How To Crack Set Top Box Software

Streaming gear up-acme boxes are all the rage these days, especially with the rising popularity of subscription streaming services such as Hulu Plus and Netflix. Who doesn't want to sentinel Spider web-optimized video on their fancy new HDTV?

Unfortunately, straight-from-the-manufacturer boxes don't usually live upwardly to their promise. Many set-height boxes are limited in their features, simply take the potential for much more (the Apple TV runs iOS, which means it tin theoretically run whatsoever app in the App Store).

Hither are some hacks to help yous go the almost out of your streaming prepare-top box. Equally always, be careful about engaging in potentially warranty-voiding behavior with your ain gear–PCWorld isn't responsible for whatsoever damaged or bricked hardware or software that results from your trying these ideas out. We have tried the hacks ourselves, nevertheless, and they worked fine for the states.

Apple Goggle box

Apple released the second generation of its streaming set-top box in September 2010. The Apple Boob tube ii ($100) is virtually a quarter of the size of the original Apple tree Idiot box, and features an 8GB solid-land bulldoze instead of a moving-platter hard bulldoze. The tiny set-top box permits you to stream local media, Netflix, and iTunes rentals, just information technology doesn't allow Internet browsing, weather apps, or streaming radio stations.

However, although it has no native support for such apps, via jailbreaking you tin obtain support for them–and any other applications you tin can dream upwards.

Unlike its predecessor, the Apple Telly 2 runs iOS four.1 instead of a modified version of Mac Bone Ten. Naturally, merely mentioning "iOS 4.x" will catch the ear of the Apple iPhone jailbreaking community, so it's no surprise that people jailbroke and hacked into the device just days after information technology started shipping. (Of course, it helped that a teardown of the Apple TV two showed potential for the device to somewhen support Apple's official App Store.)

Jailbreak Your Apple TV

Here's how to liberate your own Apple tree TV 2.

i. Gather the required materials: the Apple Telly 2, the remote control, a MicroUSB cablevision, and a PC or Mac computer. If you lot need to download Apple TV two firmware for whatever reason, practice so.

2. Jailbreak the Apple tree TV 2 using the iPhone Dev-Squad'southward PwnageTool or FireCore'southward Seas0nPass (Mac only). Jailbreaking is pretty simple: Just plug in your device and follow the on-screen instructions.

Both of these jailbreaks are "tethered," which means that you'll need to connect the Apple TV 2 to your computer each time you boot the set-elevation box. (This is non such a big deal–yous probably don't tote your Apple TV around with yous, so you lot're unlikely to be sans figurer when you exercise demand to boot the device.)

PwnageTool in video:

Seas0nPass in video:

iii. Install awesome, unauthorized software using the jailbreak app store, Cydia. You won't find a lot of software released for the jailbroken Apple Goggle box 2 all the same, only you can install NitoTV's uncomplicated conditions app [download], or Plex [download], which is a prettier media-library interface.

If you lot're willing to driblet a few extra bucks, y'all can also install Last.fm and Couch Surfer via FireCore'south aTV Flash (Black). Just $20 volition get you a preorder of aTV Wink (Blackness), as well every bit entrance to the beta version.

Roku

The Roku prepare-tiptop box comes in iii versions: the Roku Hd ($60), Roku XD ($80), and Roku XDS ($100). The Roku Hd features 720p streams, while the Roku XD and Roku XDS offering 1080p streams (if content providers permit). The Roku XDS also adds component-video and optical-audio outputs, plus a USB port.

All of the Roku set-meridian boxes permit yous access a large diversity of Cyberspace media via hundreds of channels. Streaming channels include Amazon Video On Demand, Facebook photo sharing, Flickr, Flixster, Hulu Plus, NBA Game Time, Netflix, Pandora, Picasa, and Shoutcast. Many of Roku's channels are gratuitous, while others (such as Hulu Plus) require a monthly subscription.

Private Channels on Your Roku Box

The good affair about the Roku devices is that you can create and add individual channels. Calculation private channels is easy: Log in to your online Roku account on your computer and click Add a Private Channel. Hither you will come across a prompt to enter a lawmaking for the private channel yous desire to add. Once you've entered the code, enter and exit the channel store from your Roku player (or restart the Roku), and the individual channel volition be available.

Some private channels (and their codes) include American Picture show Classics (71B0Y), Hubblecast HD (9OFQX), Traffic Cam (9MQBZ), and YouTube (B8VVK).

Stream Local Media to Your Roku Box

While Roku is an first-class set up-top box for streaming Internet content, information technology has no native application or channel for streaming your local media–that is, from your home computer–to your Television. Fortunately, you take a workaround: Yous tin gear up a media server and then add a private channel of local media.

Hither'southward how to ready a local channel using Roksbox.

1. Set up a Web server. Mongoose [direct download] is an easy-to-use Spider web server that will work well for setting up a local channel on a Windows PC. To install, merely download and run the executable file.

