Charter Spectrum's App for Apple TV Launches

[clutchm3]

Not working here either (not on Spectrum). Well, I guess I'm just gonna keep on using my parent's account on an iPad and airplay it to my Apple TV so I can watch my live WWE (or I can do what I said I'd do and watch the shows on Hulu the next day).

PM me how you watch them live...would love to be able to

 

[rworne]

On Spectrum and it doesn't work. All the other apps are working with zero sign-on, but not this one it says i'm not on a Spectrum Internet service. Oh, but I am.

Logging in manually says my account login info does not match their records, but I can use it to sign on on the Apple TV and in the Spectrum app on the iPhone) and it works fine.

Looks like they got overzealous slapping on restrictions and broke something.

 

[CarlJ]

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.

Make that same very specific area. They don't need any externally provided location data, with cablemodems, your modem is plugged into a loop of cable that may cover several houses or blocks, that connects back to their head-end. They can tell precisely where in their network the modem is connected. If they have any sense at all, a cablemodem is registered to a specific account and is provisioned to only work on the specific cable loop where you live (this is not just for security, a cablemodem has to be assigned to transmit/receive on particular frequencies, and the modems need to be balanced out over the available frequencies in an area). If the cablemodem registered to your account shows up on a different loop, it should flat-out not work as well as getting flagged as an error to be looked into (since a bunch of modems expected to be in one area suddenly showing up in a different area could be a sign of something miswired on the way from the customers back to the head-end).

But, in any case, it should be a matter of, "modem X appearing on cable Y is registered to account Z, so you can tell Apple's authorization stuff that connections from modem X are the user associated with account Z - or merely that those connections are a valid user of our cable company". There's no sense of "using someone else's login", it's tied to a properly registered cablemodem being attached to a cable segment that only exists in a particular area.

 

[Tech198]

"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."

There's the goticha'

 

[lec0rsaire]

Just did some testing with it, and TBH it's a pretty garbage app. All channels except premium channels run at 720 30fps with an average bitrate of 3.5mbps and tinny 96kbps stereo audio, even sports channels, which don't look good at all. The only exception to that is premium channels like HBO and Showtime which stream at 720p 60fps with 5.3mbps average bitrate, still the same garbage 96kbps stereo audio though. Even on demand content runs at 720p max. Scrolling in the guide is really laggy and weird as well. And to top it all off, it seems to be doing some weird HDCP re-auth every time you load the guide or one of the different main menu tabs, which can cause a short black screen with some equipment. The only real nice thing about it is the zero sign-on works really well.

Yes. Unfortunately this is the case with most of the TV channel apps on the Apple TV and other streaming boxes. Certain channels have noticeably higher bitrates on their DVRs as well with CBS, NBC, ESPN, CNN, MSNBC, HBO, Showtime looking much better than everything else. It also depends on source quality and special live events.

720p can still look OK on 4K sets but not low bitrate 720p. It now looks as bad as 480p did on 1080p sets.

For me the Spectrum app just can’t replace the DVR for two reasons:

1. 1080i for most channels and 720p for ABC, ESPN and Fox. 720p is just not good enough especially on my LG C8. In fact even on the DVR, Netflix and Amazon 1080p compression puts cable/sat broadcast to shame. It’s about TV goes internet only. You really only need 5 Mbps for good quality H.264 1080p video. Still 1080i is 1080i and it will look much sharper than 720p except with the fastest of content.

I guess this will be impossible until every home in America has access to broadband. Unfortunately there are still too many rural areas still living with late 90s/early 2000s tech and that is unacceptable nearly 20 years later when 200-300 Mbps is becoming the norm in metropolitan areas.

2. Real 5.1 sound. I have an actual amp with great speakers and anything that doesn’t have at 5.1 DD (when it exists of course) is a major deal breaker. This is also why the ATV isn’t good enough for anything but Netflix, Amazon and YouTube. Cable/sat has had standard Dolby Digital 5.1 for well over a decade now. Even at 256-384 kbps it still provides an immersive experience and a must when watching HBO and AMC shows.

iTunes, Netflix and Amazon will NEVER have lossless 18 Mbps Dolby TrueHD/Dolby Atmos, DTS HD Master/DTS:X and that is unacceptable. Once you are used to quality sound you can’t accept mediocre DD+ or worse, 2 channel stereo or 2.1.

Many folks using stuff like Sonos and other sound bars may be happy with DD 5.1/DD+ but that’s only because they haven’t experienced anything better.

I also tried the Spectrum app on my Xbox One X and it’s the same crap. Stereo sound and subpar video quality. It’s fine for avoiding extra DVR fees on a 2nd or 3rd TV but not for primary use.

 

[TrenttonY]

It does have ‘TV.app’ intergration, but the ‘News’ section in the ‘TV.app’ doesn’t open to the Spectrum app, it ask to download that specific channel’s app.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Cool. Now when the wife is recording 2 shows at the same time, I can watch what I want without canceling her recordings.

The base DVR has 6 tuners now. I'd swap that ancient thing you got out in a heartbeat.

 

[ersan191]

Just tested it. Service works, but I’m getting annoyed with streaming services that only send 30fps streams. DirecTV NOW is easily the best right now. My DTVN streams are actually less noisy than the actual broadcasts I receive from my Spectrum service!

DTVN has the best quality streams bar none
[doublepost=1546619382][/doublepost]

OIC. Thanks

Also the convenience of only using one box/remote/ecosystem for everything I suppose.

 

[vpr611]

It does have ‘TV.app’ intergration, but the ‘News’ section in the ‘TV.app’ doesn’t open to the Spectrum app, it ask to download that specific channel’s app.

Hopefully it will get addressed before iOS13.

 

[mccaffertee]

No need to pay for boxes on second and third TV’s

AND, you can use Spectrum in one device with the other apps. But, the Spectrum interface is terrible, almost unusable for me...did they not even check out Netflix or Hulu before design the UI???? #BigFail

 

[RUQRU]

"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?

Spectrum allows family members to each have their own login. So, if you customize your favorite channels and watch list then each Apple TV or Roku user in the house can have a custom experience. The app will default to the account holders settings. Other family members then need to log out and log in with their credentials to see their content settings. This is a one time thing as the ROKU or ATV remembers the last login.

 

[genegraygsm]

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.

You're lucky, bud. I would like to switch to YouTube TV, but most of the channels that I watch aren't on YouTube TV including Sports Channels like SportsNet LA (Dodgers) and Spectrum SportsNet (Lakers). Maybe in the future when the LA Sports Channels actually do a live streaming service.

 

[DotCom2]

How do you go to a specific channel using the App? Do you have to scroll down the huge Guide to find it and then click on it to watch that channel???
On a traditional remote, one would just enter say "52" and it would just go to that channel.
How is this accomplished using the App?
TIA