Intel Based Mac Mini in January? at DVinfo.net

Boyd Ostroff · November 14th, 2005, 02:29 PM

http://www.forbes.com/technology/200...1114apple.html

Quote:

Don't spend all of your holiday money on a video iPod--Wall Street analysts and Mac experts are predicting a surprise announcement of a new Intel-based Mac at MacWorld this January.

John C. Chu · November 14th, 2005, 04:26 PM

If they introduce that Intel-Mac in January, I sure hope most of the important applications one needs are recompiled/updated for the Intel chip.

Otherwise...there is going to be a performance hit running it under "rosetta" [the on the fly PPC to Intel translater technology]

It's smart on Apple's part to introduce on the consumer Macs first,[with iLife applications ready to go etc.]

Professional users are going to wait till the stuff they need run as fast can be.

For a guy using Macs since 92, I can't believe there is going to be another transition.

68k to PowerPC. OS9 to Mac OSX. Now PowerPC to Intel.

woo-hoo!

Bob Zimmerman · November 14th, 2005, 04:29 PM

So will they be better? I'm planning on buying a new iMac in the next month or so, but I guess it will be some time before the new chips hit and I don't think I will wait either.

Boyd Ostroff · November 14th, 2005, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John C. Chu

Professional users are going to wait till the stuff they need run as fast can be.

And "professional users" probably aren't going to rush out and buy a mini either. This makes sense to me. If someone comes up with a way to run Windows on this box as well as MacOS (Apple has said they won't, but won't stop another company from doing it) then I think it could be hugely successful.

I also suspect that software companies are already well into the process of porting their applications to intel.

Frank Granovski · November 15th, 2005, 06:52 AM

Why Intel and not AMD?

Frederic Segard · November 15th, 2005, 07:12 AM

One thing is for sure, Virtual PC's next release should run a heck of a lot faster! :)

Nick Hiltgen · November 16th, 2005, 05:03 PM

The Intel MacMini would make a lot of since along with an ibook, as those were the only items not updated before xmas. Also the mac mini supposedly has been shipping with higher then reported specs (1.5ghz instead of 1.42 etc.) and there still hasn't been an official release from apple. The yonah (?) chips from intel are also supposed to be ready. Combine that with the target end user of the typical mac mini (hopefully someone transfering over from windows) and the incorporation of the media center apps, as long as those are set up and ready to go most people won't be using them for anything else.

My question is if it's a dual core yonah chip will it be able to take on full fledged HD DVR functions made available by elgato (but currently only limited to the dual g5's) How cool would it be to just have a small mini sized box working as your tivo, safari browser (on your tv no less) and music and dvd player. Probably would need a bigger hard drive but that's about it.

Boyd Ostroff · November 16th, 2005, 11:11 PM

Ever since its introduction there's been speculation that the mini would morph into some sort of DVR/Home Media Center. Perhaps we'll see that finally come to pass?...

Nick Hiltgen · November 17th, 2005, 01:57 AM

I think it sure seems to make more since to use front row with a mini then with an imac. Not that front row is the end all or anything, but it sure seems like it would play well with I don't know a DVI TV or something along those lines.

Who knows. I guess we'll find out (and be blown away) in february.

John C. Chu · November 17th, 2005, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Ever since its introduction there's been speculation that the mini would morph into some sort of DVR/Home Media Center. Perhaps we'll see that finally come to pass?...

yeah...let it play High Definition H.264 HD files on burned on regular DVD's hooked up to your HDTV set months before HD-DVD/Blu-Ray is introduced...

That would be sweet.

Nick Hiltgen · November 29th, 2005, 02:03 AM

WAHOO! This was posted at a semi reputable rumor site. It seems that the mac mini will sport an intel chip (and my guess instant on technology) with frontrow 2.0 and DVR technology along with an ipod doc for importing ipod video. There's also speculation of a 3.5' hard drive to take the place of the smaller one and meet the more demanding needs of a dvr.

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0511macmini2.html

They don't say exactly where they got there info but it sounds like my hypothesis from this thread.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=54828

Boyd Ostroff · November 29th, 2005, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hiltgen

This was posted at a semi reputable rumor site.

Well their info was good enough to get them sued by Apple recently ;-)

Very interesting stuff, guess we'll know before too long. That article says people have been installing Mac Mini's in their cars. In their cars???

