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chipchen · Mar 22, 2007, 07:52 PM

So, I couldn't help it. I took apart my AppleTV. Wanted to know what kind of hard drive was inside.

It's a regular ATA 2.5" Hard Drive. I took it off and hooked it up to look inside the drive. Here's what I found out:

- 3 partitions on the drive. 1 unformatted partition of 400 MB, the other two formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) at 900.00 MB and 35.83 GB.

- The 900.00 MB partition is for the OS, called OSBoot. It does look like a modified slim version of OS X, as it has a System folder and Library folder.

- Of note, the OSBoot partition also had an Applications folder that was emtpy. What for I wonder.

- The large partition is obviously for the media. And it's called Media.

- Media is organized like iTunes or iPhoto, basically a confusing mess to the human eye... and organized by numbered folders. Just don't mess with it is what I'm thinking.

- Looks like I can easily upgrade... but we'll see.

- Hard drive was connected by IDE cable for 2.5" ATA drives. I wonder if you can use an adapter, and basically route the cable out of the box to a larger ATA drive.

- When the AppleTV was "syncing"... it got FRIGGIN hot! The metal encasement (like a Mac mini) was almost too hot to hold.

I might try a hard drive upgrade later tonight. We'll see...

quiklee · Mar 22, 2007, 07:54 PM

good luck with that . . . . hopefully you have a picture by picture documentation of your work . . .

Brien · Mar 22, 2007, 08:52 PM

If you do, maybe try tossing an OS X app (Safari perhaps) in the Apps folder and see what happens?

Sherman Homan · Mar 22, 2007, 09:14 PM

So, I couldn't help it. I took apart my AppleTV. Wanted to know what kind of hard drive was inside.

Excellent!

mduell · Mar 22, 2007, 09:52 PM

I'm surprised they went with ATA. The 945 chipset supports SATA and with a case that small I would think the smaller cables would help... nothing like a wide ATA cable to block airflow. SATA drives are also a tad cheaper (about $2 at retail) and are the way of the future.

Eriamjh · Mar 22, 2007, 10:23 PM

Check out this take-apart page: briantr/Apple TV - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

2004? WTF!

chipchen · Mar 22, 2007, 11:55 PM

So far... no go.

I tried partitioning a new drive just like the AppleTV has it set up... and I used the DISK UTILITY "Restore" feature to "clone" the OSBoot and Media drives... but the AppleTV just wouldn't boot. I probably should have used Carbon Copy Cloner or Terminal to use a bit by bit copy of the entire thing.

OR, maybe it has to do with that third 400MB partition of unformatted space. Because I was using DISK UTILITY for the partition, I couldn't make it an unpartitioned space. It had to be partitioned to something, so I just made it Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

Oh well... too tired to fiddle with it anymore today. I suppose I'll let it finish syncing with my iMac instead.

OTHER NOTES:

- I don't know if this is mentioned... the Apple TV controls the streaming. So it's more of a PULL instead of a PUSH. Too bad.

- Because of this PULL feature, it can only connect to one source at a time.

I was really hoping it was more of a PUSH feature, like AirTunes, so I could sit on the couch with my laptop and initiate something... but I have to pick up this silly IR Apple Remote.

Swancoat · Mar 23, 2007, 12:17 AM

So you NEED to use the remote?!? i.e. it does NOT have AirTunes functionality? That sucks.

My stereo is connected to a whole house distribution, and I often use AirTunes to play music in my bedroom using my laptop. Sounds like I won't be getting rid of the Airport Express.

Visnaut · Mar 23, 2007, 01:14 AM

Awesome, chipchen, thanks for posting all these details, this is exactly what I was curious about!

Question: does the Library folder contain a Quicktime folder?

I wonder if one could drop in additional codec support, such as for DivX. Unlikely, but I'd be curious to see the result.

mitchell_pgh · Mar 23, 2007, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by Visnaut

Awesome, chipchen, thanks for posting all these details, this is exactly what I was curious about!

