We are using a Mac Mini (connected to a 44’ touchscreen) at a store to run an interactive Flash app in Chrome. The app’s sleep screen is a video playing at 1920x1080 resolution continuously.
Our app is ideally running at all times, including nights.
Could running Full HD video 24/7 on a Mac Mini cause hardware problems? Could Mini handle this job in the long run?
I don’t think that the Mac Mini will have more problems to do this than any other computer, furthermore when it will be dedicated only to that specific task. Sure, every computer, even a server, benefits when you shut it down from time to time. Apart from that, I can’t see any problem.
The two major issues that you may have (more likely) are the overheating of the power supply or the graphic card. But if it is not too hard to replace those, you should be good to go.
Having said this, I confess that I don’t own a Mac Mini myself and I only know its generic specifications.