Apple TV ATV2: Is the Jailbreak worth it?

[ISO:HELP]

Trying to weigh pro's and con's..


What JB firmware is the best?




ED

 

[profets]

Definitely worth it. Actually its the only reason I bought an ATV. Playing around with XBMC on it.

Edit: I used greenpoison rc6 yesterday to do an untethered jailbreak. Very easy.

 

[ISO:HELP]

Definitely worth it. Actually its the only reason I bought an ATV. Playing around with XBMC on it.

Edit: I used greenpoison rc6 yesterday to do an untethered jailbreak. Very easy.

Awsome! thanks for the response!

so this XBMC is the best to JB my ATV2 with ? Now is Greenpoision rc6 the same as using xbmc?

Kind of confused..

Does anyone know of a good tutorial for this particular JB?

 

[profets]

I guess I should clarify - jailbreaking the ATV is worth doing if you have a reason for it.

greenspoison is the most recent tool that can be used to perform the jailbreak. It doesn't actually replace the firmware, but rather adds functionality to it - almost similar to how one would have cydia on the iphone/ipod when jailbroken.

XBMC is a piece of software that you can install once jailbroken. It launches from the main frontrow UI and is a media center frontend itself. It is a highly customizable media center that can manage library of tv, movies, music, photos of any format.

 

[ISO:HELP]

so greenpision is the best or just the newest tool to JB the device?


Xbmc comes in play after I JB the ATV2 im guessing.

 

[profets]

so greenpision is the best or just the newest tool to JB the device?

Yes, I'm pretty sure its the only one that can do an untethered jailbreak on the newest firmware. Available on windows/OSX/linux, very very easy to do.

Xbmc comes in play after I JB the ATV2 im guessing.

Thats right.

 

[newagemac]

For most people it isn't worth it and therefore most people don't jailbreak the Apple TV. However, some people have a bunch of files often in all sorts of old outdated formats and don't want to convert them. For them, jailbreaking and installing XBMC or Plex is very much worth it.

 

[Restinbeast]

For most people it isn't worth it and therefore most people don't jailbreak the Apple TV. However, some people have a bunch of files often in all sorts of old outdated formats and don't want to convert them. For them, jailbreaking and installing XBMC or Plex is very much worth it.

Saying this is the only benefit is not even remotely true.

Jailbreaking and using XBMC is extremely beneficial if you have multiple ATV2's that draw media off a Network Attached Storage. Forget the file formats although you are wrong that they are outdated. MKVs are by far the most common format today and Itunes does not play them, XBMC does. But regardless, I transcode everything to .m4v as well so that I can play them on Ipad etc. BUT the main reason you want to JB and install XBMC is that the interface is better than the home sharing option and it does not require an instance of Itunes to be running.

So this is huge... you can have a NAS on your network, with all your computer's powered off and the ATV2s can stream your files directly from the NAS. The retarded way Apple has it set up requires you to have Itunes on a computer and open that they draws the files to it and redistributes it via Home Sharing to your ATV2. This is a completely convoluted flow.

Essentially, apple makes you stream from A-->B, then B-->C (atv2)
XBMC allows you to stream A-->C directly and B does not even have to exist. A MUCH more elegant option.

 

[earthmonster]

I jailbroke my AppleTV yesterday and have been playing around with XBMC. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the sharing capabilities compared to using the native AppleTV sharing.

However I can tell you that XBMC will play a huge part in cutting my cable. I am thoroughly blown away by some of the stuff XBMC devs have done. I now have plugins to stream CBS, TNT, TBS, and Hulu episodes direct to my TV.

 

[bobr1952]

For most people it isn't worth it and therefore most people don't jailbreak the Apple TV. However, some people have a bunch of files often in all sorts of old outdated formats and don't want to convert them. For them, jailbreaking and installing XBMC or Plex is very much worth it.

Good answer--of course some like to jailbreak stuff so I guess that is reason enough. I'm not one of those--I bought my Apple TV to do what Apple built it to do--I don't have a need for the extras afforded by jailbreaking--but it is nice to know it is avaialble for those who choose to do so. Most I feel are happy with it the way it came out of the box.

