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Let PC/Mac work like AppleTV does.

J

jonlanghoff

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 21, 2008
11
0
Hi all



I was wondering: Is it possible to setup af PC or Mac so that it acts just like an AppleTV? Actually installing the AppleTV software onto a 'normal' computer. Most importantly that it can sync between an iTunes library on another computer and itself. As AppleTV does it.

My reasons for asking are the lack of 1080p and optical drive in the AppleTV, so was thinking of letting a Mac mini or so do the media center job instead. Please let me know if you know how to do this!



Best regards
Jon
 
my understanding is: no. The only device in which you can use ATV software is the ATV. I haven't heard of any "hackintosh" type hacks that would let you do this.

Personally, the lack of ATV software is what keeps me from using a Mac Mini (and the price)
 
Damn.

Guess I'll have to wait untill Apple (hopefully) get their act together and give us an updated AppleTV (1080p, movie rental in Europe and maybe Bluray).

Maybe I'll buy a used one in the meantime...
 
Oh cool! You know more about it?

Can you play DVD movies then? In that case it would be even better than th actual ATV! :)

Or is it 100% like ATV (which of course doesn't have an optical drive)..?
 
jonlanghoff said:
Oh cool! You know more about it?

Can you play DVD movies then? In that case it would be even better than th actual ATV! :)

Or is it 100% like ATV (which of course doesn't have an optical drive)..?
Click to expand...

I have not really played around with it very much.

I assume that most of the third party plugins work and that you can probably run Boxee too, which should allow playing DVD's.
 
Sky Blue said:
As the Apple TV has no interface for playing DVDs how would this work exactly?
Click to expand...

Because the software already has the DVD framework loaded. It just needs a physical interface, and a mod to the software to use the framework.
 
jonlanghoff said:
Can Boxee sync with your external iTunes library as AppleTV does it? Cause then I might aswell use that...
Click to expand...

It does not sync, it just lets you play the itunes folder content that is local or streamed when connected via a network share. I think that somebody is trying to write a plugin for Boxee to actually read the itunes library itself so that you can see playlists etc.
 
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chas0001 said:
Yes you can with an application called ATV4MAC. The only problem is that it only works with Tiger and not Leopard. This is due to the fact that the Apple TV software essentially runs on a cut down version of Tiger.



Check it out here : http://www.macgeekblog.com/blog/archive/2008/07/10/apple-tv-21-screenshots-atv4mac-21.html
Click to expand...

I've used ATV4Mac before. It replaces FrontRow with the ATV interface. I didn't use it long, since I have an ATV already.



I think most of the addons work, but I don't think you'll need much more than ATV-Files or NitoTV since a true Tiger under the hood will provide most of what ATV lacks (meaning AFP and attached USB/FW drives, etc...)
 
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