2011-10-28, 20:27
danbino Wrote:Hello, sorry for making my introduction here.
I've actually been thinking about getting a HTPC and I was between the MacMini and the Zotac Nano. Now I also heard about the ASRock 3D Vision.
hmm I am not the most patient man to build my own HTPC, but I never had a Mac before.
SO my question is, which of these 3 would be recommended? ASRock seems nice because then I can sell my PS3 (I really only use it to watch Blueray and 3D movies). I guess with the Zotac I can buy an external ODD.
Thanks for the help
It depends on what you want to do with it (what kind of files you want to play and such).
The Mac Mini has no drivers under OS X to handle HD audio at all, where-as under Windows XBMC will at least convert the audio to PCM or extract the core DTS track.
If I did not desire faster boot/access times (which require an SSD) and playback of my BD rips that have HD audio tracks (The Mac outputs Dolby True as 2-channel stereo only) then I would have gotten a Mini already.
If you want to get your HTPC "just right" then it is a somewhat labor and time consuming process. If you just want to "play files" and don't care about glitches, problems, remote integration, etc, it is pretty quick and easy.
Also, you can't get a chassis as good as the Mini without spending $150+ on a Pico PSU + nice aluminum case. I have put together a Wesena ITX-7 now, building my total build cost to over $500 and it still does not look as good as a Mini does, plus it requires an external PSU, the Mini does not.
