I hate Frontrow 2.0, its the only thing bugging me about Leopard. So I replaced the 2.0 Front Row file from Core Services with the 1.3 Tiger File. Everything works very fine, except for Movies. I click on Movies, I can watch a movie, but when I exit Front row, it freezes. Eventually it says "A Problem has occurred" I have to Apple Q, to get out. Any ideas on a stable Front row downgrade?
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Downgrade Frontrow to 1.3
- Thread starter Jamesedward44
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I seriously doubt a stable frontrow downgrade exists. Your better bet would be to troubleshoot frontrow 2 (I have had not problems with it).
Hmm...
It has to be possible, the only problem is the video section freezing up while trying to exit. Everything else works perfectly. So don't reply and tell me to deal with 2.0. Does anyone have any ideas what may make the video section freeze up. Thanks.
It has to be possible, the only problem is the video section freezing up while trying to exit. Everything else works perfectly. So don't reply and tell me to deal with 2.0. Does anyone have any ideas what may make the video section freeze up. Thanks.
No, I'm going to reply with a repeat of what I said before. Frontrow is integrated with the system pretty tightly. I would recommend troubleshooting your problem (such as giving more information as to the nature of this problem/specifics of your setup) than spending time trying to do something bassackwards.
I don't have a technical problem with Front Row 2.0. I just don't like how the music cuts out when you exit front row. Also I like the look of 1.3. I can deal with 2.0, I just want to see if with some other mac users help,we can figure out a hack to put 1.3 on Leopard.
crazy, youd sacrifice all that speed and no hangs to have music continue playing when you exit? sureley if you are exiting fr then you would be at the comp to open itunes?
I dumped front row 2.0. It's not just the music pausing - but play counts in itunes not being updated - can't access all my smart playlists with 2.0 either.
1.3 was far better for me - easy to see icons, slick UI. 2.0 just didn't have it.
I have the same problem with video (I was able to play video just fine my first attempt) but since, it locks.
I find myself wishing that VLC player would make a front row interface of their own. (video player will operate with the imac remote - AND give you volume controls with digital output) But for now, if I want videos, I just launch VLC, and play back with that.
FYI - VLC 0.8.6c remote control interface broke with Leopard. I got a copy of 0.8.6d (fixed) but for some reason they haven't released it as of yet. (it can easily be found, though)
1.3 was far better for me - easy to see icons, slick UI. 2.0 just didn't have it.
I have the same problem with video (I was able to play video just fine my first attempt) but since, it locks.
I find myself wishing that VLC player would make a front row interface of their own. (video player will operate with the imac remote - AND give you volume controls with digital output) But for now, if I want videos, I just launch VLC, and play back with that.
FYI - VLC 0.8.6c remote control interface broke with Leopard. I got a copy of 0.8.6d (fixed) but for some reason they haven't released it as of yet. (it can easily be found, though)
The up-and-coming CenterStage is alternative to Front Row, I recommend looking at it
You got me all excited - but then I looked at the "nightly builds" section - last update to it was in August.
I hope they kick it up a notch. This would be something beneficial to many of us.
First off, FR 2 doesn't work with AirTunes (streaming audio to Airport Express) so it's pretty much useless to me now.
Personally I like FR 2.0 better since it's a lot faster but I really miss the music continuing to play when I do need to check something quickly. Hopefully the next big update to iTunes will allow it to use the same core media manager that FR 2 taps into for speed and FR 2 compatibility.
And what if you just want to check the weather, something on the web quickly or someone IM's you and then you want to return back to FR? I used to do this in Tiger all the time. It sucks that you can't do this anymore without having everything stop and then have to restart it. Not everyone only uses the computer when they sit down to.
Personally I like FR 2.0 better since it's a lot faster but I really miss the music continuing to play when I do need to check something quickly. Hopefully the next big update to iTunes will allow it to use the same core media manager that FR 2 taps into for speed and FR 2 compatibility.
I second this. Old FR was far better, in my oppinion. Why?
