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Apple TV hack boots full Mac OS X

updated 11:00 pm EDT, Sat March 31, 2007

 

Apple TV Full Mac OS X


It's now possible to boot a full version of Mac OS X, a dedicated hobbyist group revealed Saturday evening. A collaborative effort has installed and run the software on the device by sidestepping its processor restrictions in the operating system's kernel, which previously barred all but the custom version of the software from loading properly. The technique results in complete functionality for the USB port -- as accomplished in a separate hack -- and will run standard applications, including the standard version of Apple's Front Row media software.

The modification comes just ten days after Apple began shipping the media streaming hub and eight days following the first successful hack, which installed XviD and proved that the Apple TV could run unauthorized code after breaking its security restrictions. The company has yet to officially respond to these breaches despite allegations that it was overriding those changes on Internet-connected units.


By Electronista Staff

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  1. l008com

    Addicted to MacNN

    Joined: Jan 2000

    +1
    03/31, 11:08pm | report spam | reply

    Thats what they need

    A $300 mac mini would do wonders for apple. Even going back down to a $500 one would be a big step.


  1. bobolicious

    Junior Member

    Joined: Aug 2002

    +1
    04/01, 05:04am | report spam | reply

    I can think of several...

    ...that would be tempted if this were a shipping reality... including both non & pc only computer users who would likely eventually upgrade or switch to a full mac once they had had a taste of the 'light' side...


  1. Mrjinglesusa

    Professional Poster

    Joined: Feb 2002

    +1
    04/01, 11:24am | report spam | reply

    Useless

    Wow. They made a WEAK and CRIPPLED Mac Mini out of an AppleTV. I'm sure it's a screamer running with 256 MB RAM....


  1. cgc

    Professional Poster

    Joined: Mar 2003

    +1
    04/01, 12:42pm | report spam | reply

    One more addition

    This would be even better if they added a floppy drive RAID (http://phoenix.cc.edu/MegaFloppy.htm) to this "weak and crippled Mac Mini." Then it would rock!


  1. joe.uk

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2007

    +1
    04/01, 05:23pm | report spam | reply

    Ermm

    April fools!! lol


  1. aesculanus

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

    +1
    04/01, 09:21pm | report spam | reply

    so what?

    until something is simplified enough that my wife can just put a dvd into her macbook and have it show up on her tv, apple tv is just a $300 paperweight.

    the hackers would better fill their time hacking apple tv so that it operates outside itunes; not dumping entire system installs on to it. really, outside a small niche that masturbates to doing this c*** just for the h*** of it, who is actually going to care for mac os x on apple tv?


  1. mmmdoughnuts

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

    +1
    04/02, 08:50am | report spam | reply

    Ok

    So, what does "runs full version of OSX" mean to you, aesculanus? Sounds like you can run anything you like INCLUDING iTunes!

    But maybe you are just confused.


  1. aesculanus

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

    +1
    04/02, 02:16pm | report spam | reply

    it means

    that it's beyond me how it could be set up in a way that allows me to slide a dvd in an imac and have it show up effortlessly on my TV. and if it's beyond me, it's certainly beyond the mass market.


  1. DaFrigN

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2006

    +1
    04/03, 11:18am | report spam | reply

    Think Different AppleTV

    aesculanus, you don't seem to get the implications of set top MacOSX. 1. Add a USB TV Tuner and it's a MacTiVo! 2. Add some games/emulators and it's an MacOSXbox! 3. Add a USB Optical Drive or Big a** HD and it you can store a 1000s of compressed movies ready for watching. 4. Make an networked array of a bunch of 'em for cheap super-computing! 5. Host a website while you are watching those movies! 6.... Well you get the idea now, right? It opens up so many more possibilities, I didn't give any thought about buying an AppleTV until this happened (I was hoping it would though)! Same for the iPhone though it's less likely it would prove as useful, as apps would most likely need to be recompiled/re GUI'd for different processor/touch input etc., but I'de bet the hackers out there will at least get XviD/DivX, some emulators and maybe some Linux going on the iPhone, too!


  1. resuna

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2005

    0
    04/03, 06:35pm | report spam | reply

    nVidia GPU

    Slower processor, check.

    256M RAM, check.

    nVidia GPU... hold on a sec...

    One hopes that the Core 2 Mac mini will have at least as good a GPU...

    AND NOT BY INTEL KTHX BYE


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