Archive:IOS FAQ

XBMC for iOS specific Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. Don't forget to check out the iOS Specific Support forum.

General FAQ (all devices)

The following applies to all supported iOS devices, including: Apple TV 2, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

Installing and udpating XBMC for iOS Link Install XBMC on Apple TV 2 (black)   (see requirements) Install XBMC on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch   (see requirements)

SSH Link Secure Shell (SSH) is used to send remote commands to the ATV2. You will need this for many XBMC related tasks detailed on this page. For SSH access you can use putty or Tunnelier on Windows, Terminal.app in Mac OS X, or any standard terminal/shell in Linux. To SSH into an iOS device open your SSH application and type in: ssh [email protected] For most things you can and should use "mobile" as the user, as shown above. For some tasks, such as upgrading XBMC itself, you will need to replace "mobile" with "root". The default password (for "mobile" or "root") will be alpine

XBMC for iOS version Link The current XBMC for iOS version is v11 (Eden) Release Candidate 2. This is the same code that all of the other platforms (Linux, Mac, Windows) are using (changelog). These are public test builds that contain many new features, but may not be completely stable. A stable version of XBMC for iOS will come with the final release of XBMC 11.0 "Eden" (roadmap).

What nightly build/beta/version of XBMC am I running? Link XBMC main menu > System > Lower submenu > System info. Note the build date.

Formats and resolutions iOS devices can playback Link XBMC on iOS can playback all formats supported by XMBC in standard definition. Due to technical limitations only H.264 (up to High Profile) encoded videos are supported for high definition. The iPad 2 and iPhone 4S are the only exceptions to this and will play some other HD codecs (means anything with 720p resolution and above) due to the more powerful CPU inside.

Accessing media Link See also: Adding videos to the library You'll want to connect to media that's being shared from a computer, HTPC, or NAS device on your local network, especially with the ATV2 since it only has 8 GB of space. iPad and other iDevices can store files locally, and the iPad specifically can also use the Apple Camera Kit to use USB drive and SD cards. Guides for these will be arriving shortly, until then try searching the forums or Youtube. This tutorial describes how to share using SMB on Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and below. This is a tutorial for SMB sharing on Windows 7. If you're using Mac OS 10.7 (Lion), there are several filesharing options but you'll likely want to use AFP (unless you run into stability issues) because SMB won't work without installing Samba. WebDAV and FTP are the next best choices. NFS sharing is available for all platforms but it's more complex than the other options. Most NAS devices will use SMB sharing. Note: Better how-to guides on network sharing will be coming to the wiki someday. Feel free to add any links here to good guides you find.

Add-ons and skins Link XBMC for iOS is a full version of XBMC and will be able to use all non-platform specific add-ons and skins. More feature rich (CPU demanding) skins like AEON MQ 3 might not run smoothly, but most skins should be fine. Because XBMC is using pre-v11 (Eden) code, only add-ons and skins that have been tested and work will show up in the Add-on manager. If a specific add-on or skin you want to use doesn't show up then look for a newer in-development version on the forums: for Skins, for Add-ons.

Transferring files like add-ons, skins, and others over Link To manually install a skin/add-on/repo "by zip", see this guide. The guide will also give you the basic gist of how to transfer files over using SSH/SFTP.

Sync the XBMC library between multiple installs Link See HOW-TO:Synchronize multiple XBMC libraries to sync your library between XBMC devices (for any platform) using MySQL. When using library syncing on an iDevice, XBMC will freeze up when you are away from your local network. This is because it cannot connect to the MySQL server anymore. To be able to use both library syncing and still use XBMC on-the-go check out this guide: MySQL and portable devices

AirPlay Link To enable XBMC's AirPlay server go to: Settings -> Network -> Services and select Allow XBMC to receive AirPlay content For the Apple TV 2: Be sure to disable the native ATV2 AirPlay server in the ATV2's settings. Using the native AirPlay server will crash XBMC.

Backing up XBMC's settings Link The most common way is to copy the userdata folder (via SFTP) (not to be confused with FTP) from the iOS device to another computer: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/ for all of your XBMC data, add-ons, skins, etc, or just /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/ for just the settings files themselves (which takes up less space, but means you would have to re-download add-ons, etc). (Forum:92778). To restore, SFTP the directory back to it's original location, then SSH to the ATV2 and run the following command to reset ownership/permissions: chown -R mobile:mobile /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/

Apple TV 2 (black)

This is the FAQ for the Apple TV 2 (black). For the original Apple TV 1 (silver) see: Apple TV 1 FAQ

Apple TV 2 specific requirements Link To install XBMC for iOS you must have a jailbroken Apple TV 2 that is running any iOS between versions 4.1 and 4.4.4 It is highly recommended to be on an iOS version on or before 4.3 Look here to find out which version you are currently running.

Jailbreaking Link See ATV2 jailbreak FAQ If you need additional help go to http://forum.firecore.com/ , http://forum.tomcool.org/ , or http://modmyi.com/forums/ . Do not ask for jailbreaking help on the forums or on the wiki.

Remotes for ATV2 Link The ATV2 remote works with XBMC and can be customized. See: Joystick.AppleRemote.xml for ATV2 for a custom setting that uses up/down for longer FF/RW jumping. How do I bring up the context menu? - Press and hold MENU How do I bring up the OSD during playback? - Press and hold SELECT Key repeat (such as holding down directional buttons to navigate) does not work right now on the Apple Remote. This is a known issue. The ATV2 can also learn remotes in its native settings. XBMC will respond to these learned remotes. See here for instructions. Web interface, including add-on interfaces Standard Android and iOS remote apps Rowmote Pro (requires helper, see nitoTV) Bluetooth keyboards can be used after BTstack is installed using either nitoTV or the command line. See this forum post for more info. Harmony Remotes have experimental support and you can teach the ATV2 to use most standard IR remotes via Settings > General > Remotes > Learn Remote. You can get additional functions by following these instructions. The Apple iOS Remote app for iTunes/ATV

Resolutions ATV2 can play and output Link The ATV2 can playback most videos saved as high as 1080p, but will only output a 720p signal to your TV. To see if you can really benefit with 1080p output, please consult this chart

USB hard drives and devices Link The Apple TV 2 can not operate as a USB host, so hooking an external drive or any other USB device to it will not work. To access media it must be located on the local network, ATV2's limited internal memory, and/or streaming from the internet.

Setting time zones on ATV2 Link iOS 4.3 and higher, offers the ability to set the Time Zone via the Apple TV GUI, under Settings > General > Time Zone.

Native ATV2 software after XBMC installation Link XBMC is installed onto the Apple TV internal flashdrive, much like any iOS app, but you will still be able you use your Apple TV software as normal, XBMC will only be an extra option that you can launch from the Apple TV's original menu when you want to utilize the extra features and functions that are available in XBMC compared to the original Apple TV software. So XBMC will not replace the original Apple TV software, it instead complements the existing Apple TV software.

Software updates from Apple will crash XBMC Link Install updatebegone via nitoTV or SSH into the ATV2 and type in: apt-get install com.nito.updatebegone reboot The above has fixed the issue in many cases but if it doesn't make sure your packages are current. SSH into the ATV2 and type in: apt-get update && apt-get upgrade reboot If the issue is still there, and you don't see any entries with apple.com in /etc/hosts, modify the file by using the following commands. [1] SSH into the ATV2 and type in: echo "127.0.0.1 appldnld.apple.com" >> /etc/hosts echo "127.0.0.1 mesu.apple.com" >> /etc/hosts echo "127.0.0.1 appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net" >> /etc/hosts echo "" >> /etc/hosts reboot

Finding the ATV2 software version Link Apple TV main menu > Settings > General > About > click Select to toggle between Apple TV software version and iOS build version. Apple TV software is the application running on top of iOS similar to how FrontRow runs on MacOS. It's similar versions are easily confused with the iOS versions. More info on the Apple TV software versions is available here.

Directly booting into XBMC Link The ATV2 can be set up to directly boot into XBMC, bypassing the native ATV2 menu, but this will disable the ATV2 native menu completely. SSH into the ATV2 and enter the following commands: To enable direct booting: apt-get install org.tomcool.xbmc-booter To disable direct booting: apt-get remove org.tomcool.xbmc-booter

Use USB to transfer files to/from ATV2 Link By installing afc2add you can have full file access of the ATV2 when it's plugged into a computer via the micro USB port. Once installed you can access the files by using an application such as iPhoneBrowser or iExplorer (formally iPhone Explorer). To install afc2add you can either do it through the NitoTV menu or SSH into the ATV2 and type in apt-get install us.scw.afctwoadd You can use this to transfer logs out of the ATV2, place add-on zips, restore backups (remember to repair permissions), or even store a few small video files on the ATV2's internal memory.

iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch

iDevice requirements Link To install XBMC for iOS you must have a jailbroken iDevice running iOS 4.x or higher. For hardware: iPad 1, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch 3rd gen (16GB and 32GB models only), iPod touch 4th gen.

Touch screen controls Link Context menu: Two finger single tap the menu item. Go Back: Two finger swipe left. Zoom into/out of Image: Pinch. Slide out menus: Hold the menu item to bring it up, then swipe right to access the sub content.

