DirecTV for iPhone is probably one of my most used apps. It allows me to schedule recordings to my DVRs anywhere with an Internet connection. I have yet to find a use for an iPad version though, until now. DirecTV just updated its iPad version of the app and it now includes live video streaming.
The new streaming feature doesn’t come without a few caveats, though. One of the most annoying is that you have to be on the same network as your receiver. It remains to be seen if you can trick this with some VPN wizardry. This makes the feature a lot less appealing, but I suppose it will make trips to the bathroom during the next season of Big Brother less stressful.
There also seems to be limitations on which channels you can view. TUAW reports that pay channels were unavailable during their testing. We will be sure to test it out and update you on our findings.
Along with the streaming addition, the new version of DirecTV for iOS allows you to modify start and end times of a recording. This feature comes in handy when Obama breaks in during How I Met Your Mother to tell you that insurance is still too expensive.
Streaming to iOS is the latest trend, with premium channels all jumping on board with stand alone apps. Seeing services like DirecTV, AT&T and Comcast bringing streaming options to the table will hopefully put an end to having to have an app for each channel. Although it’s debatable which is more appealing, Live vs On Demand.
The new version is available now via the App Store link below. Be sure to comment on your channel findings and how you like it.
Source: TUAW