1. I also hate that the music stops, when exiting FR.
2. Normal iTunes music stops, when entering FR. In the old FR it would keep playing, and you could just drop into the playlist in FR ("now playing"). Music never stopped.
3. The way the screen shifted from the OS X to FR (and back) was awesome in the old one. Now it's just basic and boring..
4. The way you see the cover when playing a tune is boring now, even with the "shifting sides" effect.. In the old one, the cover was nice and BIG!
5. Probably more reasons..
I have pretty much stopped using FR in Leopard. Amazing how such a good app, can be made worse.. Before people jump me, I must repeat: this is MY oppinion!
So like already being said.. If someone finds a stable way of running the old FR, then let's hear it! It will be greatly appreciated..
Apart from watching movies under the movie tab - my old Front Row is solid in Leopard.
No problems for itunes and DVD - the two heavy hitters for me.
The video section in front row never held any strong appeal to me anyhow - as most of my video formats were not supported by quicktime. (I used VLC for them)
Even with 25% of Front Row 1.3.1 permanently disabled, it still beats the bag out of Front Row 2.0.
Edit: After writing this post, I grabbed my iMac remote and tapped menu, just to see that smooth UI transition from Leopard to Front Row and not even a hiccup in my music playback. Yeah, that's real nice...
No problems for itunes and DVD - the two heavy hitters for me.
The video section in front row never held any strong appeal to me anyhow - as most of my video formats were not supported by quicktime. (I used VLC for them)
Even with 25% of Front Row 1.3.1 permanently disabled, it still beats the bag out of Front Row 2.0.
Edit: After writing this post, I grabbed my iMac remote and tapped menu, just to see that smooth UI transition from Leopard to Front Row and not even a hiccup in my music playback. Yeah, that's real nice...
Yeah, old Front Row is waaaay better. I was wondering about something..
Will this mess up something, if Apple decided to update FR 2.0?
Will this mess up something, if Apple decided to update FR 2.0?
I'm not a programmer, and know next to nothing about code - so I cannot say for sure. I can't imagine Apple intentionally doing something to cause trouble - unlike with the iPhone and Touch - because not many people would be doing this - and Apple doesn't stand to lose anything from the few of us who do.
I can say though, that it is very easy to swap from 1.3.1 to 2.0 and vice-versa. You don't even need the terminal window to do it. So if you try 1.3.1 and do not like it, or have problems - you can re-install 2.0 and it'd be like it was never gone.
I had a crash the first time I launched 1.3.1 - but I chalk that up to the millions of other things I was swapping around in my system without any reboot. I simply restarted, and it was fine thereafter.
I can say though, that it is very easy to swap from 1.3.1 to 2.0 and vice-versa. You don't even need the terminal window to do it. So if you try 1.3.1 and do not like it, or have problems - you can re-install 2.0 and it'd be like it was never gone.
I had a crash the first time I launched 1.3.1 - but I chalk that up to the millions of other things I was swapping around in my system without any reboot. I simply restarted, and it was fine thereafter.
I bought my first mac a few months ago, and Tiger Front Row was one of the many selling points for me. Being a long time user of Windows, I was so impressed that when you pressed the menu button, the desktop went to the background and Front row came up. 2.0 is faster than 1.3 but we're giving up airtunes, continuous music play upon exit and entry of Front row, and a wicked interface for something a little bit faster that looks like something from windows. I don't want to go back to Tiger, because I find spaces and stacks to be very useful. So what do we do now, wait for someone to hack it, or do we sign a petition to tell mac to program front row to meet our expectations.
