I've heard of some folks with reported success in getting linux up and running on appleTV hardware.
http://www.mythic-beasts.com/resources/appletv/
It would be very interesting if someone got it working and loaded up linuxMCE on it.
Rdac,
We have been talking about this in this thread.
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=2358.0
Getting linux on there can be done, but the best solution seems to be adding myth tv on the OS natively. If we can get the distro to work natively with OSx it would allow both apple tv and the mac mini to be media directors. I will be testing apple tv in a couple of weeks when I get the other functionality working. Disadvantage is you lose the non myth functionality. Links to get it in OSx are included in the thread above.
I don't know if I agree that it would be the best solution - at least in the context on linuxMCE.
Just getting MythTV frontend on it is not puttling linuxMCE on it - it just becomes another MythTV frontend for which you can currently use a modded xbox or various other things.
The advantage of using it would to be get it to run as a full media director - because it is relatively inexpensive and looks nice plus it seems to have the bits that an MD needs (TV out, DVD drive, remote control, low noise, SFF, good audio out).
If you are going to be happy with MythTV functionality then I would suggest don't bother with linuxMCE at all - it just makes it harder. Just go with a dedicated MythTV distribution.
Darren,
Yes I agree the goal is full LMCE on it. Right now to do so you have to install linux on the ATV and then get all of the drivers working. Check the links on the other thread for more information on the install process and what is and isn't working. I am pretty sure in a short amount of time the Linux install will be good enough to directly install LMCE on it with no major issues. Until those are resolved is you want basic functionality you may want to go with the the Myth for apple install. The best solution IMO be a LMCE that would natively install on OSx similar to the myth install I have linked to. I will be trying both the linux and native myth installs and report back on how I do.
Links so you do not need to go to the other thread
Linux install not Kubuntu but should be doable
http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Linux_on_Apple_TV
Myth on Mac (should be doable to get LMCE on it)
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_MythFrontend_on_an_AppleTV
Link from 1audio on resources to get Linux on ATV
http://www.mythic-beasts.com/resources/appletv/
Related to getting AppleTV to run as a media director:
I have a MythTV frontend running on a minimal Debian etch installation on my AppleTV.
Currently, the major stumbling block to having a Linux distro automagically install is that the firmware on the AppleTV will only load Apple-signed bootloaders.
To get Linux installed, or have LinuxMCE netboot it, requires installing a secondary bootloader (the one from MysticBeasts).
This can be done by either:
- removing the harddrive from the AppleTV, mounting it on another machine and installing everything
- forcing the AppleTV to boot off a USB stick - requiring that you have a copy of the proprietary Apple bootloader on your USB stick already
The first option voids the warranty and doesn't qualify as "automagically installing", and the second involves a non-distributable Apple binary.
Is there something special about the hard drive or could a generic drive be substituted and the original stored should warranty service be needed? What video formats does the Myth setup support on that platform?
Quote from: 1audio on November 11, 2007, 07:42:04 AM
Is there something special about the hard drive or could a generic drive be substituted and the original stored should warranty service be needed?
Nothing special about the harddrive at all. The one in mine is a Fujitsu MHW2040A: a 2.5" 40GB drive with 44-pin ATA interface.
Quote from: 1audio on November 11, 2007, 07:42:04 AMWhat video formats does the Myth setup support on that platform?
Any formats that MythTV normally supports. lavc, x264, xvid, divx, mpeg2 are all faultless at SD resolutions. I haven't tested any HD media, it
may be possible.
Do you know which Nvidia graphics system is in it? I had thought it was an Intel system but your note said Nvidia.
From:
http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Linux_on_Apple_TV
Hardware Support
Much of the AppleTV's hardware is supported natively under the Linux kernel. In this section, we will be expanding on the Linux driver details.
Intel CPU Core
* Speedstep functionality - WORKING
GeForce 7300 Go (NV40) Note: framebuffer fixes in SVN as of April 6, 2007 - please recompile
* Official NVidia binary driver works without modification. Full 3D and framebuffer acceleration.
* OSS NVidia driver works without modification (also provides acceleration)
(==) NV(0): Write-combining range (0x10000000,0x4000000)
(II) NV(0): Using XFree86 Acceleration Architecture (XAA)
Screen to screen bit blits
Solid filled rectangles
8x8 mono pattern filled rectangles
Indirect CPU to Screen color expansion
Solid Lines
Scanline Image Writes
Offscreen Pixmaps
Setting up tile and stipple cache:
32 128x128 slots
32 256x256 slots
16 512x512 slots
* HDMI - WORKING (DVI tested)
* Component working using a single cable (chinch cable at the green video output connected to the yellow video input of my old 4:3 CRT-TV). Colors are fine and so you don't need a video converter box (as suggested in many forums). Tested using the binary nvidia driver and this config:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "Quadro NVS 110M / GeForce Go 7300"
# Option "MetaModes" "1680x1050"
# Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP,TV"
Option "TVStandard" "PAL-B"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "TV"
EndSection
Intel HD Audio
* HDA-Intel driver recognized by default
* Analog RCA - WORKING (see http://forum.awkwardtv.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=167&hilit=&start=70)
* Optical SPDIF - WORKING
* HDMI - apparently NOT WORKING
irDA interface
* mactel-linux driver recognizes it - untested otherwise
* first signal from apple remote is somewhat recognized. Any following signals are not reported. After reloading usbhid module another signal is reported (using cat with /dev/input/by-id/usb-Apple_Computer,_Inc._IR_Receiver-event-ir)
patch appleir.c to include the AppleTV IR USB id (#define USB_DEVICE_ID_APPLE_TV_IR 0x8241) in the same way as USB_DEVICE_ID_APPLE_IR and it will work.