Remotes for iDevices Link Direct touch screen input Web interface, including add-on interfaces Standard Android and iOS remote Apps

Resolutions iDevices can play and output Link iDevices can playback most videos saved as high as 1080p. Native video output from a composite, component, VGA, or HDMI adapter on an iDevice is not currently supported, so iDevices can't output their capable resolution (via HDMI adapter: 720P on most supported iDevices, 1080P on the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S). Support for this may be added in the future. These cables can be used via jailbreak solutions found on Cydia such as DisplayOut and TVout2, but will be limited to the current screen resolution. The final release of XBMC v11 (Eden) will include Retina support on iPhone 4, 4S, and the 4th gen iPod touch.

iPad camera connector for USB and SD cards Link XBMC for iOS can read videos and files via the iPad Camera Connector Kit though the SD card reader or the USB port adapter (drives must be self powered or hub powered). The iPad Camera Connector Kit only works for the iPad 1 and 2. For troubleshooting tips when using the CCK, see this forum thread.

Troubleshooting

Have you tried switching it off then on again?

Getting more help with XBMC for ATV2/iOS Link XBMC for iOS specific help forum or the #xbmc-ios IRC chat channel on irc.freenode.org

Userdata folder and logs Link See How-to:Submit a proper bug report for bug reporting details, here for instructions on reporting an issue to the forums, and How-to:find and post XBMC.log for iOS for how to extract the debug and other logs. Userdata folder: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/ Debug log: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC.log Syslog: /var/log/syslog CrashReporter: /var/logs/CrashReporter/*.plist

Repair settings Link Settings or sources not stored and updates are failing? This can happen when the setting xml files are manipulated outside XBMC. Connect to your iPad/ATV2 as root using an ssh client and repair file permissions. Run the following SSH command on the iPad/ATV2: chown -R mobile:mobile /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/

Reset ATV2 without unplugging Link Hold "menu" and "down" buttons for 5 sec.

Navigational sounds don't work in menus Link This is a known issue and will be fixed with the new audio engine (developed behind the scenes..).

Stuck on a bad iPad/iDevice skin Link If you changed skins on the iPad or other touch device and now can't navigate back to change them, delete /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/guisettings.xml

No sound with DTS or AC3 Link It's probably not the XBMC software on your ATV2, but has to do with your receiver. Try this solution.

AC3 files stutter or have static noise Link AC3 Audio can stutter and pause video. Generating thumbnails may be the cause, go to XBMC > Settings > Video > File and deselect 'generate thumbnails'. Audio output could also be the culprit, go to Apple TV > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio Output and set it to "16 bit".

Performance: video buffering, stuttering, choppiness Link Update to the latest nightly build. Use a wired network connection (if possible, even if just for testing to rule out wireless network issues). Delete cache files in the following dir: /private/var/mobile/Library/Caches/AppleTV/Video/LocalAndRental (leave .plist files) Switch to a different network protocol (especially if you are using SMB), i.e. FTP, AFP, WebDAV or uPNP are good alternatives. Try sharing the media on another device to rule out a device-specific (or network) issue. Configure Audio Output in XBMC > System > Settings > System to use Optical/Coax, even if you are using HDMI. If this fixes your buffering issue, please let us know on the forums. Set to 16-bit audio, Apple TV > Settings > Audio & Video > Audio Output and set it to "16 bit". Turn off thumbnails, XBMC > Settings > Video > File and deselect 'generate thumbnails'. Disable playback sync completely, XBMC > Settings > Video > Playback > turn off "Sync playback to display" If you are having buffering issues using a Time Capsule on WiFi, try this. Try switching on dirty regions to speed-up the GUI using advancedsettings.xml GUI only. Won't help for video playback. Reboot

Other ATV2 crash reasons/fixes Link Are you running the latest nightly? It'll have the most recent bug fixes. Check your logs for clues. Do you have Firecore Media Player installed? Try removing it and testing again. Have you verified proper ownership of your settings? Is an Apple software update crashing XBMC? Try blocking them. Are you using a feature rich skin? Check to see if you're running out of memory. Have you run out of space on your ATV2? Check with (via SSH) the df -k command. If any /dev/disk* filesystems are at 100%, use du -h / to see what's taking up space. First places to check are: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/addons/packages, /private/var/mobile/Library/Caches/AppleTV/Video/LocalAndRental and /private/var/mobile/Library/Caches/AppleTV/Video/Other also if you have a huge database, moving your fanart and thumbnails will free up some space. Does your xbmc.log have any SQL errors? Remove your databases and reboot: (via SSH) rm -f /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/Database/*db . This will reset your video database, but the devs are looking into a fix for the DB corruption issue. If you're seeing LIBAFPCLIENT errors in your logs you may want to switch to a different protocol. AFP is generally stable but development is orphaned at the moment. If your Windows 7 SMB share stops streaming, try this fix Be sure to disable the native ATV2 AirPlay server in the ATV2's settings. Using the native AirPlay server will crash XBMC, so use XBMC's built in AirPlay server instead. See here. If you get a "no space left on device" error during XBMC installation, try this to move Applications folder to 2nd partition