Apple TV 1 – Apple TV Hacks https://www.appletvhacks.net Get more from your shiny box of joy: Taking Apple TVs to the next level Fri, 28 Oct 2016 16:13:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Run Kodi 15.2 on Apple TV 1st gen. with the new update of aTV Flash https://www.appletvhacks.net/2016/02/18/run-kodi-15-2-on-apple-tv-1st-gen-with-the-new-update-of-atv-flash/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2016/02/18/run-kodi-15-2-on-apple-tv-1st-gen-with-the-new-update-of-atv-flash/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2016 17:53:15 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=10197   FireCore has just reelased an updated version of aTV Flash that lets you run the latest Kodi 15.2 on the oryginal Apple TV. Powered by OpenELEC, aTV Flash (kodi edition) includes support for the latest video add-ons, 1080p video,...

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FireCore has just reelased an updated version of aTV Flash that lets you run the latest Kodi 15.2 on the oryginal Apple TV.

Powered by OpenELEC, aTV Flash (kodi edition) includes support for the latest video add-ons, 1080p video, and many more.

atvflash-kodi

The Kodi version is different from the original aTV Flash (silver): while the older version installs add-ons alongside the native Apple TV software, aTV Flash (kodi edition) replaces the Apple TV software entirely.

The installation is done in about 5 minutes using a USB flash drive. The developers have built in a special restore option, allowing the original Apple TV software to be easily reinstalled at any time.

By installing a special 1080p video card, the original Apple TV will be fully capable of playing most 1080p formats. 1080p video cards are available as an optional add-on when ordering.

Note: Installing a 1080p video card replaces the standard Apple TV Wi-Fi card. A directly connected ethernet cable or USB Wi-Fi adapter (also available as an optional add-on) will be required for network access.

AirServer

You can find more details on aTV Flash (kodi edition) here.

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

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YouTube returns to Apple TV 2 https://www.appletvhacks.net/2015/09/06/youtube-returns-to-apple-tv-2/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2015/09/06/youtube-returns-to-apple-tv-2/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2015 18:10:02 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=9417 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...

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youtube-apple-tv-2

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.

atvb-26-yt2

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.

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

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FireCore releases aTV Flash (xbmc edition) for the original Apple TV https://www.appletvhacks.net/2015/01/28/firecore-releases-atv-flash-xbmc-edition-for-the-original-apple-tv/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2015/01/28/firecore-releases-atv-flash-xbmc-edition-for-the-original-apple-tv/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2015 22:45:53 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=8490   FireCore has surprisingly released a new version of aTV Flash for Apple TV 1 making it an “all-new platform for running the latest XBMC version 13.2 (Gotham)”. It includes support for the latest video add-ons, 1080p video, and more. aTV Flash...

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FireCore has surprisingly released a new version of aTV Flash for Apple TV 1 making it an “all-new platform for running the latest XBMC version 13.2 (Gotham)”. It includes support for the latest video add-ons, 1080p video, and more.

aTV Flash (xbmc edition) is finely tuned, optimized for speed, and provides a complete replacement for the standard Apple TV software.

atv-flash-apple-tv-1

The new version is different from the original aTV Flash (silver): while the older version installs add-ons alongside the native Apple TV software, aTV Flash (xbmc edition) replaces the Apple TV software entirely.

Each serves a different purpose, but if your main goal is to get XBMC on your Apple TV then aTV Flash (xbmc edition) is the one you want.

According to the developers, installation is done in about 5 minutes using a USB flash drive. They have also built in a special restore option, allowing the original Apple TV software to be easily reinstalled at any time.

By installing a special 1080p video card, the original Apple TV will be fully capable of playing most 1080p formats. 1080p video cards are available as an optional add-on when ordering.

Note: Installing a 1080p video card replaces the standard Apple TV Wi-Fi card. A directly connected ethernet cable or USB Wi-Fi adapter (also available as an optional add-on) will be required for network access.

AirServer

You can find more details on aTV Flash (xbmc edition) here.

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

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XBMC 13.2 Gotham for Apple TV 2 is out https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/08/22/xbmc-13-2-gotham-for-apple-tv-2-is-out-now/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/08/22/xbmc-13-2-gotham-for-apple-tv-2-is-out-now/#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2014 16:44:06 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=7464 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...

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xbmc gotham for apple tv 2

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:

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

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How to get XBMC on Apple TV 3 (or non-jailbreakable Apple TV 2) https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/05/07/xbmc-on-apple-tv-3-tutorial/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/05/07/xbmc-on-apple-tv-3-tutorial/#comments Wed, 07 May 2014 17:49:59 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=6811 Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV 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...

