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The launch of the Intel Mac mini last month gave us several clues about where Apple is trying to position its low-end desktop Mac. Clue number one was the inclusion of a new version of Front Row that works in conjunction with Bonjour to enable you to stream QuickTime content and iPhoto slideshows over a network. The second clue can be found on Apple's website, where you can now find a wealth of information about how to connect the Mac mini to a flat-screen TV or projector, and what adaptors you'll need for analogue or HDMI inputs. Apple has also added links to a number of websites

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that provide information on how to turn the Mac mini into a home media centre. And while it doesn't recommend you actually carry out the modifications detailed on some of the websites, the fact that it has recognised
and legitimised them says a great deal.

Finally, there's the specification of the new minis, particularly the Core Duo machine.
The faster of the two Mac minis has an Intel Core Duo processor rated at 1.6GHz - only fractionally less powerful than the iMac
and MacBook Pro. It can play the highest-resolution high-definition content at full resolution without dropping a single frame.
In Europe, where high-definition TV is in its infancy, that's no big deal - although it does mean you can watch the 1080p QuickTime trailers on Apple's website, but it's a key point in the US, where HDTV is common.

The fast processors are also necessary for Front Row, which Tom Boger, Apple's vice-president of desktop product marketing, described to MacUser as one of the most demanding applications Apple makes. How do you set up a Mac mini in your living room and what do you need for that home cinema experience? Read on to find out.