Nick Hiltgen · November 29th, 2005, 02:45 PM

Yeah, there was this one dude who had an awesome interface set up in his VW golf. I can't find the link but googling it or any "mac mini car" will give you loads of hits.

My question is this though.

How strong would the processor have to be to convert incoming HD signal into something that can be recored on a 3.5 (or even 2.5) drive? I mean supposedly HD is only broadcast at 25Mbits per second, but I'm still curious as to whether or not it can be done, and if it can, how many minutes it could hold.

Boyd Ostroff · November 29th, 2005, 02:59 PM

I believe Comcast (and maybe other cable/satellite providers) are already offering packages with HD capable DVR's. I read an article recently which pointed this out as another negative for TiVo which can only record SD.

And it seems like this rumored Intel Mac Mini has the potential to be one of the final nails in TiVo's coffin. But time will tell I suppose.

November 16th, 2005, 05:03 PM	#7
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	The Intel MacMini would make a lot of since along with an ibook, as those were the only items not updated before xmas. Also the mac mini supposedly has been shipping with higher then reported specs (1.5ghz instead of 1.42 etc.) and there still hasn't been an official release from apple. The yonah (?) chips from intel are also supposed to be ready. Combine that with the target end user of the typical mac mini (hopefully someone transfering over from windows) and the incorporation of the media center apps, as long as those are set up and ready to go most people won't be using them for anything else. My question is if it's a dual core yonah chip will it be able to take on full fledged HD DVR functions made available by elgato (but currently only limited to the dual g5's) How cool would it be to just have a small mini sized box working as your tivo, safari browser (on your tv no less) and music and dvd player. Probably would need a bigger hard drive but that's about it. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

November 17th, 2005, 01:57 AM	#9
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	I think it sure seems to make more since to use front row with a mini then with an imac. Not that front row is the end all or anything, but it sure seems like it would play well with I don't know a DVI TV or something along those lines. Who knows. I guess we'll find out (and be blown away) in february. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

November 29th, 2005, 02:03 AM	#11
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	WAHOO! This was posted at a semi reputable rumor site. It seems that the mac mini will sport an intel chip (and my guess instant on technology) with frontrow 2.0 and DVR technology along with an ipod doc for importing ipod video. There's also speculation of a 3.5' hard drive to take the place of the smaller one and meet the more demanding needs of a dvr. http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0511macmini2.html They don't say exactly where they got there info but it sounds like my hypothesis from this thread. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=54828 __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

November 29th, 2005, 02:45 PM	#13
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Yeah, there was this one dude who had an awesome interface set up in his VW golf. I can't find the link but googling it or any "mac mini car" will give you loads of hits. My question is this though. How strong would the processor have to be to convert incoming HD signal into something that can be recored on a 3.5 (or even 2.5) drive? I mean supposedly HD is only broadcast at 25Mbits per second, but I'm still curious as to whether or not it can be done, and if it can, how many minutes it could hold. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

November 14th, 2005, 04:26 PM	#2
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	If they introduce that Intel-Mac in January, I sure hope most of the important applications one needs are recompiled/updated for the Intel chip. Otherwise...there is going to be a performance hit running it under "rosetta" [the on the fly PPC to Intel translater technology] It's smart on Apple's part to introduce on the consumer Macs first,[with iLife applications ready to go etc.] Professional users are going to wait till the stuff they need run as fast can be. For a guy using Macs since 92, I can't believe there is going to be another transition. 68k to PowerPC. OS9 to Mac OSX. Now PowerPC to Intel. woo-hoo!

November 14th, 2005, 04:29 PM	#3
Bob Zimmerman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 888	So will they be better? I'm planning on buying a new iMac in the next month or so, but I guess it will be some time before the new chips hit and I don't think I will wait either.

November 15th, 2005, 06:52 AM	#5
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Why Intel and not AMD?

November 15th, 2005, 07:12 AM	#6
Frederic Segard Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 209	One thing is for sure, Virtual PC's next release should run a heck of a lot faster! :)

November 16th, 2005, 11:11 PM	#8
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Ever since its introduction there's been speculation that the mini would morph into some sort of DVR/Home Media Center. Perhaps we'll see that finally come to pass?...

November 29th, 2005, 02:59 PM	#14
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	I believe Comcast (and maybe other cable/satellite providers) are already offering packages with HD capable DVR's. I read an article recently which pointed this out as another negative for TiVo which can only record SD. And it seems like this rumored Intel Mac Mini has the potential to be one of the final nails in TiVo's coffin. But time will tell I suppose.