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Apple TV Running Full Mac OS X

Nop, It's not an April Fools joke :)

So how do you imagine Apple fixing this? To install OS X on :apple: TV, you have to remove the HDD and install Mac OS X on it. I don't think Apple can "patch" that.
 
This mod is really impressive, but I honestly dont see a good, general application use of it..yet. If at some point we can increase "backrow" functionality by learning more about the machine, then that is great. However, this machine really is too underpowered to be of much use. (that 256mb of RAM being the biggest roadblock) and long with a Pentium M chip that is already a few years dated.

Will Apple respond? I hope not, this isnt really a threat to their profits as this is still in the "hobby" realm. Although, what they are doing is illegal, because no purchaseable version of OSX intel exists yet.
 
BlueRevolution said:
What I'm wondering is if it works the other way. It would be cool to take an old Mini and install the :apple:TV's operating system on that to run as a media center.
Click to expand...

I've been using Front Row on a mac mini in the living room for months now. As of yesterday I've successfully gotten @TV installed and running both as a separate boot partition AND as a Front Row replacement on my primary OS X install. Directions are right here. As part of the process an "exit menu" hack has been added that sheds light on "frappliances" that can be added to the @TV interface...I expect the future holds many others (games, EyeTV, web, DVD etc).

A few downsides to using @TV instead of Front Row
  • Volume control doesn't work from the Apple Remote
  • Can't access the iTunes media on the local computer (even with the Apple-Tab hint/hack listed in the link, just won't work for me :(
  • Similarly, only networked iTunes media shows up, subfolders of movies in the Movies folder do not as they do in Front Row, meaning my kids' Disney movies are mixed up in one giant list with my movies and our home videos, etc...seemingly no way to break up video into categories or playlists
  • No way to play a DVD through the interface
  • Media "synched" to the pseudo-@TV goes into a "Media" folder at the root of the local machine in a very cryptic iPod/iPhoto-like hierarchy, haven't figured out how to force this to go elsewhere (ie big external drive) or feel confident using it as a backup strategy since the files are not easily recognizable
Otherwise the @TV interface is much more elegant than Front Row, despite the above limitations I really don't want to go back. It's also a little more "self-contained" and somehow more intuitive for my family, they can't accidentally get out of the interface to the computer desktop as easily. Even as a simple Front Row replacement on top of the normal OS, my networked iTunes "see" an @TV and sync/stream to it as if it were a legit device. The separate @TV boot partition works exactly like a real @TV, but with the disadvantage of not being able to manage it or mount it remotely, or to occasionally get to the "computer" underneath.

I wonder if Front Row v2.0 will be just like this and allow all these features for those who already have a computer hooked to the TV, without requiring the purchase of @TV?
 
RichP said:
This mod is really impressive, but I honestly dont see a good, general application use of it..yet. If at some point we can increase "backrow" functionality by learning more about the machine, then that is great. However, this machine really is too underpowered to be of much use. (that 256mb of RAM being the biggest roadblock) and long with a Pentium M chip that is already a few years dated.
Click to expand...

As a replacement for the "conventional" desktop computer running a typical GUI desktop OS (like OS X) it'd made for a 3rd-rate-product, primarily because of its RAM limitation. For more innovative applications, as a server cluster node, a non-GUI server, an ICE unit, or even a thin-client w/GUI this unit would do fine.

RichP said:
Will Apple respond? I hope not, this isnt really a threat to their profits as this is still in the "hobby" realm. Although, what they are doing is illegal, because no purchaseable version of OSX intel exists yet.
Click to expand...

I think it's important to point out that many of these experiments with this box have made use Open Darwin sources, or other Open Source software, in an effort to "keep things legal." But yes, there has been some "borrowing", from non-open sources, which comes from the desire to produce a "proof of concept", to see what does (or doesn't) work.

There is now a great potential for OS X to grow... horizontally...

Probably many people in this forum have never heard of commercial ventures like OpenOSX or are aware of Apple's open source OSX offerings, largely because all Macs (to date) have come with a full-blown Mac OS X with all the bells and whistles. If all new Macs come with a great GUI -- why would the typical consumer want to fool around with running Linux ports or running Open Darwin kernal.

