I have successfully installed and used the new version of Front Row on both a G4 Mac mini and Powerbook G4 and managed to view media (music, photo, movies) stored on other machines via Bonjour shared libraries. I can confirm that the new version still works quite well on older hardware.
I will probably be expanding this entry later to explain how I did this (it wasn’t hard, but it does require you to have a computer that legitimately gets the new version via software update).
Update: Andrew Escobar, the man who brought you Front Row Enabler the first time around, has done it again. Therefore, no need to explain my process (which basically was taking the Software Update-installed version of my Intel iMac and copying it to my older machines), because this is better.
I will say that I am stoked about the Bonjour support in Front Row. This really gives me everything I’ve ever wanted from Apple: A way to store and manage my media on my main computer with the biggest hard drives (currently Intel iMac), but view it on any ol’ Mac I can hook up to my TV (which for me is my PowerBook G4).
Performance was great over 802.11g wireless with all media types (music, photos, videos). The only downside to this is that iTunes won’t index DivX/XviD AVI’s, so you’ll have to convert your movies to QuickTime. I’ve been doing this anway because I want my movies to be able-to-be-viewed on my iPod. I’ve been using iSquint to convert using the “Optimized for TV” setting to get decent resolution.
001 // Sean Sperte // 03.01.2006 // 10:20 PM
Thanks for confirming this, Jeff. I’ve seeded it to Newsvine (and poked a little fun in the process).
Rock on, Older Macs!
002 // James AkaXakA // 03.02.2006 // 9:49 AM
I am stroked about the Bonjour support in Front Row
Don’t you mean stoked? Or are you just streaming porn?
003 // Jeff Croft // 03.02.2006 // 10:04 AM
James-
You trying to get yourself banned from my site?
Hehe, just teasing. Yes, I meant “stoked.”
Thank for pointing it out.
:)
004 // aaron kaufman // 03.19.2006 // 11:06 AM
Where do you download Front Row for an older mac?
005 // Brian Ford // 07.20.2006 // 8:24 AM
I just wrote an article for newsvine that looks into the similarities between Apple and Nintendo.
While I dismiss the speculation surrounding a merger (most people do) I do have some interesting ideas regarding how they could work together to benefit both and to make -me- extremely happy.
Sadly, the idea is too awesome to every happen.
(Bonjour and Front Row are involved.)