• 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!

The post XBMC Frodo (12.0) is officially released appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

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.

Chances are, you are aware of FireCore and their work with a product known as aTV Flash. As everyone scrambles to get the jailbreak set for the Apple TV 3, the FireCore team is still hard at work getting the Apple TV 2 software to the best it can possibly be. For those of you who have not yet jumped on board with FireCore, aTV Flash (black), recently updated to version 1.6, offers some great features and extras that you should know about.

Included Software

For me, the real magic offered with aTV Flash (black) is the software that is bundled and installable via their tools they add to your Apple TV Menu. This collection of software takes a (potentially) pointless little black box and turns into a powerhouse of entertainment! Some of the software included in version 1.6:

• Couch Surfer Pro

A Powerful Browser that enables you to surf the web and stream content from an endless supply of websites. For those who do not utilize the XBMC feature, this is your best chance to stream random video content from the web.

• Last.fm

This is a great iteration of the Last.fm system. Once installed you can simply log in and listen to your stations. As an added bonus, you are given the option to view scrolling photos related to the artists you are listening to. This gives the feel of a digital jukebox on your television.

• Maintenance

This is the location where you can install any, and all, of the extra software that is available in the aTV Flash software. With an easy interface you can navigate to each item and choose to install or uninstall. For those of you who have installed these items before, using SSH… you will see that they have really streamlined this process greatly.

• Media Player

The latest iteration of their Media Player is easily the best yet. With an endless list of formats for your audio and video you are able to stream anything and everything from your hard drive network drive to your ATV2. Seriously, if you own content that this system cannot play you need to throw it in the garbage and update your stuff! Current formats that are supported:

The Media Player is designed to work with your Network Media Services. If you have a NAS, another Apple TV that is sharing a library, or even a laptop with movies on it you can get them streaming to your ATV with little to no effort. Simply open the player and it will scan automatically for shared sources. As soon as they are found you can test the connection and then save it.

To make a good experience better, the team over at FireCore has taken a page for the XBMC playbook and given some great new view options for displaying your content. This makes the browsing experience that much more enjoyable! Truly a sit back, relax, and browse kind of setup.

• RSS Feeds

Simple and effective! I am not one to utilize RSS Feeds on my ATV, but if you are… you will like what you get. It is clean, and simple to understand.

• Weather

Weather is another simple little add-on, but it is very polished. The graphics and the interface as a whole are both fantastically pleasant on the eyes.

• nitoTV

This option holds a lot of extras that you can put into your Apple TV. There are to many great extras to get into them here… but if you have an Apple TV, you should have nitoTV installed.

• PLEX Client

And the goodies just keep on rolling! Yes folks, this is a PLEX Client. Now you can stream everything from your PLEX setup directly to the Apple TV. Making things even better… you have some great options on how to display the content.

Note: Plex client does work on Apple TV 5.0 (iOS 5.1) but it’s unreliable. Check out Plex forum for more details.

• Remote HD

Have you ever wanted to use your iPhone or iPsd to control your ATV2? Ever wanted to mirror your ATV2 to your phone or iPad wirelessly? Congratulations, Remote HD is a great feature that enables a host of new features and abilities between your iOS device. I will warn you though… once you get this feature set up, you may never go back.

Note: Remote HD doesn’t work on Apple TV 5.0. Remote HD has been updated for Apple TV 5.0.x compatibility.

• XBMC

The installation process of XBMC could not be made any easier. Simply click, install, and enjoy. I can get long winded regarding XBMC and its features so I would encourage you to check our other articles for more info regarding XBMC.

There is one new feature that FireCore has made a real point to share as a stand out feature of this release. With that in mind, I will let them tell you all about it:

Integrated Subtitle Downloads

By popular request we’ve added one-click subtitle downloads, courtesy of OpenSubtitles.org. Now instead of spending hours searching for the right subtitles they can be easily downloaded right from your Apple TV in a matter of seconds.

The Bad?

The title of this section is a bit misleading. In the end, I found nothing bad with this release. However, I had two “hick-ups” that I would be remiss to exclude them. In a total of two hours of use, I had the following issues:

• Repeated “Disconnected” error on my HDTV. This only happened after some time was spent in Couch Surfer. This eventually went away.

