Noob: A Few Questions Please!!

thepainter · 04-14-2008, 10:43 AM

I recently purchased a 40Gb ATV after getting rid of my Popcorn Hour A-100 which played everything and did a good job of it but just didn't have the finished look that I wanted, cover Art and the polished look that Apple seems to just have. I have 500GB of backed up movies which I have running on a NAS and was hoping I would be able to get to them using the Hacks that I have been reading about. I have a mac-mini (1st Gen) that I have been using as an answering machine(Phonevalet), video/music server and is on 24/7, OS X.4.11. Alot of the hacks I have been raeding about either needs Leopard or an Intel Mac and I am a little confused.

1. Can I Hack my ATV (came with 2.0) with a PPC, OS X.4.11 - I would prefer not to open it but am not against it if I have to.

2. Once hacked can I access my NAS drive to get to my movies mainly (.avi).

3. If I can do #2 then is there a way to get the "Eye Candy" Cover Art etc.

4. I'm a little nervous working in Terminal, can I copy and paste the commands used in the tutorials?

Thanks very mauch and I apologies if this has been asked and answered previously.

Paul

stinkingshoe · 04-15-2008, 07:18 PM

Yes, you can certainly hack an appletv that came with version 1.1 or greater software on it without opening the case.

awkwardtv.org has a LOT of tutorials on this type of thing.. but basically it involves creating (or downloading though most people frown upon it) a USB "Patchstick". It contains the same boot.efi that the appletv does.

Basically once that is made, you plug it into the USB slot at back (with the AC power to the Appletv unplugged) then plug in power cable once USB stick is in.

It SHOULD boot from the USB Patchstick, mount the drive as writable and add sshd (secure shell daemon).

Then you turn off your Atv, remove the usb and boot it up normally.

You should now be able to login through ssh, and yes, this involves terminal.

Terminal is by far the fastest way to do almost anything. There's so much support out there for doing things, it really just requires a google search, and some copying and pasting of the commands.

I got a refurb 40 Gig appletv that I use mainly for streaming xVids off my windows PC through samba shares. Mine came with 1.1 on it, so once I got SSH on my appletv, I just overwrote the 1.1 Factory Restore image with the old 1.0 image. Once that was done, it's just a matter of doing a factory restore and everything has been downgraded, and is now ready to be hacked!

Google and AwkwardTV will be your best friend,

Cheers

thepainter · 04-16-2008, 11:09 AM

Thanks for the response - I have done quite a bit of research and planned to use the patchstick method but my main concern is that I have a PPC, Tiger 10.4.11 computer and noticed alot of these programs require an Intel machine, I'm not sure but even doing the Patchstick the tutorial I saw mentioned an intel machine.

Will ATV Files, Nito, Sapphire etc work with a PPC?
I have noticed a few "Patchsticks" in the Torrents but I'm not too sure I want to experiment with those. I guess my main concern is that it will work with a PPC.

Thanks Again - Any suggestions or answers WELCOME!

drag0n · 04-16-2008, 01:35 PM

You can use the windows method - using DD to create a patchstick from an image. See this wiki wiki.atv4windows.com/index.php?title=Main_Page for instructions and a free link to a working patchstick image.

Once you have enabled SSH you can install all plugins from your PPC (the installation takes place on the ATV, so it doesn't matter which platform you're using).

tom1971 · 06-03-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thepainter

Thanks for the response - I have done quite a bit of research and planned to use the patchstick method but my main concern is that I have a PPC, Tiger 10.4.11 computer and noticed alot of these programs require an Intel machine, I'm not sure but even doing the Patchstick the tutorial I saw mentioned an intel machine.

Will ATV Files, Nito, Sapphire etc work with a PPC?
I have noticed a few "Patchsticks" in the Torrents but I'm not too sure I want to experiment with those. I guess my main concern is that it will work with a PPC.

Thanks Again - Any suggestions or answers WELCOME!

