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Cox TV Connect App for iPad Streams Live TV to Cox Customers
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I find that running PLEX over an ATV2 allows me to watch streaming CNN / AlJazeera / Euronews / Tagesschau (German) / SVT Play (Swedish) which is as good as having the channels for free. The quality may not be HD though, but it's only 119 up front and a little bit of time for JailBreaking, installation and configuration.
So for no additional cost to me, I can watch some TV channels around my house in places where I don't already have TVs (like the deck in my backyard, or my bedroom)?
Yes, this definitely sounds like something to bitch and moan about.
Yes, this definitely sounds like something to bitch and moan about.
I agree...I just wall mounted my iPad in the kitchen and never plan to install a tv with a cable box, so this give me cable access with out any cost.
This is great news for me!
The idea of an iOS TV being able to eliminate the cable box and even the tuner is a very cool idea. It would allow cable companies just to stream content rather than having to mess with the programming of every cable box all the time. Scientific Atlanta? Are you afraid yet?
we actually have this, where it receives over the air signals (DVB-T) and sends it to the iPad/iPhone/iPod over WiFi via an App.
also, you have the cost of your cable plan, which isn't cheap at all.
Attachments
Just tried to download but I have to upgrade my internet service first in order for the app to work
Exactly. I swear people have no ability to think logically and go right for the moaning. Now I can keep watching my favorite show on my iPad while in the kitchen cooking, on the deck keeping up with a sports game while hanging out with friends during a cookout, in the bathroom doing number 2, or in my office playing a game or catching up on some work/bills. Oh man this is such an aweful failure!
This hasn't cracked anything.... you still have to be on your home Internet connection for it to work. Right, the cable company is going to let you ditch their box and stream anything to your iPad
Looks like I may be setting up a proxy server at my house...
This works well, except for the extended app startup time.
However, did you see the channels they include? Not much there that I'd want to watch.
Given that they had to pad it with all THREE C-SPANs, I assume the problem is finding providers willing to license at no additional cost.
I don't like that you can't pause or stop streaming. The app just starts yammering at you when you start it up. You can turn down the volume but you can't turn it OFF (except in the obvious way - close the app).
The name is confusing. This is TV Connect. They also have Cox Connect+. Cox Connect+ has, among other thing, a program guide that is so sluggish as to be completely useless. And some stuff having to do with home phone service. Since I don't have their home phone service, and the program guide is useless, I don't use that one.
However, did you see the channels they include? Not much there that I'd want to watch.
Given that they had to pad it with all THREE C-SPANs, I assume the problem is finding providers willing to license at no additional cost.
I don't like that you can't pause or stop streaming. The app just starts yammering at you when you start it up. You can turn down the volume but you can't turn it OFF (except in the obvious way - close the app).
The name is confusing. This is TV Connect. They also have Cox Connect+. Cox Connect+ has, among other thing, a program guide that is so sluggish as to be completely useless. And some stuff having to do with home phone service. Since I don't have their home phone service, and the program guide is useless, I don't use that one.
I don't understand these services where you can only be at home to watch it.
I have DISH network and bought the $99 Sling adapter. I can watch all my channels, in HD, and have full control of my DVR (recording and watching) anywhere in the world on my iPad, iPhone, or from any internet browser. Not to mention have full control of changing channels on 6 different dish receivers connected to 12 TVs from the app.
It makes these other apps look like junk
I have DISH network and bought the $99 Sling adapter. I can watch all my channels, in HD, and have full control of my DVR (recording and watching) anywhere in the world on my iPad, iPhone, or from any internet browser. Not to mention have full control of changing channels on 6 different dish receivers connected to 12 TVs from the app.
It makes these other apps look like junk
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No additional cost meaning not having to buy a TV, and rent another DVR. Plus my cable/phone/internet plan is only partial as a percentage of it is paid through my business.
A minor step "forward", but I'm already well beyond it.
Why should this be shackled to your home cable subscription? Why would it matter where you are located? If you are paying $100/month to Cox, why would they care that you are in a Comcast neighborhood? In fact, shouldn't they be delighted to sell you their service?
The cable companies are monopolies because of the physical realities of laying copper cables beneath all the streets in a city. The city would contract with one company to do this, because it didn't make sense to lay down half a dozen sets of such wires and deal with the inevitable cross-interruptions when Company A goes to repair its cables and cuts through those of Company B, etc. Each cable TV company contracts with a finite number of networks/stations to deliver content on those copper wires because there are only so many signals which can be multiplexed on a single coax cable before you get interference. Each network shows just one show at a time because that's all that they can, so you have a schedule of times when shows are on and when a show is not on it's not available.
None of that is necessary. The Internet is a common carrier. You don't need a "local" company to aggregate your content for you; it can come in quite efficiently over those laid cable wires to your house or your work or your hotel room, even if three different companies laid the three sets of wires into the ground. There are no needs for network schedules; any show can be streamed to anyone at any time.
We should be pushing forward into a post-cable/post-network world. In that world the aspects of the cable and network layers that need to be retained or replaced are (1) curation, (2) cost aggregation, (3) delivery, (4) navigation. (3) is well taken care of, although the cable company sees this as a significant demotion and fights it tooth and nail. (2) hasn't happened yet in a universal way, but Netflix et al are working that angle; Apple has for the most part ignored (2) altogether. (1) is forming somewhat organically between social media, podcasts, and blogs. (4) is the domain of AppleTV, GoogleTV, the Kinect/XBox thing, etc.