 

[ISO:HELP]

I jailbroke my AppleTV yesterday and have been playing around with XBMC. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the sharing capabilities compared to using the native AppleTV sharing.

However I can tell you that XBMC will play a huge part in cutting my cable. I am thoroughly blown away by some of the stuff XBMC devs have done. I now have plugins to stream CBS, TNT, TBS, and Hulu episodes direct to my TV.

Please share how you install or find these plugins!

would love to learn!!!

just JB my ATV2 yesterday...

 

[earthmonster]

Please share how you install or find these plugins!

would love to learn!!!

just JB my ATV2 yesterday...

check out the xbmc forums. you're looking for the bluecop repo.

 

[wrz0170]

I jailbroke my AppleTV yesterday and have been playing around with XBMC. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the sharing capabilities compared to using the native AppleTV sharing.

However I can tell you that XBMC will play a huge part in cutting my cable. I am thoroughly blown away by some of the stuff XBMC devs have done. I now have plugins to stream CBS, TNT, TBS, and Hulu episodes direct to my TV.

Do it! I cut satellite back in November and never looked back. Sometimes I miss something live like weather, some news, superbowl. But those are things I find on the internet anyway and I am hoping XBMC will fill in some of those blanks.

My setup is a 2tb NAS, ATV2 (now JB with XBMC), and two MBPs. Thats it for my entertainment.

I JB my ATV2 on Sunday and installed XBMC and moved over my iTunes library. Now it is just a matter of connecting the dots to make it play nice and seeing what XBMC can do to fill in the holes.

 

[newagemac]

Saying this is the only benefit is not even remotely true.

Jailbreaking and using XBMC is extremely beneficial if you have multiple ATV2's that draw media off a Network Attached Storage. Forget the file formats although you are wrong that they are outdated. MKVs are by far the most common format today and Itunes does not play them, XBMC does. But regardless, I transcode everything to .m4v as well so that I can play them on Ipad etc. BUT the main reason you want to JB and install XBMC is that the interface is better than the home sharing option and it does not require an instance of Itunes to be running.

So this is huge... you can have a NAS on your network, with all your computer's powered off and the ATV2s can stream your files directly from the NAS. The retarded way Apple has it set up requires you to have Itunes on a computer and open that they draws the files to it and redistributes it via Home Sharing to your ATV2. This is a completely convoluted flow.

Essentially, apple makes you stream from A-->B, then B-->C (atv2)
XBMC allows you to stream A-->C directly and B does not even have to exist. A MUCH more elegant option.

First of all, I never said it was the "only" benefit. You might want to reread my post. And actually, you can argue that the XBMC and NAS way is the "retarded" and convoluted way. You already have a computer. Apple allows you to stream directly from that computer to any number of ATVs you own. That's A --> C directly and B does not have to exist. You basically invented a 3rd one that Apple does not require.

But your scenario requires you to purchase a separate NAS (which is really just an underpowered computer) and then you have to copy from your main computer to the NAS (another computer) and then stream to the ATV. So that method is pretty convoluted and also costs more.

My Mac Mini (my main computer) streams directly to the ATV2. I never turned it off even before the ATV so why would I need to turn it off now? I don't need to buy some underpowered NAS to hold my content when I have a full OS, hard drive already built in, and several USB and firewire ports if I want extra storage.

To say that Apple's solution is convoluted is ridiculous. I can't envision a simpler solution. The only people it is convoluted to is those that introduce the use of a NAS into their setup. Which can be considered a convoluted step to take when your computer already performs those functions and much better than an underpowered NAS does.

So maybe you should call your setup convoluted and complain that Apple does not cater well to convoluted setups? That would make more sense because Apple's solution is dead simple.

MKVs are by far the most common format today and Itunes does not play them, XBMC does.

