In the first part of our face at the digital media capabilities of the Mac mini , I looked at promote my $ 599 Mac mini as the first tone in it becoming a capable ( and usable ) media center . In this episode , we move to link the Mac to my Ab system and configure Apple ’s built - in media app .

Making connections

When perform this Mac - mini - as - mass medium - host stunt in 2006 , I hold out hard - core — any gadget confiscate to the mini must be entirely at its beck and call . That stand for I used a disjoined powered speaker system and unplugged everything from my goggle box except the Mac . Understanding that most people already have medium element of some kind , I determined to mix where it made sentiency and exchange where I could .

audio recording : get with sound , the Mac mini supports 5.1 Dolby surround sound audio recording via its sound output port ( which can operate as both an analog and digital audio output ) . To get digital audio recording out of the mini you need a Toslink line that includes a mini - jack adapter . seize the transcriber to one close of the cable system , plug the adapter into the Mac , and stop up the other end of the cable into an Ab receiver ’s optical audio frequency input .

I used XtremeMac ’s $ 20 two - meterToslink audio cablefor this purpose , plug it into an ocular remark on myOnkyo TX - SR606 Ab receiving system .

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Toslink Plus Adapter: To get 5.1 digital audio out of your Mac mini you need a Toslink cable with miniplug adapter.

Toslink Plus Adapter : To get 5.1 digital audio recording out of your Mac mini you want a Toslink cable’s length with miniplug adapter .

Video : XtremeMac also came to the rescue in regard to a picture connection . Here I employed XtremeMac ’s $ 20HDMI to DVI cable television service . DVI out on the Mac and HDMI in to the pass catcher .

internet : Although the Mac mini houses an 802.11n AirPort bill of fare , I want the libertine web connection I could get for cyclosis content from the Mac Pro I keep downstairs where the volume of my sensitive is stash away . I already have a Gigabit Ethernet switch for the Apple TV that sits next to my TV , so it was the workplace of a moment to jack the miniskirt ’s Ethernet port into this switch as well .

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Spell It Out: Create a smart playlist to sort artists alphabetically.

impermanent remark : I pulled an one-time Apple keyboard and Mighty Mouse from my collection of peripheral machine and plug them into the mini . My promise was that these would not become permanent input machine but rather serve to serve get the mini ab initio configure . Once the mini was set up to my liking , I ’d use other method acting for controlling it from the sofa .

Hiding the computer

The ruination of my first mass medium Mac mini experimentation was that you operated it just as you would any other Mac . Mouse around , launch covering , play the subject on the Mac , and so on . This was all right for me , but my girl and married woman are less intimate with the Mac ’s interface and unwilling to dive into multiple practical software to be entertained . With this iteration of the miniskirt , I swore to make as much of the computer user interface vanish as possible .

The obvious first way to do that is to put Apple ’s Front Row to good manipulation . With Front Row , I have access to the mini ’s iTunes library , including its music , euphony television , boob tube shows , movies , photos , and podcasts . When medium sharing is switched on within iTunes and iPhoto on the other Macs attached to my dwelling net , I can use Front quarrel to play and catch that media as well . With a DVD in the miniskirt ’s media driving , I can also control playback of that phonograph recording ’s content from within Front Row .

The first stride was to bring Front Row to the fore mechanically . I did this by downloading theStart Front Row v1.0 Automator actionfrom Automator.us . This installs a Start Front Row natural process into Automator . To use it , all you need to do is run this installer , launch Automator , locate the Start Front Row activity ( use the hunt field and type “ Front ” ) , and drag the action into the workflow area . Save the work flow as an software .

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Sort It Out: You’ll find music easier to find when you create playlists.

Now unfold System Preferences , select the Accounts system preference , select your administrator account , click the Login Items tab , flick the Plus ( + ) button , and choose the Start Front Row program you just deliver . When you next log into your account , Front Row will seem without you involve to press Command - Escape or use a remote control . you could easily get off Front Row with a remote control or by pressing the Mac keyboard ’s Escape cay .

Managing iTunes and iPhoto

for access medium and photos on other Macs on my mesh I had to ensure that iTunes and iPhoto sharing were switched on . In iTunes on the other Macs , open iTunes ’s preferences ( iTunes - > Preferences ) , get across the Sharing tab key , and activate the Share My Library On My Local connection choice . At this point you may choose either the Share Entire Library or Share Selected Playlists selection . To flirt that media , set in motion Front Row , navigate to the Sources screen door , and , in that CRT screen , take the networked Mac . iTunes must be running on the networked Mac for its program library to be visible to Front Row . take note that it ’s not necessary to have File Sharing turn on to view or play substance on networked Macs .

import It Out : Create a smart playlist to sort artists alphabetically .

