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I successfully jailbroke my new aTV2 (4.2.1) - Brilliant!

patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
Follow this YT jailbreaking video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EWKr7Ww_c0

If you want to use the above YT video default filenames/code make sure AppleTV2,1_4.2.1 _8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw is correct. Watch the spaces etc. * If you get messages from the terminal such as, 'unknown directory' etc then confirm that what you copied is what ended up getting pasted into Terminal. Some text editing programs add strange formatting when pasting. This should work for you.
Code: 
unzip -j /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/AppleTV2,1_4.2.1_8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw
Firmware/dfu/iBSS.k66ap.RELEASE.dfu kernelcache.release.k66 -d /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/

Then install aTVFlash (Black) from these guys. Comes with a version of Plex that plays everything.
http://support.firecore.com/entries/313334-pre-install-requirements

This is a tethered JB which means if you unplug your aTV2 from the power source you'll have to run command #3 again. For me it's no problem because I have no reason to unplug my aTV2.

I have 4TB of blu-ray movies, Photos etc and all formats streaming wirelessly from my AEBS to flat screen TV. Including everything from the Apple store and all Apple formats of course lol

This is no joke. I'm quite proficient with OS X but by no means a "hacker". This was very easy. Took 20 minutes.

If you're scared don't worry. You can simply restore your aTV2 from iTunes.

Good luck!
 
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C

Cottonsworth

macrumors regular
May 11, 2008
132
0
I'm new to aTV2 and thinking about getting one. What are the positives you can do with a jailbroken one? Thanks.
 
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
Cottonsworth said:
I'm new to aTV2 and thinking about getting one. What are the positives you can do with a jailbroken one? Thanks.
Click to expand...
uhhh how about watch any type of video file i.e. mkv (720p/1080p blu-ray), avi and access any external HDD connected to AEBS. I have 4TB of blu-ray mkv files and CD quality music. BTW Airplay from my iPhone to aTV2 is frikkin' awesome since my aTV2 audio system (same system connected to my flatscreen TV) rocks. My whole house is wireless thanks to my new AEBS and aTV2.

You need aTV Flash (Black) or Plex to watch all different formats and browse anywhere you want on your network. They are just navigation UIs like aTV/Front Row.
 
J

jcschlic

macrumors regular
Jan 13, 2009
104
1
patent10021 said:
uhhh how about watch any type of video file i.e. mkv (720p/1080p blu-ray), avi and access any external HDD connected to AEBS. I have 4TB of blu-ray mkv files and CD quality music. BTW Airplay from my iPhone to aTV2 is frikkin' awesome since my aTV2 audio system (same system connected to my flatscreen TV) rocks. My whole house is wireless thanks to my new AEBS and aTV2.

You need aTV Flash (Black) or Plex to watch all different formats and browse anywhere you want on your network. They are just navigation UIs like aTV/Front Row.
Click to expand...

I've tinkered with Plex on my Macbook (Black C2D) and I've found that Plex Server will not allow you to add network-attached storage media (I was only able to add local content to the Plex Server).

Separately, within the actual Plex interface, when I add my networked content manually, Plex will not find the metadata (content must be local for metadata to be scrubbed). This was my experience. Is this the same for you, particularly within the "hack" you have successfully done?

In other words, on your "hacked" aTV2, does Plex scrub and display metadata (movie poster, movie info, etc.) for media that's on your network-attached drives?
 
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
jcschlic said:
I've tinkered with Plex on my Macbook (Black C2D) and I've found that Plex Server will not allow you to add network-attached storage media (I was only able to add local content to the Plex Server).

Separately, within the actual Plex interface, when I add my networked content manually, Plex will not find the metadata (content must be local for metadata to be scrubbed). This was my experience. Is this the same for you, particularly within the "hack" you have successfully done?

In other words, on your "hacked" aTV2, does Plex scrub and display metadata (movie poster, movie info, etc.) for media that's on your network-attached drives?
Click to expand...
The version of Plex that comes with aTV Flash (Black) is a special version. It's not the regular Plex. Check their web site and forum for details. Everything is there. Peace.
 
N

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
If you reboot the ATV2 by holding down the menu+down buttons for 5 seconds, does the tethered jailbreak limitation still apply like it would if you unplugged it from the power source?
 
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
BlackMangoTree said:
Everything needs to be converted the quality of the video can be poor and no support for subtitles.
Click to expand...

Are you trolling? Of course the video 'can' be poor. Depends on your source duh. Video can suck and it can also rock. iTunes doesn't support subs for non Apple files either.
 
N

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
I think what he is getting at is and correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Plex transcodes on the fly to a maximum bitrate of 2 mbps. That's pretty poor when it comes to HD content regardless of the source. On a phone it looks great but on a big screen TV not so much.
 
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
newagemac said:
I think what he is getting at is and correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Plex transcodes on the fly to a maximum bitrate of 2 mbps. That's pretty poor when it comes to HD content regardless of the source. On a phone it looks great but on a big screen TV not so much.
Click to expand...
I' haven't used the regular Plex. Maybe the same I don't know.
 
dan-o-mac

dan-o-mac

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2004
721
0
Brooklyn, NY
patent10021 said:
Follow this YT jailbreaking video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EWKr7Ww_c0

If you copy and paste to the command line be careful because there is a spelling error with the file name in the first line and Terminal won't find your files. Double check everything.

