Need advice: 1,83 or 2,00 GHz core2duo macmini powerfull enough for 1080p?
#1
Hey

Im planning to buy a mac mini or some other small form box to run XBMC on. But im really confused about 1080p playback.
My question is: does the average 1080p mkv's (x264) play on the 1,83ghz mac mini smoothly? On some forums i read 1080p is do-able but on others people say its too slow. If the 1,83ghz doesnt play it back smoothly does the 2,0 Ghz do it?
I tried searching the forum but most post about the mac mini are from before the ffmpeg patch (or whatever you call it).
Im just really confused.

Sorry for my bad english and sorry if this has been asked before.. but I don't know who is right and who is wrong.

Hope you guys/gals can help me Wink

Thanks
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#2
Hi Keesje

I've a mini mac Intel Core 2 duo at 2 Ghz. I've upgradet to 3gb memory and my "monitor" is the Samsung R86BD. It's only HD Ready -> 720p and i don't have any video-problem with mkv.

Sorry but my experience isn't 1080p but is better than nothing Big Grin


Sorry for my terrible english.


Cu
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#3
The faster the CPU, the better. That's the bottom line. I play lots of 1080p content without problems on my 2.0GHz Mini, but others are trying to play crazy high bitrate content and will tell you it doesn't work well. I find the majority of "standard" MKV BluRay/HD-DVD 1080p rips work quite well.

-elan
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#4
I think I can summarize the median opinion of the group when I say that with the current release of OSXBMC (0.1.4) and it's ffmpeg configuration, a 2.0Ghz Mac mini is *just* enough for the average viewers 1080p needs. You may drop a few frames here and there on some of the higher bit-rate encodings (even to the point of being noticeable to the viewer), but for most people and most files, it works well.

If you are going to pay super close attention, download high bit-rate files, or run your whole movie with the dropped frame counter up, you might be slightly disappointed by the 2.0ghz mini, but as far as I'm concerned it works.

Personally I have found after a lot of thought and standing too close to my new TV Wink that while I can see the difference in quality of 1080p over 720p up close, it just isn't significant enough for me to go all 1080p. Once I step back to normal viewing distance, I would be hard pressed to find much difference. Of my HD content, I would say only about 10% is 1080p, despite having a full 1080p TV. Watching the 720p content upscaled and outputted to 1080p is beautiful - but that is another conversation.

Then again, there are a LOT of different opinions on this matter, and I welcome anyone to tell me I'm wrong. Smile
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#5
Thank you all for your reply's. I will be going for the 2,0ghz then.
A few dropped frames for me isnt a big problem (and most of my 1080p content isnt really in a superhigh bitrate). Many thanks Wink
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#6
Please, and for the future... if u wish.. u can upgrade ur cpu.
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#7
Listening to comments from others I think a 2ghz Mac Mini would _just_ about be enough for most 1080p content.

If you can wait a little while you might be able to grab an updated model. Its been a while since the last Mac Mini update and one is due anytime now, however Apple seem to be very uninterested in the Mini and multiple rumors about its withdrawal have surfaced in the last 12 months. A 2.2 or 2.4ghz one would be perfect for 1080p XBMC... come on Apple!
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#8
fatez Wrote:Please, and for the future... if u wish.. u can upgrade ur cpu.
Its pretty expensive and not for the faint of heart though... http://www.hardmac.com/articles/68/
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#9
Keesje Wrote:Thank you all for your reply's. I will be going for the 2,0ghz then.
A few dropped frames for me isnt a big problem (and most of my 1080p content isnt really in a superhigh bitrate). Many thanks Wink

Good call. I suspect you will be quite impressed with what that little box can do with this great software...
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#10
Hold off buying a Mac Mini for a few weeks http://www.macrumors.com/2008/03/07/penr...ates-soon/
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#11
Weavus Wrote:Hold off buying a Mac Mini for a few weeks http://www.macrumors.com/2008/03/07/penr...ates-soon/

Beat me to it Weavus! I just saw the same article. I did *just* buy a mac mini in February, but I'm still hoping they update the hardware for the rest of you. Smile
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Need advice: 1,83 or 2,00 GHz core2duo macmini powerfull enough for 1080p?0