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.

Although according to the official instructions, a paid developer account is required to perform the jailbreak, there is a way to do so for free.

Here’s a complete, step-by-step tutorial on how to jailbreak Apple TV 4 using the Pangu jailbreak tool on your Mac computer.

How to Jailbreak Apple TV 4

Requirements：

• An Apple TV 4 running tvOS 9.0 or 9.0.1
• A Mac
• A USB-C to USB-A cable
• Xcode
• A free Apple ID account with sideloading privileges (see below)
• Pangu tool 1.0
• iOS App Signer

Step 1: Disable Automatic Updates on your Apple TV (Settings > System > Software Updates; turn off Automatically Update).

Step 2: Dowload and extract both Pangu tool andi OS App Signer zip files.

Step 3: Login to Xcode with an Apple ID with sideloading privileges (get it for free by visiting the Apple developer center and agreeing to the terms; to login to Xcode, go to Xcode > Preferences > Accounts and click the ‘+’ sign).

Step 4: Go to File > New > Project > tvOS > Application > Single View Application > Next.

Step: Fill out the following fields

• Product Name: AppleTVJailbreak
• Organization: <Your name>
• Organization Identifier: com.jailbreak.appletv

Click Next > Create. Your new Xcode project will open.

Step 5: Connect your Apple TV to your Mac using the USB-C cable. Wait for Xcode to finish processing symbol files.

Step 6: Change the selected build device to the Apple TV by clicking the button at the top left to the right of the play button.

Step 7: Click Fix issue to create a provisioning profile for the device.

Step 8: When asked to add an Apple ID, click Add and sign in with your Apple ID.

Step 9: Click Fix Issue once again and select your account from the list of accounts. Xcode will automatically fix your code signing issues.

Step 10: Launch iOS App Signer, click Browse and select the atvipa.app file from the Payload folder in the extracted Pangu archive. Click Open.

Step 11: Choose your Apple ID from the list of Signing Certificates and make sure Provisioning Profile is set to tvOS Team Provisioning Profile: com.YourName.AppleTVJailbreak.

Step 12: Click Start and then Save to save the atvipa.ipa file to your desktop.

Step 13: Select Devices from the Window menu in Xcode.

Step 14: Click the + button under Installed apps, and select the atvipa.ipa from your desktop.

Step 15: A Pangu app will appear on your Apple TV. Launch the app to initiate and complete the jailbreak.

That’s it. Congrats! You have successfully managed to jailbreak Apple TV 4.

You can now SSH into it  using the Apple TV’s Wi-Fi IP address.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post How to jailbreak Apple TV 4 with Pangu for free [Mac tutorial] appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The Pangu Team has just released a jailbreak for the new Apple TV. The jailbreak is limited to Apple TV 4 running tvOS 9.0 and 9.0.1.

So we just release jb for ATV4. Checkout at https://pangu.io . Current jb will give u ssh access to ATV4 with tvOS 9.0/9.0.1

Jailbreak developers may port their tweaks and apps to ATV with ssh available. Check the guide before jailbreaking your ATV.

ATV4 requires arm64 binaries!

The jailbreak tool can be downloaded from pangu.io.

If you’re still on tvOS 9.o or 9.0.1, keep away from tvOS 9.1, 9.1.1 and 9.2 software updates, as those are not supported by the Pangu’s jailbreak and it is impossible to downgrade the firmware to a previous version.

As the Pangu Team admits, the jailbreak is mostly targeted (at least for now) for jailbreak developers, so they can start releasing tweaks and apps for the Apple TV 4.

Apple Developer Program membership is required in order to perform the jailbreak.

As for now, the Pangu 1.0 Apple TV jailbreak tool anly allows SSH access.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple TV 4 jailbreak released appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

We’re hearing from some developers that iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan use a new AirPlay encryption, which is not compatible with older Apple TV firmwares and software mirroring solutions like AirServer and Reflector.

In iOS 9 and El Capitan, Apple TVs running firmware version older than 6.2 appear as an audio only destinations:

In order for AirPlay to work, both iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan require Apple TV running firmware 6.2 and newer, meanwhile the latest jailbreakable Apple TV software version is 5.3.

People with jailbroken Apple TV’s running 5.3 will need to upgrade to 6.2 or newer to continue using AirPlay.

Of course, if you’re using a jailbroken Apple TV, you may choose not to update to iOS 9 or/and El Capitan and keep AirPlaying your content to the Apple TV.

Some developers told us they are re-implementing the encryption in their software to be ready for the final iOS 9/El Capitan update.

