WatchESPN finally streams to Comcast customers, but not on Android

Posted on 09/05/2012 by Richard Lawler

The short list of TV and internet providers that support ESPN's TV Everywhere play, WatchESPN, just grew by one with the addition of Comcast to a list that already included Time Warner, Bright House and Verizon. Part of a deal reached back in January, ESPN has managed to tie its live streaming service in with Comcast's Xfinity TV protocols, similar to the adjustments made by HBO to open up HBO Go streaming on the Xbox 360. One downside however is that for the moment Comcast customer access is restricted to the website (XfinityTV.com access is coming soon) and iPad / iPhone apps (an update is required first). The Android app that launched a year ago is, for the moment, not supported, although access there is promised "in the coming months." As we heard in January this just the beginning, as similar Watch services will be rolling out for Disney Channel, DisneyXD and Disney Junior as part of the mouse company's TV+ program. For now those live feeds of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com (Buzzer Beater and Goal Line are available in their respective seasons) will have to do however, as the channels and cable services try to add more features and access to keep subscribers happy, or at least still paying, whether they're at home or away.

Continue reading WatchESPN finally streams to Comcast customers, but not on Android

WatchESPN finally streams to Comcast customers, but not on Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 23:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reed Hastings takes Comcast to task for skirting net neutrality

Posted on 16/04/2012 by Terrence O'Brien

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings let loose a mini rant on Facebook Sunday, setting his sites squarely on Comcast and its data accounting practices. Highlighting one of the arguments for net neutrality, Hastings pointed out that viewing streaming videos using the Comcast Xfinity app on his Xbox doesn't count against his monthly cap, but other services do. "If I watch last night's SNL episode on my Xbox through the Hulu app, it eats up about one gigabyte of my cap, but if I watch that same episode through the Xfinity Xbox app, it doesn't use up my cap at all." It's slightly odd that different rules would apply to the same device using the same connection to stream the same content from different sources -- and exactly the sort of preferential and self-promoting behavior that net neutrality advocates are afraid will become the norm in an unregulated market. Of course, Hastings is also irate because his own company would love the same preferential treatment, but hasn't been able to close any deals. For the full rant hit up the source link.

Reed Hastings takes Comcast to task for skirting net neutrality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast Xfinity TV iOS app adds integrated DVR manager so you don’t miss Deadliest Catch

Posted on 11/04/2012 by Richard Lawler

Comcast's Xfinity TV app for iOS has seen more than a few updates since it launched back in 2010 that added support for video on-demand streaming anywhere, live TV in-home with additional hardware and made various tweaks to the UI. Despite all that, until today's update doing something as doublechecking what was scheduled for recording on your DVR required popping out of the app and signing into a different webpage. The new integrated DVR Manager can be seen above and confirms, yes, that Deadliest Catch is securely in our queue for this evening. We're not sure what's going to happen in the season eight premiere, but we suspect someone is going to worried about whether or not they're catching enough crabs on this trip.

Comcast Xfinity TV iOS app adds integrated DVR manager so you don't miss Deadliest Catch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today

Posted on 10/04/2012 by Richard Lawler

TiVo DVRs in the Bay Area updated with Comcast video on-demand starting today

Just one month shy of a year after we first heard it would happen (not counting the icon flub during the original Premiere announcement) TiVo has announced its DVRs will be able to access Comcast's Xfinity On Demand library. The blog and product page feature several screenshots flashing the Xfinity VOD icon and showing off the TiVo Premiere UI's universal search pulling from Comcast's library alongside other sources like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Until now, switching to third party DVRs exclusively meant largely foregoing access to Comcast's VOD, but with this customers who dig the TiVo experience can switch without making compromises. Naturally, to make use of this customers will need to be Comcast TV subscribers, although we hear the video will be delivered via QAM just like on cable company owned boxes instead of IP, which might provide higher video quality than the Xbox 360's recently launched app. The update will be made available to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area to start, delivered "today and over the next few weeks" -- no word yet when we'll see this roll out elsewhere.

Continue reading TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today

TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere updates coming with new Netflix and YouTube apps; Bay Area gets Comcast VOD

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Richard Lawler

Waiting for your TiVo to see the upgraded Netflix and YouTube streaming apps we got a peek at during CES a few months ago? How about the ability to access Comcast's video on-demand that we've been waiting for since last year? According to tweets by Vice President of user experience Margret Schmidt we may see all that and more soon, as she mentioned "expecting" the Spring Update with new video streaming apps and parental controls in HD menus to roll out to Premiere and Elite DVRs this month. As far as Comcast Xfinity On Demand, the rollout is targeted to begin in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an update for DVRs there this week before the feature is turned on later this month. This shaping up to be a very interesting year for the smiley faced DVR company with new hardware still waiting in the wings, add in all these new software capabilities and TiVo looks like a winner in more than just the legal battles.

[Thanks, Joe, Sebs]

Gallery: TiVo's latest Netflix and YouTube interfaces