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AppleTV Becomes OSX Workstation

Posted by Hemos on from the reconstruction dept.

An anonymous reader writes "AppleTVhacks published a full howto install guide with 12 easy steps to turn your AppleTV into a full blown OSX workstation. With a processor emulation, hacker Semthex of hackint0sh.org, managed to get full blown OSX working on a AppleTV. The kernel for this hack is freely available under APSL and opens the legal way to a really cheap Mac Nano. With 300$ difference to the Mac Mini, this is becoming a fairly interesting deal." April Fool's, btw.

18 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. I dont get it? by Whiney+Mac+Fanboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The kernel for this hack is freely available under APSL and opens the legal way to a really cheap Mac Nano. With 300$ difference to the Mac Mini, this is becoming a fairly interesting deal."
    and from TFA:

    Semthex wrote a processor emulation for the kernel, to sidestep the hardware restrictions that previously disallowed Mac OS X from running on the Apple TV.
    Is there something I'm missing? If that's legal, what's to stop me putting a (legal) copy os OS X on any common-or-garden x86 box?
    --
    There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
    1. Re:I dont get it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Is there something I'm missing? If that's legal, what's to stop me putting a (legal) copy os OS X on any common-or-garden x86 box? Nothing.

      The problem with this (for me) is that you have to install the Intel version of OS X. As far as I know you can't get the Intel version without buying an Intel Mac (something I don't have). So basically you'll have to wait until Leopard before you can buy an Intel version of OS X.
    2. Re:I dont get it? by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 5, Informative

      The hack is legal because he just modified the kernel, like the ASPL lets you.
      However, note the little bit in the OSX license that says you may only run OSX on Apple hardware. The A.TV is still Apple hardware. Your Dell isin't.

      --
      "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
    3. Re:I dont get it? by Splab · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You should also note that while they may say that you are only allowed to run it on their hardware you bought the license for the software and you (at least here in Denmark) are pretty much in your own right to do damned well whatever pleases you with said license.

    4. Re:I dont get it? by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 4, Funny

      Or...
      You could wait till a disk image of the hacked A.TV shows up on the seedy underbelly of the Internet.

      --
      "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
    5. Re:I dont get it? by Jim+Hall · · Score: 3, Informative

      The problem with this (for me) is that you have to install the Intel version of OS X. As far as I know you can't get the Intel version without buying an Intel Mac (something I don't have). So basically you'll have to wait until Leopard before you can buy an Intel version of OS X.

      Apple's store sells MacOSX Tiger for $129.

      That said, the cost of Apple TV + MacOSX Tiger is only $170 less than buying a Mac Mini with MacOSX pre-installed. And Apple TV doesn't come with a DVD/CD drive, and it's hard drive is 20GB smaller than the Mac Mini. Hmmm.. I think I know which one I'd buy.

    6. Re:I dont get it? by catseye · · Score: 4, Informative

      The retail version of Tiger is 10.4.6, and is PPC only. Apple didn't combine OS X versions into a universal install until 10.4.8. Right now, the only way to install OS X on an Apple Intel machine is with the system disks that come with the computer.

      One presumes this would change with Leopard (10.5), which should be the first retail-available install of OS X that would work on Intel or PPC machines.

      --
      What did the walrus say to the penguin? "No soap, radio."
    7. Re:I dont get it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      You can try and be pendantic

      What, hang around?

  2. What day is it again? by crazyjeremy · · Score: 4, Funny

    It is April 2nd now right? *pinches self* Weird... this all seems so real. He even posted videos!

    --
    Funnypics
    1. Re:What day is it again? by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 3, Insightful

      True, I don't think it's real either. The thing is: if you manage to do such a hack on or around Fools Day, I'd wait a few days before releasing the information. That way you're less likely to be considered a fake.

      Many of the comments on that page were made on April 1st, including the one where the guy claims it's not an April Fools joke. I'm not buying it.

  3. Great progress so far. by FauxReal · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They've gone quite far in a short amount of time opening up the hardware to more use. Now if they can get it to dual boot OSX and the ATV version. Or better yet some sorta mashup retaining the ATV interface so you can browse samba shares and stream any media format you want via the remote. A better (more informational/snazzy looking) music player would be nice too.

    Hopefully Apple won't try too hard to prevent this from happening in future revisions of the hardware. Though I doubt the content providers are all that excited about the news. But then again... the amount of hacked ATVs vs. every other multimedia capable device is rater insignificant.

    I'm sure this will be a hit with the I need a pretty little file server on a shelf crowd.

    --
    Deltron 3030 - Virus (music video)
    1. Re:Great progress so far. by Heliode · · Score: 3, Interesting
      There are already projects underway to add all sorts of functionality to the Apple TV. Check http://www.awkwardtv.org/, esp. the wiki: http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Main_Page
      The patchstick project (enabling SSH without opening the case) and ATVfiles (play divx movies on the file system, and files not in the iTunes library) look particularly interesting.

