Mac Mini to TV quality?

[whoisquilty]

I've got an HDTV and I'd like to buy a Mac Mini to use as a media server.

Question is, when I view a DVD on my Powerbook screen, it's blocky and fuzzy when full screen. Will that happen going into my TV using a DVI-to-HDMI connection? Or am I going to get DVD quality?

[edDV]

I've got an HDTV and I'd like to buy a Mac Mini to use as a media server.

Question is, when I view a DVD on my Powerbook screen, it's blocky and fuzzy when full screen. Will that happen going into my TV using a DVI-to-HDMI connection? Or am I going to get DVD quality?

It will output 1920x1080 but the GMA 950 display chipset has weak hardware assist so most of the decode load goes to the CPU. There is rumor of a new Mac Mini with a better display chipset and HDMI out.

Mac Mini Spec.
"Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory1"

You can get S/PDIF optical out of a MacMini with an optical adapter for the minijack.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mac+mini+rumors&aq=3&oq=Mac+Mini+
http://macs.about.com/b/2009/01/02/more-mac-mini-rumors.htm

[whoisquilty]

So, I don't know what this means. Comparable quality or not?

[edDV]

So, I don't know what this means. Comparable quality or not?

It will look similar for upscale. The powerbook probably has a superior display chipset. Your TV may upscale better than either. Check the TV manual for resolutions accepted on the VGA port or feed it 720x480p off the Mac Mini and let the TV upscale.

For DVD you would be much better off using a good DVD player like the Philips DVP 5990/5992 and read your files off the USB port.

[whoisquilty]

Then, if I connect it via USB, will the screen from the Mac display rather than the start-up screen of the DVD player?

[rumplestiltskin]

DVD in your mini > TV

Should work fine if you connect the TV to your mini via VGA (or, if the TV supports it, DVI). I use Apple's DVI>VGA adapter ($20 at the Apple Store although others are available for less $$) and set my mini to display at the TV's native resolution - 1366x768. Works just fine. I should mention that I rarely do DVD at all these days; instead, virtually everything is H264 with some AVIs mixed in. The Perian plugin and Flip4Mac's WMV plugin let this old G4 mini play everything I need.

[edDV]

Then, if I connect it via USB, will the screen from the Mac display rather than the start-up screen of the DVD player?

What I'm saying is if you don't like your Powerbook connected to the HDTV, you won't like a MacMini any better. Connect your Powerbook with VGA the way rumplestiltskin suggests. The Mac Mini will look similar.

If you connect at the HDTV native resolution then the upscale is done in the Mac display chipset. If you connect at DVD resolution 720x480p, then the HDTV chipset upscales.

[stanislawski]

I use my mac mini 1.42 with my 42 inch plasma and it looks great when I play dvd's

[whoisquilty]

What I was asking, edTV, is that once I connect my Powerbook to the DVD player via USB, do I need to change any settings on the DVD player? Or does the Mac screen show in place of the player's startup screen?

[edDV]

What I was asking, edTV, is that once I connect my Powerbook to the DVD player via USB, do I need to change any settings on the DVD player? Or does the Mac screen show in place of the player's startup screen?

I don't think you can do that at all with a DVD player like the Philips DVP5990/92. Those devices want a flash drive or FAT32 hard disk at the USB port, not a Mac.

Why not drive the HDTV directly from the Mac DVI-D port? Not enough HDMI or VGA inputs on the TV?
The Powerbook would support the TV as a second monitor. The Mac Mini supports only one monitor output.

[adcvideo]

The Mac Mini has difficulty with 1360 X 768 via HDMI on many LCD Televisions. Not a problem when using the VGA port. An odd bug considering how the Mac Mini/Front Row is targeted at the home entertainment market.

[whoisquilty]

Okay. More confused than ever.

But, thanks for everyone's input.

[rumplestiltskin]

The Mac Mini has difficulty with 1360 X 768 via HDMI on many LCD Televisions. Not a problem when using the VGA port. An odd bug considering how the Mac Mini/Front Row is targeted at the home entertainment market.

The mini doesn't have an HDMI port. If you need HDMI, get an AppleTV because it -does- drive 720p properly.

[edDV]

Okay. More confused than ever.

But, thanks for everyone's input.

What is it that you don't get? Fess up.

[edDV]

The Mac Mini has difficulty with 1360 X 768 via HDMI on many LCD Televisions. Not a problem when using the VGA port. An odd bug considering how the Mac Mini/Front Row is targeted at the home entertainment market.

The mini doesn't have an HDMI port. If you need HDMI, get an AppleTV because it -does- drive 720p properly.

You can use a DVI-D to HDMI cable or VGA if the HDTV has a computer/game port (audio separate as analog or optical S/PDIF). This can be done from the current Powerbook or a Mac Mini.