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Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

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.

best-gifts-apple-tv

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/

IMG_1988
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.

XBMC Airplay to Apple TV - iPad

2. Using a Mac

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

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

airplay-mirroring-mac-apple-tv

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.

airparrot-mirroring

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

XBMC on Apple TV - Airparrot
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.

XBMC Airplay to Apple TV - Windows
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.

AirServer

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-untethered-jailbreak1

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

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

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XBMC on Apple TV 1: OpenElec 4 beta 7 with support for XBMC 13.0 Gotham now available https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/04/29/install-openelec-4-beta-for-apple-tv-1-with-support-for-xbmc-13-gotham/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2014/04/29/install-openelec-4-beta-for-apple-tv-1-with-support-for-xbmc-13-gotham/#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2014 16:23:46 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=6675 Nowadays it is hard to find something worth rejoicing for Apple TV 1 users. The best features, regular updates and the elegant looks are all for its black, tiny sisters, while the first gen. Apple TV is usually ignored. Surprisingly, even...

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Nowadays it is hard to find something worth rejoicing for Apple TV 1 users. The best features, regular updates and the elegant looks are all for its black, tiny sisters, while the first gen. Apple TV is usually ignored. Surprisingly, even the jailbreak community has dumped this pioneer these days, but luckily enough, OpenELEC is a great side-route to take for everything-XBMC.

OpenELEC or Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center is a lightweight Linux-based piece of code which turns computers, Apple TV 1, Raspberry Pi or other supported hardware into an XBMC Media Centre.

It enables you to install XBMC as an entire new operating system, and for Apple TV1 that means you’ll boot readily into a standalone media hub with all your XBMC contents, sorted efficiently and spectacularly. In short, the Apple TV 1 will become a XBMC set-top box.

You can find more on OpenELEC here.

Appletv1-openelec

The Beta 7 (internally known as OpenELEC 3.95.7) of their latest major update, OpenELEC 4.0, is now available for download.

Besides the usual bugfixes and package updates, the team behind OpenELEC has updated XBMC with the last fixes to XBMC 13 Gotham RC1, updated the kernel to kernel 3.14.2 and rebuilt the whole distro with the recently released gcc-4.9.0.

Previous betas added experimental ALSA support for RaspberryPi, as well as an experimental 4K support for supported platforms, brought fixes for some WLAN drivers, fixed AirPlay issues with iOS 7 devices, fixed issues with Youtube and other streams, solved some issues with AMD GPU hardware and added initial support for TTS (TextToSpeech) output.

You can learn more on all the OpenELEC betas here.

Be warned that this is not the stable version but only a beta release. The OpenELEC team aims to detect some bugs and glitches if any, from the beta with the help of their user base and roll out a stable 4.0 release, as soon as possible. So if you know what you’re doing and want to help these awesome developers (and only then), go ahead and get the beta version here.

Please make sure to back up the data first and here is the official tutorial on how to upgrade to this beta release.

If you are new to OpenELEC, check out our tutorial on how to install the latest stable version of the software (v. 3.2), then download the latest OpenELEC 4 beta and manually update following the instructions here.

At the end of the day, if you’re an XBMC-only guy or have an old Apple TV 1 lying in the store room, OpenELEC is surely worth a wide open look.

Also read:

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How to add and use a Bluetooth keyboard with your Apple TV (5.2/iOS 6.1) https://www.appletvhacks.net/2013/02/20/how-to-add-and-use-a-bluetooth-keyboard-with-your-apple-tv-5-2ios-6-1/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2013/02/20/how-to-add-and-use-a-bluetooth-keyboard-with-your-apple-tv-5-2ios-6-1/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:38:30 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=3873 It was not long ago that we shared the news regarding Apple officially activating its Bluetooth hardware, via the 5.2 update, on their Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3 devices. Though it seems that support is limited to Bluetooth...

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apple-tv-bluetooth-keyboard

It was not long ago that we shared the news regarding Apple officially activating its Bluetooth hardware, via the 5.2 update, on their Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3 devices. Though it seems that support is limited to Bluetooth keyboards, not Bluetooth remotes, only time will tell if Apple has a line of new peripherals on the way for us all. As exciting as the news is, having Bluetooth capabilities does no good if users are unsure/unable to utilize these features.