By default, Mongoose uses the unabridged C: drive as the Web server. To change that (yes, y'all do desire to change that), create a new folder chosen Mongoose (or something else) under the C: drive. Then open up the 'Edit config' file (Start, Programs, Mongoose web server, Edit config). Await for the kickoff line (after the notes) where information technology says root c:, and change the line to:

root c:mongoose

Restart the computer, and your Web server volition be ready.

If you accept Linux, you tin can install Apache [straight download] instead.

Mac OS Ten has a congenital-in Apache server, and so Mac users can just become to Arrangement Preferences, Sharing, Services, and cheque the box for Web Sharing.

Note: Setting your calculator up as a Web server can brand some of your personal files bachelor to the Internet. Before you take these steps, make certain your network is secure behind a router and a firewall.

2. Catechumen your media files (if necessary) and motility them into your Web server root file. Roku players support merely MP4, MOV, M4V, and WMV video files; MP3 and WMA music files; and JPG, PNG, and GIF picture files.

In one case your media is converted, create a Media folder under your root server (c:mongoose) and create advisable subfolders in that main Media folder–namely, Photos, Music, and Videos. Motion your media files into the right folders.

If yous have a Mac and are using your computer'due south built-in Apache server, your Web server root file volition be Macintosh HD:Library:WebServer:Documents, and you should create your main Media binder at that place.

If y'all adopt not to movement your media into your Web server root file, y'all can also set up aliases to bespeak to your media from your Spider web server. To do this, become to Commencement, Programs, Mongoose web server, Edit config. Find the line that says # aliases /my_d_disk=d:,/my_e_disk=due east:, which is a comment line that shows yous how to create an alias. Allow'south say yous want to create an alias called 'videos' that points to D:My StuffVideos. Get-go a new line in 'Edit config', and type:

aliases /videos=D:My StuffVideos

Split aliases with a comma. For example, if y'all want to create aliases for your video file and for your vacation-picture file, you lot might write this:

aliases /videos=D:My StuffVideos,/vacation=D:My StuffPicturesVacation Photos

3. Set up Roksbox. Add the Roksbox private channel to your Roku account using the lawmaking P1KWQ. Open Roksbox on your Roku box, and become to Options, My Options, Manual Media Settings. Open the Web Server settings and change the Web server accost to your Web server address (in the format http://[your figurer'south IP address]). If your Web server uses a port other than 80, be sure to add together :[port number] to the end of the address.

Get to Change Media Root Folder and enter the proper noun of your media root folder (if you don't have a media root binder, or if you are using aliases, delete this entry).

Go to Media Information and alter the folder paths for your video, music, and photo folders. If you take a media root folder, the binder paths are just the names of your subfolders (e.m. Videos). If you do not have a media root folder, the folder paths are the complete paths from your Spider web server root (e.g. DocumentsVideos). If you lot are using aliases, the folder paths are merely the aliases (e.1000. Videos).

WD TV Live

The Western Digital WD TV Alive media player comes in iii versions: the WD TV Live ($100), WD TV Live Plus ($150), and WD Tv Live Hub ($200). All three versions feature high-def 1080p streaming, USB ports, and HDMI, composite, and component video connections. The WD Telly Live Plus has Netflix and Blockbuster On Need support, while the WD Telly Live Hub offers a built-in media server and a 1TB hard drive.

The WD TV Live is pretty feature-packed as far every bit ready-top boxes go–unlike the Apple Telly it streams Internet channels such equally Pandora and YouTube, and dissimilar the Roku devices information technology also streams your local media. But fifty-fifty though the WD TV Live serial natively supports more features than other set-top boxes do, it can still do good from hacking.

Raise Your Firmware

Set-top box hacker B-RAD is a well-known figure in the WD TV Live hacking customs for his WDLXTV enhanced firmware software. WDLXTV is for the first- and second- generation WD TV boxes, non the WD TV Live series (B-RAD has released WDLXTV-Plus for the WD Telly Live Plus box, but information technology's currently bachelor only to people who donate at least $five to the cause.)

WDLXTV in video:

Because WDLXTV is designed for the original WD Boob tube-top boxes, it includes USB ethernet support for maintaining a wired broadband connection (new WD TV boxes have an ethernet port built in). Amongst other features are external DVD drive capability, all media (including network shares and optical devices) viewed in 'All Videos', customizable background and screen saver images, and themes.

WDLXTV is simple to install.

1. Download the file, unzip it, and place the unzipped files on a USB flash drive.

2. Plug the flash bulldoze into your WD Idiot box box. It will inquire if you want to upgrade the firmware; cull yes. Wait for the WD Idiot box to reboot, upgrade the firmware, and then reboot again.

3. Once the firmware is successfully upgraded (y'all will see 'WDLXTV' in the Most screen under system settings), unplug the flash bulldoze and enjoy your hacked WD TV box. B-RAD's Website includes actress downloads such as an Optware for WD Idiot box package, which will permit yous to install Optware packages to your WD TV.

Interview with B-RAD: