My Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz Mac Mini was unable to properly decode any MPEG4 video stream coming from EyeTV ATSC : the average CPU usage was above 150%, resulting in too many skipped frames when outputing in 1080p.
I understand the new Mac Mini comes with a special H.264 DXVA Quicktime plugin, making use of the GeForce 9400M, but I have found nothing about MPEG4.
Considering that the 2009 Mac Mini edition has, at best, a 13% CPU speed-up (2GHz->2.36GHz) and that MPEG4 decoding speed-up using the GeForce 9400M hardware as coprocessor will be, at best, implemented with Snow Leopard and Blu-Ray, I do not understand why the new Mac Mini should decode significantly faster MPEG4 files.

Or did I miss something ?

If I'm not mistaken the new MM also has a new system board and DDR3 memory, SATA drives now, and the CPU is a different series than before. Dunno - haven't tried it yet.

well, the old Intel mini had SATA drives...

geeji--my EyeTV does MPEG-2 ATSC--and the troublesome content was high bit rate 1080i programming, regardless of which display type you were connected to.

Using EyeTV (or EyeTV within Front Row) for playback, 150% is about normal, and I noticed the same dropping frame problem with 1080i ATSC content on both a 1.83 C2D mini and 2.0 C2D Macbook, both with 2GB RAM and a fast 7K200 drive inside. They both had the GMA 950. This has been mentioned on a bunch of threads, but what I've observed is EyeTV performance improves the minute you step up to a Mac with anything better than the GMA 950, in my case that was a 2.0 C2D "Santa Rosa" Macbook with the X3100. iMacs, Penryn Macbook models and anything with the 9400M (mini, Macbook) should be glitch-free as well. As bobdole mentioned, it's tough to view anything in isolation, because the better graphics/increased VRAM also comes in conjunction with a significantly faster FSB, faster RAM and more RAM capable of being fully utilized--a full 4GB or 4+ versus 2-3ish in the case of your old mini.

I don't play much MPEG-4 content yet...

My Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz Mac Mini was unable to properly decode any MPEG4 video stream coming from EyeTV ATSC : the average CPU usage was above 150%, resulting in too many skipped frames when outputing in 1080p.
I understand the new Mac Mini comes with a special H.264 DXVA Quicktime plugin, making use of the GeForce 9400M, but I have found nothing about MPEG4.
Considering that the 2009 Mac Mini edition has, at best, a 13% CPU speed-up (2GHz->2.36GHz) and that MPEG4 decoding speed-up using the GeForce 9400M hardware as coprocessor will be, at best, implemented with Snow Leopard and Blu-Ray, I do not understand why the new Mac Mini should decode significantly faster MPEG4 files.

Or did I miss something ?

Here's an interesting experiment for someone....

under linux, the nvidia drivers now accelerate MANY different graphics formats... it takes 100+% cpu loads down to single digits, off-loading everything to the GPU... its called VDPAU. You need the 180.xx drivers, or better 185.xx

Install Ubuntu (might as well grab the Jaunty beta).. either as a full install, dual-boot.. or _maybe_ even inside VirtualBox (I'm not sure how VB does its graphics.. if the drivers would talk to the hardware or still go thru the non-accelerated Apple graphics drivers)

Might give a preview of what is possible with Snow Leopard.

but on the surface, no I don't see anything in the new Mini specs to suggest anything more than an incremental improvement until 10.6.

well, the old Intel mini had SATA drives...

geeji--my EyeTV does MPEG-2 ATSC--and the troublesome content was high bit rate 1080i programming, regardless of which display type you were connected to.

Using EyeTV (or EyeTV within Front Row) for playback, 150% is about normal, and I noticed the same dropping frame problem with 1080i ATSC content on both a 1.83 C2D mini and 2.0 C2D Macbook, both with 2GB RAM and a fast 7K200 drive inside. They both had the GMA 950. This has been mentioned on a bunch of threads, but what I've observed is EyeTV performance improves the minute you step up to a Mac with anything better than the GMA 950, in my case that was a 2.0 C2D "Santa Rosa" Macbook with the X3100. iMacs, Penryn Macbook models and anything with the 9400M (mini, Macbook) should be glitch-free as well. As bobdole mentioned, it's tough to view anything in isolation, because the better graphics/increased VRAM also comes in conjunction with a significantly faster FSB, faster RAM and more RAM capable of being fully utilized--a full 4GB or 4+ versus 2-3ish in the case of your old mini.

I don't play much MPEG-4 content yet...

My understanding is that MPEG-4 is much more CPU-intensive from a decoding point of view, and thus although a 2GHz Core 2 Duo may be more or less OK for 1080p MPEG-2, it may not be enough, even with a faster video card, for MPEG-4, unless the video card is also used to accelerate the decoding, which implies some new system plugin.
Ah well, I suppose I have either to bite the bullet now and do the experiment myself, or wait for Snow Leopard if I want a surer bet...

Edit : seems my worries about MPEG-4 playback are confirmed : see this link (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16243727#post16243727).