Have you been successful?

thepainter · 06-04-2008, 10:54 AM

Success - I borrowed a friends PC Laptop and did the patchstick. However it failed the first two times only because I didn't have the right Memory Stick, I used a Kingston 1GB. I got a PNY 2GB stick did the same procedure using DD and it worked. I then followed the instructions to "AppleTV Shared Hard Drive" in the Wiki to access my 1TB NAS Drive. I then followed the "AppleTV USB Hard Drive" in the wiki to add an external HD using the USB Port for my sons Movies. I got a program called AppleTVdatamaker that you point to your movies folder and it goes out and gets all the Meta Data and the few I didn't get I did a Google Image search and put them in the folders for the movies. Now I have everything working exactly how I want it and now I'm doing everything I can, not to add the new Patch stick update so I don't screw up my setup - But I'm a Gotta have the latest Hack Guy - I'm still holding out though.
My NAS takes about 10 seconds to find but then is very responsive. My external HD hooked to the USB Port is INSTANT no lag just BAM. I have my backups in .avi format and I have done them mostly compressed to about 2GB per and aside from some fast action scenes the picture is great - at least for me. So - I am a HAPPY camper.

tom1971 · 06-04-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thepainter

I then followed the instructions to "AppleTV Shared Hard Drive" in the Wiki to access my 1TB NAS Drive.

Where did you find these instructions? On which version did you do your hack?
Is it a windows share or mac OS X ? Can you access a share on your imacs harddrive or does this only work with NAS?

thepainter · 06-05-2008, 11:10 AM

I got my ATV with version 2.0 so I did the Patchstick for 2.0. I found all the info here .. Sorry, I'm a new member so I'm not allowed to post URL's yet (I need 15 posts).... but if you look to the left it should be in the "Wiki" . I think you might need to sign up to be a member to access this stuff but I'm not sure.

Quote:

Can you access a share on your imacs harddrive or does this only work with NAS?

Forgive me, I originally planned to access via my NAS but it is actually a share on my Mac Mini, a WD1TB External drive. You will actually have to change the name of the drive to "shared" but all that is in the wiki under the advanced Guide section. For right now it does what I need to a 'T' so I think I'll just keep it at 2.0 until something comes up that I really need. I can access my ATV with a program called 'FUGU' and transfer my movies to my drives that way, but it is very SLOOOOW. So for my USB connection I just unplug it and plug it into my laptop do the transfer and then plug it back in to the ATV - MUCH faster. I think with this new version you can actually mount your ATV as a share - I'm not a 100% on that.

Paul

stinkingshoe · 06-06-2008, 05:29 PM

I usually stream files over the network with mine.. however when I want to take my AppleTV on a road trip (DVD player in car) or to a friend's house, I use FTP to drop files onto it...

I've got a gigabit switch, and gigabit lan card in my machine... although I don't know the exact specs of the appleTV as to whether it has gigabit lan on it, to transfer a 700MB file via ethernet is only about 40 seconds

04-14-2008, 10:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
thepainter Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Noob: A Few Questions Please!! I recently purchased a 40Gb ATV after getting rid of my Popcorn Hour A-100 which played everything and did a good job of it but just didn't have the finished look that I wanted, cover Art and the polished look that Apple seems to just have. I have 500GB of backed up movies which I have running on a NAS and was hoping I would be able to get to them using the Hacks that I have been reading about. I have a mac-mini (1st Gen) that I have been using as an answering machine(Phonevalet), video/music server and is on 24/7, OS X.4.11. Alot of the hacks I have been raeding about either needs Leopard or an Intel Mac and I am a little confused. 1. Can I Hack my ATV (came with 2.0) with a PPC, OS X.4.11 - I would prefer not to open it but am not against it if I have to. 2. Once hacked can I access my NAS drive to get to my movies mainly (.avi). 3. If I can do #2 then is there a way to get the "Eye Candy" Cover Art etc. 4. I'm a little nervous working in Terminal, can I copy and paste the commands used in the tutorials? Thanks very mauch and I apologies if this has been asked and answered previously. Paul

