Comments on: Goodbye, DVD player http://james.cridland.net/blog/2006/11/27/goodbye-dvd-player/ Radio, broadcasting, websites, and beer. Possibly. Mon, 8 Sep 2008 01:32:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: James Cridland http://james.cridland.net/blog/2006/11/27/goodbye-dvd-player/#comment-285 James Cridland Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:06:11 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/2006/11/27/goodbye-dvd-player/#comment-285 The Mac Mini can obviously play DIVX,XVID, Quicktime, Windows Media, YouTube, Google Video, etc - as well as audio CDs and other things. If I had a -new- Mac Mini, it would have a remote control, too. I don't. So I've a remote-control... mouse. The interface is just as good, to my mind. The multi-region thing isn't an issue for me: in short, no, it's not multi-region (and seems fairly unhackable since the region is built into the hardware). I bought a few DVDs from the USA a while back, and will probably unretire the DVD player if I really want to watch them; but I've not watched them for the past year and doubt I will wish to in the near future. The Mac Mini can obviously play DIVX,XVID, Quicktime, Windows Media, YouTube, Google Video, etc - as well as audio CDs and other things.

If I had a -new- Mac Mini, it would have a remote control, too. I don’t. So I’ve a remote-control… mouse. The interface is just as good, to my mind.

The multi-region thing isn’t an issue for me: in short, no, it’s not multi-region (and seems fairly unhackable since the region is built into the hardware). I bought a few DVDs from the USA a while back, and will probably unretire the DVD player if I really want to watch them; but I’ve not watched them for the past year and doubt I will wish to in the near future.

]]> By: Adam Bowie http://james.cridland.net/blog/2006/11/27/goodbye-dvd-player/#comment-274 Adam Bowie Tue, 28 Nov 2006 02:15:04 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/2006/11/27/goodbye-dvd-player/#comment-274 I'm not using Google Reader. Bloglines all the way, I'm afraid - still a better interface than Google's efforts. But a mouse is not really the way I want to control my TV. If I need to access subtitles or want to examine the copious extras most DVDs come with, I still really need a remote. I also like to duck in and out of commentaries. Again a remote is handier than anything. I just retired an old Samsung DVD player that cost me £250 after a £50 reduction, so I understand what you're going through. However, my main question is this. Is your Mac Mini multi-region? Even a £14.99 Argos special tends to be region free with minimal effort these days. If it's not, then I'm not interested as I have, on occassion, bought DVDs outside of the EU. Oh, and unless the DVD player can play Divx/Xvid discs, I'm really not interested either. I’m not using Google Reader. Bloglines all the way, I’m afraid - still a better interface than Google’s efforts. But a mouse is not really the way I want to control my TV. If I need to access subtitles or want to examine the copious extras most DVDs come with, I still really need a remote. I also like to duck in and out of commentaries. Again a remote is handier than anything.

I just retired an old Samsung DVD player that cost me £250 after a £50 reduction, so I understand what you’re going through.

However, my main question is this. Is your Mac Mini multi-region? Even a £14.99 Argos special tends to be region free with minimal effort these days. If it’s not, then I’m not interested as I have, on occassion, bought DVDs outside of the EU.

Oh, and unless the DVD player can play Divx/Xvid discs, I’m really not interested either.

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