As a brief introduction to what this site is all about, I wanted to detail exactly how my Intel Mac Mini acts as a media hub to demonstrate what YOUR Mini can do for you!

This is a *very* interesting Mac Mini mod that allows you to swap out the default IR port in the Mac Mini to allow usage of a third-party remote control. For folks looking to add a more functional remote than the default Apple Remote, this could be a huge improvement to your HTPC.
Replace Your Mac [...]

When I switched from XBMC to Plex, I lost little functionality beyond their beta EyeTV plug-in.
But this was a tough hit to take because I split my time between the two programs: EyeTV for my live TV stuff and Plex for my movies and TV library. Combining the two has always been a dream but [...]

I’ve had a couple of request lately for a chart detailing exactly how my HDTV/Mac set-up is, well, set up. So I opened up Photoshop and put this together, detailing all of the components involved in viewing and recording free(!) HD programming onto a Mac and then watching it over my home network on multiple [...]

3/2009 UPDATE: StarPlayr’s dev has abandoned all of their projects.
I’d suggest Pulsar from Rogue Amoeba. They are still in business.

12/2008 UPDATE: Unfortunately, StarPlayr’s dev has abandoned this version of the app:

“StarPlayr2 for Mac has reached its end of life cycle and it is not supported any longer. No more questions about [...]

BOTTOM LINE: Plex is hands-down the finest media manager/player available for the Mac HTPC enviornment. Gorgeous and exponentially more flexible than Front Row, it rules HD playback, handling 1080p material with ease.

Among the many features VLC brings to your Mac HTPC is the ability to create and save video playlists to control playback of more than one file at a time. And its compatibility with almost any format allows mixing more than one file type not a problem, unlike some other programs (iTunes, I’m looking in [...]

Well, it took Rogue Amoeba more than a year to develop and after many replies of “It’ll be released when it’s released” in their now-dead forums, RA released a major upgrade to their Airfoil application today.
At the top of the “Wow” list is the app no longer requiring Airport Express units to play audio on [...]

A definitive list of apps that help my Mac Mini HTPC realize its full potential.
Plex – Amazing (and free) media manager/player that has no peer. Read my full review here.
EyeTV – The only real option for a Tivo-like experience on a Mac is thankfully well-tended by its developers at El Gato Systems. Use it to [...]

JULY 2008 UPDATE: I’ve recently begun using Plex (aka OSXMBC) and it eats up ANY 1080p material I throw at it. My full review is available here but the short version is a strong recommendation to anyone interested in playing back 1080p on their Mini. It’s amazing.

Until now, my Mac Mini’s limitations haven’t slowed down [...]