moar hard drive space internally

The appletv requires a dac in practical terms, too.

SQ is not necessarily a big issue here. My parents hearing ain't what it used to be (at all). Would Snow Leopard Server provide any practical uses around the home or is it complete overkill?

You could run a mini to rca cable from the mini...

As to snow leopard server, no that wouldn't provide anything useful to your parents. And except for a smaller footprint, there's no real benefit to a mini server over a regular mini and an external drive.

I'm late to the discussion here, but since Grahame turned me on to the VortexBox, I've become an instant fanboy of the thing.

Whether you build it yourself or buy one, it's an appliance, but it's based on a full operating system, so you can change it or update it however you want. It's got servers for Squeezebox, iTunes, Sonos and some others. You can use it as a file server (smb) It's got an autoripper that will make whatever combination of file formats you need from CDs or automatically transcode a collection you put in it. And assuming you build it in a real computer or buy an appliance that has a real processor, you won't run into the slowness problems that a lot of people suffer with NASes.

One word of warning. I got an email the other day. If you want to use it as an iTunes server (as opposed to using it as a file server and mounting it as the data store from iTunes on some computer) it won't support iTunes10 yet. Supposedly, this will be addressed this week or next.

appletv is $149 on the clearance section right now, or $137 if you have a business discount...

I think I'm going the Mac Mini route. They already have an old flat screen (VGA, should be ok, right?) that I can repurpose. I'll hide the Mini in a cabinet beneath the stereo stuff and get them the wireless keyboard and pad. I'll also get them the new Apple TV so they can stream to their HT downstairs. I'll order an iPod Touch so they can control remotely. And I'll get a cheap DAC to connect to the stereo rig. Not a cheap solution, but it's robust and I think, in the end, actually easier for them to operate provided that I can lock them out of most of the other computer stuff.

behringer src2496 . or amb y2

Be careful, I think the "basic" mac mini box does not include a VGA connector, at least that is what I recall from my purchase last year. The vga adaptors aren't very expensive, $20 or so, the price of a decent domestic Sauvignon Blanc.

Thanks Greg, will keep that in mind.

As for DAC, I'm thinking the HRT Music Streamer II. Seems pretty easy, cheap, and decent. I especially like that it's powered by the USB port. Any thoughts?

Thanks Greg, will keep that in mind.

As for DAC, I'm thinking the HRT Music Streamer II. Seems pretty easy, cheap, and decent. I especially like that it's powered by the USB port. Any thoughts?

On a low budget I really like the Nuforce uDAC-2 24/96 USB DAC, with RCA line-out and RCA S/PDIF out. It's also powered by the USB port, and has a decent headphone out. The volume knob adjusts the RCA output levels, but you can just set the output level and leave it alone while it hides in the cabinet with the Mini.

I'd get a dac with optical, just in case you decide later to move the mini away from the stereo, and just want an appletv or airport there.

I'd also get the one without ON/OFF switch if you can to avoid confusion if the DAC is off and they don't realize it. I do it all the time with Parasound - trying to figure out why I can't hear the music only to check the DAC after I've checked everything else (Squeezebox, iMac, etc.).

I'll be getting the Mini with 4GB of RAM. If this thing will just be serving up music and maybe movies, would any more RAM be significantly better?

Moar RAM for Moar Bass?

4GB should be fine. 4gb might actually be overkill

RAMBASS

No, but you may need better, moar linear, less jitter-prone RAMses.

Ok. Now for external drives. I was kind of planning to use 2 firewire drives that I have. The mini has one FW800 port. I guess my plan would be to use one as the main music storage and the second as the time machine backup. But they'd have to be daisy chained. Is that bad?

It'd be bad if you were using a duet. Otherwise, not so much.

I've daisy chained few firewire devices (hard drive, card reader, etc.) and I've had any issues with it. Whether or not daisy chaining firewire devices is actually a "bad" idea or suboptimal, I've no idea.

EDIT - I didn't realize Duet didn't like daisy chaining.

I would get REALLY weird digital distortion sometimes when playing music from a fw drive daisy chained with a duet at the end. That was fw400 tho.

Ok, so here's the order:

Mac Mini w/ 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HD (but not the faster processor)

iPod Touch 32GB

Magic Trackpad

BT Keyboard

Samsung 19" LCD

B&O adapter cables

AppleTV (one for me, too)

AppleCare cuz they gonna break some shit

FFFUUUU forgot a DAC. Maybe they're in the market for a Dodson....

Ok, so here's the order:

Mac Mini w/ 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HD (but not the faster processor)

iPod Touch 32GB

Magic Trackpad

BT Keyboard

Samsung 19" LCD

B&O adapter cables

AppleTV (one for me, too)

AppleCare cuz they gonna break some shit

FFFUUUU forgot a DAC. Maybe they're in the market for a Dodson....

Radio Shack is unloading some 32gb 3rd Gen Touch for only $180 if they have any left. Our local one still does.

As for DAC, how about a uDAC-2 or Pico DAC-only, which both have convenient RCA outputs?

I was thinking about both, but I went with the HRT Streamer or whatever the hell it's called.

The setup is coming along nicely. Two more questions:

1) The power at my parents' house sucks. Lots of power failures and/or brownouts. So I'll need some form of surge protection, I suppose. Any suggestions?

2) I'll want to be able to support the Mac remotely--when I'm in NYC and they're in East Hampton. Can I do this via screen sharing or do I need something else?

Get a ups, for sure.

ichat has screen sharing built in, or you can do vnc. I can walk you through all the steps needed at some point if you want.