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DivX and Xvid now on appleTV
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The article didn't mention that you can boot full OS X from a USB disk and avoid opening up the ATV case to make the other mods.
Can you do a dd backup of the internal drive while booted to the external USB?
I haven't seen any evidence of that so far, but I don't see any reason why that would not be doable, unless the internal drive is disabled while booted to the external.
B
It's a lot more physical work, and if you don't have a 2.5" enclosure laying around, more expensive, too.
I always have a USB/FW external disk for backups, so it's a no-brainer for me.
http://www.appletvhacks.net/2007/04/03/hack-the-apple-tv-without-opening-the-case/
http://www.appletvhacks.net/2007/04/03/hack-the-apple-tv-without-opening-the-case/
It would be amazing if someone would come up with a super easy solution for mod'ing your ATV, or if you could go into a shop and get it fixed like you can with a PS2 or your phone Then I would definitely consider getting an ATV, if I knew it would play DivX and other formats (HD-DivX?).
Then I would definitely consider getting an ATV, if I knew it would play DivX and other formats (HD-DivX?).
People whose media is already in an Apple TV compatible format (e.g. MPEG-4). It is easy and it does work out of the box, but just like the iPod it doesn't support any random codec out there. Just like putting Rockbox on your $399 iPod, you get more functionality at the expense of hacking the box.
B
well, thats different situation, iPod may not support all codecs, but it supported most important codecs, mp3.
now, what video codec is most widely used? obviously not the one appletv officially supported.
jeez, have y'all been living under a rock the last few weeks??? this has been all over the web. macrumors has had no fewer than five articles on this...
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/31/apple-tv-running-mac-os-x/
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/23/apple-tv-upgrades-xvid-and-more-support-120gb-hd/
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/26/apple-tv-booting-off-external-usb/
anyways, ATV hacking guides can be found on:
http://www.appletvhacks.net/
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/31/apple-tv-running-mac-os-x/
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/23/apple-tv-upgrades-xvid-and-more-support-120gb-hd/
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/03/26/apple-tv-booting-off-external-usb/
anyways, ATV hacking guides can be found on:
http://www.appletvhacks.net/
I don't yet have a high-def TV, but even if I did, there still isn't quite enough enticing me to spend even $300 on 
TV. DivX and Xvid suppor make it a little more appealing (if as others have said that it wasn't quite so much work), but I think I'll still be waiting for the 2G TV to bite.
TV. DivX and Xvid suppor make it a little more appealing (if as others have said that it wasn't quite so much work), but I think I'll still be waiting for the 2G TV to bite.
DivX is just one random implementation/variant of MPEG-4 Part 2, and is only dominant in some areas. I had a recent torrent freak house guest who downloads all his "content" in Real Video 10. So which implementation(s) should Apple support? DivX, Xvid, Nero Digital, Microsoft, Flash, Real, ...? Or should they officially support the actual MPEG-4 standard in containers they know how to deal with and support?
Note that for some encoding profiles you could probably just get away with repackaging the DivX/Xvid content into a MOV/M4V container and have it work.
This way Apple gets to have its cake and eat it too. They officially support two good standard codecs than can be encoded using a wide variety of tools and support for other codecs is available as a hack, but is not supported.
Just like some content (paid/legal or not) started to move to iPod compatible codecs and formats, I think you'll see a rise in
TV compatible content soon.B
That's been my thought as well. I can't wait for that to happen, as well as the hacking guides to mature a bit.Just like some content (paid/legal or not) started to move to iPod compatible codecs and formats, I think you'll see a rise in
For having been out for ~3-4 weeks now, the AppleTV has been "enhanced" way more than I had ever expected!
It would be amazing if someone would come up with a super easy solution for mod'ing your ATV, or if you could go into a shop and get it fixed like you can with a PS2 or your phone
Apple Certified Upgraders
Rocketman
This actually does work... sometimes. DivX does some weird things with B-Frames that AVI files can't handle, but MP4 files are supposed to have set. So that missing data tends to screw with Quicktime if you use more than 1 B-Frame in a group of pictures.
Unfortunately, you don't know what media does this until you try to convert it.
huh, its not up to you and me to decide which codec is popular, im sorry. To put forward options like Nero Digital, Flash, as candidate of "most widely used codecs" is just, muddling the water. we are talking about compressed movies, are we?
also, are you saying divx/xvid codec with MP4 container will work on ATV? Never have any experience with that, care to share some links?
even if so, there will be still a process of conversion, no?
No. It's still a variant of MPEG-4, just in a different container, and with (sometimes) different rules as to which of a I, B, P frame needs to be created. (See the post by Krevnik above.) I know that the author of visualhub was working on a tool that would aid in this process, google flattercmd.
I ask the question again. Popular to whom? It seems like different codecs are popular in different circles. You just happen to see mainly DivX, while my house guest only sees Real Video 10. Which should Apple support?
B
huh, yes, different population may prefer different codec. I, was talking about generally, whole user group who watch compressed movies.
Real Video 10 is a generally low quality codec, and most importantly, apple tv supports neither real nor divx/xvid, so whats your point of bringing it up?
you ask me which should apple support? my answer, and u can read it clearly
now, who said apple tv should not support them? or apple tv can only pick and choose some of them to support?
Support = cost. Either Apple needs to write their own software, license someone else's code or use OSS software. In each case support for more features means more development cost and more recurring tech support cost.
EDIT: Would you pay $50 more for
TV if it supported DivX/Xvid?tech support caller said:Uh. I've got this Uh. RMVB file I Uh. found. Uh. Yeah, that's it, found. And I want to Uh. watch it on my
Codec? Bitrate? Version of encoder? Essentially Apple, would have to license Real's Real Video 10 code to guarantee compatibilty, make sure it works and interface it appropriately with the
TVs UI.the
TV is sold as an appliance, not a full fledged computer that can take third-party software like Real Player or VLC which Apple doesn't offer support for on Macs either. Apple does offer a solution for that market too, it's called a Mac mini and sells for $599. Time will tell if they actually do "open up" the
TV so some limited third-party apps like the oft rumored games. Maybe they'll even come up with a good, simple third party codec API that will allow for unsupported use with other codecs just as on full OS X.B
Support = cost. Either Apple needs to write their own software, license someone else's code or use OSS software.
EDIT: Would you pay $50 more for
for a tv top set that costs $300
Im surprised u even make such statement. sounds like u think apple profits barely nothing from this apple tv?
ur EDIT: how about lower current price $50 since it doesn't support divx/xvid/real?
I'm sure AppleTV supporting Divx/Xvid would go over very well in their negotiations to get more Hollywood film studios signed up for the iTunes Store.