I’ve been playing around with an Mac-based TV setup for a few months, and I think I’ve found a good configuration. Here are the major components:

• Apple 12” PowerBook
• Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse
• Apple 23” Cinema HD Display
• Elgato eyeTV 250 plus (elgato.com)
• Apple iPod touch, 16GB
• RPA Tech Air Mouse (rpatechnology.com)

Is this less expensive than an Apple TV? Probably not. Is it easier to setup? No. Is it easier to use? Probably not. Still interested? Keep reading…

The eyeTV and the Cinema Display are connected to the PowerBook, the former via USB. With the eyeTV and the associated software one is able to watch TV and use Tivo-like functions such as pause, rewind, skip commercials and scheduled/live program recording. The eyeTV includes a remote to handle most operations, though the lag between a button push on the remote and the action of the screen is annoying. Overall, the Elgado eyeTV is an excellent video capture device and works well for TV viewing and recording. Other attached peripherals include the PowerBook’s built-in DVD player and a VCR. Aside from the Elgado remote, the Air Mouse handles the rest of the input.

Air Mouse is an inexpensive application that allows the iPod touch (or iPhone) to function as a wireless mouse and keyboard for a Mac or Windows system. Air Mouse running on the iPod is far more convenient than the Bluetooth mouse/keyboard combo as the iPod is smaller and does not require a mousing surface. Air Mouse can be configured to use the iPod’s accelerometers for mouse movement or the touchscreen. I prefer the touchscreen as the accelerometer control requires wild arm movements and potential injury to nearby people or animals. The Air Mouse software is a small contribution to the system, but it really does tie everything together and provides convenient and easy input for the Mac.

This setup functions well, and when paired with VisualHub (techspansion.com) one can export captured/saved video to just about any device. I’ve used the eyeTV to capture family videos from VHS and DVD. This captured video was then processed with VisualHub and saved for use on my iPod touch. VisualHub also has presets for real Apple TVs as well as non-Apple video players and other digital formats.  On a side note, VisualHub is no longer available.  I haven’t found anything comperable, but I’ll post an update if I do.

Future improvements could include a larger LCD TV (connected via DVI) or swapping the 12” PowerBook for a Mac Mini to save space and free the 12” PowerBook for other uses. I don’t necessarily suggest building a system like this, but it does work and, save Air Mouse, I had all of the pieces already.

Many loyal readers may remember Trash PC, a Pentium-4-packing beige tower that I recovered from the garbage. The Trash PC is now Trash Server.  As a server, it was necessary to paint Trash PC black (all servers are black, didn’t you know?).  This was accomplished with a partial can of automotive trim satin black paint.

Trash Server’s intimidating list of features include:

• 2.8 GHz Pentium 4
• 1.5 GB RAM (You’re looking a cool $22 upgrade from Trash PCs 768 MB RAM)
• 80 GB HDD

With these impressive specs, you may expect Trash Server to run an equally archaic operating system.  On this point you are wrong.  Trash Server sports the latest offering from Redmond: Windows Server 2008.

The minimum system requirements for this behemoth server OS include a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, a staggering 10 GB HDD, but wait, it also requires a DVD drive.  Trash PC was not endowed with a DVD reader, so Trash Server received a DVD+R DL drive.  This upgrade pushed the hardware costs dangerously close to $50.  Luckily, Newegg was offering free shipping on both the RAM and the DVD drive.  Speaking of cost, my Server 2008 system is limited to 5 CALs (that would be five “client access licenses” for those fortunate enough to not speak Microsoft licensing) due to the bank-breaking cost of additional CALs, and also the fact that the 5 CALs excede my user base by 150%.

Since Trash Server did not get a display, all console access is handled via Remote Desktop Connection from my OS X system.  The new 2.0 release of RDC for OS X is a nice improvement over the 1.x release and meets all of my administrative needs.

Server 2008 is reponsive from the console as well as thorugh the various services it provides for my otherwise OS-X-only network. What services you ask?  Trash Server offers services ranging from Active Directory and DNS to file sharing.  Note that the file sharing services are a minor role as Trash Server only has an 80 GB (non-redundant) HDD, and all of my data resides in the decidedly not-Windows-friendly HFS Plus (read: Mac) file system; those pesky forward slashes…