Get color output from Apple TV’s composite video output

If this really works, you deserve the Nobel!

Yep except that so far i haven't seen any other testimony so let's wait another user. Is this special HDMI/DVI (presented in the video) required or any HDMI/DVI might do the job ?

What do you mean by "STAND"? Do you mean move the highlight to it, but don't activate it? Should this be read as "STAY" or "HOVER" or "HIGHLIGHT"?

Now, if someone could figure out a similar trick to force the Apple TV to letterbox the output, my old 36" Toshiba TV would stop displaying tall actors. ;-)

(and no, it doesn't have a 16:9/anamorphic mode)

Gracias Mauricio.
Mi apple tv funciona con mi vieja television. He comprado un adaptador de hdmi a dvi y un adaptador de dvi a rga.
Funciona a la perfeccion. Incluso con mas definicion "576i-50Hz".Con solo 10€ funciona de maravilla...
Gracias.
Jose Quintero

Great job, did work for me even that instead of s-video I used SCART on the other end.
The requested thing is that dvi-vga adapter connected to that hdmi-dvi adapter, will not work without that ... forgot that at the begining and didn't worked without.

You can enable composite by software. See http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Composite

Many thanks - finally a solution that worked - I used a standard HDMI - > DVI cable + a standard DVI - > VGA adapter and now have my Apple TV running at a resolution 576i (PAL Plus)

Something wrong, i use HDMI - DVI cable and i still have B/W. Something wrong i cannot figure out.

there is an adapter that does it in one step; component to s-video... svideo.com has them

es klappt super
danke an den Meister :-)

i'm trying to do this, i have a monster brand hdmi to dvi adapter.

i'm confused as to what you mean by "STAND" on 480P. could you let me know?

Liam, STAND means highlight. Basically, you just want to highlight the 480p entry while you do the rest of the operation.

Unfortunately, doesn't seem to work with AppleTV 2.0...
I just bought HDMI-DVI and DVI-VGA adapters because the software methode doesn't work anymore since ssh is impossible by upgrade.
Multiple tries, but the image never comes back after replugging composite cable.
Too bad...

It finally works on AppleTV 2.0 but you have to plug the composite wire BEFORE you unplug the HDMI-DVI adapter on step 5.

This tip works beautifully.

The DVI-VGA adapter is included as standard in a Mac Mini, so I only had to buy the HDMI-DVI and then borrow the DVI-VGA from the Mini for a couple of minutes to play this little trick.

Thanks a lot for this.

Sure it worked? I tried but nothing happened :(
right steps should be:
* Plug your composite-yellow in the green “slot” (this will give you an image, but BW)
* head over to resolution and set it to 480i (not sure if this step is needed tho)
* now STAND on 480p and unplug the composite-yellow, plug an HDMI-DVI adapter
* press “ok” on the remote and count to 5
* replug the composite-yellow then unplug the HDMI-DVI adapter and when the image comes back, it comes back full color!

Right?

It worked, you were right....I connected the HDMI-DVI adapter to a monitor and then followed the instructions and it finally worked!

If you turn the ATV off do you have to do this trick every time you power off. Or it real remember this setting and stay on the color setting every time you power the ATV on?

Works absolutely fine for me with an @TV v 1.0 on my Sony 16/9 100Hz VCR TV, here in Belgium. Note that i plugged the yellow cable back before unplugging the HDMI/DVI/DVI/VGA "combo-tool... and i had to complete the operation after the upgrade towards V. 2.0.1...

Wow what a great discovery! fyi also works with new updated software version 2.0.2 just plug in the composite then unplug hdmi in step 5.

Yep just did it on 2.0.2, I followed the instruction on the comment just before, plugged back the composite before removing the HDMI, bought the adapters on ebay for $6.

I liked the hack, however, I noticed that my AppleTV sometimes reset itself somewhat randomly, resulting in having to perform the hack again, since the AppleTV defaulted to the original settings. In addition, if the power went out I had to perform the hack again.

The other thing I did not like about the hack was that once you do the hack you will notice that the only resolution that is available in the video resolution settings is 480i and 576i; you can't even see the other resolutions. The hack effectively disables the HDMI output, so if I wanted to connect via HDMI again, I had to reset the AppleTV to the default settings.

Of course, the other downside of the hack was having to find a VGA to HDMI adapter, which I only found at svideo com. The other option was to get use two adapters, a VGA-DVI and then a DVI to HDMI, fortunately I found both cheap at svideo com and got free shipping and fast delivery.

Has anybody tried this on the newly released 2.1 firmware? It doesn't sound like the update messes with anything relating to video output but I'm not willing to try it ;).

Also, the DVI-VGA part is superfluous, especially if you don't have the parts lying around. The trick works equally well with just a HDMI-DVI connector if you short circuit pins 14 and 16 on the DVI side (very easy to do if the DVI is female). You can find the DVI pin layout on Wikipedia, 14 is +5 Volt and 16 is "hot plug detect". Essentially this is all the DVI-VGA adapter does.

Some DVI-VGA adapters don't do this, and if you are having trouble getting this trick to work, try it with a switched off monitor plugged into the VGA end.

I can confirm composite color works with the new 2.1 update.
I used the software hack as described in http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Composite .
Haven't tried the HDMI-DVI trick though.

Just updated to 2.1 and the HDMI-DVI-VGA trick works just fine.
but just like 2.0.2 you have to plug the green back in before removing the adapter.

And now internet Radio seems to work as expected, I hope they won't vanish like on 2.0.2 and need a re-sync.

CONFIRMATION in Apple 2.1. it works also with HDMI(male)-DVI(female) only (pins 16 and 14 short circuited with paperclip :) ) only thing you need is to follow yellow light in front is becoming white after plugging in the adapter - basically when resolution is changed after no confirmation (new future in latest firmware). I am not sure about the sequence of replugging green and removing adapter, but there are only two options luckily and the original worked for me.

Just updated to 2.3 (released 11-19-2008) and this tricks still works !!! It's great

Works in ATV 2.3

so i used an HDMI to DVI adapter and just short circuited pins 1 and 16 and it worked perfectly!!!

Works on AppleTV 2.3 with pin 14& 16 trick !!!

I tried a thousand times all possible ways but nothing happened. Only black and white.I have an 2.1 apple tv.

Works after Apple TV Software Update 2.3.1

Perfect! It still works, thanks!