I habitually subscribe to all sorts of audio and video services. While I do enjoy my fair share of quality entertainment, it’s more about ensuring a breadth of content and playback options. Over the last few months a selection of mobile streaming video apps have enabled me to regularly conquer the gym hamster wheels cardio gear. Sure, I could TiVoToGo or Sling it, but I appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of subscription content.
Of the HBOGo, Netflix, and Hulu Plus iOS apps, I’ve had the most positive experience streaming Hulu Plus — which provides the most reliable connection, with the least buffering, drops, or resolution changes. Additionally, though all the interfaces could use some organizational improvements, I prefer Hulu’s approach. However, that didn’t prevent me from almost dropping them… prior to the return of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, which are ideally suited for the small screen and my level of attentiveness at the gym.
I’ll cut HBO some slack as they’re relatively new to the mobile streaming game and quite generous in providing complete seasons of perhaps all their original series. In fact, I hope Showtime is working on a similar solution. But I gave up on this AM’s episode of Eastbound & Down as the frequent and extended blackouts were maddening. At least the price is right (with subscription).
For me, Netflix. Simply put, Netflix is a free app on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, plus works on AppleTV 2. Hulu doesn’t work on AppleTV 2.
I like(d) the HBO go app on the iPad but when I found out it wouldn’t mirror when I hooked up to my TV I was disapointed. I still find Netflix about the easiest although Crackle has started to grab my attention more. I don’t/wont pay for Hulu Plus at this point, I can’t justify paying for “free TV” to watch online.
I also prefer the Hulu Plus implementation. While many complain about paying a subscription fee and being subjected to ads, I give Hulu credit for getting the UI right on every device (iPhone, iPad, Xbox, Roku and PS3) I have used the service. Conversely, the Netflix app UI for the iPhone/iPad is wretched. On the rare occasion I use Netflix, I avoid the app and just use the browser. The Crackle app isn’t too bad and the France24 app is very well done and a good source for catching up on news you might not otherwise be exposed to.
I’ve got TiVo to Go and a Slingbox so mostly those are what I use. And AirPlayer (which I love to death). A paid app would have to be really really great to keep my interest, and none of these make the cut so far. I have watched some stuff on crackle though.
Does HBO Go work for people who don’t get HBO with their cable? Or do you need to get it on cable to be able to use it on your iOS device? I ask because I refuse to give Comcast any more of my money than I do now and would like HBO on my ipad.
Yeah, Crackle has gotten interesting. I should probably give them some attention so Sony keeps it going.
gear, right now HBO is a perk for subscribers only. Or friends of subscribers. ;) They’d make more money letting folks like you subscribe directly.
“right now HBO is a perk for subscribers only. Or friends of subscribers. They’d make more money letting folks like you subscribe directly.”
Well, considering that HBO is a division of the same conglomerate that has deep connections into one of the biggest MSO’s, management may have valid reasons for disagreeing you on that point…
I dunno… HBO wouldn’t cannibalize too many MSO subscriptions but they’d be able to reach folks who don’t have cable or don’t want to pay while taking out the middle man’s cut. I was under the impression and had info suggesting the more progressive Showtime was pursuing something like this. Yet it hasn’t materialized. Not sure if it was blown up, rethought, or just delayed. Hm.
I will say that as currently designed, it may not be the most lucrative for them if simply marketed to non-subscribers. For example, someone could subscribe for just one or two months and catch up on EVERYTHING. Which wouldn’t cannibalize HBO MSO subs, but might cannibalize Blu-ray or DVD purchases. And that’s probably why they’re reluctant. They’d probably want to rework it as 20hrs of viewing a month for $7.99 or something.
“For example, someone could subscribe for just one or two months and catch up on EVERYTHING.”
We still don’t really understand what kind of lean-back PQ that HBO GO is shipping, since they aren’t shipping the client on any lean-back platforms.
(I did read that they are building it into new generation TV sets of a couple of brands, but that hasn’t hit the market yet.)
If HBO GO is shipping Official Netflix 720 “Good Enough” Streaming PQ™, then yes, there would be massive cannibalization if they sold HBO GO to non-subscribers. But my guess is that, like Hulu, another content company in bed with the MSO’s, HBO won’t ship “good enough” lean-back PQ with HBO GO to avoid cannibalization.
(One data point worth noting that AirPlay is not enabled on the iOS app. I’m not sure if Time-Warner really understands their own HBO GO lean-back roadmap quite yet…)
“They’d probably want to rework it as 20hrs of viewing a month for $7.99 or something.”
There exists massive consumer resistance to those type of capping schemes. No one wants to cap because of the backlash.
