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,