[mythtv-users] Apple Products as FEs

[Brad DerManouelian]

On Feb 9, 2009, at 6:54 AM, Eric Mesa wrote:

> I've been searching the internets today an found lots of info on the  
> tubes about using the Mac Mini and Apple TV for MythTV front ends.   
> For monetary reasons the Apple TV sounds like a pretty good bet.  It  
> also has TV-out connections.  Most of the nifo I've found seems to  
> be a bit old, though.  I've a some questions that perhaps Apple  
> users out there could help me with:
>
> 1) How hard is it to just overwrite Apple TV with MythBuntu or  
> Mythdora.

Depends on how skillful you are at following instructions, creating a  
build environment, compiling software, etc. It took me a few tries to  
get it right, but a very rewarding experience. I would rate it harder  
than medium, but not the most difficult thing. Also, this was a long  
time ago. It may have gotten easier. I know the instructions for  
getting Boxee on the AppleTV were to download something, plug in a USB  
stick, hit a button, restart the AppleTV with the USB stick in, wait,  
pull it out and reboot.

> 2) If 1), then which has better Apple TV support?  (I currently use  
> a Mythdora FE/BE)

I only tried Mythbuntu. It worked just fine with some weaking of  
settings that were relatively well documented on the wiki along with  
the instructions on how to install.

> 3) (I think) I saw that Myth FE can be installed onto Apple TV and  
> still keep the original functionality while adding Myth as another  
> menu item.  (I think) it said that this requires owning a Mac so you  
> can copy some utilities over

Yes, you can add it as a menu item, but I never tried this.

> 4) if 3) do I lose Myth FE every time there's an Apple TV update?

Again, I never tried keeping both, but there is also a dual-boot  
option where you repartition your drive. In this case, you will not  
have a problem updating either independently.

> 5) Does Apple TV play 1080i?

I didn't have a problem playing OTA 1080i with xvmc, but deinterlacing  
was sometimes a problem.

> 6) Are the formats Apple TV can play dependent upon the hardware or  
> software?  IOW, if I overwrite it with Linux - can I play OGGs and  
> any format I can play with Linux?  Or is the hardware too limited  
> for that?

Never tried.

> and, finally, thoughts from people who've used it - Mac Mini or  
> Apple TV?  (Again, this is just for FE)

Mac Mini if you can afford it. And really, wait to see whatever new  
one comes out since it might have a much better video card (nVidia)  
where you can use VDPAU in the next version of MythTV and use very  
little processor. I would say if the AppleTV gets a VDPAU-supported  
video card, that might even make a better/cheaper frontend than the  
mini, but for what's available today, the mini would be a better choice.

-Brad