# Anyone try Patchstick for Apple TV?



## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Hello everyone, I am interested in buying an Apple TV and was curious if anyone was running this hack. Looks really cool! Anyone buy a refurb lately that could confirm the firmware no. Thanks.


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## An Old Soul (Apr 24, 2006)

It's 1.1, and I haven't tried it. Would like to though, really bad.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks for the reply. Going to try to find a used one which may have 1.0. There is a way to downgrade from 1.1 to 1.0, but seems tricky.


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## ShotNiCam (May 23, 2007)

I bought my refurb'd AppleTV awhile ago and it came with 1.0. But after you've hacked it with a patchstick, you can do a safe update to 1.1 easily.

If you are creating a patchstick for the first time, make sure you are doing it under Tiger because it won't work under Leopard.

The whole point of a patchstick is for you to gain access to AppleTV and install SSH without opening the unit itself. Once that is done, you can install ATVFiles plugin and add additional codecs to Quicktime. 

NitoTV is also a very handy AppleTV plug-in. You can use it to install any needed components to your AppleTV without using command lines.


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## keebler27 (Jan 5, 2007)

Hi Mike,

I don't have one so i don't know, but you may want to hold on...rumours of new Atvs being released 'morrow.

Cheers,
keebler


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

I have heard the rumors, but it is an "older" one I want. The NitoTV is what I would like to use. Found one in town for $200 used. Going to ask the seller to restore to factory settings. If no YouTube, I am in like Flynn.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Contacted the seller and luckily he's a techie. He bought the unit a month ago and overwrote 1.1 to 1.0 permanently. He is also going to set up the patchstick and 1.1-it for me, so it will be ready to go right out of the box. Not a bad deal for $200 even.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Shot, is the safe update to firmware 1.1 done via Nito? Thanks.


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

I wanna get a patchstick so I can update my AppleTV.

Can anyone help out?

Mike: did your seller provide a patchstick? Anything you can share with me?


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Bog, I had already bought the unit with the hack pre-installed. He used a different type of patch anyway. I am going to try the Mac Patchstick this week and let you know how it turns out.

To those with a hacked Apple TV, is there anyway to stream content besides using iTunes. Thanks.


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

I did get my atv hacked. You could stream from any "itunes" servers. Some NAS devices support this.

With the hacks, you can mount a remote AFP or SMB share and play files like that.

I'm planning to create a plugin to Songbird (a an open source and multi=platform media player and manager - an itunes clone) to sync content with atv.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Wow, you're good. I am the one that is going to have to pick your brain lol.


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

I bought a condo last year and it should be completed in June. Since then I've been designing a whole home automation system for controlling lighting, blinds, HVAC and audio/video distribution. The place is wired like you wouldn't believe.

I want to centralize my music and videos so I can play them anywhere in the house (I'll have speakers hidden in the walls of each room) I'm undecided on a NAS device from Synology or Buffalo Tech for storing all my media (both support SMB shares and sharing media via an iTunes server). I don't think Time Capsule has the robustness and reliability I want (i.e. RAID 5 support).

I think AppleTV would be an ideal device for playing the media on TVs (I prefer to store on the NAS). The biggest hurdles of the AppleTV for me are:

1. I want DivX support since there is no source of h.264 content in Canada (in the meantime, I will convert my library to h.264)
2. I want to manage my DivX content (or other formats for that matter) in iTunes
3. I want to store my media library on a network storage device

I'm so close to buying an Xbox 360 to see if this does what I want (though it looks hideous).


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

Bog said:


> I bought a condo last year and it should be completed in June. Since then I've been designing a whole home automation system for controlling lighting, blinds, HVAC and audio/video distribution. The place is wired like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> I want to centralize my music and videos so I can play them anywhere in the house (I'll have speakers hidden in the walls of each room) I'm undecided on a NAS device from Synology or Buffalo Tech for storing all my media (both support SMB shares and sharing media via an iTunes server). I don't think Time Capsule has the robustness and reliability I want (i.e. RAID 5 support).
> 
> ...


I've tried using the PS3 as a uPnP receiver streaming from my Mac using EyeConnect as well as NullRiver's MediaLink.
The results are dissapointing to say the least.
Could be the PS3 firmware, but is not the router or wired/wireless doesn't seem to matter.
Usually 40-50 mins into playback, the PS3 will drop the connection.
And you have to restart from the begining.
And you can't really fast forward through it, cause its streaming.

Works fine if you copy it over to the local HD through EyeConnect.

I assume similar results would ensue with a XBox.
The PS3 is currently more interesting because its DiVX certified and Sony plans to release Divx movies for download.

My AppleTV (I haven't hacked it) hasn't really exhibited these symptoms, but I agree its a pain to setup for H.264 content.

So maybe I'll take a crack at it if I'm not doing much this weekend.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

Bog said:


> I think AppleTV would be an ideal device for playing the media on TVs (I prefer to store on the NAS). The biggest hurdles of the AppleTV for me are:
> 
> 1. I want DivX support since there is no source of h.264 content in Canada (in the meantime, I will convert my library to h.264)
> 2. I want to manage my DivX content (or other formats for that matter) in iTunes
> 3. I want to store my media library on a network storage device


Isn't all of this just so much easier if you ditch the AppleTV and get a good Mini?


