DVD/Home Theatre Update

There's been a few changes since the last time I mentioned this project. It's not quite done yet but here's where I'm at with it.

The OS of the Mac Mini has been upgraded to 10.4.whatever. This allowed me to install XBMC as suggested. The Mini is using my TV as its monitor. Today I got an audio cable adapter to export the audio through the TV rather than some relatively small speakers that I was using as a stopgap.

I've tuned the colors and brightness settings on the TV in order to get a nice image. The audio is a little quiet out of the Mini but I did just get it set up through the TV so there's probably something simple I missed. Then again, it's always been a little quiet so this may be normal. There's also a bit of a hum coming through the speakers but that might get resolved after I tidy up the cabling.

One thing I haven't gotten yet is an Apple Remote. I've been looking around and have found some inexpensive ones so that won't be a problem. That will add a lot to the experience. XBMC is a decent program but it's clearly set up for use on a XBOX. Despite it being converted for PC/Mac use, it doesn't have menu options like a 'normal' computer program would have. The controls are very remote based.

Right now, I'm liking the set-up but I'm not in love with it yet. I'm using the computer as a computer to do some other video work and I don't like splitting the processor to watch something and convert something at the same time. Also, price-wise, the project is not that far off from me having gotten a new multi-region, DIVX compatible, DVD player. The OS upgrade was $35ish, the video cable $20, and the audio cable another $5. The remote will be another $10 or so which totals out at $70, only $10 less than the player I was looking at getting. Once I get the remote and become more comfortable with what I can do with this new set-up, I'm sure that'll change.

Long story short, it's a work in progress. It's getting close to done. It's going well.