March 15, 2026

How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV

Posted February 25, 2008 at 8:34pm by
These are instructions on how to install Perian(Divx, Xvid), Flip4Mac, and other codecs on your Take 2 AppleTV.

Before you can attempt this tutorial you must have SSH installed on your AppleTV. To install SSH you can follow these steps.


You will need these files:
- AC3MovieImport.component (From Perian)
- A52Codec.component (From Perian)
- Perian.component (From Perian)
- Flip4Mac WMV Import.component (From Flip4Mac)

Step One
Download the required components from here.

Step Two
Extract the zip you just downloaded to create a folder on your desktop called Components.
How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV

Step Three
Launch Terminal by selecting it from your Applications:Utilities folder.
How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV

Step Four
Now we will copy the components to the AppleTV. Enter the following four commands into the Terminal window. You may be asked for a password. If you are please enter frontrow as your password. Also please note you can change AppleTV.local to the IP Address of your AppleTV if you like.

scp -1 -r ~/Desktop/Components/AC3MovieImport.component frontrow@AppleTV.local:~
scp -1 -r ~/Desktop/Components/Flip4Mac WMV Import.component frontrow@AppleTV.local:~
scp -1 -r ~/Desktop/Components/Perian.component frontrow@AppleTV.local:~
scp -1 -r ~/Desktop/Components/A52Codec.component frontrow@AppleTV.local:~

How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV

Step Five
Now we need to log into the AppleTV and put the files into the right location.


Enter the following command into the Terminal window. NOTE***: You can replace AppleTV.local with the IP Address of your AppleTV if you like.

ssh -1 frontrow@AppleTV.local (If prompted for a password please enter frontrow).
How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV

Step Six
Now we will move the files to their correct location. Please enter the following commands into the Terminal window. NOTE***: If you are asked for a password please use frontrow as your password.


sudo mount -uw /
sudo mv ~/AC3MovieImport.component /Library/Quicktime/
sudo mv ~/Flip4Mac WMV Import.component /Library/Quicktime/
sudo mv ~/Perian.component /Library/Quicktime/
sudo mv ~/A52Codec.component /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/

How to Install Divx, Xvid, WMV On Your Take 2 AppleTV


And thats it! You now have Perian and all its included codecs installed! You also can watch WMV files :)
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Comments (30)
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Guest
Guest - February 14, 2012 at 4:25pm
Is there a significant quality difference between DivX and XviD on the Apple TV?
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Michael
Michael - March 10, 2012 at 10:41pm
The point of this record is that reovall there is not a huge difference. If you watch in HD you will see DivX doesn't have quite as excellent quality. XviD has better quality so I urge that.
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fook
fook - October 29, 2010 at 4:04pm
Hi, when I try to install DIVX etc. through Terminal on Macbook to ATV this error occurs - Protocol major versions differ: 1 vs. 2 lost connection Anybody could help me? THX Tom
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Banania
Banania - October 29, 2010 at 4:23pm
Hi, I had something similar: I guess your computer name has another number than 1 and when you enter the instructions in the terminal you need to replace the 1 with the same number than your computer. But you will be disappointed because since the last firmware update there is no sound on divx movies. I recommend to convert them with Handbrake.
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Seth
Seth - June 28, 2009 at 5:38pm
Installation does NOT work with the latest update to AppleTV, 2.4. No sound from audio.
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Banania
Banania - July 20, 2009 at 4:22am
I got exactly the same problem! SSH + Plugin installation went fine but after rebooting the AppleTV I can only watch DIVX Movies but without sound. May the plugins are not up to date with regards the current Quicktime player in 2.4?!..
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Seth
Seth - July 20, 2009 at 9:28pm
I have found the solution (I didn't create the solution; I just found it). First off, these components are all outdated. When you've gone through the tutorial and installed these pieces, go here for the rest: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=733975 that should fix the sound. Attn: iClarified. Please update your tutorial with no components AND some mention of AppleTV Fooler (especially since it's the CLEANEST way to view .avis on AppleTV). This tutorial is missing a whole bunch of info.
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Banania
Banania - January 31, 2010 at 4:41pm
Just tried it out with 3.0.1 ATV update + all new Perian and Flip4Mac components and still have the same problem: DivX movie plays but no sound! ps: I am using ATV Fooler to import my movies through iTune.
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Seth
Seth - June 28, 2009 at 3:46pm
isn't Perian outdated in this?
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Matt
Matt - January 28, 2009 at 3:56am
Which verson of Tiger OSX did you use?
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absolute
absolute - May 29, 2008 at 12:02am
OK, don't know what I did different, but it worked on the second try. Thanks for the great hack!
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absolute
absolute - May 28, 2008 at 11:55pm
I have ssh enabled (I can log in using sftp with transmit or Fugu), but I can't copy anything onto the ATV. When I run the step 4 commands in terminal, it just sits forever on "response:". Where did I go wrong?
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colts
colts - May 28, 2008 at 10:30am
Where do i have to copy the divx files with fugu?
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Reg
Reg - May 23, 2008 at 11:58pm
You should probably add a reboot after installing this as on my Take 2, I could not watch video until I rebooted. A simple: # sudo reboot Will do the trick
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iClarified
iClarified - April 10, 2008 at 3:19pm
@cantiluc, you could use Fugu to ssh in and copy files... AFP (through Finder) is ideal but as of yet I have not found a way into install a compatible AppleFileServer without using the 1.0 Recovery Files. I am working on this...
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cantiluc
cantiluc - April 9, 2008 at 5:46pm
me again, would it be possible that i can't see my appletv in finder because i have version 2.1 ? if this is the case, how can i downgrade back to version 2 ?
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cantiluc
cantiluc - April 9, 2008 at 2:48pm
great step by step tutorials !!! I've installed, ssh, the divx, Xvid...patch and places on my take 2 AppleTV but how do I get my movies on the AppleTV can't find the way to do it thx
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Dala
Dala - April 9, 2008 at 11:01am
JT. No I'm not. Haven't gotten that far yet. Don't know how to istall it from Leopard. There must be a tutorial somwhere, right?
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JT
JT - April 9, 2008 at 10:31am
Dala Are you using SSH v1? E.G # ssh -1 frontrow@atv.ip
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nicoflo
nicoflo - April 3, 2008 at 11:49pm
Everything went well. But I am having problems trying to sync with my ATV. I get a message saying that ATV can not play the video. What am i doing wrong??? Thanks for the help
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AppleHolgi
AppleHolgi - March 26, 2008 at 6:07pm
sorry, got confused... That's the way to go: http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/How_to_get_iTunes_to_sync_other_video_formats_to_Apple_TV
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Superandrew
Superandrew - March 26, 2008 at 5:10pm
Video 2 Mov? sorry, i couldn't find it. Can you please be more specific? Thanks for this fantastic tutorial
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AppleHolgi
AppleHolgi - March 26, 2008 at 3:34pm
iTunes will happily sync if you drop your non QT videos on the Video 2 Mov script which will save them as self containing .mov qt files. These can be streamed and synced to ATV. Thanks for these brilliant ATV tutorials!
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Superandrew
Superandrew - March 26, 2008 at 11:14am
Yes but.. how to copy movies to play them in the AppleTV? I don't think it would be possible via Itunes, right?
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shlomi
shlomi - March 16, 2008 at 11:53am
Can I use a pc for this hack?
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