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

I should add, that its fine for TV shows most of the time.
And picture quality is very good and codecs have good support.
Just longer length items are an issue.
Music and photos show up nicely.
Can't play any DRMed content obviously.


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

The Mac Mini doesn't have HDMi nor have I compared FR or media center alternatives.

I like the form factor of the Apple TV and true A/V connections on the rear. The AppleTV is also much cheaper.


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

Bog said:


> The Mac Mini doesn't have HDMi nor have I compared FR or media center alternatives.
> 
> I like the form factor of the Apple TV and true A/V connections on the rear. The AppleTV is also much cheaper.


The mini's not bad if you can get it at the right price point.
A DVI-HDMI cable will do the trick, but you'll have to deal with stopping the bleeding on the display edges.

I look (and hope) at the Apple TV as Apple's (current) future direction for traditional living room media content delivery - case in point being the support for HD movie rental content restricted to the Apple TV.
Not saying that restriction will last, but other examples will be sure to follow.
And it works like an iPod - given that people are familiar with that use paradigm, it is likely to reduce the technology barrier to adoption - even more so if you take into account the fact that it now no longer requires a computer to work.

I think both are good choices within the parameters of what's more suitable for a particular indivudual's requirements and budget and skill level.


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## cchaynes (Oct 25, 2007)

Bog said:


> I bought a condo last year and it should be completed in June. Since then I've been designing a whole home automation system for controlling lighting, blinds, HVAC and audio/video distribution. The place is wired like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> I want to centralize my music and videos so I can play them anywhere in the house (I'll have speakers hidden in the walls of each room) I'm undecided on a NAS device from Synology or Buffalo Tech for storing all my media (both support SMB shares and sharing media via an iTunes server). I don't think Time Capsule has the robustness and reliability I want (i.e. RAID 5 support).
> 
> ...



pardon my saying so, but as much as i love macs and apple tv, you might want to consider a "Control4" system...

it would be a bit more $, but would stream, music, movies, any other device from a central ocation with a UI on the TV, and in rooms with no screen, they have keypads with matching UI. very slick, just run 10 times as much cat5 as you think you will need


you can even turn long double runs of cat5 into HDMI

it really is a slick affordable system


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

Apple TV is only for playing videos.

Control4 is actually the system I'm planning for automation with Audio Authority for distributing video.


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## cchaynes (Oct 25, 2007)

Bog said:


> Apple TV is only for playing videos.
> 
> Control4 is actually the system I'm planning for automation with Audio Authority for distributing video.


perfect!

you can serve up one apple tv to the entire house!

that said they are so cheap, could go local and have one itunes DB to share....

the only real gaps are 

internet audio streams

and live /recorded tv


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

udio authority lets me centralize all the video sources. So, I could have a Rogers PVR box in the same location and distribute to any TV. However, I rarely watch TV (but love movies and certain programs). I actually download video podcasts for news (CBC and Global).

I am very interested in the the rental capabilities of the Apple TV., especially if I can subscribe only to the TV shows I like (I've created a US iTunes Store account).

With the ATV hacks I can stream internet radio (still to be tested).

I just ordered an Elgato Hybrid TV tuner to experiment with.

Do you have any hands on experience with Control4?


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## cchaynes (Oct 25, 2007)

no, ihave fiddled with it, but not installed it yet

the only concern with hacking atv is will the update still work and allow you to even get video downloads, i suppose we wont know until the update is out for a while...

does elgato record HD streams?

the other thing i dont like in the stock atv interface is no ability to organize your videos, it is all dumped into "movies"


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

The EyeTV Hybrid does receive HD feeds so I expect it can record them.

I have mixed feelings about the ATV hacks and native features. I can factory reset and test the new updates and factory reset to patchstick again. I expect a safe upgrade will eventually be available.

It wasn't easy, but, development for the iPhone is beginning to opening up with an SDK. This is important for their strategy to make the iPhone a "mainstream wi-fi mobile platform" and break into the corporate world. I hope the same approach will come to Apple TV with an SDK (I like to think this is an obvious transition).

I'm watching the development of XBMC port to Linux and hopefully to Apple TV. This could have a big impact on the available features and user experience (yes, we should be able to group content better).


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

I still can't get Perian installed after numerous attempts. I was able to safely update to 1.1 using Nito, but now YouTube only sends audio with no video feed. Anyone know a neat trick or workaround?


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

My patchstick included Perian.

Do you have ATVLoader installed? If it's setup properly you can download Perian from it's menu.


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## mikeinmontreal (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks Bog. I will check tonight. The seller burnt me a DVD with the files to make a patchstick, but he did it differently as compared to the Mac Guide. I don't think Nito was on there and he installed it separately using Terminal. Should I download Nito again and patch it thru to Frontrow on the AppleTV Network using the Terminal commands?


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## Bog (Jan 17, 2008)

Send me a PM with your email.

I downloaded a patchstick image from a torrent site and used DD to copy it to a 1GB thumb drive. This boots and installs Perian for me. I added ATVLoader to my patchstick so now I can install stuff from the ATV.


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## atvpatch (May 12, 2008)

Contact me if you need a 2.0 or 2.02 Patchstick.


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