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Comcast Begins Rolling Out 'AnyPlay' Live TV Streaming for iPad

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Back in September, we reported on a leaked document from cable and Internet provider Comcast revealing details on the company's forthcoming "AnyPlay" live television streaming service. While Comcast is not the first cable provider to bring such a product to market, it is the largest cable and Internet provider in the United States.

comcast_introducing_anyplay.jpg

Comcast today announced that it has begun rolling the AnyPlay service out to its customers, beginning with Xfinity HD Triple Play customers in Denver and Nashville. More markets will be added in the coming months, with the service initially launching for the iPad only but joined in the future by the Motorola Xoom.
Here's how it works...the AnyPlay device works the same as any other set top box in the home, but instead of delivering the incoming channel lineup to a television, AnyPlay delivers the lineup to the Wi-Fi router on the home network. The router then distributes the secure video signal to the iPad or Xoom over your home's wireless network. So as long as your tablet is within range of the home wireless router, you can turn it into another television screen.
Click to expand...
The AnyPlay service is accessed via the company's existing Xfinity TV app for the iPad, which also offers thousands of hours of on demand movies and TV shows available for viewing both inside and outside of the home.

Article Link: Comcast Begins Rolling Out 'AnyPlay' Live TV Streaming for iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/10/comcast-begins-rolling-out-anyplay-live-tv-streaming-for-ipad/
Brighthouse Cable has one of these applications. It's nice, but has a bit of hook to it..

1.) You have to be in your home.
2.) Have to have internet provided through Brighthouse.
3.) You don't get all the channels.

Comcast it seems will be doing the same, which is to be expected. Annoying, but tolerable as they may be. It's enjoyable for watching TV in bed.
 
Do you have to lease a special Comcast modem or router too? Because the additional $6 you'd pay for that is almost as much as a second DVR.

I could see getting a lot of use out of this. We only have one TV, and if I want to watch something at the same time I just borrow my brothers Dish Network login and use his Slingbox. The video quality is so-so, and there are usually stutters in the video stream
 
No DVR

I see some potential value in this, though one weakness is that it doesn't (at present) appear to support time shifting (i.e. DVR capabilities).
 
Can't wait - perfect for the bedroom.

Astro7x said:
Do you have to lease a special Comcast modem or router too? Because the additional $6 you'd pay for that is almost as much as a second DVR.
Click to expand...

Comcast list you need a "AnyPlay device from Comcast" in addition to a wireless router with a free ethernet port.

I'm assuming you purchase / lease (hopefully included) a "AnyPlay" device and plug it into your existing network - which then enables the iPad to connect and get TV service.
 
Comcast today announced that it has begun rolling the AnyPlay service out to its customers, beginning with Xfinity HD Triple Play customers in Denver and Nashville. More markets will be added in the coming months, with the service initially launching for the iPad only but joined in the future by the Motorola Xoom.
Click to expand...
Wow. So the only people who can use it in those 2 markets currently are Triple Play subscribers. Hoping that is just the case for the beginning of the rollout and not the general way this service will work. However, knowing Comcast, I would not be surprised if they forced you to have a triple play package to use the service.
 
Comcast is Frustrating

<gripe>
I am one of the few that opts to replace the Motorola DVR with a TiVo. When you do this you lose the On-Demand and Pay-Per-View capability, but you gain control over your own equipement (as far as TiVo lets you). I get to download any program and burn it to DVD or put it on my iPad.

When using the Xfinity iPad application, I can't watch anything because it doesn't see a Motorola or other lesser cable box on the network some how. I hope this upgrade solves that problem. Can't wait until they roll it out to my neighborhood. But that's the thing troubling me... Why is this rolled out region by region. It should be just a feature of their service.

I really hope Apple because a Virtual Cable Company and I can pick my show's ala-cart. My only requirement from Apple (or traditional cable companies) is that I can burn programs to offline storage. I've always been able to VCR programs, and in the 21st century, I shouldn't lose that ability.

To Add, it's an interesting concept if Apple were to get into being a Virtual Cable Company. A channel could be just a show, or it could be interest-based like Reality, Game Shows, Talk Shows, etc. It's still be an advertising based model, or pay for no commercials model. The commercial model would have Apple integrating the iAd service into television now, replacing the networks commercial stream. Basically, Apple pays the content providers for each show then offsets the cost with either premium pricing (no ads) or their own add stream, which now goes mainstream, not just in-App on iPhone/iPad/iPod. This would change the game in the advertising world. iAd will be major business for Apple.
</gripe>
 
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TWSS37 said:
Cant wait for the Xoom version!
Click to expand...

Hahahahahahahahaha


Not happening any time soon
 
tempusfugit said:
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Hahahahahahahahaha


Not happening any time soon
Click to expand...

