Who has the ATV2 running with ATV Flash Beta happily?

Hi Doc,

it makes me sad, if you don't come alog with your installation, so I give you my (private) handbook how I managed access:


Step 0
• Software 10.6.x must be installed on your Mac
• Update iTunes to the latest version
• connect aTV via USB and install latest software (iOS 4.3)
• disconnect aTV aftre update

Step 1
• shut down your Mac
• connect aTV via USB
• boot your Mac
• disconnect aTV as soon as you have to type in your account dates (user, password), or if you don't have users and no password, disconnect your aTV while the bootprocess is almost done – otherwise iTunes would open and your aTV would be detected
•open Seas0nPass  (you should see both options: IPSW and Tethered
• open IPSW
• IPSW is creating and unzipping and so on.....
• at the end you might get the message "itunes restore script failed, selecting IPWS in finder" and iTunes opens immediately and the IPSW-file is shown in the Finder
• go to iTunes, your aTV will be displayed at the left side
• press "alt" and "restore"
• selsct the IPSW-file shown before in the Finder
• the IPSW-file will be "installed" and your aTV restored at the end
• finally you'll see "Done" in the Seas0npass; click it and disconnect (very important) your aTV from USB

Step 2
• click Tethered Boot
• if prompted "Waiting for device to enter DFU mode..."
• connect USB-Kabel to aTV and..
• wait until the LED is flashing rapidly
• the plug the power
• and hold "Menu" and "Play/Pause" for about 7 secs (might be 8 or 9)
• the boot-process starts and ends with "Tethered Boot complete! It is now safe to disconnect USB"
• as soon you see this message disconnect the USB-cord and plug in the HDMI-cord (which should be connected to the TV)
• take care to plug in the HDMI-cord while the LED is still flshing
• after done, the aTV restarts and you can see the GUI of the standard AppleTV
• ther Tethered Boot is finished and you can configure your network (AirPlay, WiFi/Ethernet)

  Step3
• configure your network on AppleTV (WLAN, Password)
• activate "privacy" (iTunes-Account, Password) – I'm not sure how it is called in english, I'm a stupid german :-)
• if done everything correct, you'll find under the menu-option "Computer" your Mac

Step 4 – installing aTVFlash
• download and open the latest version of "aTV Flash (black)-file" (aTV Flash Black beta4), an image will be mounted
• copy aTV Flash (black) in your "Application-folder
• doubleclick on aTV Flash (black)
• the installationsprocess will start
• select your aTV2 (mine is 192.168.xxx.xx)
• click continue
• the software will be installed (it takes a few moments)
• and ends up with "The installation was succesfull"

Step 5
• look at your TV
• you should see the option "Manage Extras"
• install whatever you need and want to be installed (NitoTV, XBMC, Couch Surfer, Last.fm, ...)

Step 6 (optional)
• if you disconnect your aTV from power after installation (for example because you have done the installationprocess in your office and want to transfer the aTV to your livingroom – that's what I did) you need to do the whole process beginning with step 2 again. It is not enough to connect your aTV during startup to your mac, no, you need to do the complete procedure again.

That's "my" way how I got it done and I'm very happy with the features and possibilities. I might add that I've never done a jailbreak before so I really was a bit nervous in doing it :-)
It took me about 30-40 minutes if you need to download the IPSW file during the installationprocess and only 10 minutes if the IPSW-file is allready on your desktop.

I hope I can help some people in beeing succesfull.

Greetings
Andreas

(I'm sorry for my lousy english, it's not my first language :-))

Reading some of the posts on this forum, I do wonder if people understand the term 'beta'.  The software is a work in progress, and relies on us, the community to act as beta testers to flag up problems so they can be fixed.  Screaming and moaning that it's rubbish and doesn't work properly isn't helpful.  Reporting bugs and making informed suggestions is.  Not only that, but the software isn't officially sanctioned or supported by Apple to run on the system, so this is being developed by reverse engineering without direction or support.

If you are not prepared to put up with inevitable bugs then stay away from the software until final version is released.

As for paying up front for beta software.  Yes I agree that it's a little out of the ordinary, but $20 isn't a lot, and I dare say Firecore is only a small team and need our money to pay for the development.  Do you really expect them to work for free until final release?

I haven't posted here much, but each time I have flagged a bug or suggested something a member of the Firecore team has responded in person to say they are aware and looking into it.  How many other software companies are so personable and helpful?

I am not new to Macs but my computer knowledge is fairly limited, this was the first time i have jailbroken anything. I used Greenposion untethered worked perfectly first time & then added aTV Flash worked first time.

I have had a few wifi issues but i do now seem to have solved that by moving the router closer to the ATV2 my only issues now are stuttery playback on avi files but i understand this will improve with the next media player.