It is expected that iOS 9 will be released in mid-September. OS X El Capitan will launch sometimes in October.

This Wednesday, Apple is hosting an event where it is expected to unveil a next-generation Apple TV, which is rumored to be be thicker and slightly wider than the current-generation model and feature Apple’s A8 chip, a new, “drastically improved” remote with touchpad, more on-board storage, an improved operating system with support for Siri voice control and a long-awaited App Store.

Read more on Apple TV 4: 

• Apple TV 4 specs and price revealed
• Apple TV 4: big focus on gaming and Siri, support for Bluetooth game controllers
• Apple TV 4 will cost $149-$199, available in October

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan won’t let you AirPlay to jailbroken Apple TV (or those running older firmware) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Back in May, Apple removed YouTube channel from the 1st and 2nd generation Apple TV. It was due to Google ending support for its YouTube’s Data API v2, used by older devices. Luckily, there’s FireCore and its aTV Flash (black), a little piece of software that supercharges jailbroken Apple TVs.

With the release of aTV Flash (black) 2.6, FireCore built an all-new native YouTube plugin that provides many of the most popular YouTube features that were taken away in May.

The new plugin works on any jailbroken Apple TV 2 running Apple TV 5.3 firmware version.

This new YouTube plugin allows for browsing of popular videos as well as searching for videos, channels, users, or playlists. The developers said they are also working on a few additional, “neat options” for subsequent releases.

Due to some required behind-the-scenes changes, updating to 2.6 will require re-running the aTV Flash (black) installer from a Mac or PC. Once updated, future releases can be installed through the native Apple TV menus as before. Links for the latest version can be found in your account under the Downloads tab.

If you’re new to aTV Flash (black) you can read our full review here.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post YouTube returns to Apple TV 2 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Jailbreaking has been the way to go for most power users of the Apple TV. Unfortunately, the Apple TV 3 still lacks a jailbreak and those who’ve been waiting for one have almost given up.

In 2014, Apple TV got a whole bunch of new channels, but if you want to enjoy all the flexibility of the jailbreak, you need a 2nd genereation Apple’s set-top box.

We put together a brief guide on where to buy a jailbreakable or already jailbroken Apple TV 2.

ALSO CHECK OUT: The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Apple TV users

Note that the price of Apple TV 2 can be up to three times the MSRP of a new, 3rd gen models and many of them are used ones too. So be wise in your decisions and choose the best box for your use.

Buy a new Apple TV 2 in sealed box

If you want to make sure you’re getting a perfect piece of hardware, this is the way to go. You’ll need to do the whole jailbreak process on your own but shouldn’t be a problem, as you can simply follow our guide on How to jailbreak Apple TV 2 with Seas0nPass.

IMPORTANT: Apple TV 5.3 (iOS 6.1.4 – 10B809; released on June 19th, 2013) is the latest jailbreakable Apple TV 2 firmware. Make sure the device you’re planning to get doesn’t run on a newer one.

You can get a new Apple TV 2 on Amazon at $276 and up and on eBay, at around $250.

Buy a used Apple TV 2 (some are already jailbroken)

On the lower end of the spectrum, we have the used Apple TV 2, which can be purchased for a much lesser price.

Many of the used Apple TV 2 come jailbroken/hacked and loaded with XBMC, Plex, aTV Flash (black), NitoTV, etc., so that you can just connect and play without any issues – perfect for the not-so tech-savvy and the lazy fellows.

On Amazon, you can get one for as low as $165. On eBay, “Buy it Now” offers start at $210 or you can bid on one for much less.

Buy a refurbished Apple TV 2

This is kind of the best of both worlds, as you get a trustworthy device for a lower price. But you still have to jailbreak the device by following this guide.

Refurbished Apple TV 2nd gen models are available on Amazon starting at $250.

So go through the listings, find a good one, shop safe and happy jailbreaking!

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Still waiting for Apple TV 3 jailbreak? Buy… Apple TV 2 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The final version of XBMC 13 Gotham (and in fact the final version of XBMC itself), is now available and ready to sneak into your Apple TV 2. XBMC 13.2 Gotham will be the last update of the popular software to bear the iconic name, as the team confirmed that all future updates will be known by the new name Kodi Entertainment Center.

The update, however, brings only a bunch of bug fixes & stability improvements, and not any new features. And so, you will be able to install it directly on top of your previous Gotham installations. Most of the improvements are directed towards OS X and Android while other general fixes (below) will appear on Apple TV also.

