If you wanted to do DV on your rig, you could certainly get started for less than the cost of a mini, but depending on what hardware you already have and what hardware you end up adding, it could be a nightmare to configure. Or it might work the first time.
What I think intrigues you about the Mac Mini is that you know it will just work, without the potential hassle. So you're spending your time making your home movie, not troubleshooting.
And Amazon? They lost money hand of fist for years. It wasn't Wall Street that killed those charlatans. It was the VCs and anyone with common sense.
Yeah, remember how we used to order books online? Man, those were the days. Whatever happened to that Amazon guy anyway? George Bozos, I think his name was. Didn't he die a pauper after Amazon failed so badly?
Won't work for pr0n, as you need to do a lot of fast forwarding. =) And we all know that pr0n is going to drive this technology, like it has many times before.
For a computer to encode HDTV video to disk requires at least a 2.4ghz machine, and, I assure you, a Mini does not have a 2.4ghz
Why in the fucking fuckity fuck do you want to encode raw HiDef onto what is ostensibly your media player's HD? If you're planning on working with HD as a producer, you're not going to be using a Mac Mini as your encoding workstation.
What I think we've been discussing here is playback, and yes, recording. But if you're downloading a file compressed with mpeg 4 or H.264, guess what? It's already encoded. Compression = encoding. They're synonyms. Hint: Ever wonder why they're called "codecs"?
I think you've pretty much disqualified yourself from the discussion.
Seriously? They said the core techs will work with 32 MB cards? Cool! Boy am I glad I didn't start off calling you names. (I'll just save that up for a different thread. =))
No, the reason for the lack of PVR functionality built into the mini mac was that their goal was to build the cheapest and smallest Macintosh possible. If the goal had been a PVR, don't you think they'd have used a full size hard drive in the design?
Good luck to those making their mini into a PVR. I'm sure some of you will put together some really cool rigs. To those complaining about the lack of features that is somehow preventing them, tough cookies. Maybe rev. 2 or three?
That should be "Sigh. Still not getting it. It's not automation. It's art. You don't get bonus points for being fast if it looks like crap. Granted, "looks like crap" is ultimately subjective. But my point being that you do get bonus points for speed, if the output is otherwise equal.
But really, when he says he types --- rather than -- because it's faster, he means he's lazy.
I agree that the lack of an IR port is problematic.
Personally, I prefer bluetooth, which doesn't require Line Of Sight, and won't use a USB port, but if you're all hawted up for an IR remote, try here. The media remote goes for about $30. The express remote, which also works with the airport express, goes for $60.
I suppose Apple could just sell a Bluetooth remote, but they left Bluetooth as an option as well.
So, if you are planning on using Bluetooth, choose the option. If you doubt you'll ever use bluetooth, leave it out. I'm not getting why this is an issue for you, unless you're merely trying to manufacture issues. But people never do that on slashdot!
Third problem is the lack of S-Video
A $20 adapter is a problem? Then try this one for $4.
I will say, though, that it's interesting that the 5.1 sound M-Audio Transit is sold through M-Audio's site and not the Apple Store. They don't stock it but it was too important to leave off the page. That was no small decision by the Apple Store, to potentially disrupt the buying experience by having you go offsite.
Oh, cry me a river! Your precious "buying experience" was disrupted! Why don't you break out the "1 GB RAM Upgrade costs too much" lament as well, because no one can be expected to ever leave the Apple site to purchase 3rd party RAM.
I know your not trolling, so the only explanation is that you are too technologically challenged to set up a media center, seeing as how navigating to other sites is too difficult for you. I'd recommend just waiting until Apple or some other vendor creates a device that will pipe your media directly down your gaping maw at the press of a single button. We could call it the iBoob, both in your honor, and as it reflects the media experience most people want, suckling at the teat of big media.
1) I need an x86 compatible computer, because otherwise I can't make unauthorized copies of my friend's software.
or
2) I'm so incredibly insecure that I conform to whatever my friends are using. I just pray they never decide to all jump off a cliff together, because I would invariably go with them.
