Below I have provided links to some of the hardware I am using. It may not be the cheapest or best available. I recommend doing some of your own research so that you feel comfortable with your buying decisions.
With that in mind:
I am using the 2.53GHz Mac Mini that has a 320Gb hard drive. There was a cheaper model at the time but I wanted a little bit of room to grow and some power to spare. A good place to check is the Apple refurbished store. Buying refurbished machine (from Apple) is almost as good as buying new. You get the same warranty and can add AppleCare if desired. As of this writing there are some refurb Mac Minis for $100-$200 cheaper than a brand new one. Another option is to go through Amazon. This is the route I chose to take because depending on your state, you will not have to pay tax and you end up getting a really good deal. Now, keep in mind that Mac Minis don't come with a keyboard or mouse (or monitor for that matter) so you will need to have one of each on hand for initial setup.
The Mac Mini is equipped with a Mini DisplayPort so it was necessary to buy an adapter to be able to connect using HDMI. There are a couple ways this can happen but I chose to go the easiest route. I bought a Kanex iAdapt - Mini DisplayPort to HDMI w/ 5.1 Channel Digital Audio adapter. This allows for both audio and video to be passed using only an HDMI cable and it has been working without any hiccups.
Next is the obvious HDMI cable. If you buy these from companies like Monster or Belkin you can pay upwards of $30-$50. I took to Amazon and got a pack of 3 for under $5 including shipping. If you decide to go this route, you need to ensure the cable is still of good quality in order to receive the best picture.
In addition to the essentials listed above, I also have a a wireless keyboard and mouse (as well as wired) for those instances I need to physically access the machine (more on this later). Depending on the size of your media library, external hard drives and/or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) might be a necessary investment.
All of this looks best when connected to an HDTV. I am using a Sharp Aquos LC46D65U 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. Obviously this setup will work with most TVs or displays (although you may need to adjust the adapter, etc for complete compatibility).
With that in mind:
I am using the 2.53GHz Mac Mini that has a 320Gb hard drive. There was a cheaper model at the time but I wanted a little bit of room to grow and some power to spare. A good place to check is the Apple refurbished store. Buying refurbished machine (from Apple) is almost as good as buying new. You get the same warranty and can add AppleCare if desired. As of this writing there are some refurb Mac Minis for $100-$200 cheaper than a brand new one. Another option is to go through Amazon. This is the route I chose to take because depending on your state, you will not have to pay tax and you end up getting a really good deal. Now, keep in mind that Mac Minis don't come with a keyboard or mouse (or monitor for that matter) so you will need to have one of each on hand for initial setup.
The Mac Mini is equipped with a Mini DisplayPort so it was necessary to buy an adapter to be able to connect using HDMI. There are a couple ways this can happen but I chose to go the easiest route. I bought a Kanex iAdapt - Mini DisplayPort to HDMI w/ 5.1 Channel Digital Audio adapter. This allows for both audio and video to be passed using only an HDMI cable and it has been working without any hiccups.
Next is the obvious HDMI cable. If you buy these from companies like Monster or Belkin you can pay upwards of $30-$50. I took to Amazon and got a pack of 3 for under $5 including shipping
. If you decide to go this route, you need to ensure the cable is still of good quality in order to receive the best picture.In addition to the essentials listed above, I also have a a wireless keyboard and mouse (as well as wired) for those instances I need to physically access the machine (more on this later). Depending on the size of your media library, external hard drives and/or a Network Attached Storage (NAS)
might be a necessary investment.All of this looks best when connected to an HDTV. I am using a Sharp Aquos LC46D65U 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. Obviously this setup will work with most TVs or displays (although you may need to adjust the adapter, etc for complete compatibility).
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