      I've been keeping a close eye on this from the beginning and I find it amazing how quickly they are figuring things out. It almost looks like this thing was made to be hacked. This thing might even replace Xbox Media Center one day.

      --
      Fox can take the sky from you.
  4. Don't play dumb. by daveschroeder · · Score: 4, Interesting
    People have jumped through a lot of hoops to attempt to justify to themselves running the hacked Mac OS X on non-Apple systems, coming up with ridiculous sophistries like "What if I have an Intel iMac, but want to only run Linux on it, and then want to use that same OS X license on my Gateway laptop???"

    ...

    AppleTV is an interesting case, because it is an "Apple-labeled" product, which is what the Mac OS X license agreement stipulates. And that's the key.

    The license agreement specifies that Mac OS X can only be run on an Apple-labeled computer. And that is Apple's right. Now, you can ignore it, or ignore legal frameworks that may (or may not) enforce license agreements within certain countries/jurisdictions, and so on, but that's why running Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware is "illegal". There are NO prohibitions to doing things like hacking the kernel, etc. It's open source, and you can do with it what you wish regardless.

    But there are still some interesting considerations:

    - There is no way to legally get a standalone, retail copy of Mac OS X (Intel) for AppleTV, unless you make arguments about transferring an abandoned license from another Intel-based Mac. (And no, there is no conventional Mac OS X license that comes with AppleTV, either explicitly or implicitly.)

    - Technically, you could purchase and run Mac OS X Server 10.4.x (Universal) and legally run it on AppleTV - there would be no prohibitions to this.

    - Mac OS X 10.5.x (Leopard) will be the first version of Mac OS X to have a legally purchasable standalone retail Intel version (actually, Leopard will be Universal).

    But there are some other things to think about:

    - Even when Leopard ships, at retail pricing, it's still $299 + $129 for AppleTV + Mac OS X. It's $171 more for a much more capable Mac mini. However, $171 may be enough to get people to consider this.

    - This will really be interesting if Leopard can run unmodified on AppleTV (i.e., without a hacked kernel).

    - This will still be relegated to the hobbyist/experimenter/hacker crowd, as you need to disassemble AppleTV in order to do this, image drives, have another Mac handy, and so on, not to mention that the warranty is likely void while OS X is installed on the machine (which of course is reversible, etc.)

    So while this is all very interesting, please consider the fact that there are no legal ways to get Mac OS X for it currently.

    This post is obviously not for people who think EULAs are BS, or that since it's an Apple product "it's okay", or that since it has some stripped down OS X on it already, "it's okay" to also install OS X from their friend's iMac, etc.

    I'm simply raising the legitimate concerns surrounding licensing on AppleTV, some of which get interesting with Leopard since it is, indeed, and Apple-labeled computer, and Leopard will be available standalone.

    There are also no prohibitions on using a modified kernel, but one very interesting question might be, does Apple consider AppleTV a "computer", since that is what the Mac OS X license agreement explicitly states?

    1. Re:Don't play dumb. by knewter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm always so upset when I read about stuff like this. If a paint manufacturer put a label on the paint can seal that was 'accepted upon opening' that stated that you couldn't use the paint except on PaintCo Brand Wood, would we call 'pirate' painters criminals or would we all just laugh in unison at PaintCo for misunderstanding freedom?

      --
      -knewter
  5. 1/2 the price, less than 1/2 the performance by PrescriptionWarning · · Score: 4, Informative

    the 600 dollar mac mini comes with a core duo 1.66 Ghz processor (maybe soon even a core 2 duo)... so how exactly is turning a 300 dollar machine with less than 1/3 the speed make sense economically? especially since you'll still have to somehow acquire OSX by some means.

    granted the apple tv is tiny and cool, but if you're looking for a super cheap PC, you might as well go ahead and grab a mini for a little extra for the total package. Besides I'm sure you can find them for 500 bucks or so since they've been around for so long...

  6. Here's the videos by objekt · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't think these will get slashdotted anytime soon

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3qvJSMojBQ
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1840427990 015549546

    --
    -- Boycott Shell
  7. MythTV? by brunes69 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anyone know if you can run MythTV under OSX? This thing would make a great myth frontend.

  8. Re:MythTV? -- working on it by mk500 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm working on getting MythFrontend running. That was actually the main driver behind me getting this working, as I'm a big MythTV user. My main backend has 500GB and 2 HDTV tuners. I'd love to get this box running in my bedroom with the 24" HD LCD I have on the wall (Dell). I'll post back when I have MythFrontend running....just need to configure my backend for remote frontend access and install the OS X MythFrontend which has already been compiled for Intel OS X. Oh yeah, I'm the guy in the video.