From Apple's Leopard Tech Specs page:
Front Row requires a Mac with built-in IR and an Apple Remote.
This means the MacPros in their current form, still can't run Front Row (officially, anyway).

Further this means that unless you want use a MacBook (Pro) with the lid closed, the only machine available for true HTPC use is the here today, ???? tomorrow MacMini, which in its current form doesn't support 802.11n networking and probably doesn't have enough horse power to optimally run EyeTV's progressive scan playback.

We really need an X-Mac/MacMaxi, or an IR option for the MacPro... Come on Apple!

Getting around the ir issue is easy, but there should be a port built into the MacPro. Although a "maxi" would be helpful it still doesn't solve the major issues with Front Row

1) No centralized usable iTunes DB can be created - I don't understand why we can sync pretty much everything but iTunes libraries with .Mac.
2) No TS playback and terrible TS editors for OS X
3) Lack of interaction between EyeTV and inability of EyeTV to easily import/play TS files.

BluRay and/or HDDVD should be easy to add via DVD Player, but HDTV will be MPEG2 for many years to come and Front Row cannot play a format now 10 years in existence free over the air. This is really pathetic at this point, if QT team can't solve it the Front Row team need to get this working.

BluRay and/or HDDVD should be easy to add via DVD Player, but HDTV will be MPEG2 for many years to come and Front Row cannot play a format now 10 years in existence free over the air. This is really pathetic at this point, if QT team can't solve it the Front Row team need to get this working.

That's not totally accurate. You can pay $20 and get an MPEG2 decoder for Quicktime, and if Quicktime can play it, Front Row can. And with Perian you can play AC3, so that gets you MPEG2/AC3 with very little hassle.

Or am I not understanding what you are saying?

You can pay $20 and get an MPEG2 decoder for Quicktime, and if Quicktime can play it,
The problem is it can't.

The problem is it can't.

That's not helping any. I have owned the MPEG2 decoder and have played MPEG2 content in Quicktime. So either you are doing something wrong or I still don't understand your issue.

That's not totally accurate. You can pay $20 and get an MPEG2 decoder for Quicktime, and if Quicktime can play it, Front Row can. And with Perian you can play AC3, so that gets you MPEG2/AC3 with very little hassle.

Or am I not understanding what you are saying?

Quicktime can play MPEG2 files, it cannot play MPEG2 Transport Streams which are the HDTV standard format.

From Apple's Leopard Tech Specs page:

This means the MacPros in their current form, still can't run Front Row (officially, anyway).

Further this means that unless you want use a MacBook (Pro) with the lid closed, the only machine available for true HTPC use is the here today, ???? tomorrow MacMini, which in its current form doesn't support 802.11n networking and probably doesn't have enough horse power to optimally run EyeTV's progressive scan playback.

We really need an X-Mac/MacMaxi, or an IR option for the MacPro... Come on Apple!

I've run a couple of the preview builds on my Powerbook G4 and FrontRow worked by default when activated from the keyboard. It did not however work with a 3rd party receiver and the Apple remote.

Quicktime can play MPEG2 files, it cannot play MPEG2 Transport Streams which are the HDTV standard format.

I have not found a way to play MPEG2 transports streams (108i and 720p) from my Motorola DVR either. I sure wish the Quicktime MPEG2 plugin would work, but it doesn't.

Chris