Front Row on a Mac Mini
2 years, 10 months ago 
I’ve read a few articles today, and managed to get Apple’s great Front Row software working on my Mac Mini. I’m pretty pleased, to say the least. It’s fantastic - everything Windows XP Media Centre should have been. This is a quick guide, taken from here on how to get it up and running:
STEP 1.
Download JacksonBrown’s patched Front Row STW.http://rapidshare.de/files/6669514/Front_Row__k_.zip.html
His brilliant patching work makes Front Row run under 10.4.2 without having the iMac’s remote present.
There are three files inside this .ZIP
- Readme.txt you may now ignore, as it is out of date.
- Front Row.app copy to the Applications folder
- BezelServices.framework copy to /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ (if this is already present, you don’t need to copy it)STEP 2.
Open Script Editor.app (located in Applications/AppleScript) and paste in the following code.tell application “System Events”
tell application “Front Row” to activate
key code 53 using {command down}
end tellOnce you have done this, save it as an application named openfrontrow.app in your applications folder.
STEP 3.
Now go to macupdate and download the program named Xkeys. It is freeware.
Once you have the file downloaded, install it and then open it up. Inside the program, configure your F8 key to run your openfrontrow.app file you created in STEP2.STEP 4.
Now go into System Preferences. In the Accounts preference tab set up front row.app (the one you downloaded, NOT to be confused with openfrontrow.app that you created in STEP2) to be a login item.STEP 5.
Logout and log back in. When it turns back on, press the F8 key and hopefully you will be experiencing Front Row! Pressing F8 again (or a lot of other keys on the keyboard) will close Front Row.Make sure nothing else is mapped to F8, or this won’t work
For me, everything except the DVD playback works. I’ve also written/modded a Salling Clicker script to get it working on my K700i. I’ll post that in a bit. I hope it works for you, it’s really breathtaking!
Front, Row, Macmini, Apple
October 25th, 2005 at 4:22 pm
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October 25th, 2005 at 4:22 pm
Let me know if comments don’t work for you. For whatever reason. Reach me via the contact page. Thanks.
October 27th, 2005 at 12:57 am
I got this working on my 12 inch Powerbook! I wish there was a way for me to get this to work with a remote or something. Maybe my black razr could do it via bluetooth???
October 27th, 2005 at 6:54 am
Working Great..
Thanks for all
October 28th, 2005 at 12:40 am
I haven’t tried it yet, (mac mini arriving shortly), but dvd playing is an important feature for me, any chance of getting it working?
October 28th, 2005 at 1:47 am
Does FrontRow work on Panther?
October 30th, 2005 at 1:51 am
According to the other thread it requires the latest versions of iTunes and the DVD player.
There is a torrent on the other site to download the 4.6.2 DVD player - apparently this then works.
How exciting is this!
If I can get the whole thing working on my ibook I will buy a mini to plug into my plasma, buy the keyspan remote, but just use the sensor with my programmable remote and bingo! I’m almost there. Only the freeview tv won’t be going through the Mac.
I thought this was all a while away yet
November 1st, 2005 at 7:52 pm
Love it so far just have not gotten the photos to work. Keep getting an error message. Any ideas of what the could be causing this. I am on my g4 Powerbook 1gig. THANKS AGAIN for this LOVE IT!
November 1st, 2005 at 10:22 pm
Well seems like Version 10.4.3 stops Front Row from working …Anyone else having the same probelm..Please give some feed back Thanks
November 2nd, 2005 at 4:19 am
When I press F8, Front Row only opens one out of every 20 times or so. I have OS 10.4.3, any suggestions?
November 2nd, 2005 at 6:07 am
I seemed to have solved my own problem. I found this edited version of the script, and now FrontRow opens properly:
tell application “System Events”
tell application “Front Row” to activate
key code 53 using {command down}
delay 0.5
key code 53
end tell
However, in the movies section, I cannot view trailers. It is able to load the list of trailers with their images, but when I select one, it says the trailer server is not responding? Anyone else having this problem?
November 2nd, 2005 at 8:21 am
Good work on finding the edited script - I have the same problem as well. Thanks!
