Apple TV 3 Jailbreak

In addition to what you can get via the XBMC repo, there’s an ever-growing list of unofficial repositories that deliver skins, new content sources, all kinds of general add-ons and plugins, as well as music and TV channels.

These are just as easy to install as the official ones, by downloading and moving the zip file in the home page menu, connecting the SSH client and selecting Install from Zip file. You can also create a repository of your own, we will get back to you with the full tutorial on how to do that. In the meanwhile here is a list of the main unofficial repositories and the add-ons you can get.

Adult Add-ons available at repository.xbmc-adult.zip, use it for adult content
Aeon MQ3/4 Skin Repo available at repository.mq.zip
Agx’s repo availavle at xbmc-repo-agx-1.0.0.zip, use it for adult content
AJ Video Add-ons available at repository.googlecode.apple-tv2-xbmc.zip, Indian content compatible with ATV2
Ampedandwired’s Add-ons available at repository.ampedandwired-1.0.0.zip
Angelscry Add-ons available at repository.angelscry.xbmc-plugins-1.2.2.zip, home of the Advanced Launcher
Balinus Repo available at xbmc-repo-balinus-1.0.0.zip, home for the Shade skin compatible with XBMC Eden
Black’s Repo available at repository.blacks.zip, home for the Xperience 1080 skin
Bluecop’s Repo available at repository.bluecop.xbmc-plugins.zip
Bossanova808’s Repo available at repository.bossanova808.zip, use it to get the Squeezebox controller and player
Carb0’s Repo available at carb0s-repo.googlecode.com/svn/repository/carb0s.zip, use it for getting the NHL Gamecenter
Djtoll Add-ons available at xbmc.repo.djtoll.zip, use it to get the Joggler skin for touchscreen devices
IPTV Addons available at repository.iptv.plugins.zip, use it to get IPTV plugins
Membrane’s Repository available at repository.membrane.xbmc-plugins.zip, use it to get several video and music streaming add-ons
Ruuk’s Repo available at ruuk.addon.repository-1.0.0.zip, use it to get flickr, Facebook Media, Screensaver, X-note and several others
Stacked Add-on Repository available at repository.stacked.xbmc.addons.zip, use it to get PBS, Revision3, TMZ, ESPN Video, NBA Video, Trailer Addict and G4TV
Wiiego Add-ons available at repository.wiiego-1.0.1.zip, use it to get Terra Sonora Audio Service to listen to free music
XOT: Uzg Add-n available at net.rieter.xot.repository-1.0.1.zip, use it to get online TV streaming sites

Perhaps not as primary as the need to extend their content sources, customization is still one of the main reasons people decide to jailbreak their iOS device. XBMC has a variety of skins available that give the end user a chance to use their Media Center exactly how they want, because the programming language used makes it a lot easier to implement a variety of options.

The following is a list of available skins for XBMC via the official repos, but you can add skins not listed on the XBMC.org websites too. Foundation is a good example and comes with a full tutorial on how to install it. We’ll have an article or a review ready for the Foundation XBMC skin as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, here are the skins you can get via the official repo:

Skins for XBMC v12 Frodo available via XBMC.org repo
Ace
Aeon Nox
Back Row
Bello
Carmichael
Confluence
Diffuse
Droid
Hybrid
Metropolis
Nbox
Quartz
Re-touched
Touched
Transparency !
XTV-SAF
XeeBo
Xperience 1080
Xperience More

Skins for XBMC v11 Eden available via XBMC.org repo

Aeon Nox
Back Row
Confluence
Confluence Vertical
JX 720
MediaStream Redux
Metropolix
Neon
Quartz
Rapier
SLik
Simplicity
Touched
Transparency!
XTV-SAF
XeeBo
Xperience More

You can also create your very own skin. Thanks to the flexible XBMC GUI framework you can change basically everything there is to it: images, controls’ dimensions and positions, fonts, color theme, text and you can even include new features. Whether you’ve created one yourself or have downloaded a new skin for XBMC, you have to put it in the add-ons subfolder, so that XBMC will retrieve the information and allow you to access it from the Appearance Settings Menu.

We have a tutorial in the works for how to develop a skin for XBMC on Apple TV, but if you’re too anxious you can use these.

