However, if you jailbreak apple tv, then that’s a different story. After you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV, you can proceed to install a wide range of systems, services, and applications on it that make it a lot more appealing even than the latest Apple TV.

Should you jailbreak your Apple TV?

While generally people are interested to know whether they should jailbreak their iPhone (there are many pros and cons to doing that), there are significantly less cons to jailbreaking your Apple TV. As for the pros, there are more than you can imagine.

Here are some of the most popular apps you can install once you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV:

aTV Flash (black): What makes this app great is the fact by that using it you can actually play a wide range of video format on your Apple TV. One example is the popular .mkv format. You can also use unofficial applications and also browse the internet.

Kodi: Kodi is an entertainment hub that allows you to mostly play podcasts, videos, and music. It also enables PVR functionality, meaning that on top of watching TV, you can also record your favorite shows, etc.

Jailbreaking your Apple TV

One of first things you need to know if you want to jailbreak apple tv is that you need to have the right model. If you do, then jailbreaking it is very simple. For instance, if you have the first generation Apple TV, you can jailbreak it by using Rowmote. The second generation is also easy to jailbreak, but we’ll cover more about that below.

Now, if you have an Apple TV 2nd generation and want to jailbreak it, here is how you can do it:

Those lucky owners if a 2nd Generation Apple TV should be happy, since they can actually jailbreak it. To do this, you first of all need to go online and look for Seas0nPass. We recommend you get the tools from the FireCore website. Once you get the tools, you have to follow the steps below:

1. Unrar the software and copy it to your Applications folder.
2. Get a micro USB cable and connect your Mac to your Apple TV.
3. Launch the jailbreaking software and then click on Create IPSW.
4. When prompted, you need to press the Menu and Play buttons on the Apple TV’s remote control. You should press the buttons simultaneously.
5. Once the software does its thing, you need to click on Done.
6. Lastly, all you have to do is unplug the USB cable and get an HDMI which you’ll use in order to connect the Apple TV to your TV. Turn on your TV and enjoy!

Once the Apple TV reboots, you will see the FireCore logo. Once you see that, your device has been successfully jailbroken. Now you can proceed to installing any apps and services you want on it. Enjoy your freshly jailbroken Apple TV!

Jailbreaking Apple TV 4th generation

1. If you want to jailbreak apple tv 4th generation, you’ll first of all need to connect it to your Mac by using a USB-C cable.
2. Automatic updates should be disabled so that your Apple TV cannot be updated anymore. To do this, go to Settings, System, Software Updates.
3. Go online and look for the iOS App Signer and Pangu jailbreak tool. Download and unrar them in the same folder.
4. Open Xcode and then go to File, New, Project, tvOS, Application, Single View, and finally Next.

The following fields should be filled in exactly as you see below:

1. Product Name: Jailbreak
2. Organization: *Input your name*
3. Organization Identifier: com.jailbreak.appletv

Note:

• Do not change anything else. After you’re done, click Next and then Create.
• Click Product, Destination, and then Apple TV.

At this point you’ll need to select your Apple ID and then link it to Xcode. You can do that by going to Xcode, then Preferences and then Accounts. Click Fix issue.

Remember the Pangu files you’ve extracted in the same folder as App Signer? Well, now you have to launch the App Signer and then select the atvipa.app file by using the Browse button. You can find this file in the Payload folder. While you’re still in the App Signer, click on the Certificate and Provisioning Profile for the application that was created in Xcode. Next, do this:

• Save the atvipa.ipa file on your desktop.
• Launch Xcode and then navigate to Window, Devices and then click on your Apple TV.
• Under installed apps, be sure to click on the “+” and then select the atvipa.ipa.

At this point the jailbreak tool is being deployed and once your home screen changes to that of Pangu, you’re good to go. One last step though is to launch the app to complete the jailbreaking process.

Congratulations! You’ve just jailbroken your Apple TV!

The post Should I jailbreak my Apple TV and How? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

A freshly baked version of Media Player for Apple TV 2 has been released by Firecore. Version 0.9.4 adds new folder artwork in Grid View, loop and shuffle playlist options, support for large photo collections and comes with a bunch of improvements and bug fixes.

