Well, it appears we’re moving in the wrong direction as it relates to the NCAA tournament, and it’s availability for those of us that have “kicked out cable”.    Unlike previous years where streaming was free for all, this year the NCAA has announced  that tourney games will only be available to subscribers, and not even all of them!

Contrary to what’s written in a Time.com article, the cost is free.  Great you say right!?  The coverage is free ONLY to cable subscribers!  Nice huh.  It get’s worse for the subscribers…the streaming isn’t available to all subscribers, only  77% of them will be able to use the viewing pass for the NCAA Tournament this year.  The balance of the cable subscribers seem to be stuck in purgatory with a cable company that didn’t get the paperwork completed in time for this years tourney.  Irrelevant for Cord Cutters, but an interesting tid-bit of info.

For those with cable subscriptions

Cable subscribers can view all of the games online, thru one of the following methods.

NCAA Website streaming - this site will show streams and highlights of all games depending on your cable subscription

NCAA iOS Application for iPhone, iPad, iTouch and other i devices – Download the 2013 NCAA Tournament application for Apple devices

NCAA Google Android OS - Download the 2013 NCAA Tournament application for Google Android OS devices

Cord Cutters options for 2013 March Madness

All is not lost for Cord Cutters.  Games that are scheduled for CBS coverage will still be viewable live on the NCAA website, although we wouldn’t encourage choosing that over beautiful unadulterated Over the Air QAM modulated High Definition signal received by your handy HD Antenna, if you have the choice.  Unfortunately, the game schedule for CBS is pretty light, as compared to TNT, TruTV and TBS.    The current schedule notes CBS broadcast games which will be streamed for free.

For what it’s worth – 4 Hours Free Streaming

The NCAA has baited everyone this year with a twist.  The world, including those of us without cable, will be allowed to view 4 hours of the tournament for free.  That’s right, free.  This 4 hour period does not include replays or highlights, so time watching those won’t deduct against your 4 hours.  Once the four hours has expired, you’ll be able to continuue listening to the games via the NCAA March Madness Live Radio…or rush out and subscribe to the Cable Conglomerates for unfettered access to the tourney this year.

Keeping this post open

I’m going to keep this post open, and notes fresh, as the tourney get’s underway.  Any news on viewing options for the tournament will be added here as I find/hear about them.  Please share with us how you’re watching the 2013 March Madness in the comments section below.

*Update, with the Sweet 16 brackets filling up, no new streaming options have arisen.  My picks aren’t aren’t going so well;  thinking about the particulars of watching live sports on Roku devices and streaming espn on Roku.  NCAA, if you’re listening, what we want is High Definition NCAA on Roku next year, please!  until then…Good luck with your brackets!

2013 March Madness – How to watch online is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Apple TV 2 owners listen up!  XBMC development has recently squared things away with the Apple TV 2 and iOS thru 6.1, bridging the ecosystem gap between Apple content and the rest of the world.  Now, the fantastically easy to use interface of XBMC is available to your AppleTV, along with a plethora of additional content and viewing/streaming options!  Here is a quick write up on the install of XBMC on an Apple TV.

XBMC, for those of you who don’t know, is a free, open source, cross platform media player that will stream almost all popular content formats, from most all popular online and network streams or disk.  XBMC versions 10 and up provide support for the Apple TV to render 720P H.264 encoding directly from the stream.

We are working to get our hands on an AppleTV 2 to do some testing on this setup.   Codec support is supposed to include MPEG-1, MPEG-2, H.263, MPEG-4 SP and ASP, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), HuffYUV, Indeo, MJPEG, RealVideo, RMVB, Sorenson, WMV and Cinepak.  Please send us your notes, feedback and experience  relevant to this setup!