In a previous article in the XBMC guide series for Apple TV, we’ve presented you with the list of skins available for the media center. Each has its very own set of features, a comparison that is still incomplete on the official XBMC website, but as soon as we make some time we will get back to you with that information. For now, we’ve decided it would be of great help to present you with general screenshots of the skins available for the media center, just in case Confluence isn’t enough for you or are curious about what else is there.

Remember that not all skins have the same features or capabilities, so make sure you check that when you’re downloading a new one to replace Confluence. The following screenshots are not of all the available skins, you can check the full list on our website. Also, you can develop your own or modify one of the already available skins to suit your customization needs better. All of the skins are available for download via the official XBMC.org repo.

To install a new skin just use the tutorialwe’ve published for add-ons.

Download the zip file of the skin you want your XBMC Media Center to wear, connect the SSH client to your Apple TV, then copy the zip file in the home page menu of the media center, click install from zip file and you’re done. Make sure you do follow the steps in the tutorial though, if you haven’t performed the operation before.

Aeon MQ2

Aeon65

Aeon Nox

Alaska Revisited

Cirrus vintage

Ellipsis

Fusion Migma

MediaStream Redux

Project Mayhem III

Rapier

Aeon Showmix

Shade

Simplicity

Back Row

Xeebo

Xperience More

Transparency!

Convergence

Night 2.0

Phyek

reFocus 0.9

Droid

Surface

xTV - SAF

Confluence

Earlier this month, XBMC.org has announced the official release of the 12.2 version, one that has tons of fixes for previous editions’ bugs. The 12.2 XBMC for Apple TV is more Frodo than ever before, with fixes that make the whole experience insanely more appealing, easy and fast.

It is suffice to say, if you’ve been experiencing problems with various platforms that run the media center, you should update immediately. You can update XBMC via the download link available on the XBMC.org website. Just make sure you choose the appropriate version for your platform (OSX, Linux, Windows, ATV – ATV2, iOS, AMD – Intel, Android, Raspberry Pi).

What XBMC 12.2 adds new to the table for Apple TV, iOS and OSX:

OSX audio mixing fixes

AirPlay fixes such as a more resilient discovery of XBMCon OSX

It now supports full iPhone 5 resolution

Volume buttons are fixed to control OSX volume, not the media center’s

It now supports iOS 6 on Apple TV2

Provides support for the default OSX audio output device

Provides support for hardware decoding with Intel GPUs

Fixes Apple TV top shelf bug

XBMC 12.2 fixes for all platforms:

Solves infinite loop on add-on dependencies

Addresses crash reports

No more memory leak bug when you minimize the media center

Solves several audio crashed reported from Linux builds

Resume-bookmarks for the Bluray folder are now functional

It scans new content on file folders once again

XBMC is now optimized for Raspberry Pi

It provides support for Albanian, Burmese, Malay, Persian (Iran), Tamil (India), Uzbek and Vietnamese languages

Improved support for new Xbox 360 controllers

CEC devices work better thanks to “broader and more intelligent support”

Remember the XBMC is an open-source platform where everyone can help, either help by tracking and submitting bugs, by developing new skins and add-ons, by providing support with already announced bugs and finally by offering a donation.

Seeing as the jailbreak for Apple TV 3 is still in the works, every new channel that is added to the list is good news. And the latest rumor has it that Apple and CW made a deal to add Supernatural on Apple TV. Deadline reports that CW cut a deal for an Apple TV app during the company’s annual Upfront Presentation that took place in New York, earlier this month.

CW is looking forward to extend its reach from current Xbox 360 and Windows 8 apps to new platforms such as Apple TV. This makes the CW Apple TV partnership the first network television app available in the $99 device’s home screen.

“This year we’re reaching more viewers on more platforms. We are reaching our audience everywhere they are, and we want you to be with us everywhere we go” CW President Mark Pedowitz told his audience during the New York event. Following the announcement, it didn’t take reporters too long to have CW confirm and release details.

“We can confirm that we will have an app launching on Apple TV soon” a CW spokesperson confirmed the news for CNET shortly after the company’s Upfront Presentation. “No launch date at this time” the spokesperson added, explaining the CW app for Apple TV will deliver “full episodes of our prime-time shows, and be ad-supported, without requiring authentication from a cable provider”.

From what CW told MacRumors, the app designed for Apple TV “will work like our Xbox and mobile and tablet apps”, whereas full episodes of CW’s shows will be available “next day after air, ad-supported”.