But Apple TV has changed all of that. It doesn't come with the full-blown OS X, but it is a very inexpensive box that's able to run more than just the Apple TV GUI. Thus, it creates the need for (legal) open source OS and applications that will run on it, which is where the 3rd-party developers come in, which is likely to include a good many folks known to enjoy the art of hacking. ;)
 
Right now, the only serious problem I see with using this as a Mac is the lack of memory. 256Mb has never been enough for Mac OS X, even for low grade applications. The disk size is fine, the speed is fine, the lack of an optical drive is not a serious issue. I'd love something like this, just with a little more memory.
 
Taselcult said:
I think people are missing a gold mine here. Imagine this: You get into your car for a trip. kids are in the back, bouncing around as kids do. They drop down the little LCD screen in the SUV. Then pulling out the apple remote, they slect the new song they just downloaded onto the home iMac. Later on the trip they switch from music to Pirates movie without ever putting in a DVD. A little while later they watch they're favorite episode of Sponge Bob. How is this possible?

Apple Tv

Your car while at home wireless conected to your wireless network from the Garage. It sync'd all the new movies, music and other content from iTunes. No wires, no bringing the ipod, no having to remember to transfer a movie or remmebering to bring the cables to hook to the AV port in the car. Your Music, Your Movies, Your TV... anywhere your car is.

How sweet would that be?
Click to expand...

Okay, while this idea is INCREDIBLY cool, I'm not sure how this use is any different from how you could use a standard out-of-the-box Apple TV right now. Could you do what is described above with an Apple TV right now without any hacks? If so, I hadn't thought of this idea and it's VERY appealing!
 
timmillwood said:
I think apple should release a system like this $299 for Mac mini nano.

They would sell Millions, because some home users don't wanna pay a lot for a machine just to check e-mails and look-up recipes etc online.

Package it, Mac Nano, Apple Keyboard and mouse, 17" cheap screen all for $499 BARGIN!
Click to expand...

A long time ago Microsoft was selling a small box (computer) to allow people to use their TV as a monitor and do emails and surf the web, not sure what it was called, I think it was Miscrosoft TV but I do not remember.
 
could this hack bode well for a mini macbook?
all apple would need to do, in theory, is add a screen and upgrade the ram.
 
EagerDragon said:
A long time ago Microsoft was selling a small box (computer) to allow people to use their TV as a monitor and do emails and surf the web, not sure what it was called, I think it was Miscrosoft TV but I do not remember.
Click to expand...

Arg! This "thing" of which you speak was called Web TV before it became Microsoft TV aka MSN TV... Whatever name it went by, it was really, really, really bad.

How bad, you ask? Well, it was named as one of The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time by PC World. :eek:


PS: "A long time ago" you say... ? Ten years ago was a "long time"...??? :p
 
Sweet, I'm getting 2

One MythTV front-end, one for the in-car entertainment system. Kick, ass, Apple - I had no use for an embedded system, but now I'm buying two.
 
ClimbingTheLog said:
One MythTV front-end, one for the in-car entertainment system. Kick, ass, Apple - I had no use for an embedded system, but now I'm buying two.
Click to expand...

I think if someone can get MythTV working, and enable the USB port for EyeTV or some other tv tuner it would be a perfect front end.
 
...and with this article hundreds of warranties are voided as :apple: TV users arduously attempt to hack their product. April Fool's any one? :eek:
 
LOL blond moment 101. I'm sitting in front of my screen reading "Eclectic CJD2112" as my screen name and panic sets in. "Who hacked my profile?!", "Why Eclectic?!"... then is dawns on me, April 1st. DOLT. LOL :eek:
 
network23 said:
Okay, while this idea is INCREDIBLY cool, I'm not sure how this use is any different from how you could use a standard out-of-the-box Apple TV right now. Could you do what is described above with an Apple TV right now without any hacks? If so, I hadn't thought of this idea and it's VERY appealing!
Click to expand...
Of course you can. It's simply a matter of finding an LCD display which will accept a standard input style (get an HDMI-DVI converter, for example). Of course you'll also need a power inverter, and if you want anything to show up properly, you'll need a widescreen LCD.

