Auto-start XBMC on Apple TV boot

July 3, 2009

Update: There is now a much easier way to auto-start XBMC on Apple TV boot. See details here. I’ll leave the below post here for posterity…

Here’s how to have XBMC auto-start when your Apple TV boots.

Create a text file with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Label</key>
	<string>com.teamxbmc.xbmc</string>
	<key>OnDemand</key>
	<false/>
	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
	<array>
		<string>/Applications/XBMC.app/Contents/MacOS/XBMC</string>
		<string>-fs</string>
	</array>
</dict>
</plist>

Save it on your Desktop, as com.teamxbmc.xbmc.plist

Create another text file with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Label</key>
	<string>com.teamxbmc.xbmchelper</string>
	<key>OnDemand</key>
	<false/>
	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
	<array>
		<string>/Applications/MultiFinder.app/Contents/Resources/xbmchelper</string>
		<string>-v</string>
		<string>-u</string>
	</array>
</dict>
</plist>

Save it on your Desktop, as com.teamxbmc.xbmchelper.plist

Install both files to your AppleTV using Terminal.app:

scp ~/Desktop/com.teamxbmc.xbmc*.plist frontrow@your_appletv_ip_address:.
ssh frontrow@your_appletv_ip_address
sudo mv com.teamxbmc.xbmc*.plist /Library/LaunchAgents/
sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamxbmc.xbmc*.plist
sudo chmod 644 /Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamxbmc.xbmc*.plist
launchctl load /Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamxbmc.xbmc.plist
launchctl load /Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamxbmc.xbmchelper.plist

` That’s it. You can then delete the two files left on your Desktop.

Mac OS X