1. Apple will allow proper acceleration of AVC content decoding via Altivec, QT and Core Video. So even the relatively puny G4 based mini should perform quite nicely.
Unless something changes between now and Tiger's release, core image and core video will need a GPU with at least 64 MB of dedicated RAM. The Mini has 32 MB of VRAM.
But all this means is that when the Army comes after you, it's not going to be extra-legal (air-to-surface missle) nor will the matter be ajudicated in a military court.
There's nothing preventing the Army from taking this to civilian court. And what's worse, because the alleged illegal acts are taking place on military computers, it's a severe criminal matter.
When they say, "We're coming for you", they don't mean that literally they will be sending a division of tanks or a squadron of A 10 Warthogs or even a team of LURPs to your house.
However, the could well use Army resources to develop their case against you. If you interfere with the Army in a tortious or criminal manner, why wouldn't they? In a case like this, where it's not a major security threat, they might not bother law enforcement until they've got all the ducks in a row and the perp ripe for picking.
Also, as has been pointed out elsewhere, this is not a simple case of license agreements. If you hack an AA server, you're hacking a military computer system, however trivial that hack might be.
They put streams of music videos on iTMS to promote various bands. There's probably a way of capturing the stream, but I haven't bothered. It could be they're referring to THAT video.
Not at all- we did it before and it created one of the most prosperous decades ever seen in America.
Which decade is this that we sealed off our borders, not letting anyone or anything in or out?
Shows what you know about the third world- they started out tribal, under which EVERYBODY is middle class and there are no rich and there are no poor (for that you need this wierd invention known as money).
Well, there's the slavery thing the other poster mentioned. But I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about. Which tribes do you mean?
I think also you're making the mistake of calling what might be society without economic classes middle class. Essentially meaningless.
I'm really confused as to what your thoughts are on this matter, MH. They seem to be all over the board. Maybe you're ahead of your time? =)
Unless you can give us a link and let us read that comparison, I gotta call bullshit. Let us read the study or whatever it is for ourselves and decide if it's just "get the facts" propaganda or not.
While someone is going to point out Apache vs. IIs, I actually think that you've got a point, that with the smaller share of Macs out there, there will be fewer people writing malware for the platform, just as there are fewer developers. However, if you consider that Mac OS X has been around for over 5 years now, and there is still not a virus out in the wild, that's pretty impressive.
Knowing what we know about script kiddie culture, wouldn't compromising a OS X box be a braggable feat? Let me submit to you the other reason that Macs have been safe: It's too hard. So even if the day ever came that Macs were more numerous than Windows PCs, they'd still be harder to compromise. Not impossible, but harder.
Lastly, I'd like to suggest that Apple is a lot more on the ball than MS when it comes to responding to vulnerability reports. They turn around those security patches pretty quick, while we hear stories of MS leaving a bad hole open for 3 months or longer.
You might have your reasons for using windows. That's fine. But don't pretend that one of the reasons is that it offers better security than linux or Mac OS X. You're not that big of a jackass. =)
If you remove the bloodsucking leech contractors from the equation, war is pretty cheap. We could probably invade Iran for about $500.
I know this one country that went to war for a mere 75 cents. And it totally kicked the other country's ass, which is braggable. This friend of mine saw a country go to war with another country because it left the window open.
Really, it's only proper that the Hubble be decommissioned and de-orbited before that other 'scope (the JWST) gets put up there. Can you imagine if the tried to have sex? Homosexual sex? Space telescopes having homosexual sex in space in an abomination in God's eyes, not least because it's closer to him sitting up there in his big golden chair in heaven.
Slashdot Mirror
If you wanted to do DV on your rig, you could certainly get started for less than the cost of a mini, but depending on what hardware you already have and what hardware you end up adding, it could be a nightmare to configure. Or it might work the first time.
What I think intrigues you about the Mac Mini is that you know it will just work, without the potential hassle. So you're spending your time making your home movie, not troubleshooting.
And Amazon? They lost money hand of fist for years. It wasn't Wall Street that killed those charlatans. It was the VCs and anyone with common sense.
