iptv... Why can't I watch it on my computer

[new_dev_iwaanur…]

Can we have software (not the uversecentral web site) to watch, set recordings, record etc via our computer?   xbox works as a set top box... That's Microsoft, stbs run on windows CE, computer has all the power, connectivity, and capability plus more.  Isn't now possible to watch with ones iphone?  

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

No, you cannot watch recordings from your U-verse  DVR on your iPhone.

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

new_dev_iwaanur - You make the point that it is a technical baby step. I believe the roadblock is the providers are trying to figure out how to profit from it.

Also, they are afraid that once it gets onto the computer they have lost control. I base this on the lack of content viewable on the web. Even though there are many claims of available content, I have yet to find a full episode that I want to watch (because I missed the broadcast).

Many viewers look forward to the day.

[oufanindallas]

---

aviewer wrote:
new_dev_iwaanur - You make the point that it is a technical baby step. I believe the roadblock is the providers are trying to figure out how to profit from it.

Also, they are afraid that once it gets onto the computer they have lost control. I base this on the lack of content viewable on the web. Even though there are many claims of available content, I have yet to find a full episode that I want to watch (because I missed the broadcast).

Many viewers look forward to the day.

---

Really, I've found the majority of shows are available either via UV online, Hulu, Hulu+, Netflix or the networks web site itself. 

[Computer-Joe]

---

new_dev_iwaanures wrote:

Can we have software (not the uversecentral web site) to watch, set recordings, record etc via our computer?   xbox works as a set top box... That's Microsoft, stbs run on windows CE, computer has all the power, connectivity, and capability plus more.  Isn't now possible to watch with ones iphone?  

---

It will never happen. There is way too much money to be made by the likes of IPTV, cable TV, and satellite TV providers.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[Quistopher]

---

new_dev_iwaanures wrote:

Can we have software (not the uversecentral web site) to watch, set recordings, record etc via our computer?   xbox works as a set top box... That's Microsoft, stbs run on windows CE, computer has all the power, connectivity, and capability plus more.  Isn't now possible to watch with ones iphone?  

---

Buy a Slingbox or a Vulkano, I have an older Vulkano Platnium and as long as I have a reasonable amount of bandwidth, I can watch anything on my Uverse box. I have had it for a couple of years and it was on sale for less then $80 when I got it. It works on my laptop, mac, my Android phone & tablet and the wife's iphone/ipad.

[Computer-Joe]

---

Quistopher wrote:

---

new_dev_iwaanures wrote:

Can we have software (not the uversecentral web site) to watch, set recordings, record etc via our computer?   xbox works as a set top box... That's Microsoft, stbs run on windows CE, computer has all the power, connectivity, and capability plus more.  Isn't now possible to watch with ones iphone?  

---

Buy a Slingbox or a Vulkano, I have an older Vulkano Platnium and as long as I have a reasonable amount of bandwidth, I can watch anything on my Uverse box. I have had it for a couple of years and it was on sale for less then $80 when I got it. It works on my laptop, mac, my Android phone & tablet and the wife's iphone/ipad.

---

Although those are some handy technologies, I can see some definate flaws/shortcomings for Uverse users. It uses your internetbandwidth to send those recordings to where you are. IINM, Uverse gives you a measly 2 or 3 Mbps upload max (1.5 -2.5 usable) which, I think, is less than what AT&T uses to send HD programming to your STB, so the Slingbox would have to compress the heck out of it, or you'd have to wait for buffering. It may not look bad on a smartphone or tablet (miniscule screen) but would probably look pretty crappy on a desktop monitor or larger, unless you wanted to wait for the buffering to get a truly HD image. Another drawback is, if it gobbles up all your upload bandwidth, your download bandwidth will drop considerably which will impact anyone else in your home trying to use the internet.

On top of that, if/when Uverse customers are actually impacted by the same caps DSL users are, that Slingbox traffic will cost you. Effectively you would be paying twice for your programming Once for AT&T to deliver it to your DVR and again when your Slinbox sends it back out.

Now, if you were on cable or Verizon where you could get at least 5Mbps upload, it would be more appealing

In my opinion, the best way to do this is to have AT&T come out with a hardware (USB, SD card, etc.) key, or something similar to a cable card, that would enable a computer to become a STB. I think USB would be optimal because it would make your Uverse truly portable if you could take your Uverse USB key to any internet connected computer (with sufficient bandwidth) and watch tour Uverse. They could include software on the key to create a VPN to your DVR at home so you could set recordings and such.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

Computer-Joe - I like your thinking about a portable U-Verse, but, I think that is a big stretch. The current web access provides enough service to make it hard to justify the big step of access to TV channels.

The slingbox solution accomplishes both watch on local computer and a distant computer (portability).

What it misses is simplicity. I would like to view U-verse TV on my computer because it is simple.

If U-verse TV software works on X-box and STBs, it can work an a computer. The computer is already connected behind the RG (for security). All it needs is software with secure access.

[oufanindallas]

---

Computer-Joe wrote:

---

Quistopher wrote:

---

new_dev_iwaanures wrote:

Can we have software (not the uversecentral web site) to watch, set recordings, record etc via our computer?   xbox works as a set top box... That's Microsoft, stbs run on windows CE, computer has all the power, connectivity, and capability plus more.  Isn't now possible to watch with ones iphone?  

---

Buy a Slingbox or a Vulkano, I have an older Vulkano Platnium and as long as I have a reasonable amount of bandwidth, I can watch anything on my Uverse box. I have had it for a couple of years and it was on sale for less then $80 when I got it. It works on my laptop, mac, my Android phone & tablet and the wife's iphone/ipad.

---

Although those are some handy technologies, I can see some definate flaws/shortcomings for Uverse users. It uses your internetbandwidth to send those recordings to where you are. IINM, Uverse gives you a measly 2 or 3 Mbps upload max (1.5 -2.5 usable) which, I think, is less than what AT&T uses to send HD programming to your STB, so the Slingbox would have to compress the heck out of it, or you'd have to wait for buffering. It may not look bad on a smartphone or tablet (miniscule screen) but would probably look pretty crappy on a desktop monitor or larger, unless you wanted to wait for the buffering to get a truly HD image. Another drawback is, if it gobbles up all your upload bandwidth, your download bandwidth will drop considerably which will impact anyone else in your home trying to use the internet.

On top of that, if/when Uverse customers are actually impacted by the same caps DSL users are, that Slingbox traffic will cost you. Effectively you would be paying twice for your programming Once for AT&T to deliver it to your DVR and again when your Slinbox sends it back out.

Now, if you were on cable or Verizon where you could get at least 5Mbps upload, it would be more appealing

In my opinion, the best way to do this is to have AT&T come out with a hardware (USB, SD card, etc.) key, or something similar to a cable card, that would enable a computer to become a STB. I think USB would be optimal because it would make your Uverse truly portable if you could take your Uverse USB key to any internet connected computer (with sufficient bandwidth) and watch tour Uverse. They could include software on the key to create a VPN to your DVR at home so you could set recordings and such.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

---

I remember watching Slingbox in 2006 with DSL, upload speeds back then were no where near as fast as what they are now.