Considering the new Mac Mini, and have some connection questions. Would be used for ripped CDs (lossless), internet radio and DVDs. HDTV monitor is a Toshiba 30HFX85.

Audio is simple. Either the optical or USB would work fine.

If I've read the specs correctly, the Mac mini DVI port should just connect to a 990 DVI input. But will the mini drive my HDTV monitor?

Any comments appreciated.

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/televisions/product.asp?model=30hfx85

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

The new Intel Mini's could be pretty interesting, and with FrontRow included I can see how this could start to be an appealing addition to an entertainment center.

I'd go with the optical out, since the 990's USB input can't handle Dolby Digital or DTS bitstreams. The specs say it'll do 1900x1200 pixels, so it should be able to give your Toshiba a signal it likes.

Gonk -- Quick question from the brain dead. Would the optical out/audio out feed on the Mac mini give you audio and video simultaneously and would the 990 transmit the video through the component outs? I've only used optical outs for audio in the past. Thanks -- Bob

You are right, this hasn't been how Macs have worked the past--

This jack is described as "Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack)" on the Apple web site, so it seems that it can output either digital or analog audio. There must be a System Preference file setting to determine what mode it is in.

Traditionally, you would need to access both the Audio out and the DVI out ports if you were to play a DVD to an external monitor.

Specs on the DVI Port:
DVI video output to support digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels; supports 20-inch Apple Cinema Display and 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display; supports coherent digital displays up to 154MHz; supports noncoherent digital displays up to 135MHz

The optical out would just give you audio (which from what I've read would include support for Dolby Digital and DTS as well as good old PCM). Optical can't provide a video signal. The DVI/VGA output is handling video.

The audio output jack on the Mini appears to be the same one they're using on the Airport Express - it is both an analog 1/8" connector and an optical digital connector. I expect both would be active at once, with the analog portion getting a stereo signal from the sound card's DAC and the digital portion getting whatever digital source is being generated (either PCM from CD's and general computer sound effects or a DD/DTS bitstream from DVD's).

It does look intriguing...it could make a nice digital audio server. The faster intel chips address the one weak point of the previous Mac Minis--they were a little pokey.

Gonk/Kahuna -- Thanks for the replies. I agree the Mac mini is intriguing as a small figure digital audio server. My concern is about the legibility of text using DVI-VGA output on a TV screen. My Sony (KV 40 XBR700) is a pre-DVI/HDMI HD set, and so only has composite, S-Video, and component inputs, so it looks like I would be stuck using S-video. -- Bob

Without a DVI/HDMI input or a VGA input, my suspicion is that the text will be pretty ugly - there's a limit to the resolution you can fit through an s-video cable, and the last time I piped a PC's output to an s-video connection the results were merely mediocre. Unless somebody around here knows of a way to go from VGA to component at HD resolutions, which I suppose could yield good results.

There are various DVI to component cables...wonder how those might work? -- Bob

I'm guessing that when you say DVI to component "cables" you mean DVI to component converter boxes - since DVI is a digital signal and component is analog, there has to be some electronics in there somewhere to deal with the complete incompatibility between signals. There are a couple devices around that will convert a DVI signal to component, and some are reportedly even HDCP compliant (which may not be an issue for the Mini). CRT front projector folks have been on the prowl for them for a while now in light of the analog restrictions proposed for HD-DVD and Blu-ray, which is where I've heard about them. In theory, they would be a good solution, but I'm not sure what they cost.

Gonkster:

A bit off topic, but those with projectors lacking digital inputs or HDCP can rest a bit easier for the moment. Sony, and one other studio that escapes me at the moment have said that they will NOT implement the "Image Constraing Token" in their BluRay releases (at least for some time), so there is unlikely to be any down-rezing for quite some time.

I've seen demos of the down-rez images, and depending on the display it may not look as bad as everyone is saying.

Back on topic, if the MiniMac has a DVI-I connector, which it appears to, a simple physical cable adaptor may be used to get an analog RGB signal that monitors and older consumers or projectors might accept, but not a Y/Pr/Pb signal for use with most consumer projectors with analog inputs only.

It's a smart move on their part not to set that token on for their movies, but I don't doubt that analog HD owners will still be anxious about it (and news like this , while pretty remote from current hardware considerations, isn't going to sooth them much).

Since the connector is identified as being DVI and VGA, I assume you are correct about being able to get an analog RGB signal out of it with the right adapter.

I have a the old mac mini for use as a music server serving up a Roku soundbridge. It is very well suited to this, surfing the net,word processing, working with photos. Call Apple and ask about the monitor question. Great little machine. In your case I'd pair it with a wireless keyboard and mouse, and surf from the couch maybe with PIP. Way cool....

From Apple's site:
"Mac mini includes a DVI to VGA adapter, useful for HDTVs with analog VGA input. Some TVs call this “RGB” or “PC” input. You’ll need a VGA cable."

It looks like you are on your own to find a VGA to component converter/adaptor, however...

Thanks, everyone. The one thing I still am not clear on is whether I would need a converter per Gonk, or whether I could use the DVI-VGA adapter and then find a VGA-component adapter, as ATI makes for use with several to its cards. May be more trouble than it is worth and simpler to just go with a dedicated server like the Olive Musica (no OSD with it, though).

It'll come with the DVI-VGA adapter, which should then work with a VGA-component adapter to connect to an HDTV.

Sorry to bring up an old thred. But I was wondering if anyone had any luck with this setup?

I have a Mac mini that I've been using to directly connet to my DILA 1080i projector. I was using the dvi-rgb adapter then going rgb right into the projector.

Today, I took it off of the projector and bought a RGB to component cable. So I have this setup:

MacMini -> DVI to RGB adapter -> RGB to Component -> Input2 on the 990

Obviously, I'm having trouble, thats why I'm here! Shouldnt this work? Am I missing something? What resolution should I be using?

I'm back using my Apple dvi to svideo adapter until I can get this figured out. It looks WAY better going the digital route, so I'd like to get this sorted. Can anyone help?

Also watned to ask, what frequency should I be using? 60Hz? The Apple has MANY display settings and many different frequencies to choose from.

This should work. Be sure you have the 990 configured for the component 2 video and whatever audio you're putting in.

Test by bypassing the 990 and connecting the component video cable directly to the projector. If it doesn't work, it isn't the 990 so it's either the adapter (since you have video up to the adapter) or that input on the projector.

60 Hz is the correct refresh rate.

I have my Mac Mini (Core Duo 1.8) connected to one of the DVI inputs of the 990, and it passes the signal to my HD LCD display just fine. If you can use one of the DVI inputs or connect it directly to an input on your display, you'll obviously get a better picture.

FYI - the 990 will not lock onto the Mac's digital audio signal when the Mac is outputting DTS. Hopefully this incompatibility will be considered during the development of the next gen processor... hopefully...

- Jason