Please tell me you were joking? MKV (when it contains h.264) is a good container but it is only popular among the ripping and torrenting crowds. It's a very small player in the grand scheme of things. And my reference to old outdated formats was divx, xvid, avi, and all the other old formats people often use XMBC for. They are very outdated and poor formats and codecs compared to modern ones like h.264 and .m4v which the Apple TV uses.

 

[Colin14]

I jailbroke my AppleTV yesterday and have been playing around with XBMC. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the sharing capabilities compared to using the native AppleTV sharing.

However I can tell you that XBMC will play a huge part in cutting my cable. I am thoroughly blown away by some of the stuff XBMC devs have done. I now have plugins to stream CBS, TNT, TBS, and Hulu episodes direct to my TV.

do these work in the uk?

 

[Colin14]

First of all, I never said it was the "only" benefit. You might want to reread my post. And actually, you can argue that the XBMC and NAS way is the "retarded" and convoluted way. You already have a computer. Apple allows you to stream directly from that computer to any number of ATVs you own. That's A --> C directly and B does not have to exist. You basically invented a 3rd one that Apple does not require.

But your scenario requires you to purchase a separate NAS (which is really just an underpowered computer) and then you have to copy from your main computer to the NAS (another computer) and then stream to the ATV. So that method is pretty convoluted and also costs more.

My Mac Mini (my main computer) streams directly to the ATV2. I never turned it off even before the ATV so why would I need to turn it off now? I don't need to buy some underpowered NAS to hold my content when I have a full OS, hard drive already built in, and several USB and firewire ports if I want extra storage.

To say that Apple's solution is convoluted is ridiculous. I can't envision a simpler solution. The only people it is convoluted to is those that introduce the use of a NAS into their setup. Which can be considered a convoluted step to take when your computer already performs those functions and much better than an underpowered NAS does.

So maybe you should call your setup convoluted and complain that Apple does not cater well to convoluted setups? That would make more sense because Apple's solution is dead simple.




Please tell me you were joking? MKV (when it contains h.264) is a good container but it is only popular among the ripping and torrenting crowds. It's a very small player in the grand scheme of things. And my reference to old outdated formats was divx, xvid, avi, and all the other old formats people often use XMBC for. They are very outdated and poor formats and codecs compared to modern ones like h.264 and .m4v which the Apple TV uses.

think you need to calm down a bit pal. Not all off us want computers running all day long, or want their computer busy encoding. My main computer is a macbook pro, its not conveniant to have it on all the time.

going from apple tv to my time capsule is a much, much better soloution.

 

[bobr1952]

I don't think anyone has to take anyone's setup personally. Everyone has their own idea on how they want to send their media to their TV and other entertainment systems. There are many solutions--and some work just fine without jailbreaking your ATV.

 

[ISO:HELP]

The reason why I JB'd my ATV2 was cause I have a few TB's of avi's that I torrented, and am really sick of converting the files to put them on itunes to then stream to atv2

takes to long..

In hope that i can stream xbmc to my nas give's me a w00dy....


lol

MY next computer missions are going to be getting the NAS going and learn xbmc....


Am I a weird guy cause I look foward to coming home and doing dorky stuff with computers? lol i could care less when i have 3 tb's of movies at my figer tips.....

 

[dan-o-mac]

check out the xbmc forums. you're looking for the bluecop repo.

Thanks for the plugin info. My daughter is watching Nick Jr. on my Apple TV thanks to you.

 

[ISO:HELP]

Can someone give me a push in the right direction as to how to install
plugin/repo's on xbmc..

I joined up on their site...And boy do I have a ton of reading to do...Read their quickstrt guide on the wiki...Boy this is some coded stuff, or can be..

I searched bluecop on xbmc and found a ton of stuff..

 

[newagemac]

think you need to calm down a bit pal. Not all off us want computers running all day long, or want their computer busy encoding. My main computer is a macbook pro, its not conveniant to have it on all the time.

going from apple tv to my time capsule is a much, much better soloution.