• Couch Surfer, though it is a fantastic piece of software, falls victim to the same issues I find in the PS3, and Boxee browsers. They all fall victim to the infamous POP UPS. Anytime I visited a streaming site that used POP UPS it would take over the browser and I could not find anyway to close those windows specifically.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you own an Apple TV 2 and you are not one who likes to mess with SSH, terminal Commands, or anything else that techy… THIS IS FOR YOU! This software makes it amazingly easy to install all of the tools you need to get the most out of your little black back!

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

We will be running a giveaway of aTV Flash (black) soon. Stay tuned! We are giving away 10 free copies of aTV Flash (black). Get it now!

Installation Process

FireCore could not have made the process of installing this software any easier! Once you have downloaded the aTV Flash 1.6 you will have two simple requirements:

1) Ensure that the Apple TV 2 is Jailbroken.

2) Ensure that the Apple TV 2 is plugged in.

Simply open the software package, once it is installed on your system, and locate your Apple TV form the drop down menu on the right. If you have multiple Apple TVs in your home, the devices will be listed with their IP address:

Once you have selected your device simply click continue. That is it. You will soon see a Completion Screen followed by your Apple TV rebooting. Once done you will want to start installing software.

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

The post aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV – Supercharging Your Apple TV (Review) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

FireCore’s Seas0nPass has been updated to provide a tethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1). Tethered jailbreak means that every time there is a need to reboot your Apple TV, you will have to connect it to a computer. Functionally, both tethered and untethered jailbreak are identical.

Plex and Remote HD plugins are not yet working on Apple TV 5.0.1. XBMC, Media Player, Couch Surfer, nitoTV, Rowmote, Last.fm, Weather, RSS Feeds and Maintenance are already supported. Non-working items require an author update for 5.0 compatibility.

The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3. You can learn more on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status here.

Here is a tutorial on how to use Seas0nPass to jailbreak and tether boot your Apple TV 2 on firmware 5.0.1:

Pre-launch checklist

1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes (check for updates through Software Update located in Apple menu).
2. Download Seas0nPass for Mac [10.6 or later] or Windows [XP or later].
3. A micro USB cable will be required to complete the jailbreak.
4. Disconnect any iPods, iPhones, and iPads from your computer.

Jailbreaking

Step 1: Unzip the ‘Seas0nPass.zip’ file and launch Seas0nPass.

Step 2: Select the ‘Create IPSW’ button to start the jailbreak process.

Step 3: The latest Apple TV software will be downloaded and used to create a custom ‘jailbroken’ software file.

Step 4:When prompted, connect your Apple TV using a micro-USB cable (leave power disconnected).

Once the light on the front of the Apple TV begins to flash rapidly, point the remote at the AppleTV and hold both the MENU and PLAY/PAUSE buttons for 7 seven seconds.

Note: This step will require the silver (aluminum) AppleTV remote that was included with the ATV2. The older, white (plastic) remotes will not work.

Step 5: iTunes will open automatically and start the restore process.

The post How to jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1) with Seas0nPass (tethered) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

FireCore’s Seas0nPass jailbreaking tool has been updated for Apple TV 2 running latest firmware 5.0. It’s still a tethered jailbreak, meaning every time there is a need to reboot your Apple TV, you will have to connect it to a computer. XBMC, Plex, Remote HD, Rowmote and Overflow plugins are not yet working on AppleTV 5.0. Media Player, Couch Surfer, nitoTV, Last.fm, Weather, RSS Feeds and Maintenance are already supported. Non-working items require an author update for 5.0 compatibility.

The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3.

Our tutorial on how to jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.0 with Seas0nPass can be found here. 

You may also want to read:
nitoTV: Apple TV 3 jailbreak will be an uphill battle
XBMC 11.0 Eden for Apple TV – Review
Yet Another Patent Hints at Apple Preparing a Standalone HDTV

The post Seas0nPass jailbreak for Apple TV 2 5.0 (iOS 5.1) released appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

How to install aTV Flash (black) on Apple TV 2:

Pre-install checklist

1. Jailbreak your Apple TV 2 running software version 5.0.1 (untethered)
2. Connect the Apple TV your TV like normal (power, HDMI and wifi/ethernet). An active network connection will be required (the ‘In Theaters’ option under ‘Movies’ should be visible).
3. Enable Home Sharing and AirPlay (Settings -> AirPlay)

Run the installer – Mac

Step 1: Download the latest version of aTV Flash (black) from your account.
Step 2: Open the DMG and double-click the installer.

Step 3: The installer will copy a few small files to your computer (these will then be transferred to the Apple TV).

