Author Topic: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV  (Read 5053 times)

talmage

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LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« on: December 05, 2007, 09:00:10 pm »
I've seen a few threads about porting LinuxMCE to AppleTV but nothing about using an unmodified AppleTV with LinuxMCE.

What would it take for LinuxMCE to offer iTunes-like services?  If it could do that, then people could use unmodified AppleTVs.  The protocol is understood, at least in part.  See the Firefly Media Server, which is supported by Roku Labs for their Soundbridge audio players.

( 8) BTW, this is my first post on this board.)

DeadPenguin

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2007, 06:38:30 am »
why do so many people want to use that crippled box for anything? I like to hack stuff and I want NO part of that. I would rather try to run debian on my toaster. I am not sure what one costs now a days but I think you can make a respectable MD for similar cost.

Welcome talmage. Before you think I am a mac hater. I am writing this from my intel mac pro.
regards,
Blair

table9

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2007, 07:20:17 am »
Besides the cost, form factor, power usage, HDMI interface, Intel CPU and ram.  I cannot think of a single reason =)

kiwiMCE

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2007, 08:12:02 am »
Hahaha nice. I am working on a car install on one at the moment. Looking OK so far and 1/3 the price of a Mini.
Certainly as a stand-alone entertainment system it is beautiful, I can't imagine it would be anything less under Linux MCE

totallymaxed

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2007, 08:48:47 am »
why do so many people want to use that crippled box for anything? I like to hack stuff and I want NO part of that. I would rather try to run debian on my toaster. I am not sure what one costs now a days but I think you can make a respectable MD for similar cost.

Welcome talmage. Before you think I am a mac hater. I am writing this from my intel mac pro.
regards,
Blair

Well... I think there is room for a group of people here that are interested in working with the AppleTV.... and your Toaster too ;-)
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table9

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2007, 09:26:41 am »
Maxed,
If we could get a good developer involved in the project to port it to the appletv we would be set (hint, hint)

totallymaxed

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2007, 05:09:45 pm »
Maxed,
If we could get a good developer involved in the project to port it to the appletv we would be set (hint, hint)

I agree ;-) ..... any good developers out there interested?
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talmage

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2007, 07:52:03 pm »
why do so many people want to use that crippled box for anything? I like to hack stuff and I want NO part of that. I would rather try to run debian on my toaster. I am not sure what one costs now a days but I think you can make a respectable MD for similar cost.

That's a fair question, DeadPenguin.  I'll tell you why I'm interested.  So you don't have to wonder, I didn't take offense at your reply.

I'm interested in it because of the low price.  It's about $200 refurbished on EBay and about $220 refurbished from Apple.  It has the HD monitor output built-in.  It could be a decent, inexpensive front end to LinuxMCE.

Alternatively, AppleTV could be a standalone TV/movie box that uses the HDHomeRun tuner and elgato EyeTv.  There's a $200 bundle.  I'd have to be sure that the instructions for running EyeTV on AppleTV at AwkwardTV turn out to be true.  I could have a decent, inexpensive front end for LinuxMCE or maybe it would stand alone.

I'm also interested because it looks like it doesn't require a lot of hacking on my part.  I'm not interested in building hobby systems any more.  I'm interested in something that works now or nearly now. 

AppleTV isn't ideal.  It only does 720p, not the 1080i/p that I can receive OTA.  But for just a couple hundred dollars, it might be good enough.

What I'm not sure of is how well AppleTV is or can be integrated into a LinuxMCE system.  That's why I asked about adapting LinuxMCE for use with it instead of forcing LinuxMCI into it.  So far, I don't see that LinuxMCE works in any way with AppleTV.

Having said all this, it might be that the $544 Fiire Station set top box cube with DVD drive is a better appliance.  I know that it has 1080i output and is already supported by LinuxMCE.  The extra $344 might be worth the hassle factor.

Dave

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Re: LinuxMCE serving AppleTV
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2008, 01:59:41 pm »
why do so many people want to use that crippled box for anything? I like to hack stuff and I want NO part of that. I would rather try to run debian on my toaster. I am not sure what one costs now a days but I think you can make a respectable MD for similar cost.

As I can see AppleTV is only one candidate to use as VESA mount media director with supporting UI2 (it uses nVidia). Because 1" FiireStation practically doesn't support alpha blended UI2.
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