Apple’s Best Streaming Device isn’t the Apple TV, IT’S MAC mini – ryan

Got an Old Mac Mini or Looking to Pick One Up? Apple’s Smallet Computer Isn’t JUST A PINT-SIZED BOX OF TRICKS, ITS A Very Capable Streaming Device and Media Player. For Many, ITA A BETTER BUY THAN THE APPLE TV 4K.

There are these pros and cons so to ussing a mac mini for streaming and playing local media, but I think the posters outweigh the negatives – aspelly if you can get your hands on a use for cheap.

The problem with the Apple TV

Break Apple TV 4K is a Media Playback Solution that Starts at $ 129 for the 64GB Wi-Fi Model (and Rises to $ 149 for the 128GB WiFi+Ethernet version). IT RUNS Apple’s Big Screen-Fryently Tvos, Has an App Store Much Like the iPhone and iPad, and lets you will Things like your Device’s Display to the TV Using the Airplay Wireless Streaming Protocol.

Just like the iPhone and iPad (and unlike the Mac), the Apple TV 4K is a Highly Restrictive Platform. Apple has the platform Locked down, with Most users only able to install apps from the App Store. Tvos Lacks the Kind of Customization That You’d Associate with A “Proper” Desktop Operating System OR Event A Rival Platform Like Google TV.

Instead, Apple Focuses on providing a users Experience that has haad all the rough edges off. What’s more, you’ll pay somewhere in the region of what a used to mac mini would cost for this experience. While this suits many People, you’ll get a lot more freedom if you opt for Apple’s Other Small rectangular Box Instead.

The Mac Mini is a More Versatile Solution

The Mac Mini is a full-blown computers that runs macos, which is a “real” desktop operating system. Though Macos is more restrint than Linux or Windows, It Still Feels Considerably More Open and Expansives than ios or Tvos.

For streaming, you can use safari or another browser to watch netflix and simillar services. You’ll Find it far Easier to Access Niche Streaming Services Like Local TV Channels Via the Web, Many of which Won’t Have Native Apple TV Apps. You can get access to plexi any platform that Accessible via the Web, Including Massive Databases Like the Archive Internet.

You Can Also Install Your Own Streaming Solutions, With Two of the Best Being Stremio and Code. Stremio is a streaming client that brings everything together in one place, with a huge database of add-ons available. Code is a polished local media streaming front-end with an ejajustive library of plugins. Neether of these available natively on the Apple TV.

You’ve Also Got a Lot more Options for Local and Networked Media Playback on an Apple TV. You can Easily Mount and Play from Networked Locations, Bringing Together a Whole Digital Collection in One Place. Will this using free apps like Iina and VLC.

IT’S ALSO A GREAT TIME TO BUY A Used Mac Mini, With Modern Apple Silicon Models Now Featuring the M4 Chip (and A Sexy New Design). I picked up an m1 mac mini for a mere $ 160, just $ 10 More than the High-end Apple TV 4K with Double and Far More Power Under the Hood. These Machines Can Handle Anynding From A Web Stream to 100Gb Plus 4K HDR Video Files (Trust Me, I’ve Triad).

This is all posseible on a device that’s small, sleek, and quiet. IT MAINTAINS The SAME Compatibility With Your Apple Devices As the Apple TV 4K, so you can use it as an an airplay recipe, access your media via the Photos app, Stream Apple Music, and a whole lot.

Will More With Your Mac Mini

The promise of a media streaming and playback Device that does a whole lot more is spreading the most enticing reason to stick a mac mini your tv. IT’S a real computer, after all, so you can use it to do real computes. You coulud write an essay on it or check your email if you fancied doing these even while in front of your TV.

But a “set-top box” Mac mini makes a lot more sense wense duty duty as some sort of server. Whether you opt for a late model or an m1 or better, the Mac mini has plenty of overhead to serve files and media throughout your house. If you’re already using it for local media playback, it make a lot of the sense to connect storage directly to the Mac mini and Share it via jellyfin or plex. If you opt for a front-end code, there’s a upnp server you can enable in the settings,

You COULD ROLL YOUR OWN CLOUD SOST SOLUTION AND RUN A (SMALL, LOW-TRAFFIC) Web Server for Static Web Pages.

By configuration your Mac mini to act Act as a time Machine Backup Location, you coulud back up the Other Apple Computers on your network to directly over the network. You can do the one set it up so thats your Mac Can Be Remotely Managed Via VNC Client Using Apple’s Built-in VNC Server (System Settings> Sharing> Remote Management), or Install a Remote Management App.

