DirecTV Now Supports Single Sign-on for Upcoming 'TV' App on iOS and Apple TV

[archvile]

Confusing title. I read "DirecTV Now" supports single sign on. Naturally I was excited because the service still yet hasn't yet launched. Still waiting for the real news about DirecTV Now...

They are going to announce launch plans on Nov 28 (Cyber Monday). It MAY launch that day, not sure, but they are having a big press release event about DirecTV Now.

I'm really hoping it integrates into the TV app as well, that would be killer.

 

[Steve.P.JobsFan]

Woohoo! Everything works already... just need to get the App Store ready.

 

[HMFIC03]

Yeah cool. All this support so Apple can give up and cancel ATV and bow out to the wildly more supported and popular Roku. RIP...Cinema Display, Airport, and MacPro. Yeah that's right, I'm calling it. ATV will last a bit longer as it's kind of in the iOS family, but not enough to let it live.

Still can't believe Airport though. The biggest mouth-gaper on that list..... go figure.

No way, I'm sure Apple makes a big chuck of change ff it's iTune store purchases of tv, video, and apps through it's ATV interface

 

[AdonisSMU]

Why are people still paying way too much for cable service?

 

[countryside]

Wait so if I sign in with DirecTV can I watch live?

 

[TallManNY]

Why are people still paying way too much for cable service?

Live sports. Also much of the U.S. lives in households were four or more members use the cable TV service. That is a lot of use for just $60 or so per month on top of highspeed internet access.

Personally I'm going to cancel Time Warner and subscribe to Sling TV since I can get my preferred sports team's games through Sling.

 

[TxWatch]

Reliably? That all depends. It won't match it 100% because the provider will always be in power and as such have the advantage with the STB. It also depends on your TV provider and if they support the TV Everywhere initiative to allow you to sign into a TV Stations app with your service provider credentials. For example, I have AT&T and I can sign into the Comedy Central app to watch shows on demand but my friend has Comcast and they do not allow you to do the same. Also, not all channels have an app available and not all apps have a Live TV option.

Another option is to subscribe to a provider that has their own tvOS app to watch tv and has a guide like, SlingTV or PlayStation Vue. Those would be the best alternatives that resemble a STB experience.

Lastly, there is an app called Channels that works with a piece of hardware called HomeRun TV Tuners. If you're provider is cable based like Comcast, you can rent a piece of equipment called a cable card. You can install the cable card into the HomeRun TV Tuner to get access to the channels in your cable package through certified devices/apps on your home's network. Channels is one of those apps and runs on AppleTV. For Windows you can use Windows Media Center or the free HomeRun software from their website to watch TV. You can also use a TV Tuner from HomeRun that does not use a cable card and instead uses an antenna(sold separately) just to watch the local channels available for free over-the-air.

This is a great analysis of the current state of affairs with Apple TV. I have been an Apple TV user since the early days and I have several of the ATV4s with the Channels App using an OTA HD HomeRun TV Tuner. I also have the Plex DVR-Beta to record live TV from my HD Homerun tuners, so I am real close to cutting my DirecTV cord completely.

 

[taoprophet420]

Can confirm that I was able to sign on with my directv credentials. But it doesn't seem to show any apps connected to directv under find my apps section at this point.
[doublepost=1479798853][/doublepost]

Same here. Maybe it should be re-worded better. I was able to use my regular directv credentials no problem.

It's doesn't sign you in for the apps either. DirecTV has been listed for me since Thursday night, but it doesn't sign me into apps on my Apple TV Note does it show available apps. At this point all it seems to do is authenticate your DirecTV account. It likely won't be love until DirecTV Now launches.
[doublepost=1479849243][/doublepost]

is there any reason for providers NOT to join other than what I can imagine a decent amount of back end infrastructure?

Fear of people sharing passwords would be my guess. Variety in June mentioned how many providers did not have plans to support Single Sign On. Having to just enter one password makes it. U h easier for people to share passwords. Many providers already sign you out automatically every 2 weeks or month to try to keep you from sharing passwords.

 

[ariza910]

Isn't SlingTV its own streaming TV app and service? Does this mean that using a SlingTV log-in through Single-Sign-On would unlock individual apps like ESPN, AMC, CNN etc? If so that would be amazing since the SlingTV app currently does not provide on-demand content for many content providers, only live streams of the TV broadcast (which is pointless in most cases).

 

[Tech198]

Single-Sign-On is probably deal breaker.

