Apple TV as "Home Server"

[Ashley Aitken]

Hi Michael (et al.),

On 12/02/2007, at 10:31 PM, Michael Winter wrote:

> On Feb 12, 2007, at 7:26 AM, Ashley Aitken wrote:
>
>> Yes, it could be a mini.  I guess a big difference between a mini  
>> and the Apple TV is the lack of the optical drive in the Apple TV.
>
> I really wish they would put one in. Otherwise I still need a DVD  
> player connected in somewhere along the line. I know Apple is  
> looking forward to when its all done over the network, but today  
> (and the near future) DVD is still king.

Yes, I can see where you are coming from.

I hope that "FrontRow 2.x" (or whatever the next version will be) can  
do all that the Apple TV software can do (and more).  That way you  
would probably be happy (except perhaps for the price tag).

Of course, the Mac mini lacks the HDMI and other TV video outputs  
(but has DVI - I know - and optical audio - I believe?).  We'll  
probably end up needing HDMI for HD/BR DVDs so that could be a problem.

I think a Mac mini with a reasonable graphics card could also become  
a low-end family gaming machine (look at the Wii (1)), as well as DVD  
player, media centre, and a general purpose computer.

Now to do all that and be a home server, well that may be pushing it,  
but I am not sure ... (2)

Cheers,
Ashley.

(1) I wonder if they could fit an accelerometer into an Apple Remote?

(2) Perhaps a Mac mini could be booted into either appliance mode (in  
which case it is a Apple TV Plus - as describe above - and a Home  
Server) or general purpose mode as it does these days.