[mythtv-users] Front end choice: Mac Mini versus VIA EPIA. Mac OS X remote control?

[Adam Bodnar]

I have a mac mini and will be using it as a frontend. It's pretty damn
quiet, course I have other computers in my room making noise so at
least it's never gotten louder than that.

As for remote control of it, I've gone a little more expensive side
but that was cause I've wanted some more customization. I bought a IR
receiver made by a guy in Germany, it is called IRTrans. More
expensive, but I knew it would work with the Pronto remote I am
wanting to use. The only slight downside to it is that you have to
write AppleScripts to do anything, but that's very minor.

The Keyspan usb IR receiver can actually be programmed to work with
other remotes, just have to teach your remote to be a JVC vcr I think
it was. I found this in their documentation.

The only downside to using the Mac as a frontend is that MythMusic
doesn't currently work under it if I remember correctly from previous
messages on this list. Not a huge concern for me at the moment.

On 8/31/05, Andrew Morley <Andrew at teabreak.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm at an awkward stage with Myth.
> 
> My back end is pretty much complete and works a treat.  I bought the
> slowest second-hand P4 machine that the local second-hand computer
> shop (<http://www.computer-resale.co.uk/> - it's a great place) could
> sell me, installed Gentoo, two Hauppauge Nova-T cards and Myth and
> everything worked pretty easily.  Kudos to the developers, the Gentoo
> ebuild maintainers and the many HOWTO authors.  It records stuff
> reliably and dishes out the video to either a front end running on
> the same machine (in the study) or to my PowerBook plugged in via
> 100-baseT.  It doesn't work too well wirelessly, but that's no
> surprise.
> 
> So, now the difficult bit.  The back end will be hidden away (in the
> attic, probably).  It is time to buy a front end system.  I want
> something quiet, above all, so was considering either a Mac mini or a
> VIA EPIA system.  It would be controlled only via a remote control -
> I've no plans to provide it with a pointing device or to use it for
> general computing.
> 
> While most people have the idea that Macs are expensive, it seems to
> me that a Mac mini actually costs less than an EPIA system with a
> comparably nice looking case.  However I'm not so confident that I
> can turn a Mac mini into a completely remote-controllable system.
> With no serial ports, I can't see how I can use it with LIRC.  There
> are USB-based remote control receivers for Mac use, but they come
> with remote controls with only very few buttons and I don't expect
> they can be used with any other remote.
> 
> So: Has anyone successfully built a complete Mac OS X front end
> system, playing Myth, DVDs, ripped CDs, ripping CDs and DVDs etc, all
> controlled from the remote.  Or.... should I go for the EPIA?  Or...
> have I overlooked any other machine?
> 
> Finally how quiet is the Mac Mini?  It has a fan, which I couldn't
> hear in the shop, but then shops are noisy.  EPIA 8000s are truly
> silent.
> 
> Andrew
> --
> --
> --------------------------------------------------
> Andrew Morley   | Cambridge,     | Email: ABMorley
>                  | England.       |        @iee.org
> --------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
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