XBMC now “plays” with Apple TV 2 is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

The FCC just released an interesting Order in which they granted the cable operators the right to encrypt basic channel packages on digital systems, IF they comply with certain consumer-protection measures.  Under the auspices of gaining provisioning efficiencies for the cable operators, the FCC goes on to point out that the ruling will have an impact on a “small number of subscribers who currently view the digital basic service tier without using a set-top box or other equipment”.   This ruling also impacts Cord Cutters that pull local channels off their cable line.  Protecting that “small number of subscribers”, they went on to say that if the cable operator decides to encrypt this tier, they (the 6 largest incumbent cable operators) will be required to comply with additional measures to ensure compatibility with third party equipment currently being used to view basic packages now.  Boxee, HTPC, Hauppauge users, this FCC order will have to be addressed sooner rather than later it seems.

The FCC Media Bureau hypothesizes that allowing encryption of the clear QAM signals would reduce cost, improve customer service, and reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, via the newfound capability to remotely handle connect and dis-connects.  All you cable folks should start seeing lower cable bills and improved service soon…keep waiting.

Consumer Protection Measures were implemented by the FCC to “reduce burden’s on subscribers” during this transition period.  This is where things get interesting for us Cord Cutters.  The FCC is requiring cable operators, again the 6 largest incumbent, to provide equipment that is compatible with IP-enabled clear-QAM devices provide by third parties.

Boxee has been fighting the good fight for us here…or at least it seemed that way early on in the banter.   Letters sent to the FCC by Boxee advocated an approach that would “guarantee that by July 2013 Boxee devices can access basic tier signals without additional hardware”.  Essentially, the FCC ignored Boxee’s request for compatibility by means of a hardware-free solution.  The FCC states “Under the equipment measure we adopt today, the vast majority of consumers will be able to access service that is encrypted using a commercial available security technology or via equipment with standard home-network capability in much the same was as they do today.”

What this all means for Cord Cutters is a little unclear at the moment.  What’s evident, is that our beloved clear QAM signals pulled off that cable line for free are soon to be gone.  Boxee, Hauppauge, and HTPC owners listen up. Installing an HD Antenna may be your only option to receive broadcast quality local channel content.

We’d love to hear your comments on the FCC clear QAM encryption ruling and how you feel it will affect your content viewing.

FCC kills clear-QAM is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Kicking out cable requires planning and preparation to really enjoy the effort.  Part of this planning entails recording OTA (Over The Air) content at the time of broadcast.  Viewing recorded content makes the most out of time spent watching the glowing rectangle.  Given this, it’s logical that the DVR is an essential for every Cord Cutters toolbox.

The Channel Master CM 7400 is a DVR that’s up to the task of recording TV, in addition to a few other tricks. With dual ATSC Tuners, a QAM Tuner and a dual channel DVR, this unit has more ways to ingest and present 6Mhz of video bandwidth than you can shake a stick at.  Want to record two games at once, no problem.  Want to watch a recorded show while recording two more, you got it!   Pause, rewind and record live TV, it’s all snap with the CM 7400.

So What’s in the box?

Ok, this is not your typical un-boxing, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to list out the box contents and a few surprises.  Channel Master has set itself apart here, and deservers a few bonus points.  I won’t give it away…you figure out what the **surprise** is!

CM 7400 Credit photo: Channel Master

• Channel Master CM-7400 DVR Tuner extravaganza
• User Guide and Quick Start Guide
• Universal Infra Red Remote
• AC Adapter
• AA Batteries
• **Composite and Stereo Cable**
• **RF Coaxial Cable**
• **HDMI Cable**

When is the last time you’ve seen cables, especially HDMI, included in a product like this?  Good job Channel Master.  I’ve always considered it a “FAIL” when manufacturers retail a product costing hundreds of dollars and can’t seem to include a required 10 dollar cable.  We’re looking at you HP…

Network Connections

Network connectivity for the CM 7400 is established via wired or wireless connection.  The wireless connection is achieved thru the array of antenna integrated across the back of the device.  The DVR can be connected to most types of wireless networks including 802.11 b, g and n.   If you’re fortunate enough to have an actual physical network connection in/around your media center, the wired RJ-45 connection will be your preferred method for network and internet connection.