With popular shows such as America’s Next Top Model, Supernatural or Gossip Girl, we can only hope the deal with CW is just the beginning. Perhaps, Apple will finally cut a deal and add HBO on-demand programming to Apple TV.

The most surprising part of jailbreaking an Apple TV 2 is that the jailbreak process and the overall usage after the procedure are incredibly easy. And that’s thanks to the jailbreak Seas0npass that has made things so hassle-free. But using a jailbreaked Apple TV 2 is significantly more fun thanks to tools such as the nitoTV Installer and the XBMC media center.

Installing XBMC on Apple TV 2 using Kevin Bradley’s installer for nitoTV is as close as it gets to being a hassle-free hack. Plus, the installer runs directly on iPhone or iPad, it’s free and makes it a lot more convenient to change settings such as the SSH password, relaunch and reboot your device, download upgrades and transfer or remove addons.

Step 1– The jailbreak of Apple TV 2.

Step 2– On your computer’s desktop create a new folder and name it Pwnage. You will next download the nitoTV Installer available at this link. Extract the archive, then launch the .exe file.

Step – 3– In the first window displayed by nitoTV Installer, you will have to select the Apple TV version you have. Select from the drop-down menu Apple TV (2). Now wait for the device’s IP address to be displayed at the left bottom corner of the window.

Step – 4– You have two menus available, in the left and right sides of the window. Click “Install nitoTV” to start the process. When asked to enter password, type in your Apple TV’s password if you have changed the default password. If you haven’t, just type in “frontrow”, then click “OK”.

Step 5 – When the installation process for nitoTV is completed you will see a checkbox sign appear in the center of the window. You can now find the nitroTV app icon in the Apple TV launcher menu.

Step 6 – Now, in the same main menu, click “Install XBMC”. When the installation process is completed, the app will display a checkbox sign in the middle. Once again, go to your Apple TV’s launcher menu to find the XMBC app icon.

One of the first articles in our How-To section explained what XBMC is. This time we are giving you the instructions on how to install XBMC Frodo 12.0 on Apple TV2 running iOS 5.02 or later.

The Media Center allows you to get new skins, widgets and new TV channels on your Apple TV 2, provided you have performed a jailbreak on your device. The following tutorial teaches you how to install XBMC Frodo 12.0 on Apple TV 2 for iOS 5.02 or later.

Step 1

Perform the jailbreak.

Step 2

Use Terminal App on Mac or PuTTY app on Windows to begin the installation process. Launch whichever works for your PC and make sure your ATV and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Step 3

Launch the SSH client and connect it to your Apple TV. In the device’s main menu, find General/Network and use this command ssh root@[Apple Tv’s IP address]. It’s possible you will be displayed with an Authentication Error message. Copy and paste this command: rm~/.ssh/known_hosts into the Terminal window.

Step 4

Type “Yes” when the Security Prompts is displayed. Press Enter. When being requested a Password, just type “alpine” and press Enter again.

Step 5

Into the Terminal App, copy and paste these commands, pressing Enter after each. So, each should have a line of their own. Wait for each command to finish.
1)      apt-get install wget
2)      wget -O- http://apt.awkwardtv.org/awkwardtv.pub | apt-key add -
3)      echo “deb http://apt.awkwardtv.org/ stable main” > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/awkwardtv.list
4)      echo “deb http://mirrors.xbmc.org/apt/atv2 ./” > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.list
5)      apt-get update
6)      mkdir -p /Applications/AppleTV.app/Appliances
7)      apt-get install org.xbmc.xbmc-atv2
8)      mkdir -p /Applications/XBMC.frappliance
9)      reboot

Step 6

Wait for the Apple TV menu to reload and then just launch XBMC.

Step 7

The last settings are to make sure the XBMC Frodo 12.0 is fitted for your TV’s resolution. Go into Settings, select Appearance, the Skin. Set Zoom to -4%.

If it’s the first time you’re considering a jailbreak for your Apple TV and are researching the benefits and available apps and add-ons you could invest a few bucks and purchase aTV Flash, an “user-friendly software packages that supercharges your Apple TV”. According to MacWorld it is the definitive touch that “turns the Apple TV into a powerful, streaming multimedia center for your living room”.

Basically, aTV Flash installs the standard add-ons, widgets, video codecs and accessibility features without all that much hassle from your part. It is a purchase that has a lot of ATV users pondering all the pros and cons, so we decided it would be worthwhile for you to have a list of the main aTV Flash features. By the way, this post will be followed by a tutorial on how to install the software.