We also want to remind those of you that own an Apple TV 1, the silver box, that this guide will not pertain to your device as you have no Bluetooth hardware enabled by default. If you own an Apple TV 1, and would like Bluetooth support, you will need to look into other LINUX-based options (see our guide on installing openELEC) paired with Bluetooth dongles.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Bluetooth keyboard
2. Apple TV remote (hardware or software)
3. Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) updated to the latest 5.2 firmware
4. A desire for your media center to have additional awesomeness

LIMITATIONS (according to Apple)

1. Bluetooth support on Apple TV is for keyboards only. Headsets, speakers, and other devices are not supported.
2. If you are having difficultly connecting or using a third-party Bluetooth keyboard, contact the manufacturer to verify that it is compatible with Apple products and Apple TV.
3. The original Apple Wireless Keyboard (2003), that features a white case and uses four AA batteries, is not compatible.

atv-accessories

PAIRING

The first thing we need to do, as is the case when using any Bluetooth devices, is “pair” our hardware. Pairing is simply the process of connecting the two devices to each other, therein allowing them to communicate with each other.

1) From your main menu, navigate to the Settings -> General -> Bluetooth

bluetooth-atv_01

3) At this point, let’s go ahead and turn on the keyboard and set it in “pairing mode”

5) You will immediately see the word “Bluetooth” at the top of your screen with the word “Searching” next to it.

apple-tv-bluetooth-keyboard

6) In a matter of seconds you should see your Bluetooth keyboard’s name pop up on your Apple TV.

7) Using the Apple TV remote, click on the name that represents your Bluetooth keyboard.

8) You are now met with a sequence of 4 numbers: type these IN ORDER on your keyboard.

bluetooth-atv_02

9) Congratulations, your keyboard is now paired with your Apple TV.

bluetooth-atv_04

HOW TO USE

Now that your keyboard is paired with your Apple TV, everything can be controlled by either the keyboard or your Apple TV remote. So, let’s assume that you now want to put away your remote and control your system via the keyboard – here are the basic keys that you would be looking for:

On the KEYBOARD On the REMOTE
Enter Select
Esc Back
Arrows (up, down, right left) Navigation Buttons

 

You can use your keyboard to:

  • Enter text and other information (search, email addresses, passwords, and so on)
  • Navigate Apple TV menus using the arrow, Return, and Escape keys
  • Navigate recently updated aTV Flash (black)
  • Jump to an item, title, or name on the screen by typing the first few letters (for example, when viewing your music collection, you can type a song title or artist name to jump to it in the list)
  • Use media controls when playing music and video to play or pause content and select previous or next.

Volume, brightness, and other controls are not available for Apple TV. Apple TV uses the U.S. English keyboard layout regardless of the keyboard’s hardware layout.

DISCONNECTING

If you want to stop using your keyboard or disconnect it from the Apple TV:

  • Select Settings -> General -> Bluetooth
  • Select your keyboard and then select “Forget this device”
bluetooth-atv_05

(This article is also available in Spanish / Este artículo también está disponible en español)

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XBMC Frodo (12.0) is officially released https://www.appletvhacks.net/2013/01/31/xbmc-frodo-12-0-is-officially-released/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2013/01/31/xbmc-frodo-12-0-is-officially-released/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:58:26 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=3706 If you are one of our faithful fans who have XBMC Eden (11.0) installed on your jailbroken Apple TV 1, Apple TV 2, or any other device for that matter, we have some exciting news for you: the development team over at...

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If you are one of our faithful fans who have XBMC Eden (11.0) installed on your jailbroken Apple TV 1, Apple TV 2, or any other device for that matter, we have some exciting news for you: the development team over at xbmc.org has been hard at work, this past month, preparing to release the latest iteration of their multimedia center software known only as Frodo (12.0). This update comes complete with a great deal of improvements, bug fixes, and extended hardware support. The real question is what will this mean for us Apple TV junkies. Well, this new build offers:

  • HD audio support, including DTS-MA and Dolby True-HD, via the new XBMC AudioEngine (OSX/iOS not yet available)
  • Live TV and PVR support
  • h.264 10bit (aka Hi10P) video software decoding for anime
  • 64bit support in OSX to match the 64bit support in Linux
  • Improved image support, allowing the database to accomodate numerous additional image types and more interesting and complex skins
  • Support for the Raspberry PI
  • Initial support for the Android platform
  • Improved AirPlay support across all platforms, including AirPlay audio in XBMC for Windows to match the other platforms
  • Improved controller support in Windows and Linux
  • Advanced Filtering in the library
  • Video library tags to complement movie sets
  • Advanced UPnP sharing
  • Default video languages now match the language being used by XBMC
  • Translations now powered by Transifex

For you Apple TV fans, one of the biggest adjustments is the extended support for H.D. audio. This latest builds helps enable you to make the most of the audio capabilities that the Apple TV has to offer. Aside from these listed improvements, you will see many changes under the hood. Some of these are great to see, others are a bit frustrating. One of the more exciting features, to me, is the inclusion of something known as skin.widgets. This tool makes skinning a much better experience. If you want to get a real idea of what this means for skins in Frodo, look no further than SiO2 by a developer named fastcolors. This skin is designed with you in mind.