Hulu Plus and HBO Go would be a lot more useful if you could mirror them to a TV (via HDMI out on iPad 2). Crackle might be a good iPod Touch/iPhone option, but it’s pretty lame on iPad 2 HDMI out (doesn’t go widescreen natively like Netflix and other video apps).
P.S. Is there a simple solution to stream TiVo recordings to an iPad? Or am I forced to transcode them on my PC via TiVoToGo Plus?
@Ivan,
The way I do it is to have TTG transfer the shows I want into a “Tivo Recordings” folder on my PC, then use the iOS “Air Video” application (which requires yet another background app on your PC, but works FABULOUSLY) to stream the shows from various directories, including that one, to my iOS devices. Works wonderfully.
@Glenn — was hoping to avoid TTG and stream directly w/out transcoding, but that looks like the only solution other than buying a SlingBox or a Vulkano.
Anyway, ponied up for Desktop Plus and tried it last night using Air Video. Incredibly disappointed that resolution is below-SD (my 720p recording was transcoded to 640×360 using iPad profile) and there’s no way to change that (looks like even manually editing profiles, 640×480 is max). Looks like I will have to use kmttg.
P.S. Air Video is good for streaming from a PC, but I also LOVE AV Player HD (http://tech2.in.com/reviews/ios/av-player-hd/208862). It allows playback of practically any video files you load onto iPad (no problem with 720p MKVs; 1080p Blu-Ray rips are dropping frames, but that’s not a big deal IMHO).
Yeah, use kmttg and skip TiVo Desktop Plus or Roxio.
http://code.google.com/p/kmttg/
“P.S. Is there a simple solution to stream TiVo recordings to an iPad? Or am I forced to transcode them on my PC via TiVoToGo Plus?”
Tivo to kmttg to Plex server (on OS X or Windows) to your iPad…
It absolutely rocks. And once you get a workflow established, it’s reasonably simple.
I’m going to repeat this a second time, since I think it’s the coolest thing since sliced bread.
Tivo to kmttg to Plex server (on OS X or Windows) to your iPad…
– It serves kttmg to your iPad on the LAN
– It serves kttmg to your iPhone on the WAN
– It serves your home iTunes Library to your iPhone on the LAN
And if you’re running the server on OS X, there is an, albeit not as polished as the server or mobile clients, HTPC client for OS X.
It’s the 8th wonder of the world…
“Yeah, use kmttg and skip TiVo Desktop Plus or Roxio.”
FWIW, the Roxio bundle is actually an excellent and elegant solution for semi-noobs who don’t want to get their hands dirty.
It works well for dealing with a TiVo with a pleasant interface, and it includes a bunch of other useful stuff all at a reasonable price. Hell, DiskCatalogMaker RE included in the bundle is what I use to keep track of all my bare 2TB drives stored in their cute VHS-looking plastic cases.
I use kttmg now that I’m properly geeked out on TiVo. But when I first started out with TiVo, I loved the Roxio simplicity.
You’d feel much different if you’d been onboard the months or years many of us suffered through audio/video sync and resolution issues. I don’t trust Roxio to get it right and defective software is hard to return.
https://zatznotfunny.com/2008-02/mac-tivotogo-troubles-persist/
https://zatznotfunny.com/2008-03/roxio-toast-updated-but-does-it-work/
https://zatznotfunny.com/2008-03/mac-tivotogo-roxio-responds/
“You’d feel much different if you’d been onboard the months or years many of us suffered through audio/video sync and resolution issues. I don’t trust Roxio to get it right and defective software is hard to return.”
Huh. I was only on board for six months or so, and I got fine performance on playback. At some point, Roxio licensed Elgato’s excellent MPEG2 playback engine, (best on the platform), it performs like a champ. Perhaps you got screwed back before they started bundling in Elgato.
(It was “Toast Video Player” in Toast 10, and it’s “Roxio Video Player” in Toast 11. It’s just a stripped down version of Elgato’s EyeTV that decodes the wrapper, and it seems to work like a champ.)
And yes, Roxio isn’t fond of returns. But it’s still a nice bundle full of good OS X software for the price. Like I mentioned, the Disk Cataloging software they bundled in fits my needs better than anything else I’ve seen on the platform. Plus, Fotomagio is quality software, and Spin Doctor and Sound Soap are useful for hobbyists in those areas. And it even burns discs to boot.
It’s a whole suite of hobbyist software for semi-noobs, and if my grandma were a semi-noob hobbyist, I’d recommend it to her.
Plex seems cool, but I don’t need it for now (haven’t set-up my media yet). Air Video for kmttg (TiVo) and AV Player HD for occasional MKV (watched most of first season of Haven using it) will work for now. Will install & play around with kmttg this weekend.
Am I correct in thinking that I should forgo commercial detection/cutting unless I want to manually review files?