First of all it is important to know that the aTV Flash is compatible with the 1st and 2nd generation of Apple TVs. If you don’t know what generation of Apple TV you own you can identify it either by color (silver for generation 1, black for generation 2 and 3) or by model number (A1378 for 2nd generation, A1427 or A1469 for 3rd generation).

Remember that for the moment, aTV Flash isn’t compatible with 3rd generation Apple TV seeing as the jailbreak required for this software to work is still in the works.

For aTV Flash to run you need a jailbroken 2nd or 1st generation Apple TV, Windows XP or later if you are using a PC or OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or later if you are using a Mac. You will also need an USB Flash Drive (256MB or larger) and an Internet Connection.

aTV Flash installs for you a variety of audio and video codecs, by enabling your Apple TV to run other content aside from the iTunes files, extending your content to files such as AVI, MP4, WMV and many more. It also allows you to transfer and stream content from your PC or Mac and even NAS device, providing support for FTP, SMB and NFS protocols. The software also installs for you the NitoTV and XBMC platforms that give access to content that expands day by day.

It commonly sets you back $29.95, but you can get it from time to time for a discounted price.

Last month, Apple announced the dates for its highly anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and rumors have soon surfaced about upcoming products that are supposed to be released next week. One of which is Apple’s highly regarded Spotify and Pandora rival, the internet radio service that is supposed to revamp the current experience.

Tickets for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference have gone on sale for two weeks now and given the staggering price tag of $1,599 it looks like this is going to be an event for the elite. The event is set to take place June 10 – 14 at San Francisco’s Moscone West conference center, where participants will have the opportunity to “learn about the future of iOS and OS X”.

“We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers” announced Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Philip Schiller following the date release. “Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we’re excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps” he added. “We can’t wait to get new versions of iOS and OS X into their hands at WWDC” he promised.

But rumor has it it’s going to be more than just that. The New York Times reports that over the weekend Apple has sealed the deal with Warner Music Group for the music rights of their artists. Apparently, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony/ATV are also in the works, for what people are expecting to become the next big thing in the internet radio service market, a real rival to Spotify and Pandora.

The New York Times’ report reads that “Apple’s Internet radio feature is expected to be free and supported by advertising”. The report also adds that publishers are quite eager for Apple’s internet radio service to be released, in hope that they will be able to get 10 percent from Apple’s licensing fees. They are currently receiving 4 percent from Pandora’s revenue over licensing fees.

Buying the aTV Flash is a decision many ponder upon, although most of the features the $30 wizard installs for you are free of charge. But for the first-time jailbreaker leaving it up to the aTV Flash to power-boost their Apple TV experience feels like the least bothersome option, one that is worth the price tag by taking away the trouble of searching via Google, forums and dedicated forums the best jailbreak apps, add-ons and media centers.

The aTV Flash gives you access to a wide variety of new applications via your Apple TV. For instance, you get RSS Feeds, Last.fm, weather widgets and web content streaming platforms such as PLEX and media players within one installation. It adds to the package the nitoTV and XBMC platforms, as well as Remote HD and Rowmote, two third party remote controls for your Apple TV.

But do you really need to pay $30 to get the aTV Flash to install all these for you when all the add-ons above are not that difficult to install by yourself?

We’ve published several guides so far that teach you how to install and use XBMC to get access to tons of new content and free television such as ABC, NBC, FX, USA, SyFy or CW to name just a few. The same goes for new skins and widgets and the installation guidelines are even easier than setting up a home internet network. And all you have to do is read one of those tutorials to understand how easy it is.

The truth is that when you’re browsing for the best add-ons and apps for your jailbroken Apple TV you can check by yourself the reviews and ratings and select the best one. Some widgets and apps perform better than the others, whereas some will meet your expectations and needs better than most.

On the other hand, taking the time to perform the jailbreak and install the add-ons for your Apple TV by yourself will definitely come in handy later on, whenever you’re looking for the best next thing that will revamp your digital content experience.

As much as jailbreaking might sound like it’s something a bit too difficult for the average user, the truth is that it is so simple it takes only a good tutorial, although the jailbreak software does everything for you.

The tutorial is in this case just an aid, which explains each step of the way what’s going on, even though the steps in the jailbreak wizard are pretty basic to follow and understand. We’ve decided today to give you a list of facts about the jailbreak procedure, to help you get a better understanding of the “scene” if this is the first-time you are considering it.

