There are plenty of media server options, such as Plex and Kodi. Creating a media serverīy and far the most popular use of a Mac mini will be as a media server.

The Mac Mini’s small footprint can be placed anywhere, and like all things Apple, it’s beautiful presentation won’t look bad no matter where you place it. Once you set up remote access to your Mac Mini, you no longer need that extra mouse, keyboard, or monitor sitting around. This simple app works exactly as expected and is simple to set up. Just like TeamViewer, it has a mobile app and is very easy to setup.Īnother excellent option is to use the Screens app for iPad and iOS. I personally quite like this simple no-frills remote viewing and controlling platform for my home use. Since I do so little remote connection work on my machines, I’ve moved to a different option.Ĭhrome Remote Desktop. However, TeamViewer flagged even the minimal amount of remote use I was doing as “business use” and required me to move into a tiered payment option. However, TeamViewer used to be an entirely free product, and as a small business owner that was very attractive to me. The software is fast and reliable, and I’ve used it for years. If you need to connect to your Mac mini often, I recommend testing out different remote connection options. Some of the above options require you to interact with the Mac mini somewhat regularly, while others are almost totally hands-off. Plug it into the wall, connect a mouse and keyboard, hook up a monitor and you are all set. There’s a lot there, so let’s dig right in.īut first, let’s talk about what you are actually going to need.įortunately, setting up your Mac mini is fairly simple.

And you can use it to power LTO backups with Mercury Pro LTO or the ArGest BRU Server.

You can set it up to run beta versions of new software as a test system.

It can function as a recording device for an at home audio podcast.

It can function as a remote collaboration server for DaVinci Resolve editors both local and remote.

It can function as a media server, sending 4K streams to your local and remote devices over wifi.

Let me introduce you to a few ways that an old Mac mini can be a powerful tool in your home or office.

Late 2017 mac mini video input