Charter Spectrum's App for Apple TV Launches

[MacRumors]

Charter Spectrum's long-promised app for the Apple TV launched today and can now be downloaded via the Apple TV App Store. The app is designed to give Spectrum TV users access to live channels and on demand titles right on the Apple TV.

The app works with the new Zero Sign-on feature, which means Charter Spectrum users will not need to sign in to use it when connected to accompanying Charter Spectrum internet services.

Apple first promised Zero Sign-on and a new Charter Spectrum app at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference. At the time, Apple said the app would debut during 2018, but the feature was ultimately delayed until 2019.

The Charter Spectrum app only works when connected to a Charter Spectrum internet service, and it does not appear to allow logins when connected to a different third-party internet service.

Article Link: Charter Spectrum's App for Apple TV Launches

 

[kytiger]

It's about time. Unfortunately for Spectrum, I gave up waiting and switched to YouTube TV. Saved me $50/month versus what I was paying for Spectrum and is a better experience.

 

[BJMRamage]

I suppose they loose monthly add-on lease income...though they also don't need to worry about the longevity of the leased boxes and replacements

this is nice. too bad it cannot be used/logged in on a 3rd party network but at the same time, it makes sense.

 

[Spock]

This is way better than using the cable box with a UI that hasn’t been updated since the 90’s. I hated Charter cable tv.

 

[awdodson24]

I guess I can't steal my parents login...

 

[rwilliams]

Good. Now I can turn in the cable boxes and save a little money.

 

[BradWI]

I guess I can't steal my parents login...

I was thinking that too. Would someone else’s login work if you both had Spectrum though?

 

[jtara]

Dying gasp.

It's the end of the cable world as we know it, and I feel fine.

It's Internet all the way down.

 

[koa]

Can’t connect.

 

[rwilliams]

I was thinking that too. Would someone else’s login work if you both had Spectrum though?

If you had Spectrum internet, I would think it will work. But I wonder if they’re also checking for specific cable modems that are tied to your internet account to prevent something like this.

 

[fhall1]

Don't get too excited yet.....if this app is anything like the iOS apps and the Roku app, you'll find it going out in prime time 7:30 to 9PM about 3 days a week. Outages last from 30 minutes to a couple hours - and their service crew are idiots.

 

[w5jck]

I'm watching Spectrum TV on my Roku Express as I type this. I've had the ability for a LONG time, and my Roku Express and Riku Ultra combined still cost a lot less than the required Apple TV model necessary to run the Spectrum app. Why would I want to pay nearly $200 for an Apple TV when it cannot even record the channels. The Roku cannot recod Spectrum TV either, but there is a big price difference between a Roku express at less than $30 and a $180 Apple TV, plus I get a lot more programming with the Roku than with my older Apple TV. My 3rd gen ATV collects dust on a shelf. It was a waste of money.
[doublepost=1546546968][/doublepost]

Don't get too excited yet.....if this app is anything like the iOS apps and the Roku app, you'll find it going out in prime time 7:30 to 9PM about 3 days a week. Outages last from 30 minutes to a couple hours - and their service crew are idiots.

That has never happened in my location in north Texas. The Roku app has never lost signal during prime time. It has even worked when a few times my Spectrum box refused to work!

 

[clutchm3]

I guess I can't steal my parents login...

So not possible to login from another household?

 

[Omieurhomie]

I was thinking that too. Would someone else’s login work if you both had Spectrum though?

Yes. The spectrum app on samsung allows it.
[doublepost=1546547275][/doublepost]

So not possible to login from another household?

It is possible. My wife logs in from work all the time.

 

[mccaffertee]

I suppose they loose monthly add-on lease income...though they also don't need to worry about the longevity of the leased boxes and replacements

this is nice. too bad it cannot be used/logged in on a 3rd party network but at the same time, it makes sense.

But this is the future and if they don’t get on board now they will be the next Blockbuster

 

[mcdj]

I use to have Spectrum in NYC, then we moved to Chicago. I would have paid to be able to use the Spectrum app, like I do with Directv Now, but my building has free symmetric 500gb internet, which I upgraded to gigabit fo $20, so there is no way I’m going back to Spectrum's crappy 20mb upload speed for whatever ridiculous price I was paying. Not sure why they won’t just sell TV like everyone else is doing.

 

[Braderunner]

What took so long? Cable set top boxes suck. The dvr was amazing when it was new. It worked great, and rarely even had a hiccup. It all went to heck when the MoCA standard was rolled out. I got so frustrated, I turned in my box about 5 years ago, and haven't looked back.
Now, I can't imagine paying to watch live tv. It is ruined by all the commercials. The networks want to have their cake, and eat it, too. Charging cable companies ridiculous amounts to carry their channels, while collecting billions more from advertisers. Commercials ruin a good show.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Sadly, it doesn’t seem to play too nice right now with the Apple TV 4K. Watching TV drops the box down to SDR (perfectly fine by me). Going into the Guide switches over to HDR (Dolby Vision in my case). Then changing the channel from there lands you back in SDR. Mode changing black screens all over the place...

 

[PG(Austin)]

"The app works with the new Zero Sign-on feature, which means Charter Spectrum users will not need to sign in to use it when connected to accompanying Charter Spectrum internet services."

"The Charter Spectrum app only works when connected to a Charter Spectrum internet service, and it does not appear to allow logins when connected to a different third-party internet service."

Then why have a log in screen?

 

[tl01]

Yippee!!!!!

 

[iMi]

Can someone please send a telegram to Comcast asking them to join the 21st century and do the same?

 

[timescaper]

works for me including zero sign on with CNN, ESPN, NBC apps etc. very nice no more codes!!!

 

[rcooked]

Ties to service with modem. Tried logging in with my Mom’s account on my spectrum internet and no go.

 

[SRLMJ23]

If you had Spectrum internet, I would think it will work. But I wonder if they’re also checking for specific cable modems that are tied to your internet account to prevent something like this.

Along with the possibility of them checking the modems on the account, I would imagine they are going to use location data so that you probably will not be able to use someone else’s login unless you live in the same zip or general area.

I have DirecTV NOW with Spectrum internet, but my mother has Spectrum internet and cable and she gave me her login, however, I doubt I will be able to use this app because she lives about an hour and a half away and the app will probably give me some error code involving location.

The only reason I would really want this is for local channels and ESPN 3, since where I live DirecTV NOW does not have local channels and DirecTV NOW recently stopped supporting ESPN 3, which is ESPN content on ABC.

I’ll test this out when I get home and post my findings!

 

[Jarbo]

If you had Spectrum internet, I would think it will work. But I wonder if they’re also checking for specific cable modems that are tied to your internet account to prevent something like this.

I suspect they are. In fact I'm pretty sure some of the App authorizations work this way already. I have Specturm service at two locations one full cable TV and one Internet only. I need to be careful about letting apps Automatically sign in at the Internet Only location because it recognizes that I don't have TV service and tells me certain channels aren't included in my package.