Apple TV

Stay up-to-date on the latest Apple TV news and learn how to get the most out of your device with our comprehensive tutorials and guides. Discover new features, troubleshoot issues, and explore the best apps and games for your Apple TV.

aTV Flash (black) Version 1.2 Released

We've been on an Apple TV tear as of late, so how appropriate that the fine folks over at FireCore update their excellent aTV Flash (black) tool for Apple TV jailbreakers.

aTV Flash (black) version 1.2 brings quite a few new features to the table, especially when it comes to the media player that comes bundled with it.

Included with the latest version are new video zoom options, and a Kindle Fire inspired "recent" pages addition to the web browser.

Here’s Why You Should Install XBMC on Your Apple TV

If you haven't noticed by now, we're pretty big fans of the Apple TV here at iDownloadBlog, and for good reason.

As we alluded to in our benefits post yesterday, the Apple TV is probably one of the best sub-$99 purchases that money can buy if you're looking for entertainment.

In this article, we'll show you another reason why the Apple TV is a must have, and once you own it, why you must jailbreak it. The answer? XBMC.

The Benefits of Jailbreaking the Apple TV

Apple has always stated that the Apple TV is more of a "hobby" device than a mainstream one, as its popularity level isn't even on the radar compared to hits like the iPhone, iPad or even iPod touch.

Still, there are many, many benefits to owning an Apple TV. There's iTunes movies and TV shows, Netflix streaming, access to NBA and NHL games, and iTunes match among other features.

But if you really want to reap the full rewards of owning Apple's marvelous $99 wonder box, you need to jailbreak it.

Why jailbreak the Apple TV? We'll touch on some of the major benefits that comes from doing so.

Apple’s Been Interested in the TV Industry for Over 15 Years

There's been a lot of talk over the last few months about Apple releasing its own TV set. While several pundits and analysts are expecting a game-changer from the iPhone-makers, others don't think the company has the experience to make it in the TV industry.

Apple's been indirectly involved in the TV industry since 2006, when it unveiled the first edition of its Apple TV set top box. But, as you can see from the above photo, Apple's been working on a way to invade our living rooms for over 15 years...

How to Watch Hulu on the Apple TV

You've probably heard that rumors that an official Hulu app for the Apple TV is complete and ready to go, yet Apple is holding it back from being released. Apple is worried about Hulu+ eating into its iTunes sales, so the app has been placed on hold indefinitely.

For Hulu fans, that's quite disappointing, especially considering the service is available on pretty much every other platform known to man, including the iPad, and iPhone.

But there is a way to get Hulu running on the Apple TV right now. This guide will show you how to take advantage of the Seas0nPass jailbreak so that you can watch Hulu Plus on your Apple TV.

Top Jailbreak Videos of the Week

This week's top videos feature an untethered jailbreak for the Apple TV, a guide for preserving your iOS 5 untethered jailbreak for life, some nifty tweaks to launch apps from the Lock screen, clear Lock screen notifications, and more.

As always, please be sure to share our iPhone, iPad, and iOS video guides by spreading our posts on Twitter and Facebook.

We’re Giving Away 10 Copies of aTV Flash (black) for Your Jailbroken Apple TV [Winners Announced]

The fine folks at FireCore have partnered with iDB for an especially-awesome giveaway. If you've jailbroken your Apple TV before then you've probably heard of aTV Flash (black). This full-featured jailbreak apps brings some amazing features to Apple's little set-top box, including a web browser and wireless streaming support for many video formats.

In celebration of the recent untethered jailbreak for the Apple TV, FireCore has given us 10 licenses for aTV Flash (black) to give away to lucky iDB readers. We know, it sounds too good to be true.

Third-Party Apps Running Fullscreen on the Apple TV

We've been keeping you up to date on the developments surrounding third-party iOS apps and the Apple TV. Steven Troughton-Smith has been working with other developers to bring all kinds of iOS apps to the jailbroken Apple TV with the hopes that Apple will open up access to the App Store for its set-top box.

The first app to be shown publicly for his project is Jackoplane's Frequencies. As you can see, the app is running fullscreen on the Apple TV in the full 720p resolution.

Rumor: Apple Working on 42-Inch TV In Jony Ive’s Design Studio

Not many companies can claim to be the biggest thing to hit a trade show without actually being in attendance, but Apple has that honor this year. With so much talk about the iPhone and iPad maker being ready to enter the television market, the competition is already sitting up and taking notice.

Not only that, but word has it that Apple is currently working on a 42-inch television in design guru Jony Ive's top-secret studio. The flatscreen supposedly has onboard Wi-Fi and also comes in a 50-inch flavor. Rumors of such a device are keeping competitors on the edge of their seats.

Apple to Bid for English Premier League TV Rights

Apple may be set to join a bidding war for the rights to stream English Premier League (EPL) games to its customers, with the aim of bolstering its sales in the UK.

According to the Daily Mail, who do not give any sources for its story, both Apple and Google are weighing their options in the UK, with both companies wishing to make a grab for the lucrative rights to show EPL on their respective devices.

The current deal with Sky Sports runs out at the end of the current season, with the current owners, ESPN and Al Jazeera, already confirmed to be interested in streaming live games to their own channels. SkySports paid a massive £1.6 billion ($2.5b) for its current package.

Jailbroken Apple TV App Launcher in Action

For the last couple of days, we've been talking about how a couple of hackers, including Steven Troughton-Smith, have been working on bringing iOS applications to a jailbroken Apple TV near you.

While they appeared to have a few issues at first, things have been looking up for the group that was able to run apps in fullscreen 720p resolution. It gets even better, as shown in this video by Troughton-Smith...