Get more from your shiny box of joy
Just in case you were unaware, XBMC has finally released an Eden copy of XBMC for your old Apple TV (1st generation). Though this 1st gen device is not the easiest to load XBMC on to, it is by no means impossible. If you simply follow these steps, from beginning to end, you will be enjoying unlimited multimedia goodness in no time.
Patchstick.ca, a creator of Patchstick – software enhancement for the first generation Apple TV, has just announced that their first product for Apple TV 2 – Installer – is currently being tested and will be released very soon (“no later than February 15th, possibly a few days earlier”). Installer will allow you to install and maintain 3rd party plugins (such as Overflow, XBMC, Groovy, Exposed, Plex, BT Stack and others) with the click of your remote.
In case you didn’t have enough fun hacking your boxes for 3.0 update, here it comes…another “revolutionary” update. Apple says it prevents content from temporarily disappearing. According to them, when you have to update to 3.0.1? “When you are using Apple TV software version 3.0 and all of your movies, TV shows, and songs appear to be missing” or “When you are using Apple TV software version 3.0 and all of your movies, TV shows, and songs appear to be present, but you have not yet updated to Apple TV software version 3.0.1.” Interesting… Wasn’t it easier with “Don’t think too much, update your box immediately!”…?
Official Apple instructions here.
- XBMC launched beta 3 of Launcher 3.2.
We can confirm now – it’s compatible with 3.0.1
- Boxee says it is already working in 3.0.1 (with Launcher 3.2 beta 3)
Also confirmed.
- nitoTV released 0.8.2 version with 3.0.1 support
(RSS, USB and watchdog patches updated for 3.0.1 as well)
- aTV Flash released 4.0.1 version with 3.0.1 compatibility.
- Patchstick 3.0.1 is also available (with Sapphire and RSS)
You need to use LaunchMore version 0.4 or 0.4.1 to apply this update.
It took not more than a few days to get almost all the important hacks and plugins working in 3.0 update.
nitoTV
Released yesterday, 0.8.1 version (direct download) now supports 3.0 update.
nito says some features may have no chance of making it back in. Couchsurfer and RSS are not working, but they have restored the functionality for DVD, MPlayer, QuickTime, Weather, Network, download, installer and Application Launching sections.
Audio volume and sub toggling and resume returns in QuickTime playback! It is possible to turn off the volume control in General settings if this is not a desirable feature.
Guys warn things may be a little buggy from the OS transition.
Follow nitoTV thread at Hackint0sh.org
XBMC
Patchstick.ca has released the first Twitter client for the Apple TV – aTVitter.
On his blog dannyruchtie.nl, Danny has published short but exhaustive tutorial on how to hack the Apple TV to run boxee, XBMC and enable an external hard drive.
