While we wait for Apple to add HDMI outputs to the Mac mini, or shake things up with the new-breed of Apple TV, it may be worth taking a look at Dell’s Inspiron Zino HD, which we here at 9to5Mac towers are dubbing the ‘TorrentBox’.
What’s it got? In short, quite a lot: you get a choice of DVD or Blu-ray drive, up to 1TB of hard drive space, an HDMI-out port; eSATA connectors to extend your storage; a memory card reader and four full USB ports.
The OS, well, it is a Windows machine (Vista or 7) though you can choose to use Ubuntu Linux (though we conveniently couldn't find that option). Effectively this is an entertainment PC - and available in a rainbow of colours. It looks like the kind of product you could keep in a non-geek frontroom.
What else? There’s various flavours available, all equipped with an AMD Athlon dual-core procesor - so we're wondering how 1080P video drops any frames from .MKV files like old Minis did. There’s also Ethernet, audio out and VGA ports as you'd expect. The low cost one will set you back $230, while the best available option sets you back $808.
The big problem with this kind of solution (other than it not being a Mac) is that it doesn’t offer quite the integrated experience you’d expect from an Apple TV and the iTunes Store. However, if you can handle a few extra steps you do get to use any Windows-supported store (including iTunes) and to grab what you can from the Torrents sites, hence our name, ‘TorrentBox’. We also wonder if Boxee might be an interested party.
Via: Wired
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Comments
Although I would never buy a
Although I would never buy a Windows machine, I was curious what this little thing had packed into it for such a low price. After taking a peek at Dell's website I can see what the differences between this and the Mac Mini are. First, the AMD processor is weaker in comparison to Intel's. Second, the RAM is DD2 800MHz compared to Mini's DDR3 1066MHz. Third, it comes with wireless B/G instead of the Mini's faster N. Fourth, Dell's offering is quite a bit bigger (taller, wider, fatter) than Apple's. I could go on, but the point is still made. You really do get what you pay for.
Well, B/G/N wireless is a
Well, B/G/N wireless is a build to order option, so it is available. And, while it is bigger and taller, it does use standard 3.5" hard drives, instead of notebook drives. It also has the option of a video card upgrade, so there are reasonable tradeoffs there (in fact, I wish the mini was bigger so I could have these options).
The processor and memory are certainly a downgrade though.
They've called it ZINO HD
They've called it ZINO HD (Zune HD?) and it is almost exactly like a Mac Mini and Apple TV...my god...
Give me a 2 terabyte AppleTV
Give me a 2 terabyte AppleTV please!
wonderng if RIAA likes the
wonderng if RIAA likes the naming of the box :-)
Not impressed... The
Not impressed...
The BD-Drive is a plus... but that's about it.
And I don't get the complaining about the lack of HDMI on a Mac...
if you are seriously... and I mean SERIOUSLY... into the Home Cinema thing... you have a Dolby Digital Receiver with S/PDIF inputs. As such you just use a DVI to HDMI cabel for Video... and directly connect the Mac's audio output with the Audio Receiver.
So either just buy a damn Audio Receiver... or stop crying about your baaaaad home cinema experience... or simply use 2 cables for your TV...
I've had this setup for 3.5 years now... first with a MacBook... now with a Mac mini... and it worked flawlessly... no single reason to complain...
Modern Audio receivers
Modern Audio receivers actually use HDMI for the high quality audio. The latest HD audio cannot be delivered over optical as there isnt enough bandwidth, so you really do need HDMI.
I don't know. If one is
I don't know. If one is really concerned about their home cinema experience, then more than likely, they're not gonna use their Mac Mini as the sole source of entertainment medium. So for these folks, 5.1 audio over the Mini's optical out and DVI-HDMI would probably satisfy. I think if one is really concerned about loss-less sound and 7.1, then more than likely, they have a Blu-Ray player. My point is, who cares if the Mac Mini doesn't have HDMI...the Mac Mini's sole purpose is for computer usage. The Mac Mini isn't competing against high-end video like Blu-Ray players or anything.
Get the Mac instead
I think it's a waste really after a while no one will even pay attention to this over price device it should be $125.00 no less its' just gonna go on clearing house sale in about a year so why not lol.
Mac Mini any day baby ..
Correction. The Athlons are
Correction.
The Athlons are SINGLE core and low power processors. They also seem to be an unusual model since they aren't even listed on AMD's site and google can only relate them to dell products.
The price is good and they look pretty nice, but not really comparable to a Mac Mini (the hardware is closer to an Apple TV).
Sorry, the Athlon Neo X2 are
Sorry, the Athlon Neo X2 are Dual core http://www.amd.com/us/products/embedded/processors/asb1-bga/Pages/turion...
And please point me to a Mini with 1 TB hard disk, BD player/DVD recorder, and HDMI. This is a real computer with a full O/S, web browsing, Hulu, iTunes, etc. Apple TV doesn't come close.
Would make an interesting hackintosh project, though.
Your link gives me a
Your link gives me a 404.
Dell's site says it's a AMD Athlon™ 2850e or 2650e.
There is no mention of it being either Neo or X2. If it really is an X2 than my bad.
I found the Neo X2 on Dell's
I found the Neo X2 on Dell's site! It's a $80 option. The standard configurations seem to be single core though.
Biased
A Mac Mini being used as a media center would probably be called an 'iTunes media center and home server' by 9to5mac.
A Windows computer with a similar form factor is being called the 'TorrentBox'.
probably called 'iTunes media
probably called 'iTunes media center and home server' ? I can't think of any apple product, software or hardware which is named by something more than two words long, let alone six.
Read carfully
"probably be called an 'iTunes media center and home server' by 9to5mac"
I am not referring to official Apple's naming. I am criticising the fact that 9to5mac dubs this device 'TorrentBox', implying that owners of this device pirate their media content (yes, I know that Bittorrent is just a protocol, but the sentence "grab what you can from the Torrents sites, hence our name, ‘TorrentBox’" makes it quite clear what they mean).
A Mac mini used as a media center would never be called 'TorrentBox' by 9to5mac
This is the computer I've
This is the computer I've been waiting for. For $540 with Blue Ray and 1tb drive this blows Apple out of the water. Why on Earth woul you buy an Apple TV or a Mac Mini for you tv when you could have this? Blue Ray, Boxee, Netflix via Windows Media Center, DVR, this thing is awesome. My only question is what type of audio out does it support?
It'll probably be good to
It'll probably be good to give Apple a bit of competition in this area- let's face it, they've taken their eye off the ball lately.
"mini displayport" to "HDMI"
"mini displayport" to "HDMI" cable and you have it digital. ;)
correction: MDP to HDMI =
correction: MDP to HDMI = tears.
Asked Dell...
I actually contacted Dell asking them about why, even though it says Ubuntu is supported, none of the systems actually have it. The response? It's a "typo". FAIL!
Tuner card and 5.1 audio missing
It appears that the Zino is missing an all importantant tuner card (perhaps fixable) and 5.1 over HDMI (seemingly a permanent flaw).
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