AV Connections Credit Photo:Channel Master

Video and Audio Connections

Video and audio connections include HDMI, Digital Audio, Stereo Audio, RCA component and composite video, RF loop thru output and RF Antenna/QAM input.  While HDMI is sure to be the most commonly used format, having the composite video could be very handy for specific applications, like side jacking a Sling Box into the system.  I’m glad they included a QAM tuner, even though I don’t imagine it’s a widely used function.  Those with broadband cable internet service may see unencrypted QAM signaling on the cable line.  If your cable provider is sending QAM in the clear, you can use the DVR to tune and record those programs. If not, your relinquished to the to most outstanding quality of all, that pure uncompressed  OTA content received with your HD antenna.

The setup

The CM-7400 uses a setup wizard to walk you thru configuration of network connections, finding channels on your antenna or cable, and video settings.  The process is quick and painless, taking less than 5 minutes from start to finish, depending on your area.   The receiver is quiet sensitive, finding more channels with reliable signal than my LG TV using the integrated ATSC tuner.  There’s just no more to say here…plug it up and start using it!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention heat here.  Once installed, I noticed this unit runs hot.  Probably 20 degrees warmer than my Marantz receiver.  Channel Master has addressed this directly, stating it’s ok, not to worry.  Frankly, I’m not surprised.  With the amount of electronics crammed into this little box, and the lack of a fan, high temperatures are expected.  Channel Master is standing behind the product with a full 1 year warranty.  Moving along…

Recording Capacity

Capacity of the internal 320GB hard drive works out to about 35 hours of HD recording and up to 150 hours of SD recording.  While this time could vary depending on content type and encoding used, the storage provided has been more than adequate to keep pace with our viewing habits.  Multiple users are reporting that the internal hard drive can be replaced with a larger “off the shelf” drive, thereby increasing the internal storage capacity with the twist of a few screws (and the new drive of course).  The USB port allows for connection of an external USB drive, from which you can play recorded content, and update the firmware.  Additionally, there is significant discussion surrounding the use of the e-Sata port for expansion storage space, however reports on success are varied and and have yet to be addressed by the manufacturer.

EPG Credit Photo:Channel MasterThe Guide

The Guide

The programming guide, or EPG in geek speak, is a big feature of the unit.  Using the PSIP standard (Program and System Information Protocol), you are able to view meta data including program title, time to air and play time, all from information received in the actual MPEG stream received from broadcast stations.  The guide of this unit is the object of much consternation given that the forward looking capability is only several days, not weeks in advance like cable or satellite boxes.  Channel Master must have anticipated this as they’ve capitalized on a premium EPG service that runs $49.99 a year and offers 14 days of program guide listings, and enhanced search functionality, in addition to a few other use nuances.  While the Premium guide ads some nice value, we’ve found the subscription free EPG to work plenty well enough to keep hands out of pocketbook.  Especially since there is always the option of using the DVR like a traditional VCR and configuring time/date based recordings for shows scheduled weeks out.

VUDU Credit Photo:Channel Master

Over The Top Streaming Content

VUDU is a OTT (Over the Top) content streaming service that boast more HD title films than any other provider.   The CM-7400 has integrated VUDU directly into the hardware.    Simply launch the app, choose your move, and begin streaming full 1080p HD movies directly to your TV.    You will want to make sure your internet connection is up for the job here, or you may experience some buffering.

The VUDU service is available without a monthly contract and, and the movies are typically priced similar to other services in the market (iTunes/Netflix/Amazon Prime).  The quality of content viewed thru the VUDU service is outstanding.  Full HD 1080p with Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Surround sound leaves little to nothing to complain about.

At roughly $350.00, the CM-7400 is by no means a small investment. However, I feel that when balanced with the value it brings to the table in making quality recordings of broadcast HDTV, dual internal tuners and the integrated Electronic Program Guide, these things add up to making this unit an invaluable tool for a guy determined to Kick Out Cable. I’d love to hear about your experience with DRV’s, VUDU and recording HD tv. Please leave a note in the comment section below.