Read also:How to change skins in XBMC on Apple TV

In contrast, one of the frustrating items is the fact that we lose the use of last.FM playback in this latest build. They explained this on their blog, at xbmc.org, as something that was unavoidable do to the changes in the coding, but it is missed none the less. It is also worth noting that there are quite a few add-ons/skins that are not currently supported in Frodo. Usually, this is not a problem as developers can easily make changes to get their add-ons/skins working in the latest XBMC build. Sadly, there are quite a few devs, of some well known add-ons/skins, that are no longer actively keeping their items up to date. This means that we may lose some of our favorite add-ons/skins in the upgrade. Time will tell.

All in all. It is worth the update. As a rule, we should always upgrade as it only improves the overall experience. If an add-on, or skin, is missed enough, someone will get it working again!

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Give Your Apple TV 1 New Life With OpenElec 2.0 (installing XBMC) https://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/12/17/apple-tv-1-new-life-with-openelec-2-0/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/12/17/apple-tv-1-new-life-with-openelec-2-0/#comments Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:22:35 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=3480 It now seems as if it has been years since we began the wait for an Apple TV 3 jailbreak! The truth is, I have grown tired of the wait and decided to look into what I could do with...

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It now seems as if it has been years since we began the wait for an Apple TV 3 jailbreak! The truth is, I have grown tired of the wait and decided to look into what I could do with my existing Apple TV 1 & Apple TV 2. What I found was an tool known as OpenELEC 2.0! OpenELEC is one of the projects that aims to give users the ability to install XBMC as a standalone operating system for a wide variety of devices. What OpenELEC has done is build a stable version of XBMC using Linux and then create an installable package, integrated with a host of drivers, for a growing number of machines, including: old & new laptops, old & new desktop computers, raspberry pi boxes, and, yes, even your old Apple TV 1! Sadly, due to the software/hardware, the Apple TV 2 is not supported.

OpenELEC is not, necessarily, new to the Apple TV scene. What is new is that they have recently released OpenELEC 2.0, a stable version of their software based on XBMC Eden. This gives the Apple TV a strong and stable, standalone, XBMC experience. With it being an Eden build, it even offers your little silver box AirPlay! The team has added a few functionality increases to XBMC and even has a custom group of add ons and services that are made available to OpenELEC users only. These tools alone, make this a project worth looking at! If you are interested, you can find more specific information for this project at openelec.tv. To save you the visit, here are some of the key points made by their team:

What is OpenELEC?

Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center, or OpenELEC for short, is a small Linux distribution built from scratch as a platform to turn your computer into a complete XBMC media center. OpenELEC is designed to make your system boot as fast as possible and the install is so easy that anyone can turn a blank PC into a media machine in less than 15 minutes.

Key Features:

  • It’s completely free
  • Full install only 80-125MB
  • Minimal hardware requirements
  • Trivial install onto HDD, SSD, Compact Flash, SD card, pen drive etc
  • Optimized builds for Atom, ION, Intel, Fusion etc
  • Simple configuration via XBMC
  • Plug and Play external storage
  • File sharing out of the box

Required?

  1. Mac, or Linux, computer
  2. USB Stick,with at least 1 Gig of memory (to be on the safe side)
  3. Apple TV 1
  4. Remote Control
  5. 10-20 minutes

STEP 1:
Connect the USB key to your machine, then open your Terminal app (For Mac it is located in /Applications/Utilities) and cut/paste the following commands to download the AppleTV SwissArmyKnife USB creator script for Mac OS X:

STEP 2:

The script will ask you confirm the /dev/disk# for the USB Drive. It runs with root privileges so please be careful with your selection! You will see a list of all current drives available on your machine… so simply look for the name and size of your thumb drive. Once the target device has been confirmed the script will repartition the USB Stick, download files needed to boot the AppleTV (11MB) and then install them to the thumb drive. It should take no more than a couple of minutes to complete, at best.