Then install aTVFlash (Black) from these guys. Comes with a version of Plex that plays everything.
http://support.firecore.com/entries/313334-pre-install-requirements

This is a tethered JB which means if you unplug your aTV2 from the power source you'll have to run command #3 again. For me it's no problem because I have no reason to unplug my aTV2.

I have 4TB of blu-ray movies, Photos etc and all formats streaming wirelessly from my AEBS to flat screen TV. Including everything from the Apple store and all Apple formats of course lol

This is no joke. I'm quite proficient with OS X but by no means a "hacker". This was very easy. Took 20 minutes.

If you're scared don't worry. You can simply restore your aTV2 from iTunes.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

What's the spelling error? Why not just post the correct command line.
 
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
dan-o-mac said:
What's the spelling error? Why not just post the correct command line.
Click to expand...
I didn't post it because some people save using different file names. But if you want to use the above YT video default names make sure AppleTV2,1_4.2.1 _8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw is correct. Watch the spaces etc. * If you get messages from the terminal such as, 'unknown directory' etc then confirm that what you copied is what ended up getting pasted into Terminal. Some text editing programs add strange formatting when pasting. This should work for you.
Code: 
unzip -j /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/AppleTV2,1_4.2.1_8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw
Firmware/dfu/iBSS.k66ap.RELEASE.dfu kernelcache.release.k66 -d /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/
 
Last edited:
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
newagemac said:
If you reboot the ATV2 by holding down the menu+down buttons for 5 seconds, does the tethered jailbreak limitation still apply like it would if you unplugged it from the power source?
Click to expand...
Not sure. Never need to do it.


.
 
Last edited:
patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
More stuff that I found out the hard way. To save you time.

[aTV2->maintenance -> manage extras] to see all the LastFM, Nita and Couch Surfer options/plugins available. Click where it says uninstalled to instal them.

Disable Apple TV updates.

Go to your Mac's security pane and check ignore infrared remote because the aTV remote will open and control your Mac's Frontrow app. Annoying as hell lol


.
 
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patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,504
792
Darth.Titan said:
Not if you properly pair the remote with the AppleTV it won't.
Click to expand...
Yeah I saw that. Was wondering what it would do lol. See, even I can jailbreak ;) Btw, had to do all of this on a Japanese OS so you should be able do it on an English OS even quicker.


.p.s. There have reports of other 3rd party apps freezing while paring remotes so that's another good reason to not use pairing. Just unpair them and turn of infrared in OS X security like I did.
 
Last edited:
dan-o-mac

dan-o-mac

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2004
721
0
Brooklyn, NY
patent10021 said:
I didn't post it because some people save using different file names. But if you want to use the above YT video default names make sure AppleTV2,1_4.2.1 _8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw is correct. Watch the spaces etc. * If you get messages from the terminal such as, 'unknown directory' etc then confirm that what you copied is what ended up getting pasted into Terminal. Some text editing programs add strange formatting when pasting. This should work for you.
Code: 
unzip -j /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/AppleTV2,1_4.2.1_8C154_Custom_Restore.ipsw
Firmware/dfu/iBSS.k66ap.RELEASE.dfu kernelcache.release.k66 -d /Users/USERNAME/Desktop/
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm going to give this another shot tonight.
 
B

BlackMangoTree

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2010
896
2
patent10021 said:
Are you trolling? Of course the video 'can' be poor. Depends on your source duh. Video can suck and it can also rock. iTunes doesn't support subs for non Apple files either.
Click to expand...

Not being able to have subs is an issue and video quality is poor no matter what source, everything is converted on the fly to pretty low resolution. Having had Plex on my ATV i do not see the point of it if i have to have a huge quality drop. I might as well convert the flies once at good quality with Handbrake ect... By the looks of it Firecore have managed to get other file types AVI MKV ect... to play natively on the ATV now thats something to look forward to when it's released.
 
Last edited:
N

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
Darth.Titan said:
Not if you properly pair the remote with the AppleTV it won't.
Click to expand...

Pairing the remote with the AppleTV will only prevent the AppleTV from being controlled by any other remote. In his case, he would need to pair his Mac to another remote as that will prevent the Mac from being controlled by any other remote. Or of course you can just turn off the IR on the Mac completely.
 
pruppert

pruppert

macrumors 6502
Jan 30, 2008
411
74
Is unjailbreaking or "vanillaing" the apple tv just as straightforward as it is for the iPhone?
 
pruppert

pruppert

macrumors 6502
Jan 30, 2008
411
74
Dudes, I'm so doing this! Sweeeeeeet! .

Thanks, OP for the post. I didn't realize how easy it was.

I'll report back when I'm done.
 
pruppert

pruppert

macrumors 6502
Jan 30, 2008
411
74
Hmmmm. I'm less than satisfied with the results.

I cannot see a option to download the Plex client anywhere in ATV Flash, so I still can't serve avis to Apple TV which was the whole point of jailbreaking in the first place.

OP, how did you get Plex?
 
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