Wait about ten seconds after that movie trailer message appears, then press enter/return. It should start playing. I think it just displays that message whilst it’s buffering.
November 3rd, 2005 at 3:50 pm
now all i need is a nice little app that will get all the high-res artwork for me from amazon.com or somthing simliar, anyone got any suggestions?
November 5th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
to get the artwork I use Konfabulator’s iTunes companion
works great! all my albums now have artwork
my iPod nano and Front Row look better with artwork!
November 19th, 2005 at 10:46 pm
So, has anyone found an app or script that works with bluetooth phones (besides sonys)? Specifically for a Razr?
BluePhone Elite and Salling are of course cool. I’m having a hard time tracking down anything that will help. Anybody?
November 20th, 2005 at 12:56 am
Help: Can’t seems to save the Apple Script, it says “Expected expression, property or key form, etc. but found unknown token.” on the following row:
tell application “System Events”
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance…
November 27th, 2005 at 6:41 pm
I will relate one of my experiences in case it helps anyone else get Front Row working on their Mac.
First of all, I thank the following site for the best instructions for installing Front Row on a non-iMac (make sure you have 10.4.3 installed first):
http://homepage.mac.com/mark_brooks/appsformymac/page30/page30.html
However, check one more thing before going forward - which version of DVD Player you are running. In my case, I had previously run DVD Player Update 4.6, but my app still showed version 4.5. When I moved version 4.6.3 of the app into my Applications folder and tried to run it, I got an error that I was not running the correct DVDPlayer Framework.
Luckily, I held onto my old version of the app, just in case. I put it back in its proper place, deleted the receipt for the updater from HD/Library/Receipts and re-ran Software Updater. This time, I got version 4.6.3, and Front Row started working.
It hasn’t been perfect, though. Sometimes, Front Row will hang when running iTunes or DVD Player. Force-quitting and re-starting the app seems to fix it. Also, don’t set your iTunes preferences to “keep mini player on top of all players”. Otherwise, when playing DVD’s in Front Row, the iTunes mini player and the menu bar will become visible again.
Nevertheless, it is a hack, so these minor issues are to be expected. It’s still fun to play with, and for those who think it’s only useful if you have a remote, I suggest getting a wireless keyboard. Sure, it’s big, but it’ll work, and this has certainly made me consider buying a mac mini for my living room A/V system. Imagine a hack influencing me to purchase yet another mac. No wonder Apple hasn’t gone after the web sites posting the Front Row hack as vigorously as those that post other Apple hacks.
I’m still daunted by my inability to run trailers. Despite having a 4 Mb connection and my firewall is turned off, I keep getting the message that the trailer server is not responding. I tried waiting 10 seconds and pressing enter, like David had suggested, but instead it reverts back to the desktop. Anybody have other ideas?
December 7th, 2005 at 5:22 am
Software company Geniecommands today introduced an exciting new Macintosh software program designed to give consumers more control and fun over their digital entertainment experiences in their lounge room.
GenieCommands is a unique programmable software application that allows you to control all your applications and media via simple menus and a KEYSPAN REMOTE, in a theatre or lounge room environment.
They provided a complete set of demo Applescript menus to get you started, with links on where to download additional software. These menus can then be edited to suit your lifestyle or create a new one.
Genie is not a one stop solution like Front Row, it is more user definable and can do more with iTunes. It’s about audio and good cheap content is what we want. We know Apple will take Front Row further and we love what they have done with the first version, so we have incorporate it into our software on top of the first menu so nobody misses out.
Future upgrades to Geniecommands in the coming weeks will include a Themes importer. There has also been suggestion of an small screen version in the near future.
Talking with distributors of a remote control brand they have said that it may come down as much as $20 in the near future. As for the rest of the hardware more choice and lower costs are only just round the corner. So dip your toes in the water is warming for the Mac Media Center.
www.Geniecommands.com
February 6th, 2006 at 10:41 am
what Andrew says about adding the delay 0.5 is very important.
March 19th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Thank you for taking the time out to show everyone how to install front row. I was seriously considering buying a new mac mini just for that program and you saved me a lot of money!
Again, thanks so much.