xbmc/boxee on Apple TV
as we were just starting to work on boxee the first version of Apple TV came out.
it looked great, the boot video was amazing, but then it lacked some basic stuff (video format limitation, ability to connect to multiple sources, streaming of photos, connectivity to other Internet services, etc.). so we stuck to our Mac Minis, which are more expensive but don’t make you live in a closed garden.
when Scott Davilla told us he is working on getting xbmc/boxee to run on Apple TV we got really excited. we dusted off the Apple TV units..
earlier today Scott released the USB flash drive creator for the AppleTV, which makes it relatively easy to get your Apple TV to run xbmc/boxee.
it adds a new menu option to your Apple TV that enables the user to launch boxee (as well as keep on using the Frontrow stuff). once you run boxee on Apple TV you can do stuff like play almost any video format, get a much richer experience of browsing your media library, listen to music from last.fm, send recommendations to friends, and more. you get the full boxee experience.
how to install boxee on your Apple TV:
- download the ATVUSB-Creator from http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/
- insert a “bootable” USB drive into your Mac (Windows and Linux versions coming soon)
- run the ATVUSB-Creator and select which plug-ins you’d like to install
- remove the USB drive and plug it into your Apple TV
- power on your Apple TV and the patchstick will run the ATV bootloader
- after the bootloader finishes, remove it and restart your Apple TV
- it now has options for Boxee / XBMC on the main menu
- click on Boxee, then select update (this will download boxee from the Internet)
- once boxee is done installing, restart your Apple TV
- disable your Apple TV screensaver (set it to ‘never’)
- click “Boxee”, then select “Boxee” in the sub-menu to start boxee.
update from Gidon Coussin:
try to disable the default Apple TV screen saver. it may cause xbmc/boxee to freeze (or more accurately lose control of the remote)
update from Scott Davilla:
Quick Help
1) if the sha1 checksum fails, then the download of 2Z694-5428-3.dmg failed and you need to delete it from the downloads folder.
2) WARNING DO NOT RUN THE USB PATCHSTICK TWICE, there is an error that will require a AppleTV Factory Restore to fix if you run the PATCHSTICK twice. Much apologies if this has happened and a new version is on it’s way up. Once again, DO NOT RUN a patchstick made from atvusb-creator-1.0.0.b1.tar.gz TWICE.
3) And take the spaces out of the name of the folder name in atvusb-creator-1.0.b2.tar.gz
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This looks like a great app. Can anyone send me an invite?
Hey guys, Happy New Year!
Been reading with avid interest about Boxee on ATV. I have just taken plunge and installed via ATVUSB Creator (now there’s a couple of talented guys helping out the rest of us!).
I have installed Boxee OK from menu, but it then askes to ‘LOGIN’ or ‘NEW USER’. I select the latter but then comes up with just a username/password box….no option to CREATE new user details. I then ended up on website being referred to the registration page for the ‘alpha’…with a 4-6 week wait for an ‘invitation’?? Can I get one, or can I be registered for the previous version as I would love to start using functionality. Many thanks !
may i receive an invite? i’m all set with download on ATV an’ ready to roll….
Great instructions. I was inspired by your article at the possibility of getting some net content onto the main HD tv instead of kinking my neck trying to watch movies and tv on my Powermac.
I finally got an appleTV, hacked it with a usb stick and now I need a invite to get a username and password. Can anybody help me out.
he’s a strange one … everything loaded fine on to the apple tv and shows up in the menu. click on boxee and get … a blank screen. when you click the remote it makes sounds like it’s working, just no display. other apps work totally fine. anyone else run into this?
Very informative stuff – thanks for sharing ^^ If you’re willing to share, what is the theme have you got at the moment? I want to know if it’s a free one.
This site looked great, the boot video was amazing.thanks
yo good folk… have ATV… like everyone else here, and my self applied account is not recognized in Boxee, someone send me an inV puulease!
cheers
The Cav.
i install atv creator i cant access boxee go nowhere anyone can help thank you
I followed the directions 3 times over and get the same result.
When I try to launch Boxee I get half an Apple and then the screen flashes white, then goes blank/black and either goes back to the main menu or just stays there until I tell it to go to the main menu.
I followed the directions 3 times over and get the same result.
When I try to launch Boxee I get half an Apple and then the screen flashes white, then goes blank/black and either goes back to the main menu or just stays there until I tell it to go to the main menu.