Apple Archive

Front Row, Apple's Digital Hub, Needs TV Support

- 2006.05.05

Computer-based home media systems are becoming all the rage these days. Ever since the idea of digitally recording TV shows became popular with TiVo, the idea of integrating an actual computer into the system started becoming reality.

Microsoft's Windows Media Center Edition is becoming widely used and is certainly widely marketed. It allows users to not only record TV shows but also view videos on their computers, watch DVDs, listen to music, and view photos on their TV screens. However, it requires a Windows PC (perhaps it will run on an Intel Mac, but it may not be compatible with certain devices).

Fairly recently, Yahoo offered a new application that allows Windows users (only) to do pretty much the same things Microsoft's Media Center allows, but for free. This works well if you have an old PC running another version of Windows that you'd like to use as a home entertainment computer. Yahoo's software even allows you to browse Flickr photos from its interface.

Another interesting application is MythTV, which only runs on Linux at present (and probably won't be developed for anything else). It includes a browser and a way to check weather conditions among other features.

Front Row Needs TV Support

Apple has Front Row, which is available on all of current Macs except for Power Macs, PowerBooks, and iBooks. Apple's new MacBooks include it, and all Front Row enabled models come with a convenient remote control. While this software allows you to view videos on your computer, listen to music, or watch DVDs, it doesn't allow you to record TV shows (since no current Mac has a built-in TV tuner card).

You can add this capability to your Mac with Elgato's external USB-based EyeTV. In effect, this is the same as buying an internal card for a PC and ends up costing about the same (EyeTV sells for US$199).

It's great to be able to connect a Mac mini to your TV - to use the Front Row features, that is. Having it hooked up to a stereo and the TV would allow you to listen to and browse your music library. Using iTunes music sharing would allow you to browse music libraries of computers all over the house on the same network.

However, you may want to search out a different solution for recording video if the EyeTV is out of your budget

Digital Video Recorders

Many cable companies have services that you can subscribe to which gives you a personal video recorder similar to a TiVo that you can connect directly to your TV. While these involve monthly fees (often US$9.99), you don't usually have to buy the hardware, and when the cable company gets new PVR boxes, they will usually replace your old one with the latest model for no charge.

TiVo, on the other hand, involves a monthly service fee and the purchase of your own hardware. When that box becomes obsolete, you must purchase a new version yourself.

The other issue regarding personal video recording is advertisements. One of the reasons people buy these is because they want to skip ads. Unfortunately, TiVo won't accomplish that for you - what used to be ad-free no longer is. When zipping through commercials, you're now shown additional ads on part of the screen.

Using pretty much anything other than TiVo, you should have no trouble forwarding through commercials.

Computers Tie It All Together

It seems that computers are starting to become a media center in the home. Where previously the TV and stereo would sit next to each other, now the computer is tying it all together.

The key to this is to have something fairly small - the Mac mini would be the perfect home entertainment centerpiece. All it needs is a built-in TV tuner and a more complete Front Row application, and it would be perfect.

Until then, there are other options, but none are without fault. Perhaps it's almost best to wait and see what happens before selecting a PVR.

Join us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Recent Apple Archive articles

iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, 2007.12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
Options for replacing your older iPod, 2007.11.19. Whether you've run out of space on your old iPod or want features it doesn't have, here are your options in new and used iPods.
Could the $200 'green' PC with gOS Linux become a threat to Apple?, 2007.11.14. The low cost, low power Everex desktop comes with a customized version of Ubuntu Linux, has a Mac-like Dock, and sells for $400 less than the Mac mini.
More in the Apple Archive index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Mac IIfx, introduced 1990.03.19. This 'wicked fast' 40 MHz Mac trumped the 33 MHz DOS world.
February 14 in LEM history: 98: A perfect compact Mac - 00: Extended computer warranties worth the cost? - Making your PC work with your Mac - 01: Customize Microsoft Word - 02: Quadra revives a passion for computing - 03: Real world performance - DIY Pismo screen replacement - Best Mac for writing - 03: Fastest browser on the Mac - 06: 15" MacBook Pro - Impressions of a newly acquired Lisa - Finding and using free WiFi - Apple should liberate OS 9 - 07: New Mac mini cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac - 08: Falling in love with OS X
Support Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Apple Archive articles copyright ©2000-07 by Adam Robert Guha. Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay