DynaFlash Tech

The new AtvCloner XBMC (Linux) image 21 is now available for download via bittorrent please note that you only need to download AtvCloner_Linux_21.img.gz to get just the XBMC linux image if you have the rest (AtvCloner_0_1_8.zip and AtvCloner_Linux_recovery.dmg.zip) as this image already works with those other files. If you don’t have them then make sure to get those as well.

Now, as I alluded to in this post the original AtvCloner XBMC (linux) image had several shortfalls, the biggest of which was that it could no longer depend on the xbmc ppa to allow for any updates past xbmc 10.0. So this image includes a build environment to be able to build xbmc. Yes, you can (if you want) build new xbmc revisions right on your AppleTV 1. There are a slew of other neat features like Apple File Protocol mounting on your mac, support for the usb port on your AppleTV 1, XBMC 10.1 pre-installed, almost half the file size (1.71 vs the old image size of 3.6) as well as a newer installed version of the Transparency skin for xbmc. Besides those major bullet points there is a fair bit more included. I will now *finally* try to update documentation so you can find out where things are at if you decide to mod your AppleTV 1 with AtvCloner.

Additonal information can also be found at the AtvCloner forums.

More information to follow, but for now thats it!

So, since the advent of the AtvCloner Linux image etc. It appears that using the comments on the site has become a bit … cumbersome so we now have some other options for support for AtvCloner. I setup both a forum and have added a link to an irc channel on freenode that is always monitored and hope that they become better vehicles for support for AtvCloner.

Check out AtvCloner Community Support

So, it looks like there are a fair number of people that have been downloading AtvCloner 0.1.8 and the XBMC Linux image … thats great! However that image contains XBMC 10.0 on Linux Hardy 8.04. The road block I ran into after that image was released is that as of XBMC 10.1 (which was a bug fix release) was put out … they dropped support for Linux Hardy 8.04 in their ppa. Hmm, so I went a couple different routes to figure out how to stay current with XBMC releases …

1. I tried installing Linux 10.0.4 Lucid and XBMC 10.1 from their ppa … it works! However, performance on the AppleTV 1 is … poor at best. Uses too much ram and cpu to really be worthwhile on the AppleTV 1.

2. Then I tried OpenElec for the AppleTV 1 … this (I figured) was progress as its not based on any linux distro (the kernel is custom compiled) and is optimized for the AppleTV 1 . Result: while its a nifty piece of kit … my excitement was quelled when I realized after some testing and use … it had the same performance issues that Linux Lucid has. Basically after watching a couple movies … there was only about 40 MB of ram left and after that the interface got sluggish ,etc.

So … what to do ? I went back to my original Linux Hardy image and decided to talk to the good folks over at XBMC to see what could be done to Hardy 8.04 to keep it current with XBMC even though their ppa dropped that platform. WIth a bit of work and a whole lot of help from davilla over there, I not only have Linux Hardy running current XBMC but actual development code that is pointed towards XBMC 11.0 (Eden). Further the image now includes the build tools to compile current XBMC on the atv 1 itself … which means I can keep it up to date with the latest XBMC (or for those that want to delve in deeper … so can they) !

To get an idea of the performance difference. Linux Hardy 8.04 will tend to leave about 140 to 150 mb of the AppleTV’s paltry 256 mb of ram free when just sitting idle … both Lucid and OpenElec in my testing after watching a movie or two will only leave about 40 mb free. The result to the user is very sluggish ui response and dropped frames while watching any more movies. Unacceptable. For the AppleTV 1 Linux Hardy 8.04 is still the leanest , meanest distro around imo.

Anyway … the long and the short of it is … I am still working on a few things on this XBMC (Linux Hardy) image but figured you ought to know that it is really fun and plan to release it at some point because XBMC has made some significant advancements in their development code which I am pretty sure you will love. Oh, and I *still* have to get to that Linux XBMC image documentation out as there is much that is not explained but some has been covered in the comments for the original AtvCloner XBMC Linux release.

At the same time I am trying to make the atvcloner xbmc install a bit more “mac friendly” so that there is less time spent getting your content onto your “new” AppleTV 1. After all … its all about your content!

Feel free to ask any questions. It looks awfully good for those of you wanting to keep a breath of fresh air in your AppleTV 1′s!

So as I alluded to in an earlier post I set out to try to enhance the use of the original AppleTV 1 since it has been replaced by the AppleTV 2 which is a fine unit but I am a big fan of having local storage available on the device … and this rules out the AppleTV2.

Now, adding a Broadcom Crystal HD card in place of the stock Wireless card (yes, you lose wireless) and installing a Linux partition that boots right up into XBMC turned out to be just the ticket! Given the rather lengthy process it requires to do this from the terminal manually I got to thinking why not just modify AtvCloner to do a special partition scheme using a premade XBMC / Linux image. Well it works, and has been pretty thoroughly tested.