Fixes done in XBMC 13.2 Gotham

• Bitstream conversion fix for some BD mkv iso rips
• Fix labelcontrols with autowidth set were always marked as dirty (re-render)
• Update included PVR add-on
• Fix FTP TLS not working
• Fix onplaybackstarted event for external players
• GetText and delete sound option for add-on developers
• Fix wrong sample-rate selection on OSX
• Fix overlapping subtitles
• Fix accented letters. Example: “VARIéS” rather than “VARIÉS”
• Prompt for master pin in case the add-on manager is locked
• Update GUI translations
• Update included add-ons
• Fixed several bugs and memory leaks

Team XBMC has also included an Importance Notice section to the announcement, which we highly recommend you read before updating to XBMC 13.2 Gotham. You can find the post here.

Apple TV 2 users can download Gotham 13.2 here.

Apple TV 1 users can get XBMC 13.2 Gotham via OpenElec.

If you’re a developer or consider yourself a tech geek, you can also check out the Kodi 14 Helix Alpha 2 for Apple TV.

Related posts:

• How to install XBMC 13.0 Gotham on Apple TV 2
• How to get XBMC on your HDTV via Apple TV 3 (or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post XBMC 13.2 Gotham for Apple TV 2 is out appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

As reported earlier, the popular open source software media player XBMC has changed its name to Kodi Entertainment Center, making Kodi 14 Helix the successor to XBMC 13 Gotham. It’s roughly been a week since the official announcement and the team has already rolled out the first iteration in the form of Kodi 14 Helix alpha 2.

Helix’s description states that Kodi 14 is more of a stability and performance update and is not directed to bring new features or an interface overhaul. Yet, a few noteworthy changes do find its way to Helix.

They include better codec support, especially h.265 and VP9, library improvements (like faster media scan and better UPnP communications), support for more Android chipsets, better AirPlay on the iOS app, backward compatible add-ons and a couple of new skins.

Besides, the clients on Windows, OS X and Linus will receive huge improvements.

The changelog for Kodi 14 is 12 pages long and contains 333 changes so far. Needless to say, they can’t all be summarized here, but a few additional items worth noting include:

• Update PVR add-ons
• Start of redesigning the PVR windows
• Various improvements to the Audio Engine, with the OSX platform as great beneficiary.
• Improvements to the GUI skinning engine
• Extended JSON-RPC interface
• Countless smaller and larger bug-fixes throughout the program and vast improvements in every area. This should improve memory usage, stability, speed and user friendliness.
• Add-ons are still compatible up to the Frodo versions.
• Skins are partially still compatible, however to fully function they will need to be updated to latest changes. Expect breakage here.”

Read the complete changelog here.

The release includes Helix for Apple TV 2 too. You’ll find the links for the download and detailed instructions on setting up Helix here.

However, please beware that this is one of the earliest builds of the software you can get your hands on. This version might have some serious bugs and stability issues. So only users who know what they’re doing should attempt the installation and that too, after making sure that you’ve backed up all your contents – “ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR USERDATA FOLDER WHEN USING DEVELOPMENT BUILDS!”  Others are recommended to wait for the public release of Kodi 14.

Also read: 

• XBMC changes name to Kodi
• How to install XBMC 13.0 Gotham on Apple TV 2
• How to get XBMC on your HDTV via Apple TV 3 (or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2)
• Top 10 best XBMC addons for Apple TV 1 and Apple TV 2

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Kodi (former XBMC) 14 Helix alpha 2 for Apple TV 2 is now available appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

With just a day left for the FIFA World Cup 2014 to kick off, everyone is busy buying popcorn and coke and figuring out the best way to enjoy the game. For Apple TV users, seeing the clash of legs on their HDTVs is a tempting option. So here is a guide on how you can catch all the World Cup action on your Apple TV.

Method 1. Watching FIFA on Apple TV from United States

This is probably the easiest way to watch the World Cup on Apple TV, thanks to WatchESPN, which is bringing the live coverage of all matches, previews and some related content to the native channel.

However, to access this stream, you’ll need an active cable subscription with any of the providers affiliated with ESPN or at least get a username and password from one of your friends.

According to CNET, the supported providers include:

AT&T U-verse, Bright House Networks, Charter, Comcast XFINITY, Cox, DISH, Google Fiber, Midcontinent Communications, Optimum, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS TV.

To watch the games, just fire up your Apple TV -> open the WatchESPN channel -> login with your cable provider ID -> find your match and enjoy!

Here is the official WatchESPN schedule for their live world cup coverage.

US Hispanics will be pleased to know that Univision will be broadcasting all 64 games in Spanish. They don’t have a native Apple TV channel, so you’ll need to either AirPlay them from their website (using OS X AirPlay Mirroring or from a PC using AirParrot) or via their exclusive iOS app for the FIFA World Cup.