For the moment, there are jailbreak guides and solutions available only for the original Apple TV and the second generation Apple TV. The jailbreak for ATV 3 is currently in the works so that’s going to become a reality soon enough.

There are tethered and untethered jailbreaks available, but the untethered procedure is preferable since it makes it easier for the user to enjoy the jailbreak. When the jailbreak is tethered this means you have to connect your Apple TV to your computer before it reboots. Since the device is almost all the time ON that’s not exactly a huge bother. The untethered jailbreak on the other hand saves you the hassle.

One of the main concerns people have about jailbreaking their devices is not being able to use the native apps that come with it. That’s a pointless concern, because jailbreaking your device doesn’t cut access to Apple’s native application. So you can still watch your streamed content from Netflix and iTunes, use AirPlay and Airplay Mirroring.

To perform the jailbreak of your Apple TV, you will need the Apple TV, a micro USB cable, a PC (desktop or laptop, Windows or OS X), the remote, the latest version of iTunes, a SHSH client and a few minutes to spare.

The jailbreak gives you access to an ever-growing source of add-ons, network channels, skins and widgets available for free via the official directories.

Most people would rather leave their Apple TV jailbreak add-ons and apps up to FireCore’s software package, the aTV Flash. For $30, the software expands your Apple TV’s overall functionality without any hassle from your part except paying the price.

But even $30 might feel like trouble for your budget, so you might want to take advantage of this deal alert the iDownloadBlog reported. For the next 25 days, you can buy your aTV Flash (black) for only $19.99 instead of $29.95 via Stack Social.

You could argue it’s not all that much you’re saving, but you can really make it worth on iTunes, buying content you could enjoy via Airplay Mirroring and home sharing on your Apple TV.

For instance, for $10 from iTunes you could buy a movie ($9.99 for Hangover Part II), at least 5-6 awesome apps and games ($0.99 for Mextures, $0.99 for Kick the Buddy – No Mercy, $0.99 for Stickman Tennis, $0.99 for Flick Home Run, $1.99 for Fitness Buddy: 1700 + Exercise Workout Journal, $0.99 for Dune Rider, $0.99 for A Beautiful Mess, $0.99 for Angry Birds Star Wars) or the hits from the latest Daft Punk album, Random Access Memories ($1.29 for each track).

But let’s get back to the deal alert for Apple TV. You’re actually getting the software for 33 percent less than the official retail price and the software versions are compatible with both the original ATV and the second-generation device. There’s also a 30-day money back guarantee that comes with the purchase, but the best part (well, besides the $10 savings) is getting a year’s worth of free update.

aTV Flash is the solution if you’re not interested in bothering yourself with the research for the best jailbreak apps for your ATV. The software does install and provide updates for your Apple TV for the standard add-ons and deals a jailbroken ATV needs to perform.

Earlier this year, Firecore released an updated version of aTV Flash for iOS 5.2 and there’s a bunch of new features that catch the eye, including added support for Apple TV 5.2 and Bluetooth keyboards.

aTV Flash has went a long way, each new software update providing fixes and features that considerably improved the overall experience of a jailbroken Apple TV. The last two versions of aTV Flash delivered fixes that might not sound like much at a first glance, but once you get to use it and see for yourself, you’ll find the aTV Flash updates have actually improved the overall functionality of aTV Flash.

The 5.2 aTV Flash keeps current with the recent Apple software and product, and delivers the updated plugins we’ve become so accustomed with over the past few years. XBMC and Rowmote have also been updated for Apple TV 5.2 and you can now get them using aTV Flash. You can find here a list of the new features and improvements XBMC 12.2 delivers right here and a tutorial on how to install it without using aTV Flash here.

“The wait is over, and today we’re happy to release updated versions of aTV Flash (black) and Seas0nPass that support the recently released 5.1 (iOS 6.1) Apple TV software” reads FireCore’s press release. “Big thanks goes to the evad3rs for making much of this possible” it adds.

aTV Flash for Apple TV running iOS 5.2 features a series of improvements to backups and DVD playback. There’s also added support for Bluetooth keyboards, so you can enjoy the perk of using a keyboard for web browsing, menu navigation and content search.