A widescreen, automobile LCD that takes DVI input might be a little hard to find, and certainly the AppleTV interface probably wouldn't be too easy to read on a 10" display, but it could be done right out of the box.
 
Wild-Bill said:
Really?

..............googles MythTV AppleTV......... :D

I've got a spare 80 gig 5400 RPM 2.5 drive that was pulled from my Powerbook when I installed a 100 gig 7200 rpm drive, AND it's got my install of OSX on it.... hmmm....................
Click to expand...
Sorry, your powerbook ran OS X for PowerPC. AppleTV uses an Intel Processor.

PPC970FX said:
I never thougt I would ever say this but, thank god for Vista. Apple did mac os x kill the box with the fact that it only have 256mb RAM. BUT if we could impliment the USB sticks as RAM. boom you got up to 8 GB of ram, some of the usb sticks are well not fast but will make a BIG speed difference. If we could impliment that on the Apple TV in mac os x, there you have the perfect cheap smal and livingroomish computer.

Not a powerhouse but kicks ass in what I think of its uses are.
some browsing
video
music
looking at pics
+
as good as everyting a normal mac can do just slower
Click to expand...
If you've ever used a USB stick as RAM (or hell, just using a USB stick) you would hopefully understand how slow and useless it would be in place of RAM.
 
This isnt any different than OSX86, even made by the same people. So its technically illegal since its a hacked version of OSX and doesnt install from a real OSX disc, but rather than a PC its installed on an Apple product.

Still kind of cool, but not the cheapest "mac" since you can still make a PC to run OSX86 for slightly less.

If you could replace the ram then this would be a really cool hack, but with just 256mbs theres not much use for it since OSX is hell on 256mbs.

The best thing about it is finally having a use for that HDMI cable. No more wondering why youre using up an HDMI cable to play artifact filled VHS quality videos.
 
failsafe1 said:
Would you need to upgrade anything? The hard drive is on 20 gb smaller. What are the ram specs on the ATV? I would not think you could upgrade that like you can on the mini. For a simple machine that could manage media and now be used to do other things in the place of a mini this is an interesting development.
Click to expand...

comeon, $299 cannot buy a Mini. $299 cannot buy a Mini with HDMI output and 1080i resolution.
and, for your information, the drive inside :apple: TV is 40GB...
 
Wouldn't it be better...

Wouldn't it be a better idea to take the software version of :apple:TV and make it run on a mini??? A mini with the option of running as :apple:TV has got to be somethinh sweet!!!

Pity the mini didn't have a better graphics card!!!
 
laidbackliam said:
is there a way to get the apple tv interface running on my macbook instead of front row?
Click to expand...
Bye Bye Baby said:
Wouldn't it be a better idea to take the software version of :apple:TV and make it run on a mini??? A mini with the option of running as :apple:TV has got to be somethinh sweet!!!

Pity the mini didn't have a better graphics card!!!
Click to expand...

Check about 18 posts back :)

Another nice touch with the @TV (even a pseudo-mac-mini-@TV) is that play counts and lasst played info gets updated on the source machine, even when in streaming mode. I wish normal iTunes streaming could do that :rolleyes:
 
k2k koos said:
for the same reason, I wonder if it would beat my 1.25Ghz PPC Mac mini at home?
I know I would never replace it with an :apple: TV, but just curious :)
Click to expand...
I started looking at the Apple TV as low end Mac for my son today. I just can't justify $600-$800 for a Mini for him and started researching the viability of the Apple TV connected to a 37" LCD TV as an option. In my research I came across the following benchies:

The Apple TV running OSX score a 55.75 in Xbench as compared to an Intel Mini's (w/2gb ram) score of 110.27.

The 1.25ghz G4 mini averaged at about 35. The 1.42ghz Mini averaged about 45.

I can't tell from the descriptions on the Intel Minis, but they look to average between 70-100 from single to core duos.

With the ability to use USB periphs and upgrade the HD if necessary the Apple TV is looking really good for child's computer/media center. I don't think I'd take the plunge myself, but I hope Apple takes note and produces a true entry level Mac around this platform.

Reference for the benchmarks: http://db.xbench.com/compareindex.xhtml
 
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