Another Project
Aug 12th, 2007 by Don Ray
Now that I have my Linux Box back up and running, I am starting to do my planning on another project.
I had two reasons for purchasing the Apple Mac Mini. One was my curiosity and interest in the new Apple technology and OS X and the other was my plan to connect it to my TV and surf from bed. I know, I know. Just consider it a geek thing. However, there may be a more practical reason that is coming. I like to watch movies and I find that the Blockbuster in David doesn’t carry all of the movies that I would like to watch. Movies over the net is coming.
Netflix is working on a new capability of allowing you to watch movies on your PC. Now you see where I am going with this. My TV has a DVI connection and is just waiting to have a relationship with my Mac Mini. This could be the aphrodisiac that is required.
Netflix has over 80,000 titles in their inventory. That is enough to satisfy the most avid movie watcher; certainly it is enough for me.
Currently, Netflix doesn’t support the Mac (a DRM issue) and it would mean that I would have to install Bootcamp and a Windows system. However, Netflix is aware that Mac users want Netflix and that may not be a forever problem.
My bigger concern will be how the technology is employed. If it is a “store and forward” method, where the movie is completely downloaded to the PC’s hard drive before it is watched, then I will consider it. If it is a streaming method and only buffers a small part of the movie ahead of when it is used, then I don’t think it will be worth while.
Also, the comments I have been reading, from current Netflix users, tell me that picture quality is less than acceptable. Still this sort of project turns me on and given time I am sure it will be feasible. If I get this up and running, I will let you know.
For some time I used that very setup you are talking about. But now I moved the Mini to the home office and connected an Apple TV to the big screen. We now have some kind of “video iPod” in the living room and all it takes to listen to music or watch something (movie, tv show, podcast, our photographs) is that tiny remote of the Apple TV. That way the mini in the home office can be used for other things and we don’t need a keyboard or mouse in the living room. After all even on an HD TV it’s not very comfortable to read. So this setup works better. We get our content via iTunes, which is not that expensive, if you consider all the expenses and hassle associate with store-based movie rental. Our connection is via CableOnda with 1 mbps.
Hi Steven. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I guess I need to do a little investigation of the Apple TV.