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gazzzmoly

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 3, 2007
168
0
so i was wondering this. the old apple tv was a stripped down version of mac osx tiger. which allowed hackers basicaly to rip the os appart and do what they wanted. the new apple tv based on ios adn needs to have video streamed to it from the itunes store.

if that is the case maybe one way to hack the apple tv would be to set a proxy up between the apple tv and the internet which could server external media (transcoding if needed) to the apple tv tricking it into thinking its coming from the itunes store.

i am sure there would be more elegant solutions out there. i am not a programmer so couldnt do anything wiht this but i do like to think out side the box.


what do you think ????
 

rorschach

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2003
2,269
1,841
You can just stream from your iTunes library (not the store), no hacking involved.
 

steviem

macrumors 68020
May 26, 2006
2,218
4
New York, Baby!
Whilst at first glance and without reading the full specs, it is easy to assume that the new Apple TV only 'streams from the iTunes Store', when you read more, you find that it is quite an elegant solution for getting your media to your TV.

You get all of the features of the first AppleTV, without it's most expensive (and for me, redundant) component: The hard drive.

It will also use less power than the original AppleTV and generate less heat due to the architecture being used.

With iOS, my hope is that Apple will release an update to give it access to some Apps and a Webcam to enable Facetime. Facetime from a lounge on your main TV is a really exciting idea for me. Another thing I would like to see is when Apple fixes notifications in iOS, to have the ability to have RSS news ticker availability whilst you are watching a TV show.
 

MacBoobsPro

macrumors 603
Jan 10, 2006
5,114
6
Whilst at first glance and without reading the full specs, it is easy to assume that the new Apple TV only 'streams from the iTunes Store', when you read more, you find that it is quite an elegant solution for getting your media to your TV.

You get all of the features of the first AppleTV, without it's most expensive (and for me, redundant) component: The hard drive.

It will also use less power than the original AppleTV and generate less heat due to the architecture being used.

With iOS, my hope is that Apple will release an update to give it access to some Apps and a Webcam to enable Facetime. Facetime from a lounge on your main TV is a really exciting idea for me. Another thing I would like to see is when Apple fixes notifications in iOS, to have the ability to have RSS news ticker availability whilst you are watching a TV show.


It not having a harddrive actually means you need a computer to use the ATV if you want to do anything other than rent. Thats an extra £300 absolute minimum there so what you say about a hardrive being expensive is actually untrue. Plus like most people these days it will most likely be a laptop which has a puny HD for storing movies so you will most likely need an external drive to house your library. So the new 'energy efficient' ATV actually uses more energy than the original if you want to get the most out of it.

The original was full of potential but limped along on one leg. The new one has no legs at all. It will fail!

All they had to do was put a 1TB drive in it and everyone would be happy. Both 'purchasers' and 'renters'. But of course this being Apple they dont actually listen to what people want (unlike what SJ said) and dictate products that have the highest profit margins.
 

steviem

macrumors 68020
May 26, 2006
2,218
4
New York, Baby!
For me, I bought my PC so long ago that the '£300+' at least cost has been absorbed.

I think my usage scenario - apart from the fact the 'server' is a hackintosh :eek: - is the right scenario for the AppleTV.
 

rorschach

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2003
2,269
1,841
Steve's rationale for no storage was: syncing is too hard and complicated for people (go watch the keynote, that's exactly what he said).

Wha--wha--WHAT?

After 9 years of doing just that with iPods (and iPhones since 2007), I'm pretty sure people have got the syncing thing down. Not really that hard...since it's entirely automatic unless you choose to manage it yourself.

I add something to iTunes it automatically syncs to my Apple TV. I buy something on my Apple TV, it automatically syncs back to iTunes. Not that difficult. No "storage management" either.
 

CyberBob859

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2007
583
441
Steve's rationale for no storage was: syncing is too hard and complicated for people (go watch the keynote, that's exactly what he said).

Wha--wha--WHAT?

After 9 years of doing just that with iPods (and iPhones since 2007), I'm pretty sure people have got the syncing thing down. Not really that hard...since it's entirely automatic unless you choose to manage it yourself.

I add something to iTunes it automatically syncs to my Apple TV. I buy something on my Apple TV, it automatically syncs back to iTunes. Not that difficult. No "storage management" either.

+1

If purchasing and syncing were so bad, then the iPod and iPhone are flawed as well.
 

cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,972
I bought an old Apple TV on closeout because I just realized it can be used as a music server without a TV (using the Remote app).

So now I also ordered an iPad (as I also realized I can stream with EyeTV).

Product with great attachment potential, badly marketed as a TV device.

And with bad initial setup requiring a TV.
 