I am looking forward to all the new additions coming, my only wish would be adobe flash so i can watch iplayer,4OD etc

I did a tethered jailbreak with seasonpass. I then installed atvflash with very few problems. It's buggy as many people say here. But most everything works on at least the 2nd try :) I'm pleased so far.

Really frustrated the most with the atv2 in the first place though. Shows I'm renting through the itunes store on the atv2 will not load and play. the forums are alight with the issue and no one has a foolproof solution. Waiting for that.

 

Its running good here. Used the latest Seas0npass - and after loading the firmware iTunes gave an error - but I just let i stay connected for a couple of more minutes... after rebooting the aTV2-- everything was OK.

 

aTV2 Flash installed without any issues

 

Now all we need is to add SMB support - and a more stable Media viewer than XBMC. XBMC is stuttering a lot - .mkv files usually stops after few minutes. 

The only solution now - is to use Plex - which - have Never made any problems at all - except from the picture quality/refresh can be better. XBMC does a better job the few minutes it is working :-)

SMB works fine on my Macmini via XBMC!?

Mine worked first time today, no issues whatsoever.  Oh well, one issue.  I have no audio in XBMC.  I have to sort that out yet.

Well yes - it does find shares etc... but what good is that as long as XBMC stops all the time while playing... 

Why it stoppes I dont know... perhaps its some SMB caching issues, perhaps other issus.... dont know...

 

 

I have no issues with XBMC stopping. At one point I did, but they disappeared when I switched from wifi to wired networking.

Also, it is important that you have suppressed the prompts for updates if you are still (as I am) on iOS 4.2.1 as they can cause XBMC to crah back to the desktop.

XBMC keeps crashing and rebooting the ATV2. I am sure the guys are working out the bugs and will have an update very soon.

[quote="jhernandez86"]

Not bad for a beta.  I paid the 19.99 due to my lack of knowledge about apple tv.  But, now I know how to get around and do my own upgrades, so probably I will not upgrade.  XBMC and Plex on ATV2G have all the funtional requirements I want.  Plex has a live tv stream of Aljazera plus other plugs that in due time will work.  XBMC is the most stable right now.  I am using SMB to stream my library and right now is working great.  So far, for a beta version all this apps are working as intended.  Firecore initial add ons are no longer usefull to me, because XBMC is not only doing it, but with all the additional add ons, I am getting more than I bargain for.   There is a guy out there that was able to plug ESPN3 as an add on to XBMC and it works like a charm.

Nonetheless, I thank Firecore for introducing me to this new hobby, but XBMC and soon Plex will make them absolite.

Unless, they come out with something better and reliable.

 

Good luck firecore

[/quote]

Hooked up mine today, Plex is working fine.   XMBC runs okay with avid, mp4's do not work and mV's  are crashing xmbc.  rest seems fine.  Can we put flash onto the the machine so my GF can watch the young and the restless.  At last till they go HTML5

that's cause you needed to do tether boot. It happened when Apple updated the iOS, but I believe there is a new JB that would fix that now.

 

I'm having lots of trouble.

This thread is very good but I'm on Windows 7.

I've tried Season pass didn't work...tried snowbreeze,etc.

Does anyone have a step-by-step for windows users??

[quote="itimpi"] I am running with ATV Flash beta without major issues (other than I would expect from a beta).   Because I am Windows 7 based I used GreepPois0n to do the Jailbreak and that was very painless. [/quote]

I too am happy with the BETA and know that aTV Flash will improve after the final release is ready. Understanding that the inital launch was a bit rough and only for a Mac. I have had aTV Flash running on my apple tv 1.x for over a year now and both are very functional especially with the external USB drive option. Then I have finally managed to get the Logitech One to control both aTV's independantly so I don't uninstall something on one while watching the other ;) That was a deal breaker... All good things come in time...

None of my HD stuff will play.

So it's a wasted £15 at the moment.

 

 

mines working most of the time, which is what i would expect from a Beta , thats why its a Beta :)

 

Keep up the good work guys.. 

mines working most of the time, which is what i would expect from a Beta , thats why its a Beta :)

 

Keep up the good work guys.. 

Well I'm a totally novice with anything technical but I've long since wanted an elegant way of storing media on a network hard drive and streaming it to my TV so I can do away with DVDs and just download movies. ATVFlash and AppleTV is, in my mind, the most user friendly way of doing it.

I did have a minute of confusion trying to Jailbreak because the instructions for Seas0npass tell you to 'shift click' restore, instead of 'option-click' (I had to figure that out for myself) but installing ATVFlash was a breeze, as was adding the Media Player application.

Hello,

Up and running. Followed instructions for JB'ing and had a lot of problems only to find them all answered by the FireCore team somewhere here or in the KB's. To be in beta I think it's really good. Streaming DVD from Nas no good as several others also found, but still it's a beta version. I support a positive statement.

 

Rgds  /McR