Tuesday, 20 January 2015

How to jailbreak your Apple TV: run unofficial apps and software on an Apple TV

The Apple TV is a great media player. With an Apple TV you can play video, music and movies from your iPhone, iPad or direct from the official Apple Store, and you can watch anything on Netflix, if you subscribe to that service.

But a jailbroken Apple TV is a whole different ball game. Once you have jailbreak software running on an Apple TV you can install new apps, services and systems on the Apple TV that make it far more interesting than the device Apple sells.

Should I jailbreak an Apple TV?
The question of whether to jailbreak an iPhone is rather controversial (there are upsides and downsides). There are considerably fewer downsides to jailbreaking an Apple TV, and lots of upsides.

Here is some of the neat software you can install on a jailbroken Apple TV:

Kodi (formally known as XMBC) is an entertainment hub that enables you to play most music, videos and podcasts. It also enables PVR functionality so you can watch, and record, television.

aTV Flash (black) | FireCore: is user-friendly software that enables you  to play new file types (such as .mkv),  browse the internet and use unofficial apps such as Last.fm.

So it’s a great idea to jailbreak your Apple TV. Especially if you have an Apple TV lying around that's not being used.

How to jailbreak an Apple TV: “Can I jailbreak my Apple TV?”
Fortunately it’s pretty easy to jailbreak an Apple TV as long as you have the right model of Apple TV. Apple's made three types of Apple TV. The Apple TV first-generation (the white and silver model); the Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3.

The Apple TV 2 is pretty easy to jailbreak using the right software (more on this in a bit). The Apple TV first generation can be jailbroken using software called Rowmote.

How to jailbreak an Apple TV: Jailbreaking the Apple TV 3
If you have an Apple TV 3, that is the version currently on sale, you cannot jailbreak it at the moment. As far as we are aware there is no process, or software, that can jailbreak an Apple TV 3. So this guide is only for the Apple TV 2. We will update this feature if that situation changes.

How to jailbreak an Apple TV 2
Jailbreaking Apple TV with Seas0nPass

The Apple TV 2 running iOS 5.3 software (released on 19 June 2013) can be jailbroken using software called Seas0nPass. This is available from the FireCore website. Follow these steps to jailbreak your Apple TV 2:

1. Download Seas0nPass from the FireCore website.

2. Unzip the Seas0nPass app and move it to your Applications folder.

3. Connect your Mac to the Apple TV using a USB Micro Cable.

4. Open the Seas0nPass app and click click Create IPSW.

5. Press the Menu and Play/Pause buttons on the Apple TV remote control simultaneously (when prompted).

6. Click Done when Seas0nPass has finished jailbreaking your Apple TV.

7. Remove the USB cable, and connect your Apple TV to the television using the HDMI cable and power source. Turn on the Apple TV.

As the Apple TV boots you should see the FireCore logo. That’s it, your Apple TV is now running jailbroken software. You should be able to use it as normal, but from now on you’ll be able to install other apps and services. For more information on how to get the most out of your jailbroken Apple TV take a look at the FireCore website.

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