April 20, 2024

How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Posted April 7, 2008 at 10:39pm by iClarified
These are instructions on how to setup media categories for your AppleTV using ATVFiles Places. This lets us separate ATVFiles Menu into categories such as Movies, Music, TV, Music Videos etc...

Step One
Before starting this tutorial make sure you have ATVFiles installed. You can find instructions on how to do this here

Notice how when we go to the Files menu on the AppleTV there are only Places and Settings. (You may also have Movies). It is here where we will add various media categories.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV


Step Two
Launch Terminal from your Applications:Utilities folder.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Step Three
Enter the following command into the Terminal window (Note: You can replaced AppleTV.local with the actual IP Address of your AppleTV if desired):
ssh -1 frontrow@AppleTV.local.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

When prompted for a password enter frontrow.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Step Four
Now create directories for each of the categories would like to display on the menu. Do this by entering the following command into the Terminal window:
mkdir -p Movies
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

You can do this to create as many categories as you like replacing "Movies" with the category name you desire.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Step Five
Now we will add these categories to the menu. Type the following command into the Terminal window:

defaults write net.ericiii.ATVFiles Places '("/Users/frontrow/Movies")'

For more then one category we can extend the list like this:
defaults write net.ericiii.ATVFiles Places '("/Users/frontrow/Movies", "/Users/frontrow/TV", "/Users/frontrow/SVC", "/Users/frontrow/Music Videos", "/Users/frontrow/Music")'
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Make sure you replace the names of the categories I have used with your own (Movies, TV, SVC, Music Videos, Music, etc).

Step Six
Now reboot your AppleTV to reflect these changes by entering the following command into the Terminal window:
sudo reboot
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

If prompted for a password enter frontrow.
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV

Step Seven
Once the AppleTV reboots you will see the newly created categories under the File Menu!
How to Setup Places on Your AppleTV
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Comments (8)
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Sean Rhodes
Sean Rhodes - February 23, 2009 at 5:31pm
This mod does not work correctly. It overlays the menu on top of any files (movies) you try to play in the directory. It is not fully thought out. judging by the fact that everyone one of the threads has no reply, you are on your own.
Sean Rhodes
Sean Rhodes - February 18, 2009 at 11:29am
Under files I added a second directory called Music Videos to keep them separate from my movies as follows: defaults write net.ericiii.ATVFiles Places '("/Users/frontrow/Movies", "/Users/frontrow/Music Videos")' The problem is that when I play the music videos, the directory contents continue to be displayed on the screen while the music video's are played. Do you have any ideas? The movies are fine. Thanks, Sean
Kelvin0
Kelvin0 - November 26, 2008 at 3:53pm
I have the same issue as the previous poster. I have Files on the left side, and ATVFiles on the right with no subcategories. I've followed all directions, and everything appears to have worked, but no dice. If I select Files>>ATVFiles and hit Enter on apple remote, it restarts the Finder. I tried upgrading to the latest ATVFiles through the built in software upgrade, but that causes Finder to continuously reboot never bringing me back to the menu. Had to ssh in and reinstall the initial version of ATVFiles again. Any help would be appreciated. I'm so close to playing other formats, I can taste it. K-0
Kaido
Kaido - October 19, 2008 at 9:11am
didn't work for me for some reason. followed all the steps, but nothing.only thing i see on my ATV is a folder called 'Files' and subfolder 'ATV Files', that's all. No 'Places', 'Movies' or anything else. where i've gone wrong?
Joost
Joost - July 9, 2008 at 5:34pm
I have the same problem as JT. Left from the files menu I get a ATVFiles dir in this dir there are my created categories. I would like to change this and leave the ATV Files dir out. Anyone a suggestion how to?
Joost
Joost - July 9, 2008 at 5:17pm
I have the same problem as JT. Left from the files menu I get a ATVFiles dir in this dir there are my created categories. I would like to change this and leave the ATV Files dir out. Anyone a suggestion how to?
crazyastro
crazyastro - April 12, 2008 at 8:08pm
Does anyone know if it is possible to change the order of items on the LEFT side of the ATV menu?

I would like Files to appear first, then nitoTV, Movies, etc... (for example)

is this even possible??
thanks....

JT
JT - April 11, 2008 at 8:24am
I had a slightly different result following this. I had to go into Files - ATVFiles for the sub menus to be created.
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