Univision will stream the first 56 games without the need to sign in with a pay TV provider login. However…

…the quarterfinals, semifinals and the finale will only be made available to customers of pay TV providers the network has a deal with, which at this point include AT&T, Bright House, Optimum, Cox, DirecTV, Dish, Time Warner Cable and Verizon, but not Comcast.

Method 2. Watching FIFA on Apple TV from United Kingdom

In the UK, there is no native channel on Apple TV which will let you stream the matches live. However, if you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you can get the BBC iPlayer and iTV apps on it to AirPlay the content to the HDTV.

It’s been officially confirmed that BBC and iTV will be splitting the rights for the matches to be shown, with each streaming 31 and 34 games respectively.

The iPlayer also offers VOD for past matches and also a better commentary as claimed by many fans. And the best part is that it is free and doesn’t require any active subscriptions like WatchESPN.

Check this schedule for the live broadcast of World Cup matches for the two apps and get BBC iPlayer and iTV apps from the App Store for free.

When your favorite match is live, turn on Apple TV and open the corresponding apps -> select the live stream of the game -> pull up the Control Center and select AirPlay -> choose your Apple TV and enjoy!

Besides the official apps, the matches will also be available to stream from their official websites (iPlayer,  iTV). So you can just stream the match on your browser and AirPlay to the Apple TV (using OS X AirPlay mirroring or from a PC using AirParrot).

Don’t want to use your iOS device? Check out some other methods below.

Method 3. Via your country’s national providers

Most countries already have a specific cable provider who has the rights for streaming the whole World Cup. It is highly likely that these providers have their own iOS apps or atleast a dedicated website for broadcasting the matches. GigaOM has detailed on a few countries:

Australia: SBS will stream each and every game on its website as well as through its iOS and Android apps.
Canada: CBC will stream all 64 games of the World Cup on its website as well as through its iOS and Android apps — no pay TV subscription required.
Ireland: RTÉ will stream all 64 games live on its website as well as through its mobile apps, including 8 that won’t be broadcast on TV.

You can check this article to find which channel provider in your country has the world cup’s broadcasting rights and then a quick Google search should give you the links to their website or iOS app. AirPlay directly from their app or use OS X mirroring with Safari or AirParrot on PC with your browser, to get the World Cup matches on your HDTV.

Method 4. Using SportsDevil addon for XBMC

The best thing about this method is that it is completely free and works for just anybody. However, this method may not be legal in certain countries, so please check before you attempt to stream. It may also have below average quality for streams when compared to other official ones.

Here’s how you get this done:

A. For jailbroken Apple TV 2
Things are much easier when you have a jailbroken Apple TV because XBMC can be installed directly on it. You can follow our guide on how to install XBMC 13.0 Gotham on Apple TV 2.

B. For non-jailbroken Apple TV 2 or Apple TV 3
In this case, you’ll need another device like a Mac, PC, jailbroken iOS device or an Android device to install XBMC and then use some third party software to AirPlay to Apple TV. Here is a detailed guide on how to get XBMC on your HDTV via Apple TV 3 (or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2).

C. For Apple TV 1
In this case, you’ll be using a software called OpenElec and you won’t be able to install XBMC as a separate channel on your set-top box, but instead you’ll need to install XBMC as a stand-alone operating system on it. In short, your old Apple TV will boot directly into the XBMC home screen. Find our detailed tutorial here.

Once you have the perfect setup of getting XBMC to show up on your Apple TV, follow our guide on how to Watch live sports on Apple TV with SportsDevil XBMC video addon and access any of the hundreds of Sports Channels to stream the FIFA World Cup 2014 live.

If you’re having any issues with compatibilities, please check out this guide.

Method 5. Using UnoTelly

Unotelly is a DNS service, which will help you securely spoof your IP address and thereby your digital location, allowing you access to country specific websites and services from anywhere in the world. So in this method, we’ll change our iOS device’s location to UK and make use of the BBC iPlayer and iTV apps (Method 2) to stream and AirPlay FIFA matches to Apple TV.

The best part is that UnoTelly now has a World Cup offer by which you can avail a free trial of 8 days to view some matches and if you like the results, you can subscribe for just $4 per month. You can avail this offer here and get started with their guide here.

Others DNS clients: HideMyAss, Unblock US

CONCLUSION

Did we miss any methods? Have you checked out any of these methods? Do share you thoughts in the comments below.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post How to watch FIFA World Cup 2014 live on Apple TV appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

XBMC is probably the most popular and versatile media managing hub out there, thanks to its supports for a variety of content, provision for third party addons and compatibility with almost all operating systems.

