Tivit Turns Heads With Free TV For The iPhone

[Michael Essany]

A lot of cool developments lie ahead for the iPhone - the evidence of which is mounting daily. And as a host of new gadgets and software get the red carpet treatment courtesy of CES, a lot of people are talking about Tivit, which serves as an external TV tuner for the iPhone, your PC, and even a few other smart phones on the market. The Tivit is aiming to take Mobile DTV to the next level by "beaming local TV stations to handhelds" all for the amazing price of zero dollars - minus the cost of the Tivit device itself, of course.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

When television stations nationwide switched to broadcasting exclusively in a digital format last June, the possibilities for live, local TV on-the-go opened up. From netbooks with equipped with Mobile DTV to cell phone prototypes, consumers will soon have a variety of ways to access real-time TV anywhere.

Free TV will be made possible on the iPhone through the nifty little tuner box. By simply extending the antenna and firing up a corresponding app, you've got TV on your handset even in the absence of internet connectivity. For now, the Tivit only serves us access to about three dozen channels, but that is expected to change once the device hits the market and opportunities for growth materialize.

The Tivit is compatible with the third-gen iPod Touch, BlackBerry devices with Wi-Fi connectivity (sorry BlackBerry Storm and Tour users) and Motorola Android phones. The Tivit is pretty small, measuring 2 by 3.5 by 0.5-inches thick (about the size of a deck of cards), but it still means lugging around an extra device. Fully charged, the Tivit can run for three hours of continuous TV reception.

Although the Tivit is the talk of the town (at least in some circles) right now, it could be a little premature to expect the device to take off and follow the hype. A bit bulky, at least when you consider the unwieldy antenna that takes your iPhone back to the cell phones of the early 1990s, the Tivit, nonetheless, could still see considerable success given that there is no paid subscription plan required to use the device and watch TV on your iPhone.

Without nitpicking, the Tivit is getting good reviews from those who have seen it in action. With reports of Tivit drawing a sharp, clear video, the first affordable devices that provide us with a live TV signal might not necessarily be the most attractive gadgets, but they could still thrive if a quality service is provided. And, according to initial reports, the picture quality from the Tivit seems to be winning people over. The real test, however, will come when the $120 device formally rolls out later this year.

Image via San Francisco Chronicle

[battlecrushr]

Wait this is only for ipt3g

[awesomeSlayer]

Wait this is only for ipt3g

Great...I was looking to this. Crap!

[whereswaldo]

SOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY I HAVE A IPT3, any idea how much it might cost?

[pewpew magoo]

Must.. resist.. laughter..

Why oh why show an Android phone???

[Plimptastic]

From this picture it seems like it runs on iPhone as well.

[chakraj]

I have had my slingbox for years and its free except for the box.I sling on my iphone all the time, Live TV for free. So whats new here?

[hollow0]

I have had my slingbox for years and its free except for the box.I sling on my iphone all the time, Live TV for free. So whats new here?

I want a box but i don't want to pay so much money for it. How does this slingbox work chakraj?

[southfrisco]

The Tivit is compatible with the third-gen iPod Touch, BlackBerry devices with Wi-Fi connectivity (sorry BlackBerry Storm and Tour users) and Motorola Android phones. The Tivit is pretty small, measuring 2 by 3.5 by 0.5-inches thick (about the size of a deck of cards), but it still means lugging around an extra device. Fully charged, the Tivit can run for three hours of continuous TV reception.

The quote is wrong. You are missing the iPhone 3G and 3Gs.

Tivit streams Mobile DTV to your iPhone, BlackBerry, and PC | CES 2010 - CNET

Compatible devices include the iPhone 3G and 3GS, third-generation iPod Touch, BlackBerry phones with Wi-Fi, and Windows PCs.

[thetoothfairy]

I want a box but i don't want to pay so much money for it. How does this slingbox work chakraj?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4HKG7QAafE]YouTube - How to Watch Live TV on Your iPhone: Slingbox[/ame]


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Cdl546xEQ]YouTube - SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone[/ame]

[ddonuts4]

I'm biting this the instant it comes out lol. It looks awesome.

Oops- stupid iPod autocorrect- "biting" - lol I meant buying

Apple will probably reject the iPhone app to play it.

[chakraj]

Those videos are old, the current version runs very smoothly and relatively quickly also. You just buy a slingbox, then connect it to any sources you may have. I have mine with a cable right from the wall running into the slingbox. But you can hook it to a DVR or TIVO or HDSource, or all of the above and choose on the fly.

Well once you have the box hooked up you just need an internet connection to get the stream out to the world. then log into any slingplayer (a free download for mac and pc) with your account and control watch your local TV and all you pay for is the BOX, well and you need some sort of source also.

[chuckiecheese]

Slingbox is enough for me. You can watch on wifi and 3G if you have a jailbroken phone.

[willryan42]

Wouldn't these TV streaming apps use a ton of data? (for those not on an unlimited plan)

[StealthBravo]

I love my slingbox

[n00neimp0rtant]

How is it possible that you can get free live TV on your phone, but you still have to pay for it...on your TV?

BTW thanks guys for no one calling it the "telly"

[thedanks]

anyone know how to get 2 hd sources running through a slingbox pro hd, is it possible?

[rhekt]

".....at least when you consider the unwieldy antenna that takes your iPhone back to the cell phones of the early 1990s..."

"..The Tivit is compatible with the third-gen iPod Touch, BlackBerry devices with Wi-Fi connectivity (sorry BlackBerry Storm and Tour users) and Motorola Android phones..."

missinformation gives you....

[chakraj]

I would have loved to walk up to the stand at CES and be like oh ya TV on your iphone, I have that. then pull it out of my pocket and show everyone

[tudtran]

Wow new products for 2010.