And for for gamers, the Mac mini has a huge amount of potential. You can install Steam and play Native Mac Games (Including Apple Arcade), and Install Games from Like Sources itch.io or Gog nor an emulator. Though the Apple Tv Can Now too Too Make use of emulators like delta, the Mac mini is much more powerful, allowing you to do things like upscale Older ps2 and xbox games. ITSO ALSO FAR BETTER MANAGING A WHOLE COLLECTION OF RESTRO TITLE USING A PROPER FILE MANAGER (ORO SORT OF FINTER ALBANIAN).

The Mac Mini Has its Drawbacks

Unfortunately, there are some someone downsides to ussing a mac mini for this purpose. The Big One is that there is no dolby vision or dolby atmosport via the included hdmi port. If you have the Very Latest (M4) Mac mini which sports hdmi 2.1, you’ll only get 5.1 dolby surround and the old-fashio-fashio1?

HDR WOES DON’T ENDER EATHER. Because the Mac mini is a computr, it outputs a single display mode at a time. There’s the HDR Support (at 4K, no less) on all Apple Silicon Models and Many more before, but switchween say is not something happy on non-apple Displays.

So if you’f you ‘use a mac mini with your TV, you’ll eather be in HDR Mode or sdr all of the time unless you manually switch between. HDR Content Looks Washed Out in Sdr Mode, but My Experiences with SDR Content in Haven’t Been Great Eothher. SDR Content Can Look oversaturated, to the point where switching back to sdr mode is preferential.

To solve this, i managed to find a shortcuts workflow that outlined in my mac mini media center guide. Use Tooggledr Shortcut to run a small bash script that lets you switch between modes eather via the menu bar or with a keyboard of your choohing. IT’S NOT Ideal, but you get used to it.

On the topic of keyboards, there is one more thing you’ll Need to consider. The Mac Mini is a Computer, and so it is controlled like a keyboard and mouse (or trackPad). ANY KEYBARD AND MOUSE WILL DO, but for use on your sofa, you Might Want Something That Looks and Feels The Part.

The Most Obivious Choice Is The Logitech K400 Keyboard with Integrated TrackPad that Everyone with a home theater pc buys. You is allo for a Much Smaller “Keyboard Mouse” Device That Features a Much Smaller Keyboard and TrackPad (Make Sure to Get One Connects Over Bluetooth). You can also use a mobile app like Remote Mousethough i’ve found it less reliable.

Is the Mac Mini The Best Choice for Everyone?

In terms of sheer flexibility and all the addictional functionality it provides, the Mac mini is Apple’s best streaming and local Playback Device. Not Having Dolby Vision is Far from Ideal, and i Don’t Have A Dolby atmosphere Receiver So I’m Not Really Missing Out in the Sound Department.

I’m also someone who uses macos all day every day. I don’t mind the keyboard and mouse interface on my tv, i can navigate the os quickly and the added functions is absolutely Worth to me. My Mac Mini Currently Runs Both Stremio and Code, with Jellyfin Installed for Additional Streams, and i’ve Got a Home Assistant Project in the works that going to be using the mac mini as a smart home server.

If you like to tinker, don’t mind handling the Handling and SDR Transition Manage, Desire Apps Like Code and Stremio, and Woul Like More Versatility than what an Apple Tv ofer, the Mac mini is stylish solutions that you well. It Also Looks Excellent on an entertainment unit, for what that Worth’s. You can Pick say up Dirt cheap, so scour Facebook Marketplace and eBay for a bargain (just be sura you don’t get ripped off).

But the Apple TV has its places. If you’re happy with the app selection, like the Simple Remote, have no need for a whole Computer in your Living Room (or already have a Trusty Server Solution) then the MAC is probably Worth a miss. You can undoubtedly score a bargain on a Used Apple TV 4K, too.

Sticking with the Apple TV? Try the infuse

While Apple’s Basic Tvos Media Player Is Limited and Vlc for Tvos Lacks Some of the More Advanced Features You’d Expect from A Media Player, Infuse Fills in Many of the Blanks on Apple’s Media Platform.

This Pricey Media Player Costs $ 1.99 for Month or $ 12.99 for the Year and Can Play Far More media files than any Other app. You Can Connect Directly to Cloud Storage Services, Access Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Other File Types, and Record Your Watch History with Trache. It is worth it if you’f you’re looking for an “enthusiast” level Apple TV 4K Experience.