Mac OS X running on Apple TV

[aryayush]

Mac OS X running on Apple TV

semthex from Hackint0sh.org, in collaboration with AppleTVHacks.net has done it again! A complete replacement to the Mac OS X kernel has been built which allows the full version of Mac OS X to be run on an Apple TV.

Semthex wrote a processor emulation for the kernel, to sidestep the hardware restrictions that previously disallowed Mac OS X from running on the Apple TV. AppleTVHacks.net was only too happy to help out, and when it turned out we needed more testers we launched a competition to get some. Within hours we had hundreds of eager Apple TV hackers submit entries.

Several hours of testing and refining later and our tester, gimli, managed to follow the steps (included below) to get Mac OS X booting on his Apple TV (click to enlarge):

*www.appletvhacks.net/images/mac_os_x_on_apple_tv1_sm.jpg

*www.appletvhacks.net/images/mac_os_x_on_apple_tv2_sm.jpg

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Lo, the cheapest Mac yet.

So, where was I? Yeah, don't be surprised if Apple TV turns out to be the next big thing for Apple.

 

[Possible]

Who'd wanna run a 256 MB RAM box anyway ? But for running MythTV etc etc its fine, just fine.

 

[aryayush]

It is OK if you are just going to use it for video related tasks. And I am sure people will figure out ways to upgrade the RAM too.

 

[Pathik]

well i hope it isnt a April fools joke...

*www.appletvhacks.net/images/mac_os_x_on_apple_tv2.jpg
btw wit such a low RAM, FSB, and Proccy speed i doubt if its goin to make it big...
but still its too good at that price...
see dis *www.appletvhacks.net/images/mac_os_x_on_apple_tv2.jpg

 

[Josan]

Great work ,,,,its is going to help Mac Popularity wise ,,,,,great workk

 

[mail2and]

It recognizes as AppleTV.

So, it was intended after all.

 

[gxsaurav]

good for as it is use. But for those considering a Mac, then Mac mini is better. There is no use with 256 MB which is soldered to the motherboard resulting in no upgradation.

But yeah, atleast this does proves that Apple did a mistake by providing GMA 950 in mac mini, comon....even Geforce 6200 go is cooler & more powerful then GMA 950

 

[Pathik]

actually it isnt a mistake by apple.. Maybe they didnt intend to enable support for os x on apple tv... But even 4 its core use it has a very low config..

 

[gxsaurav]

@ Pathiks, I was talking about Mac mini with GMA 950

 

[aryayush]

I may be wrong but a dedicated graphics card would have generated a lot more heat which wouldn't have been conducive for the small form factor of the Mini. It does not even have any fan.
Mac Mini is just supposed to be an extremely lightweight, portable Mac. It runs Mac OS X fine and the default applications run well. Gaming and other heavy duty use is not the supposed application for this machine.

actually it isnt a mistake by apple.. Maybe they didnt intend to enable support for os x on apple tv... But even 4 its core use it has a very low config..

Yeah, they obviously underpowered it so that people cannot run full fledged Mac OS X.

 

[gxsaurav]

I may be wrong but a dedicated graphics card would have generated a lot more heat which wouldn't have been conducive for the small form factor of the Mini. It does not even have any fan.
Mac Mini is just supposed to be an extremely lightweight, portable Mac. It runs Mac OS X fine and the default applications run well. Gaming and other heavy duty use is not the supposed application for this machine.

It is not about dedicated graphics card in Mac mini, it is about which graphics card. Seriously even the Core Duo Mac mini is seriously underpowred. We have already discussed about it many times though, with questions that why is Apple limiting the onboard GMA 950 memory usage to 64 MB Max when it can scale upto 224 MB.

Besides, if they can use a geforce go 7300 in AppleTV they can sure do it in Mac mini.

I once adviced andy to switch to a new Mac mini before Intel Mac released to market. Something like a geforce Go 6200 with Core 2 duo 1.6 GHz is a lot for Mac mini. Remember, Geforce go 6200 or even geforce 6150 IGP pwns GMA 950 in performance & it also supports OpenGL 2.0 which GMA 950 doesn't

 

[goobimama]

^^ I'm guessing that they'll put in a better graphics card when they upgrade to Core2Duo...maybe something along the lines of Nvidia 8300...

 

[gxsaurav]

Yo, Mac mini is already using Core 2 duo.

& No, Geforce 8300 or DX10 graphics card is useless on a Mac. Reason, it doesn't support DirectX 10 & all the functions of OpenGL 2.0 are already available in existing IGP such as Geforrce 6 OR 7 IGP or Radeon IGP. It is not Windows, unified shaders can ba made in OpenGL 2.0 too for use with Geforce 8 series graphics cards but the apps will make use of it after 2 years atleast (games)

For running the OS, unified shader in OpenGL 2.0 is not required. So, Apple can easily give geforce 7300 go in mac mini, Go series is for laptop users meaning low power & heat usage.

 

[nepcker]

Mac mini handles games pretty well. My friend runs Windows Vista Home Premium with Aero on his Mac Mini. Cheapest machine to run Vista I've seen.

 

[goobimama]

@gx: www.apple.com/macmini

Yo yourself.

 

[aryayush]

Yo, Mac mini is already using Core 2 duo.

The last thing you need to do is tell a Mac user what the configuration of a Mac is.
Both models have Core Duo processors. So, like goobimama said, "Yo yourself."

& No, Geforce 8300 or DX10 graphics card is useless on a Mac. Reason, it doesn't support DirectX 10 & all the functions of OpenGL 2.0 are already available in existing IGP such as Geforrce 6 OR 7 IGP or Radeon IGP. It is not Windows, unified shaders can ba made in OpenGL 2.0 too for use with Geforce 8 series graphics cards but the apps will make use of it after 2 years atleast (games)

For running the OS, unified shader in OpenGL 2.0 is not required. So, Apple can easily give geforce 7300 go in mac mini, Go series is for laptop users meaning low power & heat usage.

You never miss a chance, do you?
Apple needs to look after the fact that people will run Windows for gaming on their Macs.
But anyway, I don't think we are going to see such high end Mac Minis anytime soon, if at all.

 

[gxsaurav]

^^^ Nope, u got it wrong.

Having a geforce 7300 Go doesn't only means better games. Here I was just saying that Mac mini's should have full OpenGL 2.0 supported GPU onboard. Not only it results in smoother operation of the same code, but more work can be done in the same power