Front Row does n’t provide a way to search for content . If you have a duet of thousand artists represented in your iTunes subroutine library and you ’ve chosen to deal that intact program library , you ’ll have to scroll through that long list . For this reason , if you have a large music program library it ’s essential that you create play list for it . How you go about this is wholly up to you , but I found a span of ways to make my library more navigable from Front Row .

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Networked Photo Settings: You can easily control the presentation of slideshows from networked Macs from within Front Row.

One is to create smart playlist that group artist by first principle . So , for example , I created a smart play list that show :

I named this playlist “ A – nose candy ” and make more overbold playlist to cover the rest of the ABC in digestible chunk .

To weed out podcasts , I created another smart playlist that scan :

Sort It Out : You ’ll find music easier to find when you create playlists.iPhoto is configure likewise . Open its druthers , chatter the Sharing tab , and turn on the Share My Photos option . Again , you may opt to select your entire iPhoto library or just selected albums . You do n’t , however , use the Source cover to pick out the other Macs ’ photo libraries . Instead , with the miniskirt as the source , you choose Photos - > Shared Photos . In the resulting Shared Photos screen , you see a list of any Macs that have iPhoto open and sharing switched on .

Note that if you ’ve configured the Sharing tab in the programs to require a password , Front Row will prompt you to go into that parole via the onscreen keyboard , which you’re able to navigate with a distant control or a keyboard ’s arrow and Return keys . ( The keyboard ’s alphabetic character and telephone number keys wo n’t work and cause Front Row to vanish . ) You may need to restart iTunes or iPhoto before you ’re prompted for a countersign . Also , as long as the library are password protect , you have to enter a password every time you want to access that library , as the miniskirt does n’t store it .

To consider pictures stack away on the miniskirt , I selected it as the source , chose Photos , and selected the album I wanted to view . As with iTunes content , you ’ll want to sort your photos in albums if you have a sight of pictures . ( iPhoto ’ 09 ’s Faces and Places source do n’t appear within Front Row . ) You may also care to configure iPhoto and Front Row so your pictures are presented in a way that pleases you . In my case , that mean no Ken Burns effect or background music .

To view pictures on a distant volume , you do n’t pick out that outside loudness from Front Row ’s Sources card . or else , within Front Row , go to the Photos entry for the Mac you ’re using , select Shared pic from its Photos CRT screen , and then choose the name of a networked Mac .

On this same Shared Photos screen , you see a Slideshow preferences bidding . Choose it , press Return , and you see the options for exhibit your picture show in Front Row — metre Per Slide , Music , Repeat , Shuffle Photos , Shuffle Music , Ken Burns Effect , and Transitions .

Networked Photo setting : you may easily control the demonstration of slideshows from networked Macs from within Front Row . There is no such Slideshow configurations command for photos located on the Mac you ’re using . alternatively you have to configure iPhoto to change how slideshows are presented in Front Row . To do that in iPhoto ’ 09 , pick out a photo , cluck the Slideshow release at the bottom of the iPhoto window , and wait for the image to appear . Move your computer mouse or touch the trackpad , and a puppet bar appears . clack the preferences icon ( the one that look like a gear ) , and in the result preferences screen , click the Themes tab .

If you choose the Classic theme , you get static mental image without the Ken Burns effect . ( If you still harbor a fondness for Ken and his effect , click the Ken Burns topic . ) cluck the Music tab and , from the Source protrude - up fare , choose a source for your slideshow soundtrack — Theme Music if you want to practice one of the soundtrack build into iPhoto or an iTunes playlist . If you ’d like no music at all , just turn off the Play Music During Slideshow option . turn on the Use configurations as Default choice at the bottom of the window and these setting will be applied to all slideshows — even those you invoke with Front Row .

Moving on

With Front Row set up , I had a reasonable way to control and love the subject on my Mac mini and networked Macs . In the next part , I ’ll look at other ways to learn capacity and tour some third - party utilities for win over and play media files .

[ Senior editor program Christopher Breen blogs regularly about iPods , Apple TVs , and other accoutrements of the digital life-style at Macworld ’s Playlist blog . ]