Make Apple TV OS run on a regular PC?

[Artistan]

I'll be even happy if I can get the appleTV finder.app running on my Powerbook or OSx86 just to play around.

 

EDIT:

 

We already know that it doesn't require to re-install OSX to enable us to run this program on any installation, and does not require to have the exact disk partition like the aTV.

However it does require you to patch Backrow.framework to change the partition "frontrow 2.0" uses as the location for the "/Media" folder.

 

Since there isn't (not that I could find) any guide on what to patch on the Backrow.framework, to make "frontrow 2.0" launch...I'm writing one.

 

Step 1:

I'm assuming that you already have Backrow.framework, iPhotoAccess.framework, and the patch Finder.app all installed the way you like it.

 

If not look else where for the guide, like here:

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=46680

 

Step 2:

Guide your way to:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameWorks/BackRow.framework/Versions/A/

If it's not there go back to step 1.

 

Copy BackRow to your desktop, and make another backup of BackRow.

If you mess up atleast you only have to copy one file back.

 

Step 3:

Open BackRow with your prefered HEX editor.

 

Navigate your way to E03E0 in the editor. There should by two entry in ASCII it that should say "0s4", in HEX "30 73 34".

Change this to what ever the disk id your want to use.

 

Step 4:

Save the changes, and copy the BackRow you just modified back into:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameWorks/BackRow.framework/Versions/A/

 

Fix permission of the file, and your set.

 

Feel free to ask me for help. However if the question's answer is in the forum don't expect and answer back.

Enjoy! (Once IR emulation is done... for me... can't control the darn thing still).

[Mr. Bond]

Yeah, that was exactly my (and others on IRC) thought as well.

 

Although really, seeing as we already have things like MythTV, it would more or less just be an interesting experiement. Even to build a small hackintosh for the sole purpose of an AppleTV like media centre would still cost more than an actual AppleTV.

 

If anything, I think the existence of the unhacked SSE2 kernel is most interesting, with regards to OS X on beige box PC's.

[Artistan]

true. but if you have an old machine capable enough, I wouldn't see why not to do it.

[AriX]

Well, that would be pretty cool, but then you'd lose the features of the computer. I wish there was an app in OSX that we could make to switch main applications (I'm sure the Apple TV's is not called Finder.app...) so that we could with the stroke of a hotkey, we could switch between Apple TV and OSX.

 

This would be hard, but likely not impossible, since they run basically the same OS, assuming the Apple TV GUI and it's resources are able to run on OSX with little or no modification.

[~Neo]

Ok right now...

Just picked up the image from oink.

Heres what I know so far:

The finder in /System/Library/CoreServices/ is the Interface of the AppleTV.

The app needs 2 additional Private Frameworks:

-iPhotoAccess.framework

-BackRow.framework

 

As you can see, Apple calls the new interface "BackRow". The project name is "Riptide".

Its a modified version of FrontRow.

In the Resource folder there is a file called com.apple.frontrow.manifest

Trying to run it now...

 

cYa ~Neo

[FUKKU]

"For those who can't afford one"?

 

The thing's $300, if you can't afford that you probably can't afford the parts to put your own version together.

[Embio]

I think its a bit less if you already have most of the parts ;-)

[cringemaster]

Im gonna download it, then restore it to an external drive and see if it works out on my core solo mini.

[~Neo]

Ok so far...

Trying to boot from the partition I prepared does this:

Mar 25 *time* launchd: /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow port /dev/console exited abnormally: Abort trap
INIT_Processes(), could not establish the default connection to the WindowServer.

 

Someone knows how to solve?

 

 

cYa ~Neo

[macprodan]

Got It installed on a Partition on my MacBook Pro. All I get a a Nice Shiny Apple then No activity.. how can Turn on Verbose mode.?

 

Id Love to get this to eventually to run on the Hack, be perfect for the living room..

[Ireland]

Got It installed on a Partition on my MacBook Pro. All I get a a Nice Shiny Apple then No activity..

Same same for me. Can anyone figure this?

[c4software]

If the system freeze on Apple Screen, maybe its a GUID partition error no ?

[Ireland]

If the system freeze on Apple Screen, maybe its a GUID partition error no ?

There's no installer in the .dmg.. I think that's the problem.

[hemiola]

Great stuff !

 

If anyone can pull this off, the brilliant folks of this forum can !!!

 

I'd love to dual boot to this on my Mini ..... i HATE the Front Row interface .... and i use my Mini as a Media Server....

 

Good luck guys, i know you can do it !!!

 

Or, crossing fingers that this interface is incorporated into Leopard !!! (which is likely)

[hellogoodbye]

I looked around in the HD image and found out that the OS is 10.4.7, build 8N5107, if that might help.

[Ireland]

Or, crossing fingers that this interface is incorporated into Leopard !!! (which is likely)

99% sure it's Front Row 2.0 - which is coming in Leopard.

[wylderawk]

appleTv interface is called BackRow, from the Riptide project. It is an offshoot from FrontRow. I'd expect Leopard's FrontRow to be different, though similar.

[Urbz]

99% sure it's Front Row 2.0 - which is coming in Leopard.

No. The mini is $600, the AppleTV is $300.

For the average consumer, they would probably prefer an actual computer with more storage, ram, etc, especially for $300 more. The products need to stay seperate, VERY seperate.

Frontrow may be changed to be more functional (right now, it sucks), but if it is too similar to the AppleTV, Apple will be losing sales of one product to the other. They would much rather gain the sales from competitors, no?

 

-Urby

[iLux]

appleTv interface is called BackRow, from the Riptide project. It is an offshoot from FrontRow. I'd expect Leopard's FrontRow to be different, though similar.

It's not called BackRow : Backrow is a private framework used by Apple TV. The user that does evrything on an Apple TV is called frontrow.

[centic]

well.. i've copied BackRow.framework to PrivateFrameworks on my macbook's OSX install as well as iPhotoAccess.. I'm working on modifying the Finder.app to actually open on my macbook, but it doesn't seem to be looking good

[wylderawk]

USER is frontrow. gui is finder.app, which is custom app renamed as finder.app. custom app is branch of frontrow from riptide project and backrow frameworks. Its not just frontrow 2.0, and won't be what's on leopard.

[centic]

when you restore the DMG that floating around you're supposed to get this structure:

0: GUID_partition_scheme *37.3 GB disk5

1: EFI 34.0 MB disk5s1

2: 400.0 MB disk5s2

3: Apple_HFS OSBoot 900.0 MB disk5s3

4: Apple_HFS Media 36.0 GB disk5s4

[Lostgame]

Alright, I've extrapolated all the resources from the ?tv ISO. I don't have access to an external HDD, but I'm going to try to get it running in VMware, because I've heard VMware will run OSX natively.

[Jlentz823]

i would guess someone should try to open and mess around with the "apple Tv os" in leopard

[oktar]

I restored it to an external drive, and lets see what we get when booting an imac for this drive.

 

It seems that as of this moment there is no hardware support for anything else than the apple tv itself. Getting the still waiting for root device message, seems an indicator to that.