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Turning a Mac Mini into an AppleTV

Note: This post has been insanely popular, and despite its utility, it detracts from the original intent of this website. Please visit the sister site: software.jonandnic.com for discussion on this topic. If you followed a link here, you’ll be redirected momentarily…

So I like the simplicity of the AppleTV, but that simplicity removes some of the functionality I want — like adhoc codec support. But as I was laying in bed trying to figure out how to simplify the hack to add codecs to the AppleTV, I realised I already have something better: a Mac Mini.Still back to that UI… it would be nice to have that elegance… So I wrote an AppleScript that you can add to your Login Items, that makes the Mini act like an AppleTV. It even plays the beautiful start-up video, and goes straight to FrontRow, so you never have to see the OS.

It does, however, have one bug. If you activate FrontRow using the script, the Apple Remote doesn’t work — no reason, no explanation. It just doesn’t work. I’m posting a download link so you can hook up your Mini the same way as me, with the hopes that someone else can fix the Remote Control bug. For now, I’ve just commented that code out, so you’ll have to hit “Menu” on the remote after the Intro video. I also included a wallpaper so that when FrontRow isn’t running, you don’t see a regular desktop. I’m sure someone else can do a better job of that too!

Here’s some steps you’ll want to take after extracting the Zip…

• Create a folder in the Library folder on your hard drive called “AppleTV”
  • (Note, not your own Library which is ~/Library, but the one on the root of your boot drive)
• Copy the contents of the zip file into that folder
• If your hard drive is named something other than “Mac OS” you’ll need to edit the script to point to the right path
• Set your desktop background to the included wallpaper
• Turning “Hiding” on in your Dock options
• Turn desktop icons off in your Finder preferences
• Add the Script to your Log-in Items in System Preferences

Update – Thanks to the folks who left comments, the bugs are fixed and the bundle is improved. Download again if you want, and add this additional step:

• Copy the included screen saver to your ~/Library/ScreenSavers folder

Now when your Mini starts up, it’ll immediately begin behaving like an AppleTV! Download the gear you’ll need here…

Update Again – Check out the skin posted in the comments. It adds AppleTV-like icons to FrontRow.

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