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Comcast's Xfinity TV Go app to stream live TV from anywhere
Comcast subscribers who want to watch TV on mobile devices won't have to stay at home in the future. The cable provider has confirmed to The Verge that it will soon offer live TV viewing from anywhere through Xfinity TV Go, a rebranded and refreshed version of its Xfinity TV Player app. The software will offer access to 35 live channels, including the BBC, CNN and ESPN. However, it's not certain that viewers will get to stream through any connection. A source for The Verge claims that Comcast will let Verizon customers watch over cellular networks, but there's no mention of similar freedom for others -- you may have to use WiFi if you're not supporting Comcast's preferred carrier. The provider hasn't addressed this rumor, but it's clear that Xfinity TV Go will help Comcast fight off similar live TV efforts from AT&T and other telecom giants.
Comcast's Xfinity video on-demand, Streampix apps on Android updated with HD video
After recent issues delivering video to some TVs, Comcast has fixed those and is also improving the experience available through its video apps on Android. The Xfinity TV Player video on-demand app and Streampix subscription video app have both been updated to support HD video on devices with screens that are 720p or higher. There is also more content available for downloading or streaming, plus improvements to address stability and monitoring video quality. A recent blog post attributes some improvements to its "Viper" infrastructure to deliver video across a number of platforms at once. One drawback? The update will clear any content you've already downloaded to your devices.
Comcast Xfinity TV Player update adds downloads for offline viewing on iOS, Android
Comcast brought video on-demand streaming to subscriber's mobile devices since early last year, but now an update has added the option to download (some) content for offline viewing. Arriving simultaneously on iOS and Android, the Xfinity TV Player apps support downloads from premium channels Showtime (which was also one of the first up for streaming when that launched), Starz, Encore and MoviePlex. We downloaded the app on both platforms and found it to work in similar fashion, assuming you're already logged in (and have any of those channels in your package) the option to download is right next to the usual stream button with options available for two different levels of picture quality. The high quality option wasn't quite HD quality to our eyes, but certainly passable for viewing on a flight or subway. We did run into a hiccup on Android however, with an "unknown error" stopping us from downloading files to our Galaxy S II running ICS. If there were more content available it would be a decent no-additional-hardware-needed matchup for solutions like TiVo's Stream or DirecTV's Nomad, while we wait for that you can get a taste of the apps for each platform at the source links. Update:As of 11/20, Comcast pushed another update to the Android app, and after logging in again, we were able to download shows to our Galaxy S II without issue. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps
While being able to schedule DVR recordings from your mobile device is nice, an update currently being pushed to some Comcast DVRs is adding the ability for users to check exactly what shows are stored there from an app or web browser. Previously the only remote info users could get from their DVRs was the percentage of storage currently in use and what recordings were scheduled to take place, but now users can see individual recordings, choose to watch any of them now, change their deletion priority, or even delete them remotely. Hopefully that doesn't lead to any unintentional interhousehold griefing as users manage the often inadequate hard drive space in their cable DVR, but it can certainly put ones mind at rest to know The League (or whatever your show of choice might be) was successfully archived. The update is quietly being pushed out as a software update for the DVR itself, and should appear automatically for users on the web or in their iOS app's DVR manager (Android users can access it as well, but via the browser). We noticed the change after our Motorola DVR got an update that also made the name of a channel appear under the number when typed in from the remote. It worked well, although a few much older recordings were not listed online every new one was, which could explain the quiet rollout that Comcast confirmed to us just began yesterday. One other change taking place at the same time is a new Xfinity TV Player app for iOS that is focused solely on streaming VOD, mirroring a similar app already out on Android. While the Xfinity TV app on the platform has handled streaming duties since 2010, the dedicated player has a different menu and even player interface, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the feature excised from the general app eventually.
Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?
Comcast Xfinity TV Player app brings VOD streaming to Android devices
After introducing video on-demand streaming for mobile devices on the iPad early last year and iPhone last May, Comcast has finally extended the courtesy to Android users as well. Unlike its iOS counterpart however, on Android there's a separate Xfinity TV Player (simply labeled "Player" in the launcher) app from the Xfinity TV remote control app. It's a free download from Google Play for devices running Android 2.3 or higher and when we checked it out just now it was smooth but plain looking, although it a native tablet interface at launch is a nice touch. Beyond the usual VOD selections (including HBO Go and more) there's also support for Comcast's Streampix subscription service within the app as it promised back in February. One odd quirk noted by Android Police is that on rooted devices the app apparently requests root permissions, but still works if they are denied (could be worse). There aren't many other details available yet, if you want to try it out grab your Comcast account info and hit the source link to give it a shot.