Again - not being a programmer - or knowing much about them - I can't say if Apple will reformat Front Row. Mainly because the new Front Rows' players are embedded within 10.5 - Unlike in 10.4 - where Front Row used integration with Itunes and Quicktime to play it's files. So for Apple to make a large change like this in Leopard - seems like a stretch. Good example is the Networking and Drive mounting problem in Tiger - that had a very well known habit of hanging up Finder while it "looked around" for a disconnected drive or directory. We didn't get a fix for that until Leopard - it never got fixed in Tiger. I somehow get the sensation that this will be the case with Front Row 2.0. Though I REALLY hope I'm wrong on that. (I am fairly confident Apple will fix the AirTunes issue - and maybe even update to reflect smart playlist and updating within Itunes - but no UI or major overhaul)
I do feel your pain, I felt the EXACT same way with my first experience to Front Row 1.3. It was the first thing to draw me into OSX. (I saw the remote in front of the iMac - thought it was an iPod Shuffle - clicked the button and "WOW!") That started the fire and kept me in front of the iMac. (one hour later I left with it)
PsychoFreak brought up a good program - but it's definitely in the early works - but that may VERY well be a good substitute for you down the road. Depends on where it goes.
Also - upon a lot of digging, there are many rumblings on the VLC forums about a "secret project" that he's being ultra-tight lipped about. But it's going to be "big" for Apple users... And that certainly fires my imagination in one particular direction!
Finally, the 1.3.1 "hack" isn't even really a hack - doesn't involve the terminal window at all. (I couldn't get the terminal window version to work - and it broke my 2.0) My own fault, I knew I wasn't versed enough with Terminal - and I chalk it up to luck I didn't do MORE damage. It was easily fixed once I found the directories that Front Row resides in - I got to them via Finder - swapped New for Old - restarted, and haven't looked back.
So, you're not alone, by a long shot. The best thing you can do otherwise, is going to Apples' feedback page, and voicing your complaints. Try to be specific and to the point, don't say it "sucks", but say factually what you don't like about it, and what you'd rather have instead.
Sorry about yet another response. I seem to be on a long-winded post-replying kick today.
If the biggest things keeping you away from Tiger are Stacks and Spaces - you just might consider staying there. Spaces is not unique to Leopard in any way shape or form. Matter of a fact, in my opinion, a far superior version existed before it in an add-on called: "You Control Desktops" It allowed spaces with snazzy and quick transitions, different wallpapers for each space, and different folders and applications for different spaces. The configuration, power and options makes spaces pale beside it.
As for "Stacks" - Tiger had Hierarchal / Imbedded folders for your Dock - which the pulled to the disdain of many, in Leopard. It didn't look pretty - but you could right-click, and not only access whatever folder you dropped in your dock - but any sub-folder within that. I've been toying with the idea of making a partition for Tiger on my fire wire drive - because there are a quite a few things in Tiger I miss. Unfortunately - 2 or 3 features in Leopard exist that I do need, otherwise the decision would have been final weeks ago.
Thanks for all the input Big-TDI-Guy, all you typing was not in vain. Im not being too stubborn about this Front row deal. Im not going to refuse to use 2.0. I guess I'll just wait and see if Apple at least releases an update that allows continuous music upon start up and exit of front row and maybe an update that lets you choose the look of your interface. Just curious does anyone know what this guy is doing in terminal to "downgrade Front row" It seems a little fishy to me.
http://blog.chaos-paderborn.de/2007/11/01/downgrade-frontrow-on-leopard
http://blog.chaos-paderborn.de/2007/11/01/downgrade-frontrow-on-leopard
That IS fishy - and it bricked my (and another individuals) front row when done - if I'm thinking of the right post.
Let me look up my post - I listed how to do it WITHOUT terminal... Just a sec...
Here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/379779/
Check my reply near the mid-bottom. That is what I did to fix my broken 2.0, and then successfully go back and fourth between 1.3.1 and 2.0.
Good luck.
Check my reply near the mid-bottom. That is what I did to fix my broken 2.0, and then successfully go back and fourth between 1.3.1 and 2.0.
Good luck.
He is doing two things. One is renaming the current front row app to "Front Row 2.0" (so you can still use it). Then after downloading the front row installer from the apple link you are extracting it out of the installer. Presumably with the extracted "Front Row" app you will just drop it in the coreservices directory as well.
Check my link. By keeping both programs / system files on-hand and swapping them into the front row folder depending on what version I wanted to us. I think I explained it fairly straight-forward. If you can't make sense of it - or the links I pasted - PM me and I'll try to help.