* Apple_TV_Linux_IR_Howto details the userspace method.
Broadcom BCM94321MC wireless
* NDISWrapper Windows drivers - WORKING with a Dell Driver and ndiswrapper 1.41
USB
* USB booting works when you disable ehci-hcd in kernel
* possible to boot Linux from USB Flash memory?
* USB HID working (keyboard, mouse), but not with ehci-hcd
* USB Storage working (tested with usb memory stick), but not with ehci-hcd
As I see AppleTV is the best and cheapest candidate for VESA mounted MD. It'd be very-very good to setup that box as MD. I think it's possible. I heard that one guy have installed Kubuntu on AppleTV and was able watch 1080p! I need to contact with him if I'll able to do that.
BTW, I don't understand why PC producers don't make something similar (I'm talking about functionality not the price). All VESA mounted PCs are based on VIA chipsets. Why they cannot use nVidia as Apple does?
nite_man,
Can you forward the information once you locate it? I have been meaning to work on this for a while but have been fighting other issues with my integration and am very interested in this solution.
Quote from: table9 on January 24, 2008, 06:51:19 AM
nite_man,
Can you forward the information once you locate it? I have been meaning to work on this for a while but have been fighting other issues with my integration and am very interested in this solution.
Sure. I'll share it.
Hi All,
Sorry I'm a noob, so please be gentle.
I'm keen to know more about the Apple TV as a Media Director option, but searching these posts I can't seem to get a definitive answer.
Can the Apple TV be used as a Media Director with LinuxMCE?
Quote from: nite_man on January 23, 2008, 10:23:55 AM
As I see AppleTV is the best and cheapest candidate for VESA mounted MD. It'd be very-very good to setup that box as MD. I think it's possible. I heard that one guy have installed Kubuntu on AppleTV and was able watch 1080p! I need to contact with him if I'll able to do that.
BTW, I don't understand why PC producers don't make something similar (I'm talking about functionality not the price). All VESA mounted PCs are based on VIA chipsets. Why they cannot use nVidia as Apple does?
nite_man - with the new nVidia chipset that type of thing is bound to start coming out! I think it was either 9200 or 9400 video, plus all the rest of the n/sbridge stuff on a motherboard that can fit in the palm of your hand! Add CPU and memory and off you go - ultra low power, imagine how small the MD would be :)
A small note: The ASUS EEE Box is VESA mountable.
rgds
Oliver
Quote from: posde on January 14, 2009, 08:35:51 AM
A small note: The ASUS EEE Box is VESA mountable.
rgds
Oliver
ASUS EEE Box is cool but AppleTV is better IMHO :)
2nesci2 : To use AppleTV as MD you should boot it somehow via PXE which is not possible (at least for me :)). Another option is using MD with HDD but since 0710 that option is disabled.
nite_man,
I doubt a lot of products can hold the stand against Apple when it comes to cool factor. ;)
But my point is: There are other manufacturers out there producing VESA mountable boxes, not using VIA chipsets. And giving the positive experience totallymaxed has with the eee boxes, I think they are quite nice (and very quiet as well).
rgds
Oliver
Quote from: posde on January 14, 2009, 08:44:02 AM
nite_man,
I doubt a lot of products can hold the stand against Apple when it comes to cool factor. ;)
But my point is: There are other manufacturers out there producing VESA mountable boxes, not using VIA chipsets. And giving the positive experience totallymaxed has with the eee boxes, I think they are quite nice (and very quiet as well).
rgds
Oliver
Well, the EEE box is excellent. It supports up scaling to 720p & 1080i too... but has no acceleration for mp4. Maybe the next generation of EEE will have it. Does somebody try B204 / B206? They are equiped by HDMI port and maybe they can handle HD content properly. But again, AppleTV is $229.00 and BXXX is about $500 :) That's why I'd like to see AppleTV as MD.
Big waste of time. There is nothing cool about it either.
Quote from: Zaerc on January 14, 2009, 10:13:29 PM
Big waste of time. There is nothing cool about it either.
I second this - the only "cool" factor about Apple TV is the software, which you are seeking to eliminate! AppleTV the software can be quiet nice, but as is usual for Apple its all about interface, not functionality. As an MD, you just have a small box that is white, no different or any cooler than any other small piece of hardware
QuoteI second this - the only "cool" factor about Apple TV is the software, which you are seeking to eliminate! AppleTV the software can be quiet nice, but as is usual for Apple its all about interface, not functionality. As an MD, you just have a small box that is white, no different or any cooler than any other small piece of hardware
I'll agree with you if you give me an example of PXE boot box with the same price, form factor and supporting of full HD. The cool factor with AppleTV except of software IMHO its hardware and price of that hardware.
