It still amazes me that Apple has not decided to sell their Front Row software application bundled with a USB IR receiver and the available Apple Remote control. They instead have decided to only include it with the new iMac G5 that comes with the built in iSight camera. My guess, Apple has figured this will help sell more new iMac G5s for the holiday season.

In my opinion this was not such a great decision. Many faithful Mac users would have happily “forked over” at least $100 or more for Front Row software with a bundled Apple Remote. Not offering it without buying a new iMac, just seemed to anger many Mac users. This has lead to several “hacks” to add Front Row software to people’s existing Macs. This is especially popular with the Mac mini because of its form factor being so nice for a living room. Of course, this is not at all supported by Apple. But this has not stopped many from doing this. In fact, with Apple’s release of Front Row 1.01 updater, this practice just got easier.

Andrew Escobar’s weblog posts detailed instructions for installing Front Row 1.0.1 (the updated version Apple recently made available for download), using Pacifist (a shareware app that installs and extracts files from an OS X package), and his own Front Row Enable 1.0.1 (which patches a couple of OS X files). It works on Mac minis, PowerBooks, iBooks, and various other Macs running Tiger 10.4.3. Escobar’s method gives you full control over Front Row sound preferences and keyboard shortcuts and takes only about ten minutes to install.

Add a Keyspan remote and it all works fine. Andrew Escobar eludes he is working on a USB IR receiver that may work with Apple’s Remote control. See OS X Tip #132: Add Front Row To Your Older Mac to get Front Row and the Apple Remote working on an older Mac.

Is this legal? I have no idea but Escobar responds to this question:
1. Downloading updates from Apple: Legal
2. Using Pacifist to Install files: Legal
3. Enabling via a small patch, making no use of Apple’s files: Questionable, but good case in favor.”

Obviously, Apple does not support this and I am sure it does not make them happy. But this is not the only hack I have seen for this. Maybe Apple will change its mind and make Front Row available to its users. Seems to me the profits of this nice application would look good on Apple’s balance sheet. I bet it would be better than the actual few extra new iMacs they would sell.

I own a new iMac with the built-in iSight camera and I love the machine and the Front Row experience. But let’s face it, if you have a perfectly good late model Mac you are probably not going to run out and buy a new machine just to get Front Row.

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