Yeah, remember how we used to order books online? Man, those were the days. Whatever happened to that Amazon guy anyway? George Bozos, I think his name was. Didn't he die a pauper after Amazon failed so badly?
Won't work for pr0n, as you need to do a lot of fast forwarding. =) And we all know that pr0n is going to drive this technology, like it has many times before.
Sony is one of those companies that I do not think is as answerable to shareholders or boards as other companies might be...
You're kidding, right?
For a computer to encode HDTV video to disk requires at least a 2.4ghz machine, and, I assure you, a Mini does not have a 2.4ghz
Why in the fucking fuckity fuck do you want to encode raw HiDef onto what is ostensibly your media player's HD? If you're planning on working with HD as a producer, you're not going to be using a Mac Mini as your encoding workstation.
What I think we've been discussing here is playback, and yes, recording. But if you're downloading a file compressed with mpeg 4 or H.264, guess what? It's already encoded. Compression = encoding. They're synonyms. Hint: Ever wonder why they're called "codecs"?
I think you've pretty much disqualified yourself from the discussion.
Yes. I forget how may devices you can put on a chain, but it's more than SCSI.
What does tongue kissing a second time have to do with it?
Oh, wait. refrencing = referencing, not refrenching.
Nevermind.
Steve Jobs is well-liked among people in the entertainment industry
I think you misspelled "Tom Hanks". If you mean known and respected, then you've got a point. If anyone can get a meeting, Steve can.
Seriously? They said the core techs will work with 32 MB cards? Cool! Boy am I glad I didn't start off calling you names. (I'll just save that up for a different thread. =))
No, the reason for the lack of PVR functionality built into the mini mac was that their goal was to build the cheapest and smallest Macintosh possible. If the goal had been a PVR, don't you think they'd have used a full size hard drive in the design?
Good luck to those making their mini into a PVR. I'm sure some of you will put together some really cool rigs. To those complaining about the lack of features that is somehow preventing them, tough cookies. Maybe rev. 2 or three?
That should be "Sigh. Still not getting it. It's not automation. It's art. You don't get bonus points for being fast if it looks like crap. Granted, "looks like crap" is ultimately subjective. But my point being that you do get bonus points for speed, if the output is otherwise equal.
But really, when he says he types --- rather than -- because it's faster, he means he's lazy.
I agree that the lack of an IR port is problematic.
Personally, I prefer bluetooth, which doesn't require Line Of Sight, and won't use a USB port, but if you're all hawted up for an IR remote, try here. The media remote goes for about $30. The express remote, which also works with the airport express, goes for $60.
I suppose Apple could just sell a Bluetooth remote, but they left Bluetooth as an option as well.
So, if you are planning on using Bluetooth, choose the option. If you doubt you'll ever use bluetooth, leave it out. I'm not getting why this is an issue for you, unless you're merely trying to manufacture issues. But people never do that on slashdot!
Third problem is the lack of S-Video
A $20 adapter is a problem? Then try this one for $4.
I will say, though, that it's interesting that the 5.1 sound M-Audio Transit is sold through M-Audio's site and not the Apple Store. They don't stock it but it was too important to leave off the page. That was no small decision by the Apple Store, to potentially disrupt the buying experience by having you go offsite.
Oh, cry me a river! Your precious "buying experience" was disrupted! Why don't you break out the "1 GB RAM Upgrade costs too much" lament as well, because no one can be expected to ever leave the Apple site to purchase 3rd party RAM.
I know your not trolling, so the only explanation is that you are too technologically challenged to set up a media center, seeing as how navigating to other sites is too difficult for you. I'd recommend just waiting until Apple or some other vendor creates a device that will pipe your media directly down your gaping maw at the press of a single button. We could call it the iBoob, both in your honor, and as it reflects the media experience most people want, suckling at the teat of big media.
=)
So, basically, your argument is either or both:
1) I need an x86 compatible computer, because otherwise I can't make unauthorized copies of my friend's software.
or
2) I'm so incredibly insecure that I conform to whatever my friends are using. I just pray they never decide to all jump off a cliff together, because I would invariably go with them.