PLEASE NOTE: If you choose the wrong drive, you could accidentally delete important content. Make sure you read the list of available devices carefully. Mine, for example was a 2 GIG drive that I named UMOUCH-ATVH. Once I knew the drive, I entered “/dev/disk2” and hit Enter. You are then prompted to confirm the election… type in “Y” for yes. When complete, your output will match the image below:.STEP 3:
Power the AppleTV OFF and then connect the USB Stick to the single USB port, between the Ethernet port and the Power Cable on the back of your device.

STEP 4:
Power the AppleTV ON (Plug it in). After 10-15 seconds you should see the Grey/Blue OpenELEC logo on the screen, then the “SwissArmyKnife script” will start and confirm the current keyword function. The default keyword is “install”. This is where the device will download the OpenELEC software from the OpenELEC website.

STEP 5:
Before anything destructive is done, the installer will pause for roughly 30 seconds, and display a warning message; this ensures you enough time for you to power the AppleTV off (remove the power cable) before anything is changed. After the 30 second wait the installer continues. 

What is Happening  (advanced):

First it removes all existing partitions from the internal drive, then creates EFI, RECOVERY, BOOT and STORAGE partitions for OpenELEC. Finally it copies the OpenELEC software to the internal drive.

Once it completes, a message will be displayed telling you it is safe to remove the USB key and reboot.

That’s It! If you followed the steps correctly, you should have XBMC running as your standalone operating system! If you had any troubles with the process, openELEC has a great source for troubleshooting any, and all, issues: Troubleshooting USB Key Creation & Opperating System!

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Black Friday 2012 Best Deals For Your Black Box https://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/11/22/black-friday-2012-best-deals-for-your-black-box/ https://www.appletvhacks.net/2012/11/22/black-friday-2012-best-deals-for-your-black-box/#comments Thu, 22 Nov 2012 18:58:47 +0000 https://www.appletvhacks.net/?p=3315 Black Friday has long been a great way to get insane deals on all things, especially when it comes to high-end tech and accessories. Thanks to Amazon.com, and others, we no longer have to deal with the clear downside of...

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Black Friday 2012: Apple TV deals

Black Friday has long been a great way to get insane deals on all things, especially when it comes to high-end tech and accessories. Thanks to Amazon.com, and others, we no longer have to deal with the clear downside of Black Friday… lines, lines, and more lines. Knowing there are likely to be many deals out there that will benefit you and your Apple TV setup, we thought we would collect some of the best Black Friday deals and put them here, for you. So whether looking for an Apple TV, a mount, a stand, a TV, cables, remotes, or some AirPlay devices, we have you covered. Though Amazon is not the only place to go, we have to admit they have clearly got the most going for them from pricing to delivery. That said, we will focus primarily on Amazon.com deals.

WHY AMAZON.COM (straight from the source)

You shouldn’t have to stand in a long line to get a great deal. We’ve been searching for the best Black Friday deals everywhere–including Black Friday deals other stores are planning–so we can bring them to you even earlier. These limited-supply deals will go quickly, but we’ll add new ones throughout the day, every day, so you can skip the long lines and still save a bundle.

The fact that Amazon is price comparing makes this search much easier on us but to ensure you are getting the best deal possible, we will compare each price with that of other sites. If we find a better deal, we will post it!

Apple TV 1

The box that started it all! We all have fond memories of this silver box, and for some (myself included) we still find them a vital part of our entertainment system thanks to OpenElec and CrystalBuntu! 

 

Apple TV 2

Though the Apple TV 1 started it all, the Apple TV 2 is the best Apple. Television, connected product out there. Considering the fact that there is still no jailbreak for the Apple TV 3, the 2nd gen puck offers all the goods along with the ability to have XBMC installed on top of it!

Apple TV 3

Perhaps the worst Apple TV to buy, the Apple TV 3 is seeing its own deals right now as well. Keep in mind that there is know way, as of now, to unlock this device meaning it will be the most expensive addition to your setup, in the long term.

Now that you have you device figured out, let’s look at all the goodies that can go along with them:

Apple TV Mounts

AirPlay Devices

 

 

Apple TV Remotes

Logitech Harmony 700 – As low as $55.12 (60% off)

Acoustic Research ARi3G – As low as $25

 

Apple TV Audio Cables

 

Apple TV HDMI Cables

 

HD TV’S

 

TV Stands

Well, there you have it. We hope that this list helps you find some great deals for your entertainment system… and more importantly for you Apple TV! We personally enjoy more than a few of these products and look forward to hearing about the deals you are finding out there as well. Make sure to leave a comment with your thoughts or perhaps other deals that we missed!

Happy Holidays from Apple TV Hacks!

More deals:
Black Friday 2012: Deals on iPhone, iPad and iPod Accessories!
Best Black Friday Deals on iOS Apps

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