AppleTV hacked to run Xgrid
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 18th 2007 9:16PM
posted May 18th 2007 9:16PM
It's no secret that the Apple TV is just a stripped-down Intel Mac running a lightly-tweaked version of OS X, so simply getting an app to run on the system isn't really a big deal -- we've seen full installs of OS X running on the device at this point. On the other hand, if you're just using the Apple TV as a media extender, that processor is just sitting there wasting spare cycles when you're not using the device, so this little hack to run Apple's Xgrid distributed-computing client on an Apple TV seems pretty slick. The hack is pretty simple if you've already poked around inside your AppleTV -- it mostly involves copying over the Xgrid Agent and configuring a few preference files. After that, your Apple TV's spare horsepower will be available to your network's Xgrid Controller, but you won't have disturbed the functionality of the device at all. Just the thing to speed up those VisualHub video transcoding sessions, eh? Now, if only someone would wedge the Folding@home client into this thing (hint, hint).
I'm sure 2 people are very excited about this.
holy shit i made engadget :)
Wow, this is cool and all, but is there a Linux and/or Windows solution? I run Folding@home sometimes, sure, but I'd love to use the spare hardware in my possession to get encoding jobs done faster.
- Tony R.
Sounds like sour grapes, Johnny asshat.
P.S. the stock market is a gamble, get used to it.
Aww C'mone fellas and Gals, get a Mac mini its much more satisfying.
JJ
As if it doesn't run hot enough! I can fry eggs on my APTV as is, running folding @ home on thing would heat my house.
rp = Another NEW YORK TIMES WRITER... Hey rp, "kudos" - why don't you use chin chin or good show old chap, or some other smart sounding word that in all reality makes you sound like you bought donald trumps how to get rich scam. Listen rupert, or whatever rp stands for (too cowardly-can't even say a name?), just get it through your solidified cranium that messing with the big boys on the market isn't a funny thing. The LYING that brought apple traders misfortune, was just that, and since you can't understand the ramifications associated with the various sectors involved with the IPHONE'S many marketable areas, than just go to your local wallmart, skippy, and indulge yourself. You may rant when you want someone to pay attention to YOU and make you feel like a big man, but over here my ignorant friend, you don't rant, you make money, or you don't. it's clearly obvious which side of the equation your on... Just kiddin, All in good fun ARRRRRRR'PEEH.
that was an impressively childish and immature little rant there
Apple TV Converter
http://www.apple-tv-converter.net
Xgrid can be utilized by Visual Hub, and I assume other video encoders/decoders. Encoding DVDs, especially into HD (H.264) takes several hours(about 12 hours per movie on a G4) For people with a mac who want to transfer their video collections in HD for AppleTV, the Xgrid feature is nice.