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Get hack-tastic with Apple TV

Published on 26th March 2007 by Wil Harris

Apple TV - useless for TV, great for hacking?

Apple's new TV plug-in has barely been shipping for a few days, but already the hackerati have been clawing into its plastic-housed secrets.

The Apple TV, for those that don't know, is a box that contains a 1GHz Dothan processor and 40GB hard drive. You can transfer iTunes content to it, then watch that content on your HDTV.

Of course, one of the big limitations is that it only works with iTunes video and audio, or video that has been specifically converted to work with it (the latest version of QuickTime Pro includes an 'Export to Apple TV' option). So, in order to combat some of these limitations, AppleTVHacks.net has been set up!

On it, you can find instructions for enabling Divx playback, which will open up the device to the vast majority of content around. You can also learn how to swap out the 40GB hard drive for something a little bigger to store more content.

Even more bizarrely, there are instructions for installing SSH and Apache on it, to use as a cheap and cheerful web server, and tips for enabling Remote Desktop for virtual administration of the box.

And if you're feeling the need for some Apple TV love but don't actually want to buy the device, you can download the OS and install it on your Mac Mini or other compatible hardware. Which, obviously, is slightly illegal.

Reviews have popped up all over the place, praising the Apple TV for its combination of good looks and ease of use. However, those of us in Europe have one simple thing to point out - there's no video content available on iTunes in Europe, so what's the point? Even Apple has noticed this, removing all mentions of TV content from its UK website, instead suggesting that customers enjoy 'home videos'. Err, great.

Have you picked up an Apple TV? Are you hacking it? Let us know your thoughts over in the forums.

14 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

Mankz 26th March 2007, 12:46

Nice! It always makes me fell happy when someone ruin's Apple's plans..

r4tch3t 26th March 2007, 13:09

Looks good... Right,[/sarcasm] I hate white hardware.

Djpuk 26th March 2007, 13:13

Happy with my Kiss player thanks but good to see the hacks. Apple will be overjoyed that it has been hacked, there will be far more units sold on that news I would imagine.

Meanmotion 26th March 2007, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djpuk
Apple will be overjoyed that it has been hacked, there will be far more units sold on that news I would imagine.

Absolutely! If i could playback anything and everything on that hardware with that interface, i'd get one.

riggs 26th March 2007, 13:55

Woot! They've managed to turn a restricted, overpriced heap of crap into an unrestricted, overpriced heap of crap. Well done!

You may as well save some cash and just buy an old Xbox + Modchip + remote and install XBMC; no media restrictions, no DRM, and it's a damn sight cheaper.
Granted, an Xbox isn't very nice to look at, but then I'm not a fan of Apples' 'white' designs.

[USRF]Obiwan 26th March 2007, 14:06

It wil be extremly funny if they make a MCE extender for it :D hahahahahaha

KMS-oul 26th March 2007, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by riggs

You may as well save some cash and just buy an old Xbox + Modchip + remote and install XBMC; no media restrictions, no DRM, and it's a damn sight cheaper.
Granted, an Xbox isn't very nice to look at, but then I'm not a fan of Apples' 'white' designs.

Yeah man thats what I have just done. Only 40 pound from Game pre owned. As for looks... mod it, put it in a alu project box from mappy.

Meanmotion 26th March 2007, 14:20

You wanna show me an xbox with HDMI. Sure, it's not that big of a deal but it's something extra. Also, no matter what box you put an xbox in, it won't be as small and cute as the AppleTV.

I'm not a fanboy - i've never owned anything Apple. However, having seen the hardware and the interface, knowing that it can be modded to play 'anything', and comparing it to generic equivalents, the AppleTV is the best non-xbox option.

Firehed 26th March 2007, 15:12

Glad the hacking didn't take very long.... I've got a vague interest in getting one eventually, but not with the initial limitations in place. Maybe if I ever get a proper TV, or if I can't find a modchip for my new xbox (gasp!) to run XBMC on it.

<A88> 26th March 2007, 16:18

Xbox 360 does MCE extension as well, alongside allowing you to download HD videos through the Xbox live store- something which AppleTV doesn't offer.

<A88>

Starbuck3733T 26th March 2007, 17:44

The 360 media center extender cant' play DIVX, x264, sorenson, or a LOT of formats without transcoding which is FAR from being transparent to the user. trust me, I own one of the f'ing things. Even if you do transcode, you loose a crapton of quality and your ability to FF/rewind properly. TRanscode360 works, but it's kinda meh.

I'm thinking about buying one of these if I can figure out how to make it play videos and whatnot WITHOUT having to touch the steaming pile of **** which is iTunes.

Gman22 26th March 2007, 23:48

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