# Front Row (software)
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Front_Row_(software)
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Front_Row_(software).md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_Row_(software)
> Source revision: 1343687784
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Discontinued Apple media center application}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Front Row
| logo = Front Row Icon.png
| logo size =
| screenshot = Front Row Screenshot.png
| screenshot size = 220px
| caption = Front Row v2 (Included with [Snow Leopard](/source/Mac_OS_X_v10.6))
| developer = [Apple Inc.](/source/Apple_Inc.)
| latest release version = 2.2.1 (314)
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2009|11|09}}
| operating system = [Mac OS X](/source/Mac_OS_X)
| genre = [Media Center](/source/Home_theater_PC)
| license = [Proprietary](/source/Proprietary_software)
| discontinued = yes
}}
'''Front Row''' is a discontinued [media center application](/source/media_center_application) by [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.) for [Macintosh](/source/Macintosh) computers and [Apple TV](/source/Apple_TV_(device)) for navigating and viewing video, photos, podcasts and music from a computer, optical disc or the Internet through a [10-foot user interface](/source/10-foot_user_interface) (similar to [Kodi](/source/Kodi_(software)) and [Windows Media Center](/source/Windows_Media_Center)). The software relies on iTunes and iPhoto and is controlled by an [Apple Remote](/source/Apple_Remote) or the keyboard function keys. The first version was released in October 2005 for [Mac OS X 10.4](/source/Mac_OS_10.4), with two major revisions since. ''Front Row'' was removed and discontinued in [Mac OS X 10.7](/source/Mac_OS_X_Lion).[{{cite web |url=http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/02/26/mac_os_x_lion_drops_front_row_java_runtime_rosetta.html |title=Mac OS X Lion drops Front Row, Java runtime, Rosetta |date=February 26, 2011 |work=AppleInsider |access-date=February 27, 2011}}]
==Versions==
===Introduction===
''Front Row'' was first unveiled on October 12, 2005 with the new [iMac G5](/source/iMac_G5) (along with the built-in iSight camera, the [Apple Remote](/source/Apple_Remote), and [Photo Booth](/source/Photo_Booth)). The software was billed as an alternative interface for playing and running [iPhoto](/source/iPhoto), [DVD Player](/source/DVD_Player_(software)), and [iTunes](/source/iTunes)[{{Cite magazine |last=Cohen |first=Peter |date=December 2005 |title=The New iMac |magazine=Macworld |pages=19–20}}] ([Internet radio](/source/Internet_radio) stations could play by adding the station into a playlist in iTunes).
In 2006, Front Row was added to the [first Intel Mac Mini](/source/Mac_Mini), which also gained a built-in infrared sensor and Apple Remote. The model's media center features were reviewed positively by ''PC World.''[{{Cite magazine |last=Taylor |first=Chip |date=June 2006 |title=Mac Mini Gets Ready for the Living Room |magazine=PC World |page=69}}] This new version of Front Row could stream media from other computers on the [local network](/source/local_network).[{{Cite news |date=February 28, 2006 |title=Apple introduces two new products |language=en |website=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11607677 |access-date=2023-05-14}}]
[[File:Front Row v1.png|right|250px|thumb|Front Row v1.3.1 running on [Tiger](/source/Mac_OS_X_v10.4) ]]
=== Apple TV ===
The next incarnation, released in the original [Apple TV](/source/Apple_TV_(device)) software in March 2007, was a complete, stand alone application that played content directly from libraries. Among the features added were more prominent [podcasts](/source/podcasts) and TV show menus, trailer streaming, a settings menu, streaming content from computers on the local network, and album and video art for local media. In the summer of 2007, Apple released an update adding streaming of [YouTube](/source/YouTube) videos.
===Version two===
Released in November 2007 with [Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard)](/source/Mac_OS_X_v10.5),[[https://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html#frontrow Apple – Mac OS X Leopard – Features – 300+ New Features] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016170507/http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html |date=October 16, 2007 }}] version two of ''Front Row'' included the new features introduced with the Apple TV (except for the ''YouTube'' viewer), a different opening transition, ending [AirTunes](/source/AirTunes) functionality, and a launcher application in addition to the Command+Escape [keyboard shortcut](/source/keyboard_shortcut).
Front Row 2 has an undocumented [plug-in](/source/Plug-in_(computing)) architecture, for which various third-party plugins are now available, based on reverse-engineering the Front Row environment. Because it uses [QuickTime](/source/QuickTime) to render video, ''Front Row'' can utilize any codec installed in QuickTime, including [DivX](/source/DivX), [Xvid](/source/Xvid) and [WMV](/source/Windows_Media_Video), and play DVD images copied to the hard disk. However, because ''Front Row'' does not use [QuickTime X](/source/QuickTime_X), it lacks support for certain codec features like Sample Aspect Ratio.
==="Take 2"===
In January 2008, Apple announced an update branded "Apple TV Take Two" for [Apple TV Software](/source/Apple_TV_Software). In addition to the prominent addition of direct downloads for movies, TV episodes, and podcasts via the [iTunes Store](/source/iTunes_Store), movie rentals, the ability to view online photos from ''[Flickr](/source/Flickr)'' or [iCloud](/source/iCloud) (branded [.Mac](/source/.Mac) at the time), and the ability to stream audio to [AirTunes](/source/AirTunes) were added. This update did away with ''Front Row'' and introduced a new interface for the original Apple TV in which content was organized into six categories, all of which appeared in a large square box on the screen upon startup (movies, TV shows, music, ''[YouTube](/source/YouTube)'', podcasts and photos) and presented in the initial menu, along with a "Settings" option for configuration, including software updates.[{{cite web|url=http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/02/12/apple.tv.gallery|title=Gallery: Apple TV Take 2 software update|date=February 12, 2008|publisher=MacNN|access-date=March 12, 2009}}][{{cite web|url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1600|title=How to update Apple TV software|publisher=[Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.)|date=September 2, 2008|access-date=March 12, 2009}}]
===Discontinuation===
''Front Row'' was discontinued with the July 2011 release of [Mac OS X Lion](/source/Mac_OS_X_Lion) (v 10.7). The software appeared in neither the early Developer Previews nor the final version.
While it was initially possible to reinstall ''Front Row'' by copying the frameworks and application into OS X Lion,[{{cite web|url=http://9to5mac.com/2011/07/19/os-x-lion-kills-front-row-heres-how-to-get-it-back/|title=OS X Lion kills Front Row... here's how to get it back|work=9to5mac.com|author=9 to 5 Mac LLC|date=July 19, 2011|publisher=9 to 5 Mac LLC|access-date=July 19, 2011}}] [iTunes](/source/iTunes) v 10.4 on 22 July 2011 broke compatibility, causing those who updated iTunes to lose access to their music through ''Front Row''.[{{cite web|url=https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3201475?start=0&tstart=0|title=Front Row missing with Lion upgrade|publisher=Apple }}]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Mac OS X}}
{{Home theater PC (application software)}}
Category:Apple Inc. software
Category:ITunes
Category:MacOS media players
Category:MacOS-only software made by Apple Inc.
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Front Row (software)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_Row_(software)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_Row_(software)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.