[sem.ayoubi]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice. I've looked online and on the forum, but can't find answers to my specific scenario...

I'm looking to install xbmc and use the mac mini over HDMI in my home theater setup to:

- play large 1080p mkv's (20-30 gb)
- play 1080p 3d
- get 5.1 audio
- 1080p (web) streaming from browser
- with smooth GUI performance on demanding skins

I curreny run an eeebox with dedicated nvidia card (512mb if i'm not mistaken) and notice it lags badly for web streaming hd, i assume its due to the atom processor i believe it has.

On that front i'm pretty sure the mac mini will do ok with its i5; i'm unsure about the other points though, the mini has the integrated HD4000 graphics.

I also have a late 2009 imac with a 3.06 Ghz C2D / geforce 9400 256 Mb and notice that it occasionally stutters with 20gb mkv's on very hectic scenes. It does handle 1080p web streaming and smaller (8Gb) mkv's ok.

So I'm looking to buy a new machine that will handle the above, but I'm nervous to buy the "wrong" one. Btw, i do not want to build my own, doubt i have the patience or skill to do so, that's why i've looked into these small machines and that's why I'm considering the mini.

Will the late 2012 mac mini cut it?

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,

Sem

[sem.ayoubi]

Any feedback guys?

[DaveNinja]

I'd assume yes to all of those but i'm not sure about the "1080p 3D". There is some limit to audio quality through Os X's version of XBMC, but i think its for something greater than 5.1, like "True HD" audio.

I do find it odd that your imac stutters with big MKVs. Are they being unconverted on the fly to the iMacs native resolution? My MacMini with a C2D handle files like that fine.

[sem.ayoubi]

Tnx!
Actualy it only stutters very shortly in very active scenes, like for example during Oz's scene where the tree leaves scatter in "hundreds" of butterflies... The video stutters there.

Which mini do you have? One with a dedicated or integrated intel video card?

Might it be that my imac stutters occasionally because its running dual monitors? The imac's and my hdtv?

[sem.ayoubi]

Can anyone confirm if the late 2012 mac mini (base model) can handle 1080p 3D?
Thanks.

[Ned Scott]

Kind of a moot point when XBMC doesn't handle 3D

[sem.ayoubi]

Kind of a moot point when XBMC doesn't handle 3D

Thanks Ned, good to know,

This may be outside the scope of this forum, but can the late 2012 mac mini handle 1080p 3D through another player then?
If so any recommendations?
Also are there plans for xbmc to handle 3d?

[PyRo1509]

XBMC handles 3D.

I have no proof to offer.

[Ned Scott]

XBMC handles 3D.

I have no proof to offer.

Only SBS, which technically doesn't need any special handling. Though subtitles and the OSD controls will be messed up.

[Ned Scott]

Kind of a moot point when XBMC doesn't handle 3D

Thanks Ned, good to know,

This may be outside the scope of this forum, but can the late 2012 mac mini handle 1080p 3D through another player then?
If so any recommendations?
Also are there plans for xbmc to handle 3d?

It's being worked on, but I don't know how far off it is. Could be a year, could be more, could be ready for v13.

IIRC, the MacMini supports HDMI 1.4, which is needed for some 3D video signals. Off hand I don't know of any Mac 3D players, but some probably exist.

[sem.ayoubi]

Kind of a moot point when XBMC doesn't handle 3D

Thanks Ned, good to know,

This may be outside the scope of this forum, but can the late 2012 mac mini handle 1080p 3D through another player then?
If so any recommendations?
Also are there plans for xbmc to handle 3d?

It's being worked on, but I don't know how far off it is. Could be a year, could be more, could be ready for v13.

IIRC, the MacMini supports HDMI 1.4, which is needed for some 3D video signals. Off hand I don't know of any Mac 3D players, but some probably exist.

Thanks Ned,

Is that 1.4a (cnt seem to find info online if the late 2012 mac mini has 1.4a)?
I heard 1.4a is needed to do full 3d?
I'm getting a feeling like windows might be better for xbmc?

Finally, do you have any recommendations which machine can currently provide the most optimal solution to run xbmc considering the above points?

Thanks so much for your feedback, i'm having serious issues choosing atm, everything i see seems to have compromises... The late 2012 mac mini seems ideal, although i've read it's HD4000 won't do hardware acceleration properly

Let's take for example an eeebox eb1503 vs late 2012 mac mini vs mid 2011 mac mini:

Gpu;
Eeebox has a 512 mb nvidia 610m
2011 Mac has a 256 mb ati 6630
2012 mac has integrated intel HD4000

Cpu;
Eeebox with dual core Atom @ 1.8 Ghz
Mini's with i5's around the 2+Ghz

Which of the 3 machines would be optimal for all these combined:
- 3d 1080p
- 20gb 2d 1080p
- 1080p web streaming
- fluid xbmc demanding menu's

I can't find enough conclusive info to get that answer ... Or if i should even consider another option altogether?

Anyone care to chime in?

[sem.ayoubi]

Anyone??