gordoon

I'm looking at the mac mini to use for my home theatre--music, streaming video, download movies, etc.

So far I've settled on the 2.5 GHz dual core with 4GB RAM. Is there any advantage to upgrade to 2.7 GHz, and/or 8 GB RAM?

monokitty

Strictly for streaming purposes, no. In fact, the base line 2.3 GHz unit would work with 4GB of RAM. More RAM makes everything work quicker, granted, but it isn't entirely necessary particularly for video streaming. You do not need the dedicated video card to run full 1080p video.

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ACMT
Mac mini (Mid 2011) 2.7 GHz i7, 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 256GB SSD + 500GB + 1TB FW800 OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini
iPhone 4S • iPod nano 8GB • Sound System Audio Engine A2 • Display UltraSharp U2412M 24"

wonderings

Do you have other macs in the house? If so, it seems this is where the Apple TV would fit in well if your using iTunes for all your music and movies. I store my movies on my iMac or on my ipad 2. I airplay from the iPad and stream from the iMac, works perfect, nice, clean and easy. Any reason for a mac mini? Planning on surfing and doing other things you can only do with a dedicated computer?

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“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” Bishop Desmond Tutu

fyrefly

HTPC Mac Mini beats AppleTV anytime, IMHO. But as Lars said, you don't need the ATI card, but it's nice futureproofing.

Re: 8 GB of RAM, don't get it from Apple, they charge almost $200 for it, and you can find it at local computer dealers for ~$40.

EDIT: In fact, depending on your location, you can get the 8GB of RAM for ~$30:
[Comp] 2 x 4GB / 8GB total DDR3 SODIMM memory - $30.30 + tax with ISPU (no MIR) - RedFlagDeals.com Forums

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Steve Jobs re: iTunes on Windows: "It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell"