AppleTV hacked to run Xgrid
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).
Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Patrick @ May 18th 2007 9:51PM
I'm sure 2 people are very excited about this.
professafresh @ May 18th 2007 10:13PM
holy shit i made engadget :)
Tony Rayo @ May 18th 2007 11:23PM
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.
Dustin @ May 19th 2007 4:14AM
Sounds like sour grapes, Johnny asshat.
P.S. the stock market is a gamble, get used to it.
jj @ May 19th 2007 6:40AM
Aww C'mone fellas and Gals, get a Mac mini its much more satisfying.
JJ
JkEw @ May 19th 2007 8:18AM
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.
JOHNNY @ May 21st 2007 4:04AM
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.
christiantee @ May 28th 2007 5:48AM
that was an impressively childish and immature little rant there
Apple TV Converter
http://www.apple-tv-converter.net
Apple Tv @ Aug 5th 2007 7:42AM
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.