Question: does the Library folder contain a Quicktime folder?

I wonder if one could drop in additional codec support, such as for DivX. Unlikely, but I'd be curious to see the result.

GREAT Question!!! Once Divx and Xvid work, I'll pick one up.

chipchen · Mar 23, 2007, 01:51 AM

Yes, there is a QuickTime folder...

Are you thinking of adding Perian or some other package of codecs?

The only problem I can think about that is... the content would not only have to be playable.. but it would have to be able to be added to iTunes. I don't know that iTunes would be able to add a divx file?

But, since I download a lot of Divx, I'm wondering if there won't be more "AppleTV friendly" files being uploaded to torrent sites and such.

- - e r i k - - · Mar 23, 2007, 04:55 AM

I have oodles and oodles of Div-X content in iTunes. No problem.

mdc · Mar 23, 2007, 07:50 AM

One problem I just hit now is that I opened a divx movie and quiktime said it didn't have all the codecs. So it played the movie but there was no sound. I exported it (using the Apple TV setting) and put it on the Apple TV. Video plays, but no sound.

I think I have Perian installed. If so, this doesn't exactly bode well, unless there are other programs that we can use to export divx to the Apple TV format, or get the Apple TV to play divx (which would be the preferred method).

HAGEhead · Mar 23, 2007, 08:43 AM

OSXish OS + Intel proc + quicktime gives me hope. I've been able to get anything quicktime can handle into iTunes, which means that any movies could be added, I want to hear how it reacts to Perian getting dropped inside. This is encouraging.

badsey · Mar 23, 2007, 08:51 AM

since this runs hot:
-what type of heat sink is on the CPU? -and GPU? copper aluminum etc.

-What do the cooling fans look like?

you may want to upgrade these if possible. At least go artic silver on the thermal compound.

that CPU chip is already getting too hot.

Arctic Silver, Inc. - Instructions

shifuimam · Mar 23, 2007, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Check out this take-apart page: briantr/Apple TV - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

2004? WTF!

It looks like Apple used as much thermal grease as they "suggested" using on the MBP heatsinks.

No processor should look that gummed-up with thermal grease. I would wonder if reapplying the correct amount would significantly impact the overheating problem.

zerostar · Mar 23, 2007, 09:38 AM

Getting this thing to play ANY file that quicktime plays would be the tits, I would get one today, but sadly only mpeg4 is kinda a bummer for me right now.

Why is this a limitation, is there any technical reason or just Apple BS? I am asking because there are a ton of media devices that can handle almost everything but they are all windows only

zerostar · Mar 23, 2007, 09:46 AM

It looks like they did exactly what I wanted here...

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=2391956

Now if this is legit, I am sure a more streamlined way to do this is going to be possible in the future

mdc · Mar 23, 2007, 11:21 AM

I am not that eager to open my Apple TV. Hopefully that is not fake and someone comes up with an app that will place the needed codecs and movies into the Apple TV for you.

zerostar · Mar 23, 2007, 11:27 AM

I won't mind opening it (I even have an enclosure), but the way you need to put the files in seems a real pain, so i'll be waiting for something automated as well.

Cadaver · Mar 23, 2007, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

It looks like Apple used as much thermal grease as they "suggested" using on the MBP heatsinks.

No processor should look that gummed-up with thermal grease. I would wonder if reapplying the correct amount would significantly impact the overheating problem.

Who says there is an overheating problem?

The unit only gets hot (and yes, it gets hot. I have one) when importing a massive amount of content, such as the first sync. The hard drive is mounted to the top lid, and when importing its constantly running, too, which adds to the heat. Mine cooled way down after the initial sync of a full 40GB was completed. And there's no reason to think the heat is out-of-spec; the Pentium M is a laptop chip which is designed to run at higher temps than typical desktop parts.

And all the thermal goo around the Pentium M processor could be the way the owner wiped it off when he shot the picture, not necessarily a representation of the way it was originally applied.