OTA Subscription Free Dual Tuner HDTV DVR is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Last week, Bloomberg published an article stating that Dish was in talks with Viacom about licensing an Over The Top service, to deliver smaller packages at lower prices. They went on to say that Univision Communications and Scripps Networks Interactive were also involved in the negotiations.  The big cable providers see the numbers.  Just this past year, both total number of cable subscribers, and average time people spent watching traditional content has declined roughly 1.5%.  The tide has turned for the big content providers, and no-longer will mediocre programming supported by poor service retain customers.

These conversations are, or should be, of particular interest to the cord cutting community. Over the last decade, content aggregators, your local cable company, have raised package pricing far in excess of inflation.  At the same time, consumers are watching less and less of the packages they purchase.  By the numbers, the average person watches just 16% of the channels they receive in a typical cable package.  This is down nearly 10% from 10 years earlier.  These trends, specifically the phenomenal pricing increases, have led to special attention from the FCC and potentially regulated de-bundling.  While regulatory oversight of cable aggregator bundling practices may be beneficial, the real win for consumers will come when content owners, the likes of Disney/ESPN/TBS, begin to offer their content directly to subscribers bypassing the aggregators all-together.

The demand on service providers to make content available over the internet, and playable on tablets and phones alike is strong and getting stronger. Like land line telephones, soon the day will come when it’s more of an oddity than the norm to have cable delivering TV to your house.

Here’s to hoping Dish, Univision and Scripps have great success in de-bundling our most valued content and freeing those still tethered to cords.

Cord Cutters Unite!  Follow us on our Facebook page for more conversation with like minded “cord cutters”.

Dish pushes for content de-bundling and Over The Top delivery is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Football season can be very demanding for sports fans, so preparedness is crucial.  A good game plan is required to ensure no action is missed.   For a “cord cutter”, the inevitable question arises, how can I watch NFL without cable?  No worries, I’ve listed out a few plays that will have you warmed up and ready for the bone crunching entertainment!     As  we’ve said before, no solution is perfect, but watching sports without cable is totally doable.

Typical antenna installed at chimney

The Antenna Play

Your first play for watching the NFL without cable starts with a basic HD antenna.  Choosing the best HDTV antenna to start with helps ensure this effort provides good results.   These antenna are not terribly expensive, and once properly installed, will provide you some of the best quality images you’ll see anywhere.  Typically much better than Comcast or DirecTV can provide.  You’ll be pleaseantly surprised how good the picture quality is, and the price is hard to beat!  I’ve installed entire systems for less than 50$, your mileage may vary.

The NFL Sunday Ticket Play

Your second play for NFL without cable works on games that aren’t on your local broadcast stations, like those on Sunday. Currently, DirecTV offers the NFL Sunday Ticket as an ad-hoc service, meaning you don’t to be a subscriber to get this package.  The Sunday Ticket gives you live access to every out-of-market game, every Sunday!   Here’s the catch!  DirecTV states “It’s available to anyone that cannot get DIRECTV at their residence due to line-of-sight issues.”   Hint: This is easily overcome for most folks, especially those that live in apartments or condominiums that don’t allow balcony or roof attachments for dish mounting (in spite of FCC regulations deflating this position).   DirecTV is not interrogating subscribers on their reception capability when signing up for the Sunday Ticket App, they just take your money and give you access.

While the price is a little steep at $250.00, I appreciate the fact that they’ve reduced the package by $100.00 from last year. As an aside, I’ve heard multiple reports that the price is negotiable ($200), so don’t hesitate to ask for a discount.  The same subscription also allows you to view the games on your PS3, so at least the money has dual purpose, if you have a PS3 at the house.

What about picture quality?

Picture quality is outstanding on the iPad!  On occasion, I experienced a slight degradation in quality, but it seemed to only be intermittent, and not very frequent.  Overall, I’d say the stream is very watchable and provides a good user experience.  The user interface is easy to navigate and obviously customized for the online viewing experience.  I imagine at some point they will rework the app to include more stat’s and hopefully some fantasy football league data.

The AirPlay button

That little square with an arrow pointed up is the AirPlay button.  And if it worked all the time, it would be great!  Unfortunately, streaming these games to your TV using AirPlay is getting very mixed results from folks. Apparently the NFL has blocked AirPlay streaming from within the App, but some users are reporting AirPlay Mirroring to work. Mirroring requires the use of a special cable that connects your iPad directly to the TV using an HDMI signal. While the quality should be good, I don’t think the screen resolutions will match up properly, so you may have only a small portion of your TV screen showing the game. I’ll be picking up a cable to try this out for myself.

Also worth noting is that the iPhone 5, and it’s counterpart, iOS 6, are in no way compatible with the NFL Sunday Ticket version 1.8.1.   Actually, any device running the new iOS 6 breaks the app.  If you have an iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, or iPad, DO NOT upgrade your device to iOS 6, or you will be left in the cold waiting on a new release of the Sunday NFL Sunday Ticket App.

If you have comments or suggestions on using the NFL Sunday Ticket App, we would love to hear from you. I’m especially interested to hear about successful use of AirPlay to view Sunday Ticket on a TV.  Drop us a note in the comment section below.

How to watch NFL without cable is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

While not directly related to Cutting the Cord, Apple’s latest patent work certainly moves towards giving you a little more control over your TV viewing experience. The Commercial Killing Patent explains a process to automatically switch between broadcast media and locally stored media. While the process description begins with discussing  radio broadcast as subject example, language referencing video is clearly present throughout the Patent.  How fantastic would it be to have previously selected content displayed in place of that Erectile  Disfunction commercial that just interrupted your Sunday night Football game!

This Commercial Killing Patent from Apple would definitely change our media consumption experience, if it ever get’s to market.  So the question is, Would you miss watching commercials?

An Apple a Day Keeps Commercials Away! is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

What is AirPlay?

The Apple iOS/OS feature AirPlay allows users to stream video, audio and pictures from one device to another wirelessly, anywhere on the same network.    Apple tweaked the existing AirTunes protocol in 2010 to include video  and pictures in addition to audio, coinciding with the renaming of AirTunes to AirPlay.  Apple has since begun licensing AirPlay  to 3rd party manufacturers, increasing the number of AirPlay options in the marketplace.  This development is in addition to unlicensed development by folks like the XBMC Dev Team and others.  All of this means AirPlay is a must have in your media distribution tool-kit.

AirPlay screen

How does it work?

The Apple protocol, AirPlay, consist of two components.  A Media Pitcher and a Media Catcher.  The Media Pitcher prepares the media for transmission and sets up the stream.  The Media Catcher receives and presents the media to the connected device.    The two devices work together to stream and present media across a network, wired or wirelessly.  So, that football game your streaming on your iPad can be beamed to your TV using AirPlay.

The list of partners Apple has formal integration with is healthy, including top brands like Denon, Marantz, B&W and JBL to name a few.  While others work is less formal arrangements to  research and reverse engineer the inner workings of the AirPlay protocol.   All of this developer and manufacturer attention means the market is recognized and the technology is here to stay.  This is good news for those of us that enjoy beaming our content all over the house using a mis-match of hardware.

AirPlay and Xbox

Xbox’s running XBox Media Center (XBMC) have long been an integral tool in the “cord cutter’s” arsenal.  XBMC is a cross platform entertainment media hub, similar to Plex Media Server.  This media hub  dynamically indexes and presents a rich visual interface that allows users to browse all of their media using a remote control for interaction.  XBMC makes streaming our content across networks simple and beautiful.   Now with version 11 of XBMC, AirPlay is integrated and takes “in home media distribution” to a new level!   This current release allows your Xbox running XBMC to act as