However, Apple doesn’t seem to think so, as there are no XBMC apps for iPhone or iPad nor any XBMC support on Apple TV, may be due to the misuse for piracy. But it seems unfair that the rest non-pirate good fellas have to suffer too.

And although there is a way to get XBMC working on the original Apple TV, as well as on jailbroken Apple TV 2 (see more details at the end of this post), there are still millions of Apple TV 3 (and non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2*) owners left without the ability to get XBMC on their little, black boxes.

But while we can in no way add XBMC directly to the Apple TV 3, there sure is a way to enjoy XBMC content on the HDTV using a 3rd gen. Apple TV. Here’s how.

XBMC on Apple TV 3

If you do have an Apple TV 3 and want to watch XBMC on your big screen, the best shot would be to make use of the AirPlay Mirroring feature of iOS devices and Macs and even Android and PCs with just the right apps and software. These methods can be used for older generation Apple TVs too. So read on.

1. Using iPhone or iPad

This method works only if you have a jailbroken iOS device. Find out more about jailbreaking your iDevice.

• Installing XBMC on jailbroken iDevice:

Step 1 – Open Cydia > Sources > Edit > Tap the plus button on left top > add this source and confirm
https://mirrors.xbmc.org/apt/ios/

Step 2 – Once the source is added, you can either search for XBMC or find it within the source. Tap on Install and Confirm.

Now your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch is running the complete XBMC suite. Just enable AirPlay Mirroring from the pull up menu and your HDTV will start the show.

You’ll notice that the app screen and media are showing boxed-in or with black pillars on its sides. Fear not! Within the app, just go into Settings > System > Video > Display mode and change it to FullScreen #2

XBMC will automatically detect that you’re on an Apple TV and turn the device’s screen into a gesture based remote and you can enjoy your movies in full screen on the HDTV.

2. Using a Mac

Download and install XBMC on your Mac from the official site.

Just enable OS X native AirPlay Mirroring to the Apple TV 3 and it’s done.

However, if you want to multitask simultaneously, like edit a document or surf the internet or watch another movie while your wife watches the XBMC media, you can get other mirroring apps like AirParrot, which helps to broadcast specific single apps. You can just hide the XBMC windows on the Mac and start using Safari or Keynote, without them showing up on the television.

3. Using a Windows computer

In this case we will use AirParrot, the only software out there that enables screen mirroring on Windows.

Step 1 – Get AirParrot for Windows
Step 2 – Download and install XBMC for Windows from here

Step 3 – Right click on the AirParrot icon in the bottom right toolbar and select your Apple TV.

Done! Your Windows computer’s screen is is now being streamed to your Apple TV. Open XBMC on the PC and start watching movies on the big screen.

4. Using Android phones or tablets

Koushik Dutta‘s Mirror app (currently in beta) can now mirror your Android screen to an Apple TV.

To try Mirror beta, you need to do the following:

1) Root your Android 4.4.2 phone (“not necessary in the future”)
2) Join the ClockworkMod community
3) Join the beta
4) Download the app from Google Play

Now, install XBMC on your Android device from XBMC downloads page. Fire it up and AirPlay to your Apple TV.

Sounds simple enough, but, since we haven’t tried this method ourselves yet (as this wasn’t possible until recently), we’d love to hear back from you guys on the results.

So these are the methods by which you can get XBMC to show up on your HDTV using the Apple TV 3 or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2. Please try them out and let us know which one works the best for you.

XBMC on Apple TV 1st Generation

The process is a bit complicated for Apple TV 1 users. In this case, you’ll be using a software called OpenElec and you won’t be able to install XBMC as a separate channel on your set-top box but instead you’ll need to install XBMC as a stand-alone operating system on it. In short, your old Apple TV will boot directly into the XBMC home screen.

Find our detailed tutorial here.

The latest beta of OpenElec supports XBMC 13.0 Gotham.

XBMC on Apple TV 2nd Generation (jailbreakable)

Apple TV 2 has a stable and popular jailbreak solution, which will easily enable you to install XBMC directly on the Apple TV. Seas0nPass JB for Apple TV 2 is very well accepted by users and it is evident with the too high asking price for used Apple TV 2 on eBay. So if you’re not already jailbroken, it is highly recommended that you do it by following our tutorial.

Once you’re jailbroken, you can follow this guide to install XBMC.

* Latest jailbreakable Apple TV software version is 5.3.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post How to get XBMC on Apple TV 3 (or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.