Despite a handful of other bug fixes and improvements, there are still several third party plugins such as Plex, Remote HD and Rowmate that aren’t yet fully compatible via aTV Flash for iOS 5.2. But AirControl, Couch Surfer Pro, Last.fm, Maintenance, Media Player, RSS Player, RSS Feeds and Weather are fully compatible with Apple TV 5.2.

Following the recent announcement that CW will launch its first app for the Apple TV and the rumor about Apple’s own iRadio release next week, Time Warner’s CEO told investors the company is in talks with Apple for streaming video content on Apple TV.

Earlier this week, at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Telecom and Media conference, Glenn Britt, the Time Warner CEO announced an upcoming deal for Apple TV, just three months after the company released its authenticated cable service app TWC TV for Roku. Based on the CEO’s statement, the company is going to expand its video streaming deals to a wider variety of platforms by the end of the year.

“You should assume we’re talking to everyone who makes devices like this, whether it’s Samsung smart TVs, Apple, Microsoft” CEO Glenn Britt told investors. FierceCable’s report notes that “Britt’s remarks suggest Time Warner Cable may eventually offer the TWC TV app through the Apple TV set-top and Microsoft’s new Xbox One gaming console, which will debut later this year”.

If the deal with Apple comes to fruition, users could enjoy content via their Apple TV from Time Warner’s 300 cable channels, just like Roku users have been enjoying for the past few months. It would definitely be the kind of news that would skyrocket sale figures for Apple’s least popular product, the $99 content-streaming box and set it apart with flying colors when it comes to review against Roku.

The deal with Warner made the difference in Roku’s case, as a company executive stated earlier this year the TWC TV app is “going great guns” scoring lots of downloads and indicating it is just the beginning. Steve Shannon, senior vice president and general manager of the Roku content division announced they are already “in talks with a lot of different operators”, because companies begin to see it as an opportunity more than a threat.

We’ve been writing mostly about aTV Flash lately, giving the interested user everything needed to decide whether the $30 is worth the bother or not. Installing aTV Flash is definitely more appealing than taking the time to download and install each feature, add-on, widget and TV channel individually, particularly if you’re not all that keen on doing your own research and setup.

aTV Flash gives you access to numerous resources you’d otherwise invest some of your precious time into researching, downloading and installing. It does so for a $30 price tag and if that’s not a problem for your budget, then go ahead and download aTV Flash.

Remember it is compatible only with Apple TV 1st and 2nd generation, provided they were jailbroken. The installation process for aTV Flash is just as hassle-free as the overall experience. So, as promised in a previous post, here’s how to install aTV Flash (black) on an Apple TV 2 that runs iOS 5.0:

Step 1– Perform the jailbreak of your Apple TV. If you’ve already checked this, just ignore it and go directly to step 2.

Step 2– Purchase your aTV Flash. Download the file.

Step 3– Double click to install aTV Flash (black). You will be prompted with the following message that announces the wizard will run a program to see if the software is compatible and can be installed. Click Continue.

Step 4– You are now in the main Home Screen of the aTV Flash installer. Click Continue and then Agree to continue the installation and confirm you agree with the terms of the software license agreement.

Step 5– In the left panel, the wizard keeps track of your progress. You are now at Installation Type where you have to click Install to start the process.

Step 6– Click Continue after making sure the software has detected your Apple TV to have the wizard begin the file transfer.

Step 7– Be patient.

Step 8– Once prompted with this message: “The installation was successful. The software was installed” click Close.

Step 9 - Your Apple TV will now reboot. Wait patiently. When you see the screen icons again, look for the Maintenance icon, a sign that aTV Flash was successfully installed on your Apple TV.

Step 10– Click Maintenance and Manage Extras, where you will see all of the available apps, add-ons, widgets and codecs aTV Flash can install for you.

For the inexperienced jailbreaker, aTV Flash delivers an impressive set of features without having the user actually waste time finding, downloading and installing individually each add-on, media center and widget.

It costs $30, a price that isn’t exactly expensive, although in the world of digital content, this is an amount that can actually get you your buck’s worth in several ways, whether it is a bunch of new apps and games, movies or music. If you’re thinking whether or not the software is worth its price, here’s a list of some of the main features aTV Flash installs on your Apple TV(although you can install all of them by yourself).

