FrontRow seems custom made for the Mac mini

How to install Front Row on any Mac:
(For those who find this blog and are interested)
http://www.andrewescobar.com/archive/2005/11/30/frontrow/

Happy New Year!
Daniel, Sweden

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.

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.

Dual-link DVI is a single cable. It just has more "stuff" (technical term) in it.

i would buy this software in a minute if it was less than $99.99 US. i have a mini and i think that this would be a great addition to my software collection. PLEASE APPLE!!! GIVE IT TO US!!! (or SELL IT TO US as the case may be).

As far as I can see Front Row is using Core Video for some of its special effects. The Mac mini has a woefully underpowered video card which does not support Core Video, ergo the Mac mini does not [yet] support Front Row. Indications are that Apple are refreshing their Pro range of machines (the PowerMac and PowerBook) this Wednesday 19th October. It is possible that they will take the opportunity to at least offer the option (if not standard inclusion) of Front Row (and Photo Booth). In terms of an IR receiver for Mac models other than the iMac G5. The refreshed PowerBook might have a built-in IR receiver and might also have a built-in iSight. It is also possible that in the longer term the Apple Cinema displays might also be similarly upgraded. In the meantime it would seem an obvious option to use the new iPod dock (which has an IR receiver) plug it in to the computer via USB2, and use the Apple remote (already available as separate item). I would certainly agree that the form factor of the Mac mini (or even a slightly larger version there of) is much more suited to a living room HTPC than the iMac (which is more suited to a bedroom). Unfortunately currently it simply does not have the horsepower to deliver in the way Apple would be happy. On a different but related topic, it is a shame Apple did not offer the ability to drive Keynote with their remote. Admittedly it is not as useful doing so with an iMac (which is all it comes with at the moment). But hopefully they are thinking of this for the refreshed PowerBook where it WOULD be logical and useful. Regarding the desirability of using Bluetooth over IR (for the remote). There are pluses and minuses for both. IR uses less power (therefore batteries last longer), also no pairing procedure is required (i.e. much easier to setup). However if you have two IR receivers next to each other (e.g. two iMacs) both will react (equals confusion), with Bluetooth only the one you have paired to will respond. Range is probably very similar for both. IR is also far more common for audio visual equipment. This means that potentially in the long run IR makes more sense as it could be better integrated in to a full blown home theatre setup (this is probably why Microsoft also use IR for their MCE). Finally another drawback of IR is that it is not so long since Apple stopped including IR, now they are adding it back!

Now, considering all this . . . What's your bet as to which model Macintosh is the first one to appear with an Intel processor? And if Apple doesn't buy TIVO, maybe it will just recreate the functionality inside an Intel-based Mini. Hmm. Apple could do worse than going with a high-profile introduction of a new Mac Mini as their first 'MacIntel" offering.

I'd love to be able to buy a bundle of remote/receiver + Front Row. I have a PowerMac G5 which I spend most of my time on, either working or watching movies from across the room (large monitor). I don't watch TV much and will quite happily get rid of it as soon as the hardware/software is there to allow my Mac to replace it. I'm considering getting an EyeTV. I have H.264 backups of some of my DVDs stored on my Mac for easy retrieval so Front Row would be amazing. Cheers; Poncho

Once the Intel Macs hit it'll be much easier to make a more powerful mini, running frontrow and some more goodies yet to surface. Look for it in '06, it's comming.

"#17: You only need dual-link DVI for the Apple 30" Cinema Display. This requirement..." You people have looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I posted :)