This is a step off to the side. Yeah, you can now use your iPad as a TV, almost as fancy as a 1984 WatchMan! But you still are paying $100+ a month for a bunch of shows you don't care to watch, to a monopoly which doesn't need to exist anymore, and all rights to what you've paid for end (legally at least) at your front door. Push forward instead. Cut the cord, take the leap, and sip the real future
Why should this be shackled to your home cable subscription? Why would it matter where you are located? If you are paying $100/month to Cox, why would they care that you are in a Comcast neighborhood? In fact, shouldn't they be delighted to sell you their service?
The cable companies are monopolies because of the physical realities of laying copper cables beneath all the streets in a city. The city would contract with one company to do this, because it didn't make sense to lay down half a dozen sets of such wires and deal with the inevitable cross-interruptions when Company A goes to repair its cables and cuts through those of Company B, etc. Each cable TV company contracts with a finite number of networks/stations to deliver content on those copper wires because there are only so many signals which can be multiplexed on a single coax cable before you get interference. Each network shows just one show at a time because that's all that they can, so you have a schedule of times when shows are on and when a show is not on it's not available.
None of that is necessary. The Internet is a common carrier. You don't need a "local" company to aggregate your content for you; it can come in quite efficiently over those laid cable wires to your house or your work or your hotel room, even if three different companies laid the three sets of wires into the ground. There are no needs for network schedules; any show can be streamed to anyone at any time.
We should be pushing forward into a post-cable/post-network world. In that world the aspects of the cable and network layers that need to be retained or replaced are (1) curation, (2) cost aggregation, (3) delivery, (4) navigation. (3) is well taken care of, although the cable company sees this as a significant demotion and fights it tooth and nail. (2) hasn't happened yet in a universal way, but Netflix et al are working that angle; Apple has for the most part ignored (2) altogether. (1) is forming somewhat organically between social media, podcasts, and blogs. (4) is the domain of AppleTV, GoogleTV, the Kinect/XBox thing, etc.
This is a step off to the side. Yeah, you can now use your iPad as a TV, almost as fancy as a 1984 WatchMan! But you still are paying $100+ a month for a bunch of shows you don't care to watch, to a monopoly which doesn't need to exist anymore, and all rights to what you've paid for end (legally at least) at your front door. Push forward instead. Cut the cord, take the leap, and sip the real future
Looks like it only took 7 hours for your prediction to come true.
Shame on you, iTeleport, this one was too easy.
Well, my user ID for Cox is "ipeep" so it reads as ipeep at Cox.
(Would appreciate it if people wouldn't spam that account like mad now, but since I don't actually use it for email, I guess I'll never know).
I think that day will come, but this tech is new... the contracts networks have with cable operators often span as long as 10 years. The cable company pays a fee to each network to air their network. In turn, the networks have to have a viable reason why the operator should air their network in the first place (more important for small networks.) Then there are the "you can be a cable operator and not offer this network" channels like HBO. HBO black balls everyone...and they black balled themselves in this area.
What would happen most likely, is cable networks would retaliate and drop these channels if they offered ala carte' network subscriptions. This could even turn the business model upside down, where networks end up paying the cable company to air their networks... and I don't think enough ala carte internet subscribers could ever make up for the loss.
Probably the only company that could get away with his IS HBO. Then we end up with an invitation for the FCC to put their nose in things, and that always works out bad for the consumer in the end, even though its not how it supposed to work. These are the people that let a cable company buy a Studio after all.
Did you miss you can only use it in your home? You'd probably be using your TV if it was a big sporting event. Can't use this away from home.
Disagree, see next response.
It's not the cable companies fault... which you almost stated and diffused your own gripe but stopped short of doing so. The ones that tried this got sued, which is why you're restricted to using it "where you cable can be used." You could always use a Sling Box if you can't bare to be away from you cable tv when not at home.
For a lot of people, this is great when someone is hogging the tv and you want to watch something else... and you can do it in the garden with a glass of wine, or in bed, or even in the loo... or when your partner is trying to sleep next to you and doesn't want the TV on.
Agree. I don't need another way to watch real-time TV in my house.
Give me something extra; DVR, on demand viewing of episodes from earlier in the season, streaming to my iPad while I'm at Starbucks....!
Cable Sucks
It’s almost like a step backwards, but Apple should add a digital TV tuner in the iPad and everybody gets free TV. Most people just buy basic cable anyways which only has two advantages, more infomercial channels and no bunny-ears.
It’s almost like a step backwards, but Apple should add a digital TV tuner in the iPad and everybody gets free TV. Most people just buy basic cable anyways which only has two advantages, more infomercial channels and no bunny-ears.
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Actually, there are rooms in my home where I don't have a TV and I wouldn't mind watching live sports from my iPhone while doing other things - like my study or my kitchen. Sometimes just because my team is playing doesn't mean that I'm not going to cook dinner. (Note, I also never said "big" sporting event. I just like to be able to have more options for watching my team, even at home).
Yeah, we mostly have to worry about the FCC's relentless attempts to gatekeep cyberspace.
There is a legal term called tying.
Tying: It is against the law to make people buy a bunch of crap they don't want in order to get what they do want.
Wait...what?
Where were you on that one for the past few decades, department of justice??
Funny enough, the law against tying is intended to prevent monopolies... which most certainly don't exist