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Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the Cheapest Mac Ever
wired.com — Apple TV is dead, long live the Mac Nano. Sort of.
MrBabyMan- 1460 diggs
- digg it
- displaynone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13This is seriously cool, but I'd like to see some bench tests on the speed vs OS X on a mac mini, iMac, MacBook
- prisoner24601, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18Actually, for just light email/web browsing/word processing/music (the stuff my mom needs...) this system would be ideal even though it's too "underpowered" for me. A lot of people would love a *completely fanless* system just because it's so quiet. (And it even has an internal power supply. No "brick" to hassle with.)
Diggers are generally heavy users and wouldn't want something this "light" for a primary system, but I'd also be really interested in putting one on my kitchen counter with a small LCD, or in my bedroom where the noise of a Dell XPS (or even the fan in the Mac Mini) would be unacceptable. - Elranzer, on 10/12/2007, -8/+17OS X is a start. Any word on running Linux or Windows on it yet?
- miniboss, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3It is pretty cool, but its not much of a mac. 1ghz, 512ram, no optical media, 40gb hdd, no bt keyboard/mouse etc. As an experiment its great but as a computer then I'd rather get a refurb'd mac mini.
BTW, this does make you wonder if the AppleTV is the reason they raised Mac Mini's from being $500 to $600 base price. $500 is wa y too close to the ATV price but $600 is double. - hackmyballs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I have an iBook and an iMac and all I do is surf the web.
The perfect boxen for me! - tostinni, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://digg.com/apple/Apple_TV_benchmarked_not_a_supercomputer_in_disguise
- macfanboi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow, this guy just destroyed the whole "I'm a Mac" image that Apple uses in their commercials. This guy is straight up WHITE AND NERDY!
- prisoner24601, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18Actually, for just light email/web browsing/word processing/music (the stuff my mom needs...) this system would be ideal even though it's too "underpowered" for me. A lot of people would love a *completely fanless* system just because it's so quiet. (And it even has an internal power supply. No "brick" to hassle with.)
- displaynone, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15direct link to how to hack it http://www.semthex.com/
- Elranzer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Actually semthex just points to this site: http://www.appletvhacks.net/
- surfing, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11Here's another link to the same site for fun: http://tinyurl.com/38ujog
- ggko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16Here's a huge URL to cancel out your tiny URL.
http://www.hugeurl.com/?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
- clesch, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5It could be a pretty decent firewall, although it's lacking the second ethernet port for it.
Still... a customized pfsense-installation and the ethernet-port for wan, 802.11b/g for lan... or as fileserver with a 1 TB drive on the USB-port - the possibilities are endless.
I think I'm going to pick up a second one for real experiementing pretty soon.- turpenine, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8use a modem with usb connection.
- orvtech, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5you can do that with more cheaper hardware, do a search on NSLU2, possibilities are open with the 2 USB and internal serial port, i do have Apache, mysql, vsftpd, ssh, torrents, irc, etc.. running on mine. i am even running bind on it, take a look at http://www.orvtech.com.
you can see how it loads with only 266MHz and 32 Mb of ram - BrK1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3FTA, it appears that it's lacking support for even the first Ethernet port...
- Jwzupancic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Also FTA; The have created software to support ethernet connections..
- SteveMax, on 10/12/2007, -5/+23I thought it used a Pentium M, not a Pentium 4 as the article states. Lame, as Wired articles usually are.
- steven401, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12You can run MacOSX on any device which runs SSE2 instructions so this is inaccurate.
You can put together a cheap rig that can barely run OSX and it'll be cheaper than the Apple TV - no Apple tax. - mrfreeziexp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11@stevemax
You're right, they do. They also got the price wrong. $250, not $300. Do they even read what they write? - geminitojanus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10"You can run MacOSX on any device which runs SSE2 instructions so this is inaccurate."
Hell, you could run Mac OS X on any Intel or PPC machine, period, if you're willing to do the hacking. The only advantage of running it on the AppleTV is that the AppleTV is an Apple product, and thusly doesn't break the EULA when you're installing it. But, if you live in Norway or some other Scandinavian country, have fun. And for the record, the chip is a Pentium-M variant, not a Pentium-4, not even the same architecture as the Pentium-4 (P6 vs Netburst). They couldn't be any more inaccurate. - Strongbrau, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"You're right, they do. They also got the price wrong. $250, not $300. Do they even read what they write?"
by the looks of this: "and the VLC remote desktop system." no, they don't. - KarmannGhia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Where can I get one for $250? I only see them for $299 at BestBuy and on Froogle . . .
- rbeschizza, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I confess it, I screwed up on the Pentium 4: I was under the impression that newer Pentium Ms were in the Pentium 4 family, and I was wrong.
We didn't say the machine cost $250. In fact, the second sentence of the story says "the $300 device, making it the cheapest PC Cupertino has ever sold!" I'm happy to fess up to mistakes, but there's some wishful thinking there. $300 isn't *that* expensive!
- steven401, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12You can run MacOSX on any device which runs SSE2 instructions so this is inaccurate.
- postophaguser, on 10/12/2007, -21/+2Dudeman, wasn't macintosh like one of the first countries to invent computer gadget?
