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.

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.

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

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FireCore released aTV Flash (black) 2.0 for the 2nd generation Apple TV. Version 2.0 adds a ton of new features “that make browsing and watching media on the Apple TV more enjoyable than ever.” aTV Flash (black) 2.0 adds new Library View, fully integrated search, trakt.tv syncing, Last.fm scrobbling and much more. Version 2.0 is a free update for all current aTV Flash (black) users.

Library View

The new Library View now indexes all your media (even if stored on multiple devices) and automatically organizes movies, TV shows and music into easy to use categories. TV shows will also be group by series/season automatically. The original file/folder based browsing will remain intact and working as an alternative option.

Fully integrated search

The new integrated search tool allows you to search by movie, TV series/episode, song, artist, album or filename. Just start typing and the results will start being displayed instantly.

Trakt.tv syncing

This is a great feature if you’re trying to keep multiple Apple TVs in sync, as if you watch a movie on the first device it will also appear as watched on the 2nd. Additionally, if you manually mark a movie or show as watched on trakt.tv, it will automatically get marked as watched on the Apple TV.

Last.fm scrobbling

Last.fm scrobbling allows you track music plays in your Last.fm profile.

Here is a full changelog for aTV Flash (black) 2.0:

• Added all-new Library View
• Added integrated media search
• Added trakt.tv 2-way syncing
• Added Last.fm scrobbling
• Added genre/artist based playlists
• Added Recently Added display option
• Improved handling of WTV files
• Improved handling of DVD audio tracks
• Improved AFP connections
• Improved filename recognition
• Improved subtitle handling
• Resolved various navigation issues
• Resolved rare DVD playback issues
• Resolved rare subtitles positioning issue
• Many other minor improvements and fixes

aTV Flash 2.0 doesn’t work on the 3rd gen Apple TV. According to FireCore and according to what we reported back in August, work is still ongoing on the Apple TV 3 jailbreak.

If you’re already running a version of aTV Flash (black), the new 2.0 version can be installed through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu. Links for the new version can also be found in your FireCore account under the Downloads tab.

If you’re not yet using aTV Flash (black) you can get started here.

Here is a tutorial on how to install aTV Flash (black) on your jailbroken Apple TV 2.

IMPORTANT: Once the Apple TV 3 jailbreak is available your aTV Flash (black) license will cover both Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3.

The post aTV Flash (black) 2.0 for Apple TV 2 released appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

FireCore has just updated its aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV to version 1.7, which, among other things, features seamless access to trakt.tv – a TV show and movie recommendation service that helps keep a record of what TV shows and movies you are watching. Trakt is different than other sites since it automatically keeps a record of what you are watching and don’t rely on manual check ins.

After login to trakt.tv on the Apple TV, your plays will be silently scrobbled back to trakt.tv where your watched history is stored. You’ll also have the option to rate movies and TV shows after you’ve watched them. FireCore is also working to bring support for 2 way sync and trakt.tv recommendations.

How to setup trakt.tv in aTV Flash (black):

• Through the Maintenance » Manage Extras menu, ensure the Media Player item is installed

• Navigate to the Media » Settings » General » trakt.tv menu

• Click login and enter your trakt.tv username and password when prompted

• That’s it! You’re all setup to use trakt.tv on your Apple TV.

Here is a full changelog for aTV Flash (Black) 1.7

• Added trakt.tv integration (scrobbling and ratings)
• Added localized movie poster art
• Added localized movie ratings
• Added AirControl (beta) – an open control API for Apple TV
• Added support for embedded DVB subtitles
• Added advanced read-ahead buffering for SMB and NFS shares
• Added Simplified Chinese translation
• Added ‘Update All’ option
• Added support for secure web logins
• Improved metadata fetching speed
• Improved video rotation detection for MOV files
• Improved support for YUVJ420 & YUVJ422 formats (used by digital cameras)
• Improved top-level menu layouts
• Resolved crash when accessing ISO files on certain shares
• Resolved potential streaming issues when using an unstable network
• Resolved AFP related memory management issues
• Other minor improvements & fixes

If you’re already running a version of aTV Flash (black), the new 1.7 version can be installed through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu. Links for the new version can also be found in your FireCore account under the Downloads tab.

If you’re not yet using aTV Flash (black) you can get started here.

Here is a tutorial on how to install aTV Flash (black) on your jailbroken Apple TV 2.

IMPORTANT: Once the Apple TV 3 jailbreak is available your aTV Flash (black) license will cover both Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3.

Update: there seem to be some problems with Plex plugin:

A few users are reporting issues with Plex running on the 5.0+ software. The Plex plugin for Apple TV is quite outdated, and we recommend removing it before installing any updates. If you’re using Plex and are experiencing trouble a workaround can be found here please re-run the aTV Flash (black) installer.

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