Step 4: You will then be prompted to select your Apple TV from a drop-down list.

Step 5: The files will be transferred to the Apple TV.

Step 6: When complete, the Apple TV will restart automatically for the changes to take effect.

Step 8: After installation all apps and updates can be installed directly on the Apple TV through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

Run the installer – Windows

Step 1: Download the latest version of aTV Flash (black) from your account.
Step 2: Open the exe and choose a location to save the application (desktop is recommended).
Step 3: Run the aTV Flash (black) program.

Step 4: Select your Apple TV from the drop-down menu.

Step 5: The files will be transferred to the Apple TV automatically.

Step 6: When complete, the Apple TV will restart automatically for the changes to take effect.

Step 7: After installation all apps and updates can be installed directly on the Apple TV through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

You may also want to read:
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with Seas0nPass (untethered)
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2
How to install XBMC on Apple TV 2

The post How to install aTV Flash (black) 1.0 on Apple TV 2 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV 2 is no longer in beta: FireCore has finally released version 1.0 of its flagship product – a suite of applications to enhance the 2nd generation Apple TV. aTV Flash (black) features all-new Media Player, WebKit based browser, Last.fm radio, Weather, RSS feeds and gives you fast access to plugins like nitoTV, Remote HD, XBMC and Plex client. All new features are installed alongside the normal Apple TV features, so things like movie rentals, Netflix, and AirPlay will remain unchanged.

Media Player
The new Media Player included with aTV Flash (black) can access files directly from a Mac, PC or NAS drive without having to use iTunes. It downloads and organizes metadata and covert art automatically and will present media in your choice of a list or grid view. Supported file formats include AVI, FLAC, ISO, M2TS, MKV, MP3, MP4, MPEG, VOB, WAV and many others. Support for AC3/DTS sound, subtitles, DVD menus, playlists and photo slideshows are also included.

Native web browser
Also included is Couch Surfer Pro; a fully featured web browser that includes support for HTML5 streaming music and video as well as easy to use bookmarks and history. The browser can be controlled using the standard Apple TV remote, or the free iPhone/iPad Remote app.

Last.fm
Rounding out the offering is an interactive Last.fm feature that provides access to Last.fm streaming radio. While streaming Last.fm radio (or playing your own music) you’ll have access to artist bios, and a seemingly endless amount of artist photos.

Weather, RSS feeds
RSS news feed and iIntuitive weather forecast options are also included. Your current weather location will be detected automatically, and other locations can be easily added as well.

aTV Flash (black)1.0 is available now for $29.95, which includes updates for one year. You can download it from here.

Those who pre-ordered the beta can download the new 1.0 version through the Downloads tab in their account. Note: Those wishing to update from an early version will need to run the 1.0 installer from a Mac or PC.

aTV Flash (black) 1.0 can be installed on AppleTV 4.2 and later. Before installing, the AppleTV will need to be jailbroken. Read How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered or How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with Seas0nPass (untethered).

MacUpdate has aTV Flash (black) 1.0 for the sale price of $19.99 today only.

You may also want to read:
Apple TV 2 price drops suggest Apple TV 3 is coming soon
aTV Flash 4.4 for original Apple TV now available
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2
Apple TV 4.4 Software Released

The post FireCore releases aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge the Apple TV 2 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

What’s new in Beta5?

General

• Added AppleTV 4.2.2 compatibility
• Improved installer routine
• Improved handling of failed installations
• Improved error handling
• Minor UI adjustments

Media Player

• Added SMB streaming
• Added photo slideshows
• Added basic video playlists
• Added ‘Favorites’ section
• Added individual photo browsing and viewing
• Added support for ‘xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/folder’ shares
• Added support for guest/anonymous NAS logins
• Added volumes list sorting
• Added option to disable metadata fetching
• Added option to hide file extensions
• Improved handling of HD video files
• Improved memory management
• Improved DVD file detection
• Improved remote share folder browsing (root folder issue)
• Improved Remote.app support
• Resolved artifact issues (green line near bottom of screen)
• Resolved rare crashes related to AFP streaming
• Resolved issues in share navigation resulting in incorrect ‘menu’ button handling
• Resolved issues resulting in incorrect video playback after rewinding on ‘fastest’ speed
• Resolved issues related to removing saved shares
• Resolved duplicate AFP share entries
• Resolved conflicts with XBMC
• Minor UI fixes
• Other miscellaneous fixes

Couch Surfer Pro

• Added HTML5 audio support (for sites like https://tv.tunein.com/)
• Added EyeTV streaming
• Improved web pages scrolling and layout handling
• Improved iOS-optimized JavaScript support
• Improved highlighting of large web elements
• Auto-complete history is now cleared when clearing history
• New SSL indicator
• Other minor bug fixes

Weather

• Added 5-day forecasts
• Added location search option
• Added automatic location detection (if no saved locations exist)
• Added day/night weather forecasts
• Added ‘Feels Like’ temperature info
• Minor UI fixes

Last.fm

• Added lightweight audio streaming player
• Improved memory management

What Firecore is still working on

• New lightweight audio/video player
• Additional codecs
• DVD chapter controls
• AC3/DTS (5.1 surround) sound
• Subtitle support
• Multiple audio track support
• Improved UI and file browsing
• Better memory management

Beta5 is available through the Downloads tab in your account. If you’re already running aTV Flash (black) on your AppleTV all the new features can be installed through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

You may also want to read:
Apple Updates Apple TV 2 Firmware to 4.2.2, Untethered Jailbreak is Already Out
SHOUTcast Radio App Updated to Support AirPlay
AirPlay Implementation on the Old Apple TV is Now Complete
AirPlay-Enabled Apps: Air Video (review)

The post aTV Flash (black) Beta5 for Apple TV 2 Now Available appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

What’s new in Beta4?

General

• Added ‘alpha preview’ version of new Media Player
• Added native Weather and RSS apps (will appear under Internet menu when installed)
• Added support for Remote HD iPhone/iPad app
• Added option to restart ‘Lowtide’ via Maintenance menu
• Added support for AppleTV 4.2.1 (iOS 4.3)

Couch Surfer Pro

• Added Google search suggestions to Search menu (iOS 4.3+ only)
• Added ability to delete bookmarks
• Improved animations, HTML5 and CSS3 support
• Improve iPhone/iPad Remote app navigation
• Improved text box handling
• Resolved issues related to Facebook and similar sites
• Many other performance improvements

What can I do with the new Media Player?

What’s included in this version

• Support for many non-iTunes media file types (MKV, AVI, MP4, etc…)
• Native VIDEO_TS (VOB) file playback (with menus)
• AFP network streaming (Mac, TimeCapsule, AirPort Extreme, etc…)
• Automated cover art/metadata fetching
• Basic subtitle support for VOB files
• 5.1 AAC audio
• Watched, unwatched and partially watched markers (includes resume support)
• Volume control (up/down arrows during playback)

Firecore is still working on:

• Better support for HD video files
• SMB network streaming
• 5.1 sound
• Chapter controls
• Video playlists
• Subtitles (.srt)
• Alternative file browsing options
• Photo slideshows
• Improved memory management
• Countless other bug fixes and performance improvements

A brief demo of the Media Player in action can be seen here.

You may also want to read:
Win a copy of Remote HD
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2
How to jailbreak Apple TV 2 with greenpois0n rc6

The post aTV Flash (black) Beta4 for Apple TV 2 Now Available appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Fire Core

The new aTV Flash is compatible with the 4.0 Apple TV software only. The new 4.1 software requires a few adjustments and the company plans to have compatible version available soon.

Note: before installing aTV Flash (black) your atv will need to be jailbroken!

Currently the software is for Mac only. Windows compatible version is expected to be available within the next few days.

For the current users aTV Flash is available as a free upgrade.
(Some instructions from the developer: After logging into your account you will have an extra download link for aTV Flash (black). Your normal aTV Flash license and download links will remain unchanged. Additionally any available renewal specials can also be found in your account.)

For the new users the software is available at the discounted price of $19.95 during the beta (pre-order) phase. Once the final version is ready for release the price will return to the normal level of $29.95.

The original aTV Flash is also being reduced to $39.95.

GIVEAWAY

We have 10 licenses of aTV Flash (black) to give away! Follow @appletvhacks, retweet the contest message and join us on Facebook for your chance to win. The winners will be announced on Monday (December 6^th).

Related news
AirVideoEnabler Allows AirPlay Video Streaming from Any App
Apple TV 2G Gets 4.2.1 Software Update
Groovy Brings Grooveshark to Your Apple TV
How to Install Plex on Apple TV 2G

The post aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV 2G Now Available (+giveaway) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.