Ha ha. I know the laptop situation is a bit different. My post was a bit of a tongue in cheek reply to the poster claiming Apple's way was "retarded and convoluted". Pretty harsh words, don't you think? So I was intentionally pointing out how using a NAS can be considered a convoluted way compared to Apple's way of using Home Sharing with the computer you already have... in a similarly harsh way.

 

[dan-o-mac]

Can someone give me a push in the right direction as to how to install
plugin/repo's on xbmc..

I joined up on their site...And boy do I have a ton of reading to do...Read their quickstrt guide on the wiki...Boy this is some coded stuff, or can be..

I searched bluecop on xbmc and found a ton of stuff..

1. Download the plugin

2. SSH into your Apple TV - http://www.technama.com/2010/guide-for-ssh-into-apple-tv-2g-windows-and-mac-how-to/

3. Install(drag&drop the zip file) the plugin in the correct directory. In your case it should be Var/Mobile/Media

The last three steps(4-6) are off the top of my head. My gf is using the tv in the bedroom, so I cant double check right now.

4. Launch XBMC on your Apple TV

5. In the xbmc system setting there should be an option to install from zip. Install the files

6. You have to enable each plugin individually.

 

[earthmonster]

Thanks for the plugin info. My daughter is watching Nick Jr. on my Apple TV thanks to you.

No problem. Glad I could help point you in the right direction.

 

[Darknight16]

First of all, I never said it was the "only" benefit. You might want to reread my post. And actually, you can argue that the XBMC and NAS way is the "retarded" and convoluted way. You already have a computer. Apple allows you to stream directly from that computer to any number of ATVs you own. That's A --> C directly and B does not have to exist. You basically invented a 3rd one that Apple does not require.

But your scenario requires you to purchase a separate NAS (which is really just an underpowered computer) and then you have to copy from your main computer to the NAS (another computer) and then stream to the ATV. So that method is pretty convoluted and also costs more.

My Mac Mini (my main computer) streams directly to the ATV2. I never turned it off even before the ATV so why would I need to turn it off now? I don't need to buy some underpowered NAS to hold my content when I have a full OS, hard drive already built in, and several USB and firewire ports if I want extra storage.

To say that Apple's solution is convoluted is ridiculous. I can't envision a simpler solution. The only people it is convoluted to is those that introduce the use of a NAS into their setup. Which can be considered a convoluted step to take when your computer already performs those functions and much better than an underpowered NAS does.

So maybe you should call your setup convoluted and complain that Apple does not cater well to convoluted setups? That would make more sense because Apple's solution is dead simple.




Please tell me you were joking? MKV (when it contains h.264) is a good container but it is only popular among the ripping and torrenting crowds. It's a very small player in the grand scheme of things. And my reference to old outdated formats was divx, xvid, avi, and all the other old formats people often use XMBC for. They are very outdated and poor formats and codecs compared to modern ones like h.264 and .m4v which the Apple TV uses.

I'm not sure you understand the benefits of having a NAS. It's having a low powered centralized data storage that everyone on the network can use and access so that no one specific computer needs to be on. Having specific computers on to access specific content is the more convoluted way of doing things and relying on that one computer to be available is silly. Now if you live alone and you're the only one using things, sure it makes less sense, but if you have multiple people in the house with multiple devices accessing content, it doesn't make any sense for someone to store something on one computer only to have them leave the house with it and then that content is not available. Centralized data storage is how offices work, it's how the cloud works, and it really is more of the future for networked homes.

Plus not every format that XBMC plays is outdated. I've got a Canon DSLR that takes pictures in CR2 format and the Apple TV can't play those. In fact most devices can't. XBMC can. That's just one example of a format that is not outdated. It's also silly to argue the fact that XBMC plays every format possible but Apple TV is good enough cuz it plays a limited selection of formats.

 

[exotikcamaro]

First of all, let me thank you all for the wealth of information that you all at this forum supply. I have one question, that I cannot find the answer to. If it has been answered, I apologize.

Using either the seasonpass or greenpoison jailbreak methods and installing xbmc, do the stock appletv functionalities still work. For example, can I still use netflix and stream movies, tv shows and music from itunes on my computer?