You will need three things:

1. The new AtvCloner 0.1.8
2. A modified recovery.dmg
3. The XBMC / Linux image

Now the biggest issue is the size of the Linux image, its a full linux install modified for use on the AppleTV 1 including support for the Crystal HD card and boots directly into XBMC. However as such it is 3.64 GB which would kill my web server. Given the size I decided to use Bittorrent for both the XBMC / Linux image and the modified recovery.dmg. If you are not familiar with bit torrent you will need a bit torrent client. For the mac I strongly recommend Transmission its free and works great on a mac.

Edit: It is appreciated if you can continue to seed for a while after downloading the images. That way everyone can get it faster. Its normal etiquette for torrents to seed afterwards as much as you downloaded. If you can’t for some reason thats fine, but it would be appreciated!

Here is what you need to download:

After you get all three files go ahead and expand them (they are all zipped), you will use AtvCloner as before but instead of just using your backed up stock AppleTV OS files you will use the modified recovery.dmg for recovery and also add in the XBMC / Linux image for the linux parition that said use your stock backed up efi.dmg . Make sure to check the “ATV Linux XBMC w/ CHD Support” checkbox before preparing your new drive.

NOTE: the XBMC Linux partitioning does not use your boot.dmg as it is “single boot” this avoids having to manually perform a recovery boot via the atv remote as well saves about 900 mb of your hard drive space for the Media partition for local storage.

Also, this image will offer up a remote share on your mac once the atv boots called atv-xbmc. To mount it on your mac (and then be able to transfer media over to it) use login: atv , password: xbmc.

To ssh into the AppleTV its the same user name and password:

ssh atv@your.atvs.ipaddress

when asked for the password use ‘xbmc’.

Since the demise of the AppleTV 1 I went about several months ago to find new functionality for the semi maligned Apple product. I have an AppleTV 2 but frankly find the lack of local storage less than encouraging for my needs/wants. Knowing that the folks over at the XBMC project had managed to get much more performance out of the device via the Broadcom CrystalHD chip I decided to take the plunge and see what this software mod was all about. Now, as you may or may not know AtvCloner will let you upgrade your hard drive in your AppleTV 1 fairly easily to increase local hard drive space via re-imaging a newer larger hard drive with the AppleTvs original stock partition images. It occurred to me that if I could create a decent install of XBMC with the proper CrystalHD drivers on it that was reliable … well I just might have something.

Now, in all candor the folks at awkwardtv and xbmc have been doing this for the last few years but from what I have read it’s typically been booted off of a usb ‘patchstick’ stuck in the usb port. This is all fine and well but … not my cup o’ tea. So, I set out to pick up a couple of used atv 1s for around $50 US apiece. Then you can pick up a Broadcom Crystal HD chip which replaces the wireless card in the atv for about $48 or so US. So for about $100 US you have an AppleTV 1 that can theoretically decode 1080p blu ray! But, how easy is it to get it to work ? Frankly unless your a command line terminal geek, its a pain.

That said much like AtvCloner was designed to take the command line work out of imaging and re-partitioning a new AppleTV drive, I figure if I could get a useable XBMC + CHD (short for Crystal HD chip) install running … maybe I could make an image that I could use AtvCloner to work with. Well, it worked!. However I found after testing both xbmc (mac) and xbmc (linux) for the AppleTV 1 there are several differences at this time. One is that xbmc (mac) uses almost all of the AppleTV s ram. Meaning it leaves about 5 – 10 mb free while xbmc (linux) for AppleTV only uses half of the ram which leaves a much snappier interface. As well, xbmc (mac) is actually an app on top of the atvs os. While xbmc (linux) is in fact its own OS which is much leaner than the stock atv os plus can reside on its own partition. Given the hardware constraints of the AppleTV 1 the choice was clear in terms of performance. So yes, this mod will utilize Linux and XBMC.

Now, here is where I am at. I need some testers. It’s not required that you have knowledge of AtvCloner previously but it might help.

Please reply in the comments if your interested in this on your AppleTV 1.

Now what is required ? Three things:

1. The new version of AtvCloner
2. A modified recovery.dmg (to boot into the xbmc linux image).
3. The xbmc (linux) image.

The rest is done like normal with AtvCloner on your mac.

Just a quick note: Since the introduction of the AppleTV 2 it is clear there aren’t going to be any more software updates and the platform is now deprecated. However there are still some things about the original AppleTV 1 that make it attractive, not the least of which is local storage which means you can use it without a computer running iTunes. I am working on a new version of AtvCloner that can leverage several technologies to extend its playback capabilities and possibly breath new life into it without having to do a whole bunch of hocus pocus via Teminal.app (many of those mods have been around for a long time now). I hope to have a bit more here in the next week or so. Just wanted to let folks know that there is something possibly interesting in the works for those that still want to extend the use of their AppleTV 1.