What’s new in version 0.9.4?

• Added new folder artwork in Grid View
• Added loop and shuffle playlist options
• Added TV Show series cover art in Grid View and Top Shelf
• Added top to bottom and right to left navigation in grid view
• Added global setting for enabling/disabling subtitles
• Added support for large photo collections
• Added support for folders containing dot (‘.’) in their name
• Added (watched) view options in List View (use Play/Pause button to switch mode)
• Improved metadata caching logic
• Improved TV Show filename parsing
• Improved Grid View stability
• Improved metadata fetching speed
• Resolved issues with audio file metadata fetching
• Resolved issues with chapter selection screen layout observed on short files
• Resolved issues with metadata reloading in Grid View
• Resolved issues with TV Shows aired date
• Resolved issues with hangs on certain DVD menus
• Resolved minor memory management issues
• Resolved issues with scrolling in Top Shelf
• Resolved issues with folder names overlapping in Grid View
• Minor UI improvements

Media Player 0.9.4 can be installed on your ATV2 (with aTV Flash black already installed) through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

You may also want to read:
aTV Flash 4.4 for original Apple TV now available
aTV Flash (black) RC1 for Apple TV 2 Now Available
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered

The post Media Player 0.9.4 for Apple TV 2 Now Available appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Movie trailers have always been sort of a side hobby for Apple. Now this hobby seems to be getting some attention, as Apple has released an app specifically for movie trailers.

When you first open iTunes Movie Trailers on either your iPhone or iPad, you’ll find the trailer layout very similar to the Apple TV’s graphic-based layout. Here you can scroll and search based on movie art, or simply search for whatever trailer you are looking to watch and then watch it on your device or on your TV, through AirPlay.

A nice calendar feature is included with this app. From here, you can see all upcoming theater releases, along with past releases. I can easily see movies that were released many months ago, and check movies that are expected in the somewhat-distant future (The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises are slated to hit theaters July of next year, for example).

Read the full review on Whatsoniphone.com

You may also want to read:
Real Racing 2 HD First to Support Wireless Gaming over AirPlay on Apple TV 2
AirPlay-Enabled Apps: Air Video (review)
AirPlay-Enabled Apps: Web Browser, Camera and Videos for Apple TV, TVOut Genie! (review)

The post AirPlay-enabled Apps: iTunes Movie Trailers appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Original Apple TV got a lot of love yesterday. Soon after App Dynamic released Remote HD plugin 5.0 for the 1^st generation Apple TV, Firecore announced the release of aTV Flash version 4.4 for your original shiny box of joy. Apart from the support for the new Remote HD features (iOS 5 AirPlay streaming, support for playing DRM protected media, support for doubleTwist + AirTwist add-on), the new update includes support for Mac OS X Lion and NFS file streaming.

What’s new in aTV Flash 4.4?

• Added support for Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)
• Added NFS file streaming (Lion compatible)
• Remote HD: Added support for iOS 5 AirPlay streaming
• Remote HD: Added support for playing DRM protected media from iOS devices and iTunes via AirPlay
• Remote HD: Added support for doubleTwist + AirTwist add-on (AirPlay from Android devices)
• Remote HD: Added supports enhanced slideshows with music when streaming via AirPlay
• Updated metadata scrapers
• Resolved VPN setup issues
• Other miscellaneous fixes

Full details on setting up NFS streaming from Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) can be found here.

aTV Flash version 4.4 is available through the Downloads tab in your account. If you’re already running aTV Flash on your AppleTV you can update through the Maintenance –> Manage Plugins menu.

You may also want to read:
Remote HD 5.0 plugin keeps old Apple TV kicking with iOS 5 support
Installing and Configuring a FTP Server in Your Apple TV 1st Generation
aTV Flash (black) RC1 for Apple TV 2 Now Available

The post aTV Flash 4.4 for original Apple TV now available appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

App Dynamic, the company that brought AirPlay to the 1st generation Apple TV, has just released Remote HD plugin 5.0 featuring an all new AirPlay upgrade. The 5.0 plugin breathes new life back into your old Apple TV with iOS 5 and iTunes DRM-encrypted video support. The update does not include mirroring or HTTP live streaming over AirPlay.