The best and most important feature aTV does for you is enabling your Apple TV to run content that isn’t limited to iTunes. Thanks to a wide range of audio and video codecs, you can run via your Apple TV AVI, MP4, WMV, DIVX, EYETV, FLV, MKV, MOV, MPEG, MPG, OGG, OGM, RM, WMV, RM, XVID, AAC, AC3, FLAC, MPEG3, MPEG4, VBR MP3 and WMA. It also extends the DVD files compatible to VIDEO_TS/VOB, DVDMEDIA, IMG and ISO. Compatible subtitles are SSA and SRT file formats.

It also extends the media transfer and stream capabilities to Mac, PC and NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices and support for FTP, SMB and NFS protocols.

It provides you with functionalities such as creating video playlists and surfing the web via Couch Surfer Pro, a web browser that has support for HTML5 videos. There’s even a Google Search feature that helps you browse the internet right from your couch, using the remote.

There is improved metadata and cover art for your media, as it automatically downloads and displays information available for your content via TheMovieDB and TheTVDB.

It installs for you nitoTV and XBMC, needed to play and add new TV channels and content sources on your jailbroken Apple TV.

It gives you the choice of two third party remote controls for Apple TV: the Remote HD and Rowmote.

aTV Flash gives you hassle-free access to new music, by providing direct support for Last.fm . You get radio stations, artist bios and slideshows.

It also installs for you weather widgets.

All these without impacting the original features on your Apple TV. Remember however that these are all things you can install by yourself individually and that these are not features limited or provided exclusively via aTV Flash.

Plex isn’t exactly the novelty for the tech buff. The media player has been available for some time now, becoming a must-have app for Samsung and Roku devices. Even for Apple TV, the Plex app has been available for years now, but only for jailbroken devices.

Seeing as Apple’s latest generation devices are getting considerably more difficult to jailbreak, the creators of Plex took it up one notch and came up with a version of their app that works on Apple TV 2 and 3 without requiring a jailbreak.

The PlexConnect release is definitely the kind of breakthrough we’ve been waiting for. The free command-line tool allows you to access content via the Plex Media Server on your Apple TV, all that without jailbreaking your devices.
Learn How to Install PlexConnect

It is an amazing feature that marks a significant shift in the world of Apple TV, although for now, at least, the need for command knowledge in Terminal is a turn-off for most users. But seeing as the tutorial on how to install PlexConnect is easy to follow and it enhances the whole Apple TV experience without being required to jailbreak it, it’s all worth the bother.

“The brainchild of Baa, roidy and f00b4r, it’s a super clever little hack which allows a rich, fully-functional Plex client on un-jailbroken ATV2 and ATV3 (1080p!) devices” reads the announcement published on the Plex blog earlier this month. It works by masquerading a program on your computer as the Trailer App to give you acces to your library on the Plex Media Server. It does all this just by changing one setting on your Apple TV.

The Plex blog reads it took them “less than 2 minutes to install and get it running”, although we reckon for the Terminal novice it will take around 10 to 15 minutes. But that’s just time to make sure you’re correctly following the steps.

The PlexConnect hack is basically an app and a server that uses XML and Javascript, feature that makes it easier to develop new functions and widgets for. It features a new transcoder which enhances the subtitle performance on ATV 2 and 3. There’s also support for AC3 5.1 (with remixing and transcoding from DTS) and for iTunes DRM’ed video files. The PlexApp Blog reads PlexConnect will also provide support for myPlex soon enough.

For a few weeks now, aTV Flash for Apple TV 2nd generation running iOS 4.4 or later (including 5.2, aka iOS 6.1) has become available, giving beginner jailbreakers a great tool. The new software release features great new features and fixes, although the bulk was released with aTV Flash for Apple TV 2 running iOS 5.0.

The most popular feature of the aTV Flash 2.2 is being able to use Bluetooth keyboards and make it all the more hassle free to navigate the device’s menu, use the content search or Google Search features and obviously web browsing.

Updating your aTV Flash isn’t difficult at all. There are just a few steps you need to perform to enjoy the perks of the improved aTV Flash (black).

Step 1: Before performing the update to aTV Flash 2.2, please make sure you backup your settings and data. You do that by accessing the Maintenance and Manage Backups menu.

Step 2: Use Seas0nPass to update your Apple TV to the 5.2 iOS version. If you don’t know how to do that, you can use this tutorial for Apple Tv 2 Jailbreak.

Step 3: Purchase, download and install the 2.2 version of aTV Flash (black). You might have access to the update for free, check out your license agreement and purchase notes.

Step 4: Once installed, look for the Maintenance menu on the home screen and enter the Manage Extras menu. In this menu, select Manage Backups to simply restore previously saved settings.

