[Gareth82]

Hi everyone, newbie to the forum here in need of some advice.

I have already got a 1st Gen Apple TV Jailbroken running XBMC and i am getting tied of the constant chopping playback with HD files, even 480p DVD Rips seem to be struggerling and i think it's time for an upgrade.

There is two options that i am considering which are:

installing a Broadcom Crystal HD card in the Apple TV and running Crystalbuntu.

getting one of these Acer Revos http://www.ebuyer.com/319567-acer-revo-r...-sj4ec-003

or getting one of these Acer Revos http://www.ebuyer.com/319567-acer-revo-r...-sj4ec-003

I have no experience with Linux OS what so ever but all i need is a system that will run XBMC smoothly and allow me to playback upto 1080p files with no choppy playback etc

Thanks, and any help would be great

[Ned Scott]

I'd vote for the BCHD and Crystalbuntu. It goes a long way and turns the ATV1 into a powerhouse.

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply Ned Scott.

Are there any known issues with the BCHD and Crystalbuntu on the Apple TV and would it outperform the Acer i mentioned?

Will it give me smooth playback of 1080p files etc and is it easy to install Crystalbuntu as i have no experience or knowledge of Linux OS.

Thanks

[Ned Scott]

One is a $40 investment (BCHD) vs whatever the Acer costs. I use an ATV1+BCHD+Crystalbuntu as my main HTPC right now, and it plays everything I throw at it, smooth as silk. Does 1080 and all that jazz (just no 3D stuff. Well, maybe SBS, but I've never tried it).

Installing both the BCHD and Crystalbuntu is very easy. You really don't need to know much of anything about Linux. It's self-auto updating, and if you have to do any special configuration then there's a GUI utility that takes care of most things.

The Acer has more power, but for XBMC you won't really notice a difference unless you are running really heavy skins or doing something extra like running game emulators on it or whatever. Oh, and if you want something like Netflix then you'll probably want to go with Acer and Windows.

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply.

I do like the Apple TV and i am confident that i can install the BCHD and Crystalbuntu, the only doubt i have is if i do all of that and still get choppy playback. I know that most people have said the BCHD card and Crystalbuntu work great but i have also seen a few people saying that they still get choppy playback.

[atari800]

You could "up" a problematic video to some digital locker (rapidshare, hotfile, megashares) and let us who have apple tv1's with BCHD and Crystalbuntu to confirm this works or not
*PM me if you do not want to share your video with the public.

[Gareth82]

Thanks for the reply atari800.

I seem to be getting choppy playback with anything i play. i have tried 480p dvd rips all the way upto 1080p and nothing seems to run smoothly. All of my movies are stored on a 1tb hard drive connected to the usb of the apple tv. Would playback through the usb cause this issue and would the skin i run on xbmc effect it?

also, how did you manage to run a apple tv1 as a server for your media?

thanks