Apple's Front Row hacked for the Mac mini

The new iMac G5 might be the only Mac that officially runs Front Row, Apple's kind-of sort-of Media Center competitor, but since when has officialdom stood in our way? That's right, never ever. TUAW has all sorts of wonderful deets on running Front Row on various Macs, including video of a Mac mini in action — fulfilling its long time media center destiny. Everything seems to run rather smoothly, so at least you can strike processor speed from your list of reasons why Apple is holding back from releasing a legit version of Front Row into the wild.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Who wants a Mac Mini media center when you can get Airport Express with video out? (Soon hopefully)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

hardly the first, heh i had done this like 4 days ago with my mini :)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

you just know by the time i get home from work Apple Legal will have pulled this torrent ! arrrghhhh

meee want this more the air

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I just got this running on my Powerbook about an hour ago. It's really nice. My only complaint is that every time you exit out of Front Row, iTunes won't work in it unless you actually QUIT the Front Row app and then launch again. :(

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Yeah!
I really won't to know how to do this,
do i need to have the new iMac for this?
Keep it up guys!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

GamersUK

thefifthrule is all i'm sayin

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I created a HID profile to be able to use Sony Ericsson K750/K700 mobile phones with Frontrow. Download the file http://www.geekly.de/Frontrow.hid , send it to the phone and there you go! :)
(this will only work if Frontrow is activated by pressing F8)

Right softkey: activate Frontrow
Left softkey: Back
Navigation stick click (or 5): Enter
Navigation stick directions (or 2, 4, 6, 8) : Controls

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

jesus! the picture on this post resembles my desktop setup almost completely, even an apple sticker on a dell 2005fpw is there!

frontrow works on my powerbook 12". it refuses to play divx video, though.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Works! A little buggy though, but I expected that. This is pretty cool.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Working (just about) on my 12" 1Ghz iBook G4 :D

Also works fine with the K750's standard desktop HID profile (especially for its mapping of the Esc key).

Buggy, but worth it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I'll tell you why it's iMac only for now... because they're using it as a marketing tool for the new system.

I'll bet you that Front Row will be part of iLife 06.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Get DivX Fusion for Mac Beta codec and you'll be able to play Xvid as well as Dixv files.

http://labs.divx.com/archives/000061.html

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Yes, I found frontrow for download and I installed it and it's working great, on my powerbook G4

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Hey guys.

I did this last night, it's quite simple.

http://thefifthrule.com/T5R/?p=76

Just go through that, and enjoy Front Row. :)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

SIGH. Sent a video to you guys yesterday on how to do this.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

but what about the apple remote? the mini has no IR interface to really take advantage of front row just yet...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Man, hopefully it supports plugins in the future. Would love to see EyeTV supported.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Simple. Very simple. Runs alright on my ti ghz pb w/1 gig of ram.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Where do I get the app from the torrents dont work

And my PowerBook G4 needs Front row

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Bleh, apparently Engadget doesn't appreciate greater-than less-than tags.

Was suppose to say ...

Freakin' vultures.

:runs off to get his own copy:

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Where can I get this as well?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Where did you guys get that picture in this article. I'm pretty sure that's my friend's desk.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Sweet. That's badass. He uses his Sony Ericsson phone for the remote. Very nice - just bluetooth. Can't wait to try on my g5.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Yes. Working and it's great. Except for movies. They have to be added to the iTunes video library (iTunes 6).

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

"fulfilling ITS long time media center destiny..."

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Videos in the Movies folder show up just fine, #26

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Thanks for the link #28.

I put the Front Row file in System/Library/Coreservices and rebooted. Front Row failed to open. Is there anything else I need to do? I know the link #15 Matt put up explained the process, but now that links down.

I'm running a dual 2 ghz g5, if that matters.

Thanks

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

front row is a cheap ugly bootleg of Windows Media Center.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

@tim: Yeah, except Front Row isn't a modified version of OSX like Media Centre is of XP... it's an application. There's no comparison

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Tim is a cheap ugly looking bootleg of his mother.

Oh snap.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

hells yes. my ibook is loving this . . . . now i just need to figure out how to control this from my nokia 6820

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Thank you Alex, that was the best thing I have read in a long time!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Got it working on my 1.3GHz PowerBook. Runs excellent. Tested everything, only DVD player doesn't work. Maybe someone with a new iMac will seed their version of DVD Player to everyone? I think the version of DVD Player.app that came with frontrow probably has extensions of some sort that we need.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

If your wireless mouse lets you remap the buttons on for a specific app, (the MS Intellimouse software does) you can map the arrow and spacebar functions to the buttons on your mouse for whenever you're in FR. Just be warned that you can't click FrontRow>Quit if you map something to the left button, and Apple-Q wasn't working for me.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

> I'll tell you why it's iMac only for now... because they're using it as a marketing tool for the new system.

And because only the iMac has an infra-red receiver to work with the Apple Remote.

(Yes, we can setup Bluetooth phones to control it, but can soccer moms? Also, the range of Bluetooth drops off more quickly than IR, so if you're further than 10-15 ft, you're going to have reception issues.)

Prediction: Next rev of Mac Mini, IR receiver. iLife 06 + Front Row + Apple Remote bundle.

Wilder prediction: Apple Remote Bluetooth Edition.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

just got front row running tonight....VERY sweet....nothing like media-center-whatever. the transistions are unbelievable...how does apple come up with this stuff? geez...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I just got it on my 1.25ghz 512mb ram mac mini. its slow but nice. btw is there a way to not have the pictures show up in a slideshow?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

macho ordena esa habitaci?parece una cuadra :D

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

you can use salling clicker to control it.

There are some scripts on the forum for salling clicker

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

HOW TO link is broken - help!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I finally got it running. Tried without success on my dual 2ghz powermac at work running osx 10.3.9. But I was able to get it running at home on my dual 2.5 ghz powermac running 10.4.2. All I did was drop the file in the coreservices folder and reboot. Once you launch Front Row, you just need to hit escape and it will take you back & forth. Friggin gorgeous, I must say. Photos, movie trailers, music, and videos all working smooth.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Ive now got it running, does anyone else find it really unreliable though? It takes it about 30 seconds to go into the itunes or iphoto library, im sure it isnt the speed of my powermac? Keeps coming up with an error message saying its having problems communicating with itunes as well?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

it runs on my 2.0 Ghz iMac perfectly....

and Romeo lets me use my bluetooth phone as a remote.
http://www.irowan.com/romeo/

I'm sure Front Row will be released with iLife 06... but this works nice till then.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

My brother was having problems communicating with iTunes, he said that putting the original bezel folder back fixed it for him.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Two things:
1) An Airport Express with video out will be limited to standard definition video due to the maximum 54 mbps rate of 802.11g. Most wireless g systems have trouble keeping up with a 6 or 8 mbps constant rate without dropping frames. Until wireless standards get bumped up to a rate sufficient to transfer HD video (up to 19.2 mbps) without dropping frames, don't expect to see an Airport Express with video out.

For the same reasons, I don't expect to see an Apple Media Streamer, only a Media Center.

2) The same point goes for a mini with Front Row. The mini will play 480p video at full screen well, but nothing bigger than that. If you are going to stick one on your 42" or larger plasma screen, Apple is going to want you to be able to view high-def 720p or 1080i. I don't think they will officially release an IR-capable mini with Front Row until the mini has the horsepower to play HD at full screen.

But, the upside of that is that we may see a G5 mini soon! Wheeee!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Es genial , yo lo he montado en el ibook de 12" con 512 megas de ram y 1.33 ghz modelo 2005 y la verdad es que me funciona todo perfectamente. A ver si se animan los de apple y lo lanzan optimizado para los g4 , que ya es hora y nos lo merecemos.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Does it work with 10.4.3?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

10.4.3 seems to have killed the hack. Well, it was nice to have tried it out. Apple won't be getting money for the video adapter now. And Keyspan remote won't be bought. I'll have more beer money. Oh, well.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

NOT TRUE.

I'm using the Hacked FrontRow right now on my system running 10.4.3 with no issues at all....

actually seems to run a little smoother.

current setup:
20in iMac 1.8Ghz G5 1GB RAM

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

NEW REALEASED VERSION OF HACKED FRONTROW !!!!
yah no more problems.. even comes with update of iDVD and has quite a few remote files not that I know how to use them.. but all the problems seem to have disapeared itunes part works perfect.. also 10.4.3 runs fine with it