Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
require to look out TV on your iPad or iPhone ? channel lay down it sluttish , as long as you have the proper hardware .
Best Prices Today: Channels
I ’m a long - time electric cord cutting tool , but the increasingly chopped - up world of programme , line , and sole computer programming available via websites and apps rag me enough that I bought an over - the - air ( OTA ) wireless so I could at least have a honest rootage for major networks and PBS . By itself , the gimmick just sit on the connection ; it has to be paired with useful software . That ’s where Fancy Bits ’ newChannels app for iOS($15 on theiTunes Store ) comes in , a sequel and complement to the developer ’s Channels app for Apple TV , previously reviewed .
Required hardware
The iOS app lets you look out and buffer live television on an iOS gimmick with an A7 or newer central processing unit , thus starting with the iPhone 5s , iPad Air , and iPad miniskirt 2 ( not the original ) , and both iPad Pro models . The software include a no - fee unceasingly updated programing grid , so you could see current and approaching shows as well as episode description for most station in most markets .
An mechanically updating program storage-battery grid with episode details come with the app with no subscription fee required .
Channels requires a networked television radio receiver made bySiliconDust — any of its HDHomeRun serial publication , which Ipreviously brush up . TheHDHomeRuncomes in three US models ; the HDHomeRun Connect ( $ 100 MSRP ; $ 85 onAmazon ) and the HDHomeRun Extend ( $ 180 onAmazon ) receive only OTA broadcast ; the HDHomeRun Prime ( $ 123 onAmazon ) can also take a CableCard ( where available ) to tune a subset of cable length programing and only on some systems . All have two simultaneously useable OTA piano tuner and ask just a single coaxial cable assemblage for an antenna . They cost from about $ 90 to $ 120 . Non - US versions are available and Channels for Io works in several other countries , include Canada and the UK .
Channels automatically figures out your television system mart and populates station info .
All three example connect to a connection via ethernet . Because iOS streams over Wi - Fi , you might confront some stream issues with uncompressed television over an 802.11n meshwork that do n’t crop up with a pumped connection , such as a laptop or computer also plug into via ethernet . ( Channels does n’t endorse remote wake of lively telly , because it relies on the LAN - only HDHomeRun hardware . )
Two of the HDHomeRun model stream uncompressed MPEG2 broadcast video , which for HD programing can eat up 18 to 20 Mbps of web bandwidth , according to Fancy Bits . The third model , Extend , has build - in H.264 concretion , which dramatically reduces internet throughput , and which channel also put up decoding for display . Channels does n’t support the scene - in - picture video selection that cultivate on new iPads in iOS 9 , as the developers had to build a custom video player .
Where available , Channels provide installment item .
Tuning OTA via a networked machine that croak along the already - digital signal has appealingness if you want ready access to computer programing from any machine on your connection instead of being tethered to a television set bent , its antenna ( or a consecrated external one ) , and a TV set ’s typically frightful substance abuser port . HDHomeRun models all let in two TV tuners , allowing multiple equipment on the same connection to watch programing at once , whether using epithelial duct or digital video recorder ( DVR ) software . The app also support using multiple HDHomeRun whole on the same mesh if you have heavy DVR and view needs .
Using Channels
There ’s little to configure in Channels . The preferences consider automatically finds HDHomeRun devices , but they can be added manually if your internet filters the Universal Plug and Play ( UPnP ) substance used by the tuners . The app figure out your geographical locating from the line list that add up up ( place call letter are encoded in broadcasts ) and should dwell your groove list with station name and provide programming detail when you crop and melody .
transmission channel includes a programing guide for option and sequence details where when useable ; it seems to cover almost everything across the Seattle broadcast market . It can also cushion live transcription up to as much as 90 minutes , allowing pause , tight forward , and rewind . The accurate buffer sizing is throttle by available storage on the iOS machine . Exiting the distribution channel sentiment like a shot deletes the buffer storage , which seems like a bad design choice unless a user alternate channel .
The app has two main views : On Now and Guide . On Now show favorites that you foot in the options CRT screen by select an HDHomeRun equipment , letting you exclude canal you do n’t look out . For example , in my region , there are many higher - numbered channels that offer non - English , religious , and shopping programs I never see . And some local post have multiple HD poor boy - channels , some of which are dedicated to genres ( like Westerns , slyness , and black - and - white movies ) that you may favour or deflect .
The On Now guide shows the current program fine art , like a television serial “ card ” with an image and the show ’s name , while the Guide shows upcoming programs . Because this is n’t a DVR app , you ca n’t schedule recording , but you’re able to see what ’s follow up on the channel . tip a screen in On Now or the Guide convey up episode selective information and a Watch Now clit . I ’d favour being able-bodied to hold and press or utilize 3D Touch to bypass the instalment screen . In the Guide horizon , rap the channel name accomplishes that , but it ’s not uncommitted in On now .
you could hook left and right to jump back 7 sec or forwards 30 seconds ; those parameters ca n’t be changed , but they ’re mostly the correct length to replay something you miss in the buffer or skip a commercial message . you could also scrub through the recorded buffer with a finger . The app lets you select closed captioning and alternating audio tracks option ( not always usable ) .
Not just on your iPhone or iPad
The app supports AirPlay , so you may pass the audio or audio and video to another supported equipment . If you have a quaternary - generation Apple telecasting and plan to watch over a fair amount of broadcast programming , it may make sense to endue $ 25 Channels . channel for iOS is punk ( $ 15 ) and gives you the flexibility to tramp , but you may get tired of messing around with AirPlay . At the moment , the iOS version of the app offers a scheduling grid , which is n’t yet in the Apple TV version .
You ca n’t directly use transmission channel for iOS on a Mac , but there ’s a middling clever workaround . secure in an iOS equipment to the Mac with a Lightning cable , and then set in motion QuickTime Player and pick out New > New Movie Recording . Pick the iOS gimmick as the source in the dropdown computer menu . Even without recording , you ’ll get the alive display from the equipment , including while television channel is running . ( The audio luger may be set to zero in QuickTime Player : jiggle the Spanish pointer over the screen and then conform the audio yield . )
With the HDHomeRun Prime good example that supports a CableCard in addition to OTA broadcast , Channels can decrypt normal ClearQAM unencrypted communication channel and encrypted QAM stations via the CableCard , but the app does n’t yet have certification for digital - rights carry off ( DRM ) programming . The developer still have n’t decided whether to pursue that . Cable operators may employ DRM on only premium offerings ( like HBO ) , on all non - broadcast Stations of the Cross , or on everything . If you ’re interested in this option , chequer with your cable operator or discussion meeting place for your supplier to cipher out compatibility . ( The FCChas contrive to get disembarrass of the CableCardin favor of software program integration , too . )
Channels isnota digital video recording equipment ( DVR ) ; it only offers an extended recording buffer from the presently select alive duct . For DVR function with an HDHomeRun machine , you could useGeniatech ’s eyeTVsoftware , MythTV for OS X , orHDHomeRun DVR(currently in a paid beta for Mac ) . Fancy Bitsalso has a DVR app in the work , but does n’t have a exit date .
Bottom line
If lively television has been a missing or irritating - to - economic consumption piece for your view pleasure , channel plus a networked tuner pulls it neatly into your iPhone , iPod touch , or iPad .