 

[Dmunjal]

Live sports. Also much of the U.S. lives in households were four or more members use the cable TV service. That is a lot of use for just $60 or so per month on top of highspeed internet access.

Personally I'm going to cancel Time Warner and subscribe to Sling TV since I can get my preferred sports team's games through Sling.

I've got four TVs on Playstation VUE with all the sports I need. ESPN, NFL Network, NBA TV, and Local CSN.

 

[lolkthxbai]

Isn't SlingTV its own streaming TV app and service? Does this mean that using a SlingTV log-in through Single-Sign-On would unlock individual apps like ESPN, AMC, CNN etc? If so that would be amazing since the SlingTV app currently does not provide on-demand content for many content providers, only live streams of the TV broadcast (which is pointless in most cases).

You are correct. SSO for SlingTV would unlock those separate apps for each channel that supports SSO and SlingTV

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Comcast has it's own TV app for iOS (not for AppleTV) and their X1 devices, and probably don't care.
Maybe if all Comcast subscribers push them around, something may be accomplished.
[doublepost=1479913861][/doublepost]

Slightly confused: "Library lets you watch all the content that you own." Does that mean we get access to our iTunes home-sharing content?

Same thing you are able to do now with your purchased content, but from that new central location.
[doublepost=1479913913][/doublepost]

Single-Sign-On is probably deal breaker.

It doesn't really affect the content providers. It's mainly a great convenience for the enduser.

 

[Brady9991]

lol

 

[Tmelon]

Anyone else having issues signing into DIRECTV in the TV provider settings? I can log in to the website and individual apps but I get an error message in the TV provider settings.

 

[tgwaste]

DIRECTV Now not working for me. Anyone else get it to work or is that not supported yet?

 

[splap]

DIRECTV Now not working for me. Anyone else get it to work or is that not supported yet?

Just had a live chat with DirecTv support, sso isn't working with 10.1 beta 5. they hope to have it working soon. have not tested w/ 10.2.

Has anyone else been able to authenticate directv as a TV Provider with directv now credentials?

 

[allebone]

Just had a live chat with DirecTv support, sso isn't working with 10.1 beta 5. they hope to have it working soon. have not tested w/ 10.2.

Has anyone else been able to authenticate directv as a TV Provider with directv now credentials?

I tried all night. It was a bit confusing because I'm an ATT cellular user, so my email was also registered with traditional DIRECTV services but I don't pay for any, so I mostly got account lock outs. Once I got the passwords straight, it still wouldn't login using SSO, on AppleTV or iOS 10.1, 10.2beta.

 

[shareef777]

Still buggy. Tried to sign in with my directvnow account and it prompted like it was the incorrect password. Used the same login to directvnow.com without issue.

 

[Rigby]

Still buggy. Tried to sign in with my directvnow account and it prompted like it was the incorrect password. Used the same login to directvnow.com without issue.

The headline is misleading in hindsight. DirecTV Now does *not* currently support single sign-on. What the article is saying is that the DirecTV satellite service now supports SSO.

 

[shareef777]

The headline is misleading in hindsight. DirecTV Now does *not* currently support single sign-on. What the article is saying is that the DirecTV satellite service now supports SSO.

Thanks for the clarification. Considering all the articles regarding DirecTVNOW, you'd of thought they'd point that out.

 

[Rigby]

Thanks for the clarification. Considering all the articles regarding DirecTVNOW, you'd of thought they'd point that out.

In all fairness, this Macrumors article was posted before DirecTV Now was announced.

 

[nburwell]

Confusing title. I read "DirecTV Now" supports single sign on. Naturally I was excited because the service still yet hasn't yet launched. Still waiting for the real news about DirecTV Now...

My hope is that DTV Now will be added at some point in time.

 

[splap]

I tried all night. It was a bit confusing because I'm an ATT cellular user, so my email was also registered with traditional DIRECTV services but I don't pay for any, so I mostly got account lock outs. Once I got the passwords straight, it still wouldn't login using SSO, on AppleTV or iOS 10.1, 10.2beta.

I spoke to DirecTV customer service and they told me that there is, direct quote, "no customer support for directv now". Not encouraging...

 

[jimmcginnis]

Confusing title. I read "DirecTV Now" supports single sign on. Naturally I was excited because the service still yet hasn't yet launched. Still waiting for the real news about DirecTV Now...

yeah - no dierctv now at the moment.