AppleTV for Mac
This remains the most popular thing I've ever posted -- despite the fact that its really nothing special. The meat of it is a little start-up script that contains no undiscoverable tricks. I don't even use it any more!
Nonetheless, it's in-demand, and I can't find a hosting method that can keep up. So, here's my solution:
- The start-up movie is no longer available here -- it probably shouldn't have been posted here to begin with. If you find someone with a Patchsticked AppleTV, it's trivial to SCP in and grab the start-up movie (discussed here.)
You can also use any other movie you want, which you specify when you edit the script.
- The screen saver never worked right on a normal Mac, but Scott Q has engineered a replacement. His link appears to be down, but get in touch with him and send him your thanks.
- The script itself is still available here.
Copy and Paste the script into the AppleScript editor, updating it to provide the path to where ever you want your start-up video, and save it as a run-only script. Add it as a Login item in your account, and you're set.
- The background image I made is awful (it was just a screen shot) and I'm sure someone's made better, but I'll keep that here if you want it. If you do this right, you should only see the wallpaper for a few seconds anyway, so if you make yourself an all black image, or find a nice Apple logo, you'll be all set.
And honestly, that's all that was released. Like I said, nothing magical. My Mac Mini worked fine as a Home Theater PC, but eventually I just went with an actual hacked AppleTV (which smoothly handles anything but MKV) because I wanted my Mac for other things. If you find any other great ideas, feel free to share them here!
AppleTV Screen Saver – for a regular Mac!
Here's a cool little release for those interested in making a Mac more like an AppleTV.
Scott Q writes:
I've just finished writing my own version of the AppleTV screen saver called QTV. After lots of searching I couldn't find anybody that had a working version that actually did the same stuff the real AppleTV version did. QTV will work on both Tiger and Leopard (10.4 & 10.5) and has a random array of photos that you specify floating vertically across your screen at varying 3D depths and moving at varying speeds while periodically rotating as a group. My version also allows you to optionally have a glimmering sun cast it's glow across the entire scene. You control everything thru various settings including: speed of front, middle and rear photo scrolling, the folder to search for images in, spin to the left or right, cast shadows from front and middle photos, the rotation interval speed, and whether to show the glowing sun or not.
Turning a Mac Mini into an AppleTV
So I like the simplicity of the AppleTV, but that simplicity removes some of the functionality I want -- like adhoc codec support. But as I was laying in bed trying to figure out how to simplify the hack to add codecs to the AppleTV, I realised I already have something better: a Mac Mini.
Still back to that UI... it would be nice to have that elegance... So I wrote an AppleScript that you can add to your Login Items, that makes the Mini act like an AppleTV. It even plays the beautiful start-up video, and goes straight to FrontRow, so you never have to see the OS. Now when your Mini starts up, it'll immediately begin behaving like an AppleTV!
Update: This package has been removed due to hosting issues. The different pieces can be found in this updated post.