Viewing TV recordings on portable devices

[RudyTivo]

I'm trying to find a way to watch TV recordings on a portable device, in this case an iPhone 5. What is the best way to do this?

Simplest method I'm finding involves just converting the WTV files, the file type WMC uses, to one that iPhone supports.

Is there a better way that may involve apps? I would also like to incorporate cloud storage (preferably a personal cloud storage set up at home) since WTC files tend to be large files.

[Crash2009]

XBMC works pretty good over LAN. MB3 is great over LAN or WAN.

I had XBMC playing LIVE TV on a Iphone 4. Come to think of it that old phone might have been a 3.

You don't have to convert anything. XBMC or MB3 will convert and stream at the same time.

[DrSmith]

Remote Potato is still getting the job done for us on iPads. It offers a choice of playback quality which is nice to support in home WiFi versus public WiFi throughput. There is a charge for the remote potato iOS apps, however.

[tony_park]

I use VLC on my android tablet, either over the network, or copying the wtv file directly on to the device's memory.

[3rob3]

Media Browser 3, or Plex. You can't run XBMC (Kodi) on iOS unless you jailbreak.

[choliscott]

I'll second Media Browser 3. Not sure how the app is on the IPhone, but it was $5 on Android. Once it's setup, I can stream either recorded Shows or even live TV over the net to the device (as long as the recordings/channels are set as "copy freely")

[Crash2009]

I'll second Media Browser 3. Not sure how the app is on the IPhone, but it was $5 on Android.

I didn't have to buy an app for the S4 to run MB3. You shouldn't need an app for Iphone5 either. Just get Chrome, setup two bookmarks http://your.Internal.I.P:8096/mediabrowser and http://your.external.I.P:8096/mediabrowser

[jmebd]

I've not tried Media Browser 3 (just found out about it from this thread) but I LOVE Plex for watching my stuff. Dunno if MB3 does it or not but I can watch stuff with Plex anywhere even not at home.

[Crash2009]

I've not tried Media Browser 3 (just found out about it from this thread) but I LOVE Plex for watching my stuff. Dunno if MB3 does it or not but I can watch stuff with Plex anywhere even not at home.

MB3 does all that too. I dumped XBMC (Plex is an off-shoot or fork of XBMC) in favor of MB3's new Live TV feature at the time. MB3 allows me to stream Live TV to anywhere. I travel a lot, it's nice to have the Weather Channel with me all the time, or, if I can't get home in time to watch a playoff game. There are no middlemen (I don't need MyPlex) or anything like that. Back home I did have to upgrade my internet provider upload speed. I like the direct connection with my HTPC from wherever I am. I have about 160 channels to my phone. I gave my daughter the use of one of my tuners. She watches from an IPhone or IPad. Nothing to install as far as I know, except maybe Chrome. No protected channels at present and I'm not sure there ever will be.

[RudyTivo]

So MB3 is another Media Center that has the capability of streaming content to other devices or does it work with WMC?

For recordings and live Tv, how is the quality of video over Wifi and Data connections? Is their an option of downloading tv recordings to an iPhone compatible file format to view in better quality?

[sbaeder]

It interfaces with the same back-end server to WMC for live TV, so it basically works WITH WMC (possibly on a different machine) for the live tv streams and also for basic recording. Once recorded (assuming no DRM issues), it can then stream the WTV file, etc.

[Crash2009]

So MB3 is another Media Center that has the capability of streaming content to other devices or does it work with WMC?

For recordings and live Tv, how is the quality of video over Wifi and Data connections? Is their an option of downloading tv recordings to an iPhone compatible file format to view in better quality?

http://mediabrowser.tv/

PQ, (picture quality) on my Samsung S4, is equal to or better, than my wired 1080 TV.

Don't even think about 2.4 GHZ WiFi, you will be disappointed.

5.0 GHZ WiFi works great.

You don't need to download to the phone first, unless your home internet Upload Speed Sucks.

4G LTE works great.

[ileenback]

I've been using nPlayer for iOS, also connects with HD homerun prime (DLNA) for live TV.

[kd6icz]

I wish Media Browser's website gave more details about what it is and how it works...

[Crash2009]

I wish Media Browser's website gave more details about what it is and how it works...

Try clicking the support tab. Bet you cant read it all within 30 days.

http://mediabrowser.tv/support/

basically you have to have a properly setup WMC. WMC Server collects WMC (Guide, Channels, Libraries, Etc.), and interfaces all that with MB3. MB3 puts it all together and streams it wherever you want. On the client Windows machines you have to install WebM to be able to view HTML5. I believe that Chrome Browsers have HTML5 built in all ready.

[kd6icz]

Well I'm building a brand new server as we speak. I hope to have it operational by this evening. This is my first time setting up RAID. So it should be interesting. Maybe I'll install Media Browser while I'm at it. It can even stream protected content and live tv?

[Crash2009]

^I guess you better read fast. I ain't gonna spoon feed ya. Start with Post #9^

[kd6icz]

Lol! Ok. Well it does live tv. I'm not sure about live encrypted tv... If it's a transcoder I would assume that if WMC is playing it then MB3 should be able to transcoder it for mobile use. I'm trying to find a replacement for my Slingbox.

[kd6icz]

I don't get it...

[kd6icz]

I was finally able to get an answer over at the Media Browser forum that MB won't work for me.... No CableCARD copy once transcoding. Oh well....