Apple TV enthusiasts have managed to adapt the Mac ports of Boxee and XBMC to run on the device, giving users a choice of alternate UIs and functionality. By running a loader program, Mac users can create a USB flash drive image that, when attached to the Apple TV, will allow the device to run homebrew software - PC and Linux versions of the loader are forthcoming. After booting the Apple TV with the drive attached, Boxee and XBMC options will appear on its main menu. XBMC is a media center project, started for the original XBox in 2003 and now ported to Linux, Mac and PC platforms, that plays a plethora of digital media formats and supports skinning and media library creation. Boxee is based on the XBMC source code, and adds a social networking component, allowing users to share favorites and viewing stats with friends. The Apple TV loader is available now, though users must sign up directly with Boxee to gain access to its alpha program.

[Via Engadget]