- postophaguser, on 10/12/2007, -16/+1HAHA are you fcuking high or something?
- postophaguser, on 10/12/2007, -16/+1dude, of course---its friday. FcUK Yeah!
- jmgoody311, on 10/12/2007, -13/+3Holy crap, my Jazz Band teacher is the only person I have ever heard say "dudeman". I also have a sneaking suspicion that he smokes pot. Mr. Crowley, is that you?!?!
- postophaguser, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0maebee..kaha
- 2448x, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9wtf is wrong with the kid above me.
anyway, that is pretty sweet, i want to try and mount a little flat panel screen on the front. The "MacBoy DS" lawl. - munit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Didn't apple just say that they don't really care what people do as long as their aware they will void their warranty. Anyway nice write-up
- turpenine, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8no, apple said they aren't doing anything to stop it and that there was no security backdoor.
- rbeschizza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Thank you. The article was filed the day before Apple said No to the reset rumors. I did make a booboo on Pentium 4: I was under the impression that newer Pentium Ms came in the Pentium 4 family, and I was wrong. However, we didn't say the machine cost $250... the second sentence of the story says "the $300 device, making it the cheapest PC Cupertino has ever sold."!
!
- theGOG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24If this is the Mac Nano, I can't wait for the Mac Shuffle.
- Thud, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28Mac Shuffle:
There's only one icon in the dock, and every time you click it, a different (random) application loads. - ggko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2But how do you see that icon when there's no screen?
- Thud, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28Mac Shuffle:
- KarbonKopy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1From the sounds of it, it seems almost worthless (no ethernet or sound?). Although it DOES sound like a cool mod!
- LeonardNimrod, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Honestly, how long would it have taken you to check the tech specs before posting?
http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html
In case you're too lazy to click the link, the AppleTV has an10/100 Ethernet port, and audio via HMDI, Toslink optical and analog RCA stereo ports. - mercurysquad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1^ Smartass. RTFA.
- spivack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@LeonardNimrod:
I guess you didn't actually read the article... Look at the end of the 3rd paragraph
"There's no audio or ethernet support either, making the box useless for its original purpose as a media hub."
- LeonardNimrod, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Honestly, how long would it have taken you to check the tech specs before posting?
- mrexample, on 10/12/2007, -12/+2APPLE BLOWS, BLOWS REAL HARD
- Eric4, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15"...early attempts at a Linux port and the VLC remote desktop system."
I'm assuming it supposed to say VNC remote desktop system...- stalefries, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I think someone confused VLC and VNC.
- micro506, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16Unless VLC just got a WHOLE lot cooler.
- bradbaxter, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1I think Packet8 is the best. They build their own hardware and have their own network -- Vonage uses all third party components to provide their VoIP. They're basically a glorified reseller. I recommend getting Packet8 through a Master Agent in order to get the savings offered by a coupon code, like: http://www.telebay.com/telebay/packet8.html
- aydoubleyou, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1what are the apple tvs specs?
- LeonardNimrod, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Didn't you get the memo? The internet is working again: http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html
- anonydigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3After reading all the comments above me I'd say
If you could put together all the errors in this article, you could end up with another article! - Empyrean, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Good job Apple hackers...now lets hope you're just as innovative with the iPhone.
- razdigital, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I wonder if you could install apple bootcamp on this to dual boot xp and osx that way it would be a good machine for kids instead of having to buy them a full blown machine and also takes up less space and accumulates far less dust.
- flux1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bootcamp won't work sadly as the part of EFI needed to run it isn't there. Another solution called XP On Mac may work though once its modified for the AppleTV. I hope it can be as this is my main interest in seeing how the AppleTV hacking goes. While 256 megs would be pushing it for usability in a full OS X desktop, turn off some un-needed stuff like themes and XP would be fine. An even better option would be installing Win2k.
The system specs are plenty for tasks like web browsing, chatting, and office work. Plenty of older games like Unreal Tournament will run fine on those system specs, and even newer ones like WoW will run with the options turned down some. Having all this in a small, cheap, portable computer would be great.
- flux1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bootcamp won't work sadly as the part of EFI needed to run it isn't there. Another solution called XP On Mac may work though once its modified for the AppleTV. I hope it can be as this is my main interest in seeing how the AppleTV hacking goes. While 256 megs would be pushing it for usability in a full OS X desktop, turn off some un-needed stuff like themes and XP would be fine. An even better option would be installing Win2k.
- digitallysick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i wonder if the ram could be upgraded?
- lagrange, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4> "laborious 13-step procedure"
Yeah, replacing a kernel file and putting the drive back in is like, too hard man!
***** hippies.- mercurysquad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well yeah it's not exactly like popping in a CD and booting off it though.
- Alexf22, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the "Cheapest Mac Ever"
must be a jewish guy - Alexf22, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Hackers Dissect Apple TV to Create the "Cheapest Mac Ever"
must be a jewish guy - mos6507, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The original Mac Mini shipped with 256MB. It worked.
- Inirini, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Huh, this would be fun to hack, as I never really hacked anything before. Once I have the money to get an AppleTV and get OS X, then I'm going to experiment/learn to hack it. I'll just not buy a warranty when I get AppleTV, if they sell it.
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