QuoteBig waste of time. There is nothing cool about it either.
I'm not going to waste either my (I already spent a couple days without luck) or community time to support AppleTV as MD. I just tell that it'd be nice because of price, form factor and supporting full HD :)
I can show you one slightly larger for less money! The MSI Wind PC. Its about a 1/4 as big again in each dimension. NewEgg in the US sell it for US$130. just add RAM
Quote from: colinjones on January 15, 2009, 08:58:30 AM
I can show you one slightly larger for less money! The MSI Wind PC. Its about a 1/4 as big again in each dimension. NewEgg in the US sell it for US$130. just add RAM
I don't think that it's compatible with AppleTV. It misses HDMI, nVidia (for transparent UI2), digital audio, remote control. Not sure that its can be VESA mounted.
Quote from: nite_man on January 15, 2009, 10:11:19 AM
Quote from: colinjones on January 15, 2009, 08:58:30 AM
I can show you one slightly larger for less money! The MSI Wind PC. Its about a 1/4 as big again in each dimension. NewEgg in the US sell it for US$130. just add RAM
I don't think that it's compatible with AppleTV. It misses HDMI, nVidia (for transparent UI2), digital audio, remote control. Not sure that its can be VESA mounted.
You asked for something with comparible form factor, price and HD. The MSI is slightly larger, cheaper and can output a 720p or 1080i image thus is HD. No neither video nor audio is digital (although you can do 7.1 analogue), and it can't be vesa mounted, but I was just answering to your specs. As a result its cheaper :)
Maybe I was not so accurate when told requirements :) Let's obtain more accurate credentials: the same form factor, nice design, HDMI, nVidia, support HD (1080p, MPEG4), nearest price.
In any case if I'd customer I'd choose ASUS EEE box for MD but definitely not MSI Wind PC! Even it's extremely cheap.
Quote from: nite_man on January 15, 2009, 01:40:09 PM
Maybe I was not so accurate when told requirements :) Let's obtain more accurate credentials: the same form factor, nice design, HDMI, nVidia, support HD (1080p, MPEG4), nearest price.
In any case if I'd customer I'd choose ASUS EEE box for MD but definitely not MSI Wind PC! Even it's extremely cheap.
You seem to be forgetting "actually works with LinuxMCE" in your requirements...
Personally I don't think appletv is very cheap... for a paperweight (or door-stop).
Quote from: nite_man on January 15, 2009, 01:40:09 PM
Maybe I was not so accurate when told requirements :) Let's obtain more accurate credentials: the same form factor, nice design, HDMI, nVidia, support HD (1080p, MPEG4), nearest price.
In any case if I'd customer I'd choose ASUS EEE box for MD but definitely not MSI Wind PC! Even it's extremely cheap.
I thought so! But why "definitely not MSI Wind PC"?!? That's absurd! That sets completely the wrong impression for other people reading this. I have been using one for the last few months - its fantastic!! Its fast, practically silent, tiny, ultralow power consumption and extremely cheap. It may not be digital, but it is capable of HD resolutions albeit not 1080p (but then again given that current TV standards do NOT use 1080p and BD/HDDVD support on LMCE is extremely limited, and most downloaded HD content is 720p this really isn't a big deal!) and surround sound. Its perfect as a cheap/quiet/small bedroom MD.
If I really need the full digital surround/video, big screen/resolution, etc I'll use my lounge room - 46" LCD, driven by HDMI at 1080p, SPDIF 7.1 DTS/DD through a Marantz Home Theatre AV amp, etc. When we're tired, we just hit Follow Me and go to bed .... finish watching it there :)
QuoteBut why "definitely not MSI Wind PC"?!?
I don't like its design and lack HDMI and this is my personal opinion :) Initially we started discussion about ApplyTV. IMHO it has a good balance between design, functionality and price. Sure, MSI Wind PC is extremely cheap. But to pay additionally $150 you may get fully digital stylish box. And 99% ordinary consumers will vote for AppleTV or similar device. In any case if somebody has knowledge, time and AppleTV he can play with it to use it as MD. I'm not asking LMCE development team to do that. Because there are hundreds much more important tasks which should be performed for 0810.
If we're talking about budget solution for MD which 100% compatible with LMCE I suggest ASUS P2-M2A690G (http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/ASUS_P2-M2A690G). It's also very cheap but it provides digital video and audio.
As I already told ASUS EEE box with HDMI is perfect. It isn't cheap but it's compact, quiet, stylish and digital.
Quote from: nite_man on January 16, 2009, 08:57:21 AM...
If we're talking about budget solution for MD which 100% compatible with LMCE I suggest ASUS P2-M2A690G (http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/ASUS_P2-M2A690G). It's also very cheap but it provides digital video and audio.
...
Thanks a lot for adding it to the wiki, looks like a really nice machine.