Shoesy

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2007
718
1
Colchester, UK.
Please.

Syncing is not too much trauma when you are talking about music (small files), but is a real pain when you have to wait for large video files to sync over before you can get at watching them. TV watching really needs to be instant on, and the new stream / rent scenario should remedy that without confusing the two systems. Still can't see why we can't rent tv with the old box though, seems to work fine for movies!

IT CAN'T BE THAT HARD STEVE - PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!

please :(
 

dmm219

macrumors 6502
Aug 25, 2008
416
0
You get all of the features of the first AppleTV, without it's most expensive (and for me, redundant) component: The hard drive.


Really? Tell me how "full featured" the new ATV is when you turn it on and look for available tv shows from the couch. You will go from seeing just about every TV show out there (old ATV), to only ABC and a "few" FOX shows.

So exactly how are you getting all the features of the old ATV?

Having to buy and DL everything on a computer is not a feature.

I'll think about the new ATV when it has CONTENT on the tv side...FROM THE COUCH. Right now, the amount of content on there is terrible.

I agree the ATV2 could EVENTUALLY be a good device...IF all the studios hop on board and make all tv shows available for rentals, IF they add an app store, IF they add facetime...

but honestly, the chances of any of these happening is very very low with Apple's track record.
 

bigpatky

macrumors regular
Sep 7, 2007
246
33
+1

If purchasing and syncing were so bad, then the iPod and iPhone are flawed as well.

apples and oranges. ipods and iphones are meant to be used on the go, outside of the home. apple tv is meant to be inside the home. streaming isn't an option for ipods and iphones.
 

Alrescha

macrumors 68020
Jan 1, 2008
2,156
317
apples and oranges. ipods and iphones are meant to be used on the go, outside of the home. apple tv is meant to be inside the home. streaming isn't an option for ipods and iphones.

Maybe so, but I'd pay money to be able to stream from iTunes with my iPad (yes, I have Air Video, but it annoys me to no end that iTunes is right there, ready to stream to other copies of iTunes, or to my Apple TV, but somehow not to my iPad?).

A
 

ObsidianIce

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2004
308
37
Seventh Circle of Hell
It not having a harddrive actually means you need a computer to use the ATV if you want to do anything other than rent. Thats an extra £300 absolute minimum there so what you say about a hardrive being expensive is actually untrue. Plus like most people these days it will most likely be a laptop which has a puny HD for storing movies so you will most likely need an external drive to house your library. So the new 'energy efficient' ATV actually uses more energy than the original if you want to get the most out of it.

The original was full of potential but limped along on one leg. The new one has no legs at all. It will fail!

All they had to do was put a 1TB drive in it and everyone would be happy. Both 'purchasers' and 'renters'. But of course this being Apple they dont actually listen to what people want (unlike what SJ said) and dictate products that have the highest profit margins.


If you only knew how wrong you were...It's not failing...
 

stoplis

macrumors regular
Aug 14, 2009
161
65
I have already ordered one, but I am looking forward to when I can install XMBC or Plex, so I can stream my media direct from my NAS drives without having to have my MacBook Pro on.
 

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
Steve's rationale for no storage was: syncing is too hard and complicated for people (go watch the keynote, that's exactly what he said).

Wha--wha--WHAT?

After 9 years of doing just that with iPods (and iPhones since 2007), I'm pretty sure people have got the syncing thing down. Not really that hard...since it's entirely automatic unless you choose to manage it yourself.

I add something to iTunes it automatically syncs to my Apple TV. I buy something on my Apple TV, it automatically syncs back to iTunes. Not that difficult. No "storage management" either.

Yeah syncing with a direct USB cable is simple enough for anyone. However, after reading a bunch of threads here since the original ATV was released, wifi syncing apparently isn't so easy for a lot of people. There are a lot more variables involved including the network setup, hardware from different manufacturers, and etc.
 

ceraz

macrumors member
Apr 1, 2008
82
26
How Apple can come out and claim that nobody has cracked the living room, that they listened to customers to get it right and then deliver a product (with the same UI) which does less than the previous generation mystifies me.

The technical hardware specs haven't improved ... still 720p (sic), still 100BT(sic). Where's the bonus?

Via my TV in my living room I want internet (quick browsing + trailers etc.), a really easy UI that kids can use, view my Full HD edited movies made with my camcorder & camera, access to my NAS for local streaming, access to my iTunes content for Music, Movies, Photos etc., gaming and blu-ray.

With a crippled and closed ATV, an over-priced mini, Apple is really losing ground in the living room.

So for those that want to upgrade from the old ATV what are the choices ? Competition ?
 
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