Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, iMac
FrontRow seems custom made for the Mac mini
I've finally had a chance to read up on FrontRow at Apple's site and watch the demo Quicktime movie. As you know, it allows you to share your movies, music and photos via your iMac with the help of a little remote control.The key is "share." While watching the demo I began to think about actual, real world usage. Ideally, FrontRow would liberate my Mac from the computer room and get it out to the living room, where I most often enjoy my entertainment. Even if the experience is just too cool for words, no one wants to stand around my computer desk for fifteen minutes watching home movies. No, we want to sit on the living room furniture and sip iced tea while we watch home movies. More after the jump.
So I haul the iMac out to the livingroom and place it in the entertainment center, next to the TV. Everything is great until I want to use the iMac as a computer, and I discover that no one wants to watch me type with my back to the room (which is why the iMac was sent back there in the first place). So what's the solution? The Mac mini.
The mini is a Trojan horse. It arrives at your doorstep disguised as one thing, when really it's another. This thing is a home entertainment center waiting to happen, now even more so. We've seen countless examples of people connecting their minis to their televisions. That tiny little box could fit inside a drawer of your entertainment center (though that's not recommended), and when equipped with FrontRow, the Apple Remote, iTunes 6, a wireless keyboard and mouse and an Airport card, you'd have one rockin' Mac-powered entertainment center. Create content on your desktop Mac and upload it to the mini over a home network. Now everyone can grab their iced tea as well as their favorite seat and watch little Johnny score the winning goal.
Maybe the mini's hardware would prevent FrontRow from running well (or at all). It is the bottom of the line, after all. I say, let's pop a G5 in there and get FrontRow installed. I'd buy that rig in a minute.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mark Scrimshire said 8:47AM on 11-28-2005
I have managed to get Front Row running on a Mac Mini that is running 10.4.3 Server and using a Keyspan remote to operate Front Row.
Front Row is definitely a 1.0 product. On the Mini it is temperamental. I have managed to get DVD, Video, Music and Photos working. But it is easy to get communications errors. I had one situation where The photo album I had selected could not find the selected music that was linked to it. iPhoto stopped waiting for a dialog box to be acted upon.
When iTunes works it is easy to use via front row but it would be great to have an option to activate the iTunes visualizer while in Front Row and using iTunes.
I have been able to access videos but haven't worked out how to get .mpg files to be visible through the videos option in Front Row.
Apple also needs to consider how to allow Front Row to be extended. If this is going to become the apple media center then it need to be able to integrate some of the third party options like a TV interface and other devices , like radioshark.
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Mark Scrimshire said 8:46AM on 11-28-2005
More on Front Row and the Mac Mini. The Mini is the ideal form factor for the entertainment center. The iMac is not. The next best alternative would be a 19inch rack version of the Mini with a G5 installed.
The Mac Mini is almost silent in use. It is unobtrusive and makes an ideal multimedia platform. I would not want a 17 or 20 inch iMac in my living room or den. I want a computer platform I can tailor and integrate with a large plasma (60inch +) or projector.
I can see a solution evolving with a 2 screen setup. A large screen for home entertainment display and a small screen for setup and editing of program material.
I personally use the mac mini and access it via Apple Remote Desktop from my Powerbook if I want to edit content.
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dollarhacker said 9:06PM on 10-13-2005
i think you mean frontrow instead of frontpage in this sentence...
"Maybe the mini's hardware would prevent FrontPage from running well (or at all)."
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motech said 9:17PM on 10-13-2005
have you mentioned anything that wasnt obvious already ?
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Dave said 9:12PM on 10-13-2005
dollarhacker: You know what's funny? I KNEW I was going to end up writing Front Page. Us old school Mac users just can't shake some of those old habits (like typing muscle memory). Thanks for pointing it out. A star for the effort.
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narco said 9:23PM on 10-13-2005
I've been shopping for a flat-screen TV for quite some time now, but only recently have I actually thought about buying a 30" Cinema Display instead, then moving my G5 in front of the couch. I would save a lot of space and money this way.
Fishes,
narco.
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Chris Fenison said 9:31PM on 10-13-2005
I have my Mac mini hooked up to my 50" plasma. I use it as a Home Theater PC, nothing else. I'd pay a good deal of money for Front Row. It's just so pretty!
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Kurt Zenisek said 9:46PM on 10-13-2005
I'm wondering what all is stopping FrontRow from getting onto all macs (even older macs)... it's just software and a remote control.
