More Apple TV hacks

Apple's new set-top box continues to draw the interest of enthusiasts with new hacks for displaying RSS feeds on Apple TV and for video game emulation. Following last week's revelation that Apple is not disabling hacked devices, over the past few days readers have developed a RSS plugin for Apple TV that offers the ability to display RSS feeds (version 1.x/2.x) within the Apple TV interface. While still in beta, the plugin is expected to be updated with support for ATOM feeds and video RSS feeds (streamed rather than synced via iTunes). The download includes an RSS plugin for Apple TV's "Back Row" application (the Finder replacement that controls the Apple TV interface on the device) as well as sample files for adding custom RSS feeds.

Another newly released hack allows users to play video games on Apple TV via video game emulation for NES, SNES, N64, and Sega Genesis game consoles. After enabling SSH and installing VNC, users can install Richard Bannister's free emulation software for Mac OS X, including Nestopia 1.3.6 for the original Nintendo Entertainment System (US), Generator 0.4.2 for the Sega Genesis, BSNES 0.17 for Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sixtyforce 0.9.0 for Nintendo64. The website notes that the default initialization files were used, but could "probably be tweaked for even better compatibility and system performance."

Finally, one enthusiast site is offering a $1000 reward for the first hack to get an Apple TV to use an external USB drive for storage.

Users have already managed to get a full version of Mac OS X and the Joost internet television application running on the device as well as hacked the Apple TV USB port, enabled Xvid files, and provided instructions for upgrading the internal hard drive.

By Electronista Staff