BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech » VOD

Optimum iPad app hands-on!

Jonathan S. Geller — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:28:32 +0000

We knew that Cablevision was involved in creating an iPad app that enables the viewing of TV content, but we didn’t know that the app would offer iPad owners a better experience than FIOS’ and Time Warner Cable’s offerings. Cablevision’s Optimum app lets you, from behind your own network at home, view your entire channel lineup directly from up to two iPads simultaneously, complete with program guide information, access to the company’s more than 2,000 VOD offerings with the rest coming this summer, while also letting you record and control your DVR directly from the app. After entering my Optimum account username and password, I was immediately able to access every Optimum channel that I subscribe to from my iPad, and after some quick buffering, video looked absolutely great. It doesn’t look like you’re able to currently watch any recorded video from your DVR, but that’s not such a big deal in my book. Cablevision told me that their app doesn’t use the internet to deliver video to your iPad, nor is the content streamed, rather it’s sent over the company’s network just as it works with your set-top box. If you are an Optimum customer that doesn’t have a cable modem, Optimum will provide an internet-blocked cable modem for free that will enable you to use the iPad app with a user-provider secure wireless router. Cablevision also said that they plan to deploy the same experience to other devices, so we anticipate an iPhone and Android app in the future. Check out some screenshots of the app in our gallery, and if you’re an Optimum cable customer, the app is available for free in the App Store. Press release after the break.

CABLEVISION’S NEW OPTIMUM APP DELIVERS THE FULL CABLE TELEVISION EXPERIENCE TO AN iPAD IN THE HOME

Customers Can Enjoy Cable Television Service Including Hundreds Of Channels, Video On Demand, Enhanced And Searchable Guide Information And DVR Controls On Their Tablet Device, Which Functions As A Television In The Home

Available At No Additional Cost To Existing Optimum Cable Television Customers

BETHPAGE, NY, April 2, 2011 – Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC) today announced the launch of the Optimum App for iPad, which allows its cable television customers to experience iO TV digital cable – including access to hundreds of channels and video on demand (VOD) – on an iPad in the home. The application delivers the full cable television experience to the tablet device, and allows the iPad to function as a television. Like all additional outlets, it is free to existing Optimum cable television customers.

In addition to approximately 300 live channels and access to VOD, the Optimum App for iPad integrates enhanced guide information that makes it easier than ever before for customers to find the content they already receive as part of their cable television subscription. Programming is fully searchable, including by genre, and the application includes the ability to schedule DVR recordings and manage previously-recorded content.

“This application allows the iPad to function as a television, delivering the full richness and diversity of our cable television service to a display device in the home,” said Tom Rutledge, Cablevision’s chief operating officer. “It gives our customers the additional flexibility and convenience of watching television throughout the home, in places where set-top boxes might not be ideal or even practical, like the kitchen, bathroom or work room. This is the future of Advanced Digital Cable televisions served with virtual set-top boxes, and just one of many digital displays we are going to be serving through a variety of applications,” Mr. Rutledge concluded.

Cablevision uses its secure and proprietary Advanced Digital Cable television network to deliver cable programming to customers for viewing on the Optimum App for iPad, and content is not delivered over the Internet. The application turns the iPad into an additional television, enabling Cablevision customers to view the same live programming and VOD content already being delivered to other TVs in the home as part of the service they have paid for. Cablevision has the right to distribute programming over its cable system to iPads configured in this way under its existing distribution agreements with programming providers. Cablevision has been serving customers with switched digital cable for more than five years. Advanced Digital Cable allows the company to switch in multiple digital formats, as its customers continue to buy the latest display devices. Customers do not need to have Internet access to use the Optimum App for iPad.

Cablevision plans to deploy additional applications that deliver the same experience to other tablets and display devices, functioning as televisions. The company plans to integrate remote control functionality into the Optimum App for iPad this summer.

About Cablevision

Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC) is one of the nation’s leading media and entertainment companies. Its assets include cable television operations that provide industry-leading services to more than 3 million New York area households. A state-of- the-art cable system enables the company to offer a full suite of premier residential and business communications services that include its iO TV® digital television, Optimum Online® high-speed Internet, Optimum Voice® digital voice, Optimum WiFi® wireless Internet, and its Optimum Lightpath® integrated business communications solutions. Cablevision also delivers advanced video, voice and Internet services to more than 300,000 households in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Through Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, Cablevision operates several successful programming and entertainment businesses, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and IFC Entertainment. Cablevision serves the New York area with compelling local content through News 12 Networks, a local news leader; MSG Varsity, a suite of television and online services covering high school activities; and, Newsday Media Group, a business unit that includes Newsday, Long Island’s leading daily newspaper. The company also owns and operates Clearview Cinemas, which includes Manhattan’s famed Ziegfeld Theatre, a frequent and historic venue for film premieres and events.

