Boxee / XBMC now available on Apple TV
by Darren Murph 
posted Oct 1st 2008 at 8:00AM
How-to installation guide:
Step 1 - Download the ATVUSB-Creator from http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/
Step 2 - Insert a "bootable" USB drive into your Mac
Step 3 - Run the ATVUSB-Creator
- select which plug-ins you'd like to install
- this list will grow over time, but currently includes SSH, Boxee, XBMC, and some binary utilities
Step 4 - Remove the USB drive and plug it into your Apple TV
Step 5 - Power on your Apple TV and the patchstick will run the ATV bootloader (previously the patchstick program was unavailable; people had to manually format their USB drive to be bootable and install the ATV bootloader.)
Step 6 - After the bootloader finishes, remove it from your Apple TV
Step 7 - Restart your Apple TV
Step 8 - It now has options for Boxee / XBMC on the main menu
Step 9 - Click on Boxee, then select update (this will download boxee from the Internet)
Step 10 - Once boxee is done installing, restart your Apple TV
Step 11 - Click "Boxee", then select "Boxee" in the sub-menu to start boxee.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
David S @ Oct 1st 2008 10:21AM
It would be great if it there was some way to switch between the AppleTV interface for DRM content and Boxee for non-DRM.
dave @ Oct 1st 2008 4:14PM
This does not "hack or disrupt your existing Apple TV experience, or the purchased media. You boot up in Apple TV mode, same features as before, but you get a couple new options. XBMC or Boxee that you can download and install as "extra" menu options.
Best thing is that the two other new options play formats outside of the iTunes world, attach to NAS boxes (that can be SMB or UPnP, etc) that are not required to run the iTunes server protocol that Apple TV on its own requires...
It's classy! :) And you don't need to take it apart...
Pete @ Nov 4th 2008 2:17PM
I have just installed this soft mod and it definitely brings new life to my dusty appleTV. There are just too many great video/tv sites out there to NOT do this mod. Granted, Boxee is in Alpha and I'm sure bugs will surface, but this is just a wonderful piece of code to ignore.
Praise the Boxee gods!