What’s new in Remote HD’s 5.0 plugin:

• Added support for iOS 5
• Plays DRM protected Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Trailers, Music from iOS devices or iTunes on Mac/PC
• Added support for doubleTwist+AirTwist add-on; AirPlay from Android
• Optimizations for iPhone 4S added
• Support enhanced slideshows with music
• Added support for Camera for Apple TV iOS app
• Fixed iPhone 3GS photo-orientation bug

You can download the new Remote HD 5.0 plugin from here.

Here is how to install it on your old Apple TV:

1. If you are not using the latest Apple TV Software (version 3.0.2), update the Apple TV software from Settings > General > Update Software.

2. Unlock your Apple TV using opensource atvusb-creator. Step by step instructions can be found here and here.

3. Connect to your Apple TV using your preferred SSH client:

Host: appletv.local
Username: frontrow
Password: frontrow

Recommended SSH clients are:
OS X: Use the buit-in SSH command line client using Terminal.app
Windows: Putty

Here’s an example of how to connect to the Apple TV using Terminal.app on OS X:
ssh frontrow@appletv.local
Password: frontrow

4. Once connected, run these 3 commands one by one.

These 3 commands will download, uncompress, install/upgrade Remote HD plugin and restart the Apple TV interface.

scp ssh.remotehd.com:RemoteHelper.tar RemoteHelper.tar;
tar xvf RemoteHelper.tar;
./install-RemoteHelper

“frontrow” is the default password.

If prompted with a security prompt to confirm connecting, type in yes.

Thats it, you’re done! Now grab your device and have Remote HD scan for available connections. Your Apple TV should show up in the list of available WiFi-connections – just tap to connect!

The default password is empty.

Head over to the App Store and purchase a copy of Remote HD iOS app to activate the plugin.

Existing Remote HD users get all this for free.

For more information, visit Remote HD website.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Streaming Hacked into the Old Apple TV
AirPlay Implementation on the Old Apple TV is Now Complete
AirServer 3.0 brings AirPlay to your Mac

The post Remote HD 5.0 plugin keeps old Apple TV kicking with iOS 5 support appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Brought to you by the developers of Remote HD, AirServer is an advanced AirPlay/AirTunes receiver that lets you seamlessly stream audio, videos, photos, and photo slideshows to your Mac or iOS device. The software has just been updated to version 3.0, which comes with a new built-in video players and enhanced iOS 5 and Lion support. AirServer has now the ability to stream slideshows with visual effects and music intact via AirPlay.

Here is the full list of new features and changes:

• Re-engineered support for iOS 5
• New iOS 5 playlist support
• New built-in video, photo and slideshow players for Lion
• New built-in photo and slideshow players
• Slideshow player supports visual effects and music
• Multiple displays, mouse gestures and keyboard support on Lion
• Fullscreen mode with Plex and XBMC in the background
• Support for both fullscreen and windowed mode
• Audio password protection
• Automatic rebroadcasting on overloaded networks
• Automatic relaunching after crashes

• Audio streaming crash fixes
• Wake on demand (with display) now supported on Lion
• Prevent Mac from going to sleep when streaming videos, music or photos
• Prevent Screensaver from going off when photo or video streaming is in progress
• Fixed cursor issues after playback finishes
• Fixed Dual-mode AirPlay for iOS 5

You can purchase AirServer through PayPal ($7.99; Mac only) or get it from Cydia (iPhone/iPad; $4.99).

UPDATE: We are giving away 10 free licenses for AirServer 3.0 for Mac. Join us on Facebook or follow on Twitter and retweet the contest message for your chance to win. The winners will be announced on Friday, October 21st.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Mirroring Coming to iPhone 4S
Remote HD now supports Apple TV 2 (updated)
AirPlay Streaming Hacked into the Old Apple TV (updated: giveaway!)

The post AirServer 3.0 brings AirPlay to your Mac (Updated: Giveaway!) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.