Verizon to offer FiOS customers live TV for iPads, video-on-demand for Android, BlackBerry, WinMo

Andrew Munchbach — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:11:52 +0000

Today, Verizon announced a new video application that will allow subscribers of their FiOS television service to watch live, linear programming on an iPad. Before anyone gets too excited, the application — which is scheduled to be released early next year — does have one fairly enormous catch. As reported by Gigaom, “subscribers with an iPad will only be able to watch linear programming within their own home, which allows Verizon to authenticate and make certain that the users have access to whatever content they have paid for.” Verizon has said that all the backend legwork to make the TV streams available has been completed; they are now woking on getting content providers comfortable with the idea of their precious shows being available on devices other than television sets.

Verizon also announced a new video-on-demand application that will debut in Q4. The application, “will allow subscribers to purchase and rent videos and watch them across multiple devices and multiple platforms,” including the DROID X, DROID 2, BlackBerry Storm and handsets running Windows Mobile 6.5 (wah?).

All pretty exciting stuff in the mobile entertainment realm. Our one question is: why would we want to watch TV on a 9.7-inch iPad screen when we’re in the same vicinity as our HDTV? Thoughts?

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Clearleap to bring on-demand cable TV to Roku

Kelly Hodgkins — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:30:30 +0000

Folks on the fence about a Roku box may be swayed by the news that Roku is teaming up with Clearleap to bring on-demand cable TV programing to the video streaming platform. Clearleap is a growing company that serves as the middle man between cable, satellite and telephone companies that have on-demand content and video streaming services like Roku that want to dish up this content. This arrangement would allow Roku users to purchase on-demand movies from their television provider via their Roku box and have all charges tacked onto their monthly TV bill. That’s definitely great for those with more than one TV in their house, and could also potentially allow television providers the option to offer the Roku box as a cable box alternative. Roku’s move towards providing traditional video-on-demand content is still in its infancy as no content providers have currently jumped on board. But if and when this on-demand service materializes, Roku owners will only have to download an update with the on-demand application to activate the service.

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Verizon Android devices get FiOS Mobile

Marc Flores — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:55:19 +0000

Verizon couch potatoes throw your hands up! If you have a DROID or Eris on Verizon, and you’re a FiOS customer, you can get FiOS Mobile on your phone now. You can check TV listings, adjust parental controls, set your DVR and even check out Videos On Demand with the new mobile application. Verizon also included a nifty little storage space indicator to let you know when it’s time to delete those episodes of Jersey Shore that you’ve already seen a dozen times. Let us know how it works out for you, will you?

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Amazon to offer $2.99 HD TV shows soon?

Kelly Hodgkins — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:08:55 +0000

Hot on the heels of Apple’s recent announcement of HD movie rentals and purchases, Amazon is rumored to be readying HD content for its Amazon Video on Demand service. Apparently Google search bots have indexed some Amazon pages, like the Law & Order page above, that show HD content for $2.99 per episode. The same cached pages also suggest the availability of season passes for this HD content — a potentially great feature if the price is right. Clicking on any link within the cached pages bring you to the main page of Amazon’s Video on Demand page suggesting that this HD content is not ready to go live… At least not yet. It’s probably safe to assume however, that a formal announcement will be coming soon.

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Roku officially adds support for Amazon Video On Demand

Kelly Hodgkins — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:54:37 +0000

Roku announced this morning that it would be adding Amazon Video On Demand to its portfolio of available online video content, bringing the grand total up to two. Roku owners will be able to rent or purchase movies and televisions shows from Amazon’s 40,000-title-strong Video On Demand service after an update that will be rolled out over the course of the next week to enable this service on all Roku boxes. With Netflix as the cornerstone, Amazon content as a supplement and YouTube supposedly on the way, the $99 Roku box keeps looking better and better.

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Roku’s VOD service to include integrated YouTube?

Joshua Karp — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:57:13 +0000

While there’s nothing more than a rogue screen-shot to go by at the moment, we wouldn’t rule this one out as a possible feature of the upcoming Roku software revision. Currently in private beta, Roku is testing its new Amazon VOD integration into what was previously a one-trick Netflix streaming pony. The integration with Amazon Video was a boon for anyone looking to extend the functionality of their little Roku and if the shot above is to be believed, we might see that value extended even further. Sounds good, right? While it’s still quite a ways off from being a direct competitor to the Apple TV, the price is far more appealing for anyone looking to add a bit of streaming VOD to their home theater setup and it’s becoming more and more viable as a legitimate option for serious movie and video enthusiasts. Now all we need is a little Hulu support and we’ll consider ourselves more than happy. You listening Roku? Mmmmk, thanks.

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