Apple TV - a pretty good media player

The price point was very compelling and I got the Apple TV back in October last year, when Apple first announced it. It was just another glorified paper weight with limited capabilities...played .MOV files and content that was attached to ITUNES.  Very limited indeed, and definitely not acceptable.
Almost returned it, but didn't get to doing that.

In comparison, the PS3 is an excellent media player, but if you don't need to play BluRay DVDs, or need video gaming capabilities, an alternate smart, compact, cheap media player is what you need. I considered the TV LIVE PLUS by Western Digital, which has decent reviews.  But, before adding another shelf-ware, I really wanted to give Apple TV one final push and see if it was really ready for prime-time and toast my morning waffles.

So this past weekend, finally, got a chance to run the Apple TV through the programming @ http://www.greenpois0n.com
Worked out quite well....You can really extend the capabilities - and that is an understatement.
After applying the "patch" (just follow the directions), you will notice  NITO TV as part of the Apple TV menu.
Install the NITO TV Software, Pick XBMC
Having done that, you will now be able to find the home networks, UPN devices, even the toaster and the kitchen sink. What more do you want eh?
It discovered the NAS nicely, and now am able to play pretty much everything via APPLE TV.
Definitely not Apple restrictive / proprietary.
It is now a very nice media player, and Apple cannot really claim credit for it.
Can it play 1080p content like the Western Digital?
More on that later