Every day, users report their tips and tricks to add functions and/or feature to the Apple TV. If it remains still difficult to identify true claims from rumors, the Apple TV appears to be a rather opened device, especially surprising for an Apple-branded hardware. The system is indeed an OSX Lite, lacking all unnecessary features. To illustrate the potential of this Apple TV, forum members from Somethingawful could launch FireFox and even run VLC to watch an Xvid-encoded movie at 720P.
Of course, it is not easy to perform, and one will have to find the way to get access to the USB port to plug a keyboard, or even better a BT dongle (if the BT drivers and management tools are still present in the system).
Last but not least, Rogueamoeba demonstrated that Apple TV works with CRT TV and supports 480i display mode. Quite surprising, but there is a technical reason: if your TV is recent enough, it might include a YUV/component video input, then it will be recognized and supported by the apple TV. If it does not sport a YUV/component video input, then it will not work, and you will either not be able to use the Apple TV on this CRT TV, or you will have to buy a compatible TV:
Apple TV works with widescreen, enhanced-definition or high-definition TVs capable of 1080i, 720p, 576p, or 480p resolutions, including popular models from these manufacturers.You might also use a YUV to SCART adaptor, but here again it will depends on the components located in the TV or how old is your CRT TV. And buying a YUV to SCART converter will then be so expensive that it could be a better investment to purchase a new TV.