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Alex S said 10:02PM on 10-13-2005
I really can't imagine that Front Row can't run because of a hardware limitation. While the graphics are snazy, they're not that complicated. Honestly, I think someone could make Front Row in flash and use it as a website interface. On the otherhand, what seems more likely to me is that the new imac has an IR port and the Apple's remote doesn't work with any other mac.
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Loki Capret said 10:11PM on 10-13-2005
Another question I have is why wouldn't Apple make the remote BlueTooth? That would allow you to have a mini literally in a drawer or give you control of Front Row from another room in the house, without having to maintain a line-of-sight with the Mac. IR is so 80/90's!!
An off subject question I thought about after seeing the new iMac yesterday is, is the iSight stationary? Because the iMac is at a fixed angle, some people might have to change their desk posture (not that that's probably not a bad thing to do anyway, slouchers!!). I figured that might be a wee bit inconvenient for some users.
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RP said 10:15PM on 10-13-2005
For other Macs you'd need a IR reader because the Apple Remote uses IR. And I would think that a whole lot of graphics power would be needed to perform that instantaneous Desktop-to-Front Row effect, and back. And accessing all of those trailers, music, and home movies would take some CPU power as well.
I like CenterStage slightly better because of its TV and DV capabilities, but not for its lack of instant access, lack of Trailers, and lack of iLife support. Backstage isn't that cool looking, but at least it will allow you to watch trailers in a row on CenterStage. I wish Front Row would have that. But thats the good part about being in pre-alpha! :-)
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Chris Fenison said 10:32PM on 10-13-2005
I'm hoping Front Row is a simple .app bundle. If it is, maybe a friendly iMac owner could leak it to... well you see where I'm going. I am willing to pay for it, but if Apple isn't going to let my buy it, I am willing to steal it.
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MD said 10:22PM on 10-13-2005
It's just a matter of time until someone tries it and we know the answer. I'm tempted to get this machine for my kids (to upgrade their 6500...) and put FrontRow on the Mini already hooked to the TV. Has to work with my Keyspan Remote and EyeTV, though. At the moment, CenterStage (http://centerstageproject.com) is a better bet for FrankenMac A/V setups.
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SteveH said 10:36PM on 10-13-2005
"I'm wondering what all is stopping FrontRow from getting onto all macs (even older macs)... it's just software and a remote control."
...because His Steveness is (probably/maybe/hopefully) going introduce a brand new, super speccy Mactel Mac Mini ahead of schedule in the New Year. C/W loadsa content from His new friends in Hollywood, remote control, Frontrow, beefed-up Airport Extreme.
Doesn't then have to be in the lounge to beam all that video goodness straight to your viewing screen of choice...and if it is, who cares? IT'S A MAC MINI!
Can I hear a Hallelujah brothers...?
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Ethan said 4:23AM on 10-14-2005
I was at the event yesterday and asked an Apple person about the Mini and Front Row. He said of course, "Apple doesn't comment on ... blah blah" but also showed me that the version of OSX with Front Row is actually a different build of the operating system than the other machines use.
So... no go moving that app I think.
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jb13 said 10:25AM on 10-14-2005
Apple is on verge of a great product here, but PLEASE do not tell me Front Row cannot function on other macs. I literally am trying to think of Valid reasons why Apple would intentionally do this. I cannot. the MINI is Perfect for a iPTV station connected to a Television. I have submitted feedback to Apple on this already, and would hope that Everyone would send Feedback requesting FRONT ROW ACCESS to ALL macs... Phew. ok
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Navarro Parker said 10:58PM on 10-13-2005
Baby Steps.
I'm sure Apple wants to iron out all the bugs out of this 1.0 product before making it the center of your living room.
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Chris Deke said 11:12PM on 10-13-2005
Thats what I said!
http://www.tehsprawl.net/?q=node/7
Everyone should listen to me
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Alex said 11:12PM on 10-13-2005
I own a PowerBook and a video projector. I have my friends over fairly often to watch a movie and I ususally have the laptop sitting on the floor, projector on the coffee table. Fairly unsophisticated. I would probably also be willing to pay a fair amount for Front Row (possibly bundled with the remote control and an infrared USB receiver?).
I find it a bit strange that the remote is not Bluetooth, it would just integrate more nicely with the rest of the product line. I use Keynote professionally quite often, so a nice Bluetooth remote would come in handy.
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Sean Finn said 11:14PM on 10-13-2005
Chris: I had heard for a large screen you need 2 DV outputs, is that not true? That's what has been keeping me from getting one.
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