1. Apple will allow proper acceleration of AVC content decoding via Altivec, QT and Core Video. So even the relatively puny G4 based mini should perform quite nicely.
Unless something changes between now and Tiger's release, core image and core video will need a GPU with at least 64 MB of dedicated RAM. The Mini has 32 MB of VRAM.
Exactly. When in actual service.
But all this means is that when the Army comes after you, it's not going to be extra-legal (air-to-surface missle) nor will the matter be ajudicated in a military court.
There's nothing preventing the Army from taking this to civilian court. And what's worse, because the alleged illegal acts are taking place on military computers, it's a severe criminal matter.
When they say, "We're coming for you", they don't mean that literally they will be sending a division of tanks or a squadron of A 10 Warthogs or even a team of LURPs to your house.
However, the could well use Army resources to develop their case against you. If you interfere with the Army in a tortious or criminal manner, why wouldn't they? In a case like this, where it's not a major security threat, they might not bother law enforcement until they've got all the ducks in a row and the perp ripe for picking.
Also, as has been pointed out elsewhere, this is not a simple case of license agreements. If you hack an AA server, you're hacking a military computer system, however trivial that hack might be.
In Korea, only old people scratch.
They put streams of music videos on iTMS to promote various bands. There's probably a way of capturing the stream, but I haven't bothered. It could be they're referring to THAT video.
if you are listening to classical music on a system that includes a subwoofer, you bought the wrong system
Fuck you, you fucking tuba hater. I hope you get run over by someone carrying a Sousaphone.
=)
Not at all- we did it before and it created one of the most prosperous decades ever seen in America.
Which decade is this that we sealed off our borders, not letting anyone or anything in or out?
Shows what you know about the third world- they started out tribal, under which EVERYBODY is middle class and there are no rich and there are no poor (for that you need this wierd invention known as money).
Well, there's the slavery thing the other poster mentioned. But I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about. Which tribes do you mean?
I think also you're making the mistake of calling what might be society without economic classes middle class. Essentially meaningless.
I'm really confused as to what your thoughts are on this matter, MH. They seem to be all over the board. Maybe you're ahead of your time? =)
I say, Relax. Don't do it.
Unless you can give us a link and let us read that comparison, I gotta call bullshit. Let us read the study or whatever it is for ourselves and decide if it's just "get the facts" propaganda or not.
While someone is going to point out Apache vs. IIs, I actually think that you've got a point, that with the smaller share of Macs out there, there will be fewer people writing malware for the platform, just as there are fewer developers. However, if you consider that Mac OS X has been around for over 5 years now, and there is still not a virus out in the wild, that's pretty impressive.
Knowing what we know about script kiddie culture, wouldn't compromising a OS X box be a braggable feat? Let me submit to you the other reason that Macs have been safe: It's too hard. So even if the day ever came that Macs were more numerous than Windows PCs, they'd still be harder to compromise. Not impossible, but harder.
Lastly, I'd like to suggest that Apple is a lot more on the ball than MS when it comes to responding to vulnerability reports. They turn around those security patches pretty quick, while we hear stories of MS leaving a bad hole open for 3 months or longer.
You might have your reasons for using windows. That's fine. But don't pretend that one of the reasons is that it offers better security than linux or Mac OS X. You're not that big of a jackass. =)
If you remove the bloodsucking leech contractors from the equation, war is pretty cheap. We could probably invade Iran for about $500.
I know this one country that went to war for a mere 75 cents. And it totally kicked the other country's ass, which is braggable. This friend of mine saw a country go to war with another country because it left the window open.
Maybe you were absent that day, but the Executive was given a line item veto by the Legislative branch, which was quickly taken away by the Judiciary.
So, there's no "until" about it.
Amen, Brother Sand Man. Praise God!
Really, it's only proper that the Hubble be decommissioned and de-orbited before that other 'scope (the JWST) gets put up there. Can you imagine if the tried to have sex? Homosexual sex? Space telescopes having homosexual sex in space in an abomination in God's eyes, not least because it's closer to him sitting up there in his big golden chair in heaven.