You probably know that there are few ways to watch TV shows on your iPhone or iPod Touch like purchasing them through the iTunes store or streaming them through the new SingPlayer app. But, there are few other ways and some of them are free. I’m Brian Tong with CNET.com and we’ll show you how.
Now, one option is watching TV shows directly from the Safari browser on your device. For NBC content, check out their mobile site at m.nbc.com, it works over 3G or Wi-Fi and you’ll have access to full episodes of their latest shows and some past ones too. They’ll be broken up into segments but it’s by far the best streaming quality of the bunch. NBC’s iPhone optimized site offers short clips from their shows but there’s no full episodes and Fox gives us no video at all. It’s going to be flash only.
Now, our parent company CBS offers short clips from its mobile site. But to get full episodes of CBS shows, you want to download the FreeTV.com app from the app store. It works over 3G or Wi-Fi and episodes are broken into segments as well. Video quality is viewable but it’s definitely up to par with NBC’s at the moment.
So what about the shows that you guys can’t get? Well, we mentioned the SlingPlayer app which requires a slingbox at home and $30 for the app to stream and control your TV over Wi-Fi only. That’s unless you jailbreak your phone to get 3G functionality.
But another option is for all of you TiVo owners. For PC users, you can download the TiVo desktop plus software, it’s 24.95 and it’s from TiVo, but this guy enables you to convert your recorded shows into an iPhone and iPod friendly format, synch it up with your device through iTunes and you have shows on the go. Now, for Mac users, you have to spend a lot more coin Toast 10 from Roxio. It’s 99 bucks and I know that’s a fat chunk of change but they work with TiVo to give you the same exporting functionality plus, their streamer app allows you to stream your shows over the internet through your iPhone or iTouch with a Wi-Fi or 3G connection.
I’m Brian Tong for CNET.com and those are some of your options for watching TV shows on the go. Use them wise.
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