As far as mods go, it just doesn't much easier than this. Popcorn Hour's heralded A-100 HD media streamer contains a gap just big enough for a PATA HDD, and if you've been too timid to flex your DIY muscle and throw one in there, we've got the video to guide you through. Anxious to store files locally and turn your unit into a mighty useful BitTorrent client? Check out a demonstration of the painless procedure just beyond the break -- and grab your screwdriver while you're at it.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

If you're relying on a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR, and you're not totally against having a little behind-the-scenes fun, a few new resolutions are awaiting you. Apparently, users can access an advanced setup mode by simply holding down a couple buttons and navigating through a few simple menus, and once that ordeal is over, they can select from 480i standard / widescreen, 480p standard / widescreen, 720p and 1080i output formats. Quite frankly, this is one of the easiest "hacks" (we're being generous, we know) we've seen to date, so even if you're far from being a seasoned DIY veteran, we're confident you can handle six brutally easy steps. Check out the read link for the how-to, complete with photos and a reassuring voice to calm your nerves should you need it.

[Thanks, Om M.]

Hacks don't come much quicker than this. Just days after they started rolling out, one early recipient of an Apple TV has already cracked his open and claims to have gotten it to play nice with XviD files, although not without some wrangling. The first step -- and the one sure to stop the more warranty-aware folks among us in their tracks -- involves removing the Apple TV's hard drive, popping it into a USB enclosure, and mounting it on your computer. From there, you simply install the Perian video tool and the Dropbear SSH server in the appropriate locations, along with a script that disables the Apple TV's firewall and opens up the necessary ports -- then put it all back together. It's apparently not quite an ideal solution, however, also requiring the creation of reference QuickTime files for each XviD movie -- although, not surprisingly, they're already working on a tool to automate that process.

[Via Electronista, thanks Jonathan]

You already know that Sony's PlayStation 3 can be dictated via IR, and even your iPod can be manhandled by an umbrella, but the latest discovery in controlling gizmos in unorthodox ways involves Microsoft's Xbox 360 and your universal DirecTV remote. Thanks to a little bit of trickery, you can save yourself the hassle (and expenditure) of buying an Xbox 360 remote by just using the one you've already received with your DirecTV service, and thankfully, the steps to completion are far from difficult. Simply switch the remote to AV1 and hold down the mute / select buttons until AV1 blinks twice. Then, key in 991, followed by 2, and finally tag the Power button; once you've worked off a few calories doing all this, just cycle Up a few dozen times until your console powers up, and once it does, just mash Select to complete the (essentially painless) process. If you're still holding tight to your doubts, be sure to hit the links below for a bit more proof, and click on through for a live action video showing the two (very) distant relatives playing nice together.

[Via Xbox360Fanboy]