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04-15-2008, 07:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
stinkingshoe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5	Yes, you can certainly hack an appletv that came with version 1.1 or greater software on it without opening the case. awkwardtv.org has a LOT of tutorials on this type of thing.. but basically it involves creating (or downloading though most people frown upon it) a USB "Patchstick". It contains the same boot.efi that the appletv does. Basically once that is made, you plug it into the USB slot at back (with the AC power to the Appletv unplugged) then plug in power cable once USB stick is in. It SHOULD boot from the USB Patchstick, mount the drive as writable and add sshd (secure shell daemon). Then you turn off your Atv, remove the usb and boot it up normally. You should now be able to login through ssh, and yes, this involves terminal. Terminal is by far the fastest way to do almost anything. There's so much support out there for doing things, it really just requires a google search, and some copying and pasting of the commands. I got a refurb 40 Gig appletv that I use mainly for streaming xVids off my windows PC through samba shares. Mine came with 1.1 on it, so once I got SSH on my appletv, I just overwrote the 1.1 Factory Restore image with the old 1.0 image. Once that was done, it's just a matter of doing a factory restore and everything has been downgraded, and is now ready to be hacked! Google and AwkwardTV will be your best friend, Cheers

04-16-2008, 11:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
thepainter Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Thanks for the response - I have done quite a bit of research and planned to use the patchstick method but my main concern is that I have a PPC, Tiger 10.4.11 computer and noticed alot of these programs require an Intel machine, I'm not sure but even doing the Patchstick the tutorial I saw mentioned an intel machine. Will ATV Files, Nito, Sapphire etc work with a PPC? I have noticed a few "Patchsticks" in the Torrents but I'm not too sure I want to experiment with those. I guess my main concern is that it will work with a PPC. Thanks Again - Any suggestions or answers WELCOME!

04-16-2008, 01:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
drag0n Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1	You can use the windows method - using DD to create a patchstick from an image. See this wiki wiki.atv4windows.com/index.php?title=Main_Page for instructions and a free link to a working patchstick image. Once you have enabled SSH you can install all plugins from your PPC (the installation takes place on the ATV, so it doesn't matter which platform you're using).

06-04-2008, 10:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
thepainter Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Success - I borrowed a friends PC Laptop and did the patchstick. However it failed the first two times only because I didn't have the right Memory Stick, I used a Kingston 1GB. I got a PNY 2GB stick did the same procedure using DD and it worked. I then followed the instructions to "AppleTV Shared Hard Drive" in the Wiki to access my 1TB NAS Drive. I then followed the "AppleTV USB Hard Drive" in the wiki to add an external HD using the USB Port for my sons Movies. I got a program called AppleTVdatamaker that you point to your movies folder and it goes out and gets all the Meta Data and the few I didn't get I did a Google Image search and put them in the folders for the movies. Now I have everything working exactly how I want it and now I'm doing everything I can, not to add the new Patch stick update so I don't screw up my setup - But I'm a Gotta have the latest Hack Guy - I'm still holding out though. My NAS takes about 10 seconds to find but then is very responsive. My external HD hooked to the USB Port is INSTANT no lag just BAM. I have my backups in .avi format and I have done them mostly compressed to about 2GB per and aside from some fast action scenes the picture is great - at least for me. So - I am a HAPPY camper.

06-06-2008, 05:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
stinkingshoe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5	I usually stream files over the network with mine.. however when I want to take my AppleTV on a road trip (DVD player in car) or to a friend's house, I use FTP to drop files onto it... I've got a gigabit switch, and gigabit lan card in my machine... although I don't know the exact specs of the appleTV as to whether it has gigabit lan on it, to transfer a 700MB file via ethernet is only about 40 seconds