For the moment, the aTV Flash update is available only for the second generation Apple TV, since the jailbreak for Apple TV 3 is currently in the works. FireCore has noted though that “as soon as the 3rd gen update is available, existing aTV Flash (black) users will be able to upgrade to the new version at no addition cost”.

Earlier this month, Baa, roidy and f00b4r released the first compatible Plex version for non-jailbroken Apple TV 2s and 3s.

Available under the name PlexConnect, this smart tool allows you to run plex without performing a jailbreak on your device, feature that is really useful seeing as the jailbreak for ATV 3 is still in the works, whereas the jailbreak for Apple TV 2 is tethered.

Thanks to PlexConnect wiki and our very own curious devs, we’re ready today to present you with the Mac tutorial on how to install Plex on Apple TV2 and Apple TV3.(No Jailbreak Required)
Find out What is Plex

Step 1: First make sure your PlexConnect device and Mac have the same IP address. To do that you will have to set a DHCP reservation or static IP for ATV. So, on your Apple TV navigate to Ethernet (available in the Settings – General – Network Menu). Write down your current DNS server, then click configure DNS.

Step 2: In the DNS configure screen, select Manual. Change the IP address of your ATV to the one run by your Mac. Click “Done” when both your ATV and Mac have the same IP. You might be asked to configure the IP address of your router and the subnet mask if your ATV is running an earlier iOS version than 5.2. Just ignore the request.

Step 3: You are now back in the network configuration screen. Check once again for the settings: Manual for the DNS server and make sure there is the same IP address for your ATV and Mac.

Step 4: Download PlexConnect fromhere. Unzip the downloaded file.

Step 5: Use TextEdit to open the Settings.py file and edit the line “retun ‘8.8.8.8’ # google public DNS”. Replace that with “8.8.8.8 and your DNS server” (the one you wrote down before). This step is optional. You can use your ISP’s DNS server if the gateway matches your DNS server already. Save the changes.

Step 6: In a terminal window you will have to change the directory address to that of the PlexConnect folder. There are 2 ways to do that. First is by typing cd, pressing the space bar once, dragging the PlexConnect folder to the terminal window and hitting return. The second one is easier, you just need to enable the feature “new terminal at folder” available in the right click command menu.

Step 7: Now type “sudo ./PlexConnect.py” (without the quote signs). Hit return.

Step 8: You will now be asked to enter your Mac password. Do that and hit return again. Now, wait to see output in the terminal window, sign that PlexConnect is starting.

Step 9: On your Apple TV, launch the Trailer app. This should initiate the PlexConnect interface.

Step 10: Enjoy

Despite causing quite a number of debates, Apple’s iOS 7 design is definitely something new. It is so new that according to Apple “it’s like getting an entirely new phone, but one you know how to use”.

There’s been a lot said about Apple losing its touch when it comes to sleek and innovative design. Users and critics have waited with anxiety every new release hoping that would be the one that will blow their minds. For the most part, Apple kept within known limits, changing less and less with every new product, whereas its technology standards have been met by other producers for a more affordable price. The iOS 7 design is exactly that new thing so many have been waiting from Apple, and although the visual changes feel a bit odd, it’s a change a lot more will grow to love than you’d imagine.

At the iOS 7 debut, Apple CEO Tim Cook referred to the new firmware as the “biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone”, whereas Craig Federighi says the new design makes your iPhone feel like “an entirely new phone, but one you know how to use”. Critics however, were not impressed with Apple’s attempt to shift focus from software and hardware innovation with a few bright colors and an odd icons design. Jony Ive’s design for iOS 7 has been dubbed as “black and white and flat all over” whereas reports have already surface that the messed up icon design was the result of miscommunication and damaging competition within the design department.

But while most have stopped their in-depth look at icon design, iOS 7 does have some design features that aim to improve the user’s experience. First of all, there is a concentrated focus towards better multitasking and easier navigation. Icons are simpler, although there’s room for improvement when it comes to the finer details, iMessage and Calendar have a cleaner look, Weather, iTunes and Notes have shed the extra shadows and lines.

There are new ways of navigation in the menu, for instance you can go back to a previous page by simply swiping from the left edge of the screen. Also when you move the device, the screen tilts in that direction and gives you a brief view of the icons behind. iOS 7 will also turn translucent in specific places to provide the user with “a sense of your context”.

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