Actually they said the Xoom version was coming soon (go back and read the article). What puzzles me is "why Xoom?" Is the Motorola Xoom the best selling Android tablet? Hasn't the Transformer overtaken it? Does running on the Xoom represent some least-common-denominator benchmark that means your app is likely to run on other Android tablets? It seems to me that there have been many many Android tablets since the Xoom and that the Xoom never sold that many units anyway. If I were them, I would advertise "Android coming soon".
 
wonder if you'd then be able to stream it to Apple TV?

I've had a situation where my wife is DVR'ing 2 programs, effectively consuming the dual tuners. And then there is a basketball game on that I want to watch. If I could use this service to watch it using AppleTV it would be win-win!
 
Unfortunately, this will probably be another big bag of FAIL for Comcast around here. For some reason, we are in the Stone Ages of cable and internet in my neighborhood. We have outdated cable boxes, can't use Xfinity to control my DVR, etc. Not holding my breath on this being any better.
 
I wish you didn't have to be in your home, then I could just tap into a friend's cable account and watch programs on my ipad without paying.
 
overlyunderme said:
Unfortunately, this will probably be another big bag of FAIL for Comcast around here. For some reason, we are in the Stone Ages of cable and internet in my neighborhood. We have outdated cable boxes, can't use Xfinity to control my DVR, etc. Not holding my breath on this being any better.
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. I am near a big area and the next county gets all the new gadgets and then we get them 3-5 years later when they've been used by the big market for a while. There are many times I wish i could control the DVR when out but my county's boxes are the "old type" not supported.
 
BC2009 said:
Actually they said the Xoom version was coming soon (go back and read the article). What puzzles me is "why Xoom?" Is the Motorola Xoom the best selling Android tablet? Hasn't the Transformer overtaken it? Does running on the Xoom represent some least-common-denominator benchmark that means your app is likely to run on other Android tablets? It seems to me that there have been many many Android tablets since the Xoom and that the Xoom never sold that many units anyway. If I were them, I would advertise "Android coming soon".
Click to expand...

Only thing I can say to that is the Xoom represents the 'stock' Android experience that development may be easier for. It's the closest thing to a Nexus tablet available at the moment.
 
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So really it's just a Slingbox, but not as good?
 
overlyunderme said:
Unfortunately, this will probably be another big bag of FAIL for Comcast around here. For some reason, we are in the Stone Ages of cable and internet in my neighborhood. We have outdated cable boxes, can't use Xfinity to control my DVR, etc. Not holding my breath on this being any better.
Click to expand...
I too have Scientific Atlantic hardware thru no fault of my own. Instead of upgrading all their users to Motorola, Comcast is pursuing seperate Motorola/SA upgrades. This means SA customers(who pay the same as Motorola customers) get upgrades years after the rest of the system. The Xfinity system has totally forgotten I exist except when I need to pay my bill
 
Great - I meet all the qualifications mentioned in the announcement, including living in the Denver area. So I call to Comcast - they have no idea what AnyPlay was, so I explain. Then it's - oh yeah, that's not available yet, strictly in beta test at this time. I explain it was just announced at CES, and that Comcast has a website with specific help, installation, etc. Rep - oh really? wow, I'll have to try and get more info, but sorry it's not actually available.

Unbelievable.
- Dan
 
I'm thinking the fine print is something like this....

Comcast "AnyPlay" now available to HD TriplePlay Subscribers only. Some restrictions may apply. "AnyPlay" wifi receiver at $22.99/month required for wireless television service. 50mb Cable Modem service at $79.99/month required for "AnyPlay" streaming. Subscription to Comcast's HD TriplePlay at $99.99/month required. Only 1 device can access "AnyPlay" in your home at one time. Optional "AnyPlay" Double Service for an additional $12.99/month required for multiple device streaming. $35 activation fee required for installation and $10/month "wireless support fee" per device, per home. All channels not available at launch. New Subscribers can sign up now for only $129.99 per month to receive HD TriplePlay + AnyPlay Service in your home. 5 Year Contract Required. Current customers can lick our left nut and continue paying full price while we periodically raise your bill without informing you and on top of that charge you late fees when you don't pay...you broke loser.

Or something along those lines : )
 
class77 said:
I too have Scientific Atlantic hardware thru no fault of my own. Instead of upgrading all their users to Motorola, Comcast is pursuing seperate Motorola/SA upgrades. This means SA customers(who pay the same as Motorola customers) get upgrades years after the rest of the system. The Xfinity system has totally forgotten I exist except when I need to pay my bill
Click to expand...


If you want the new equipment, I'm pretty sure you can go to a Comcast service center and exchange the boxes, unless your service area just doesn't have the Motorola equipment at all.
 
This is such a great idea. I really hope it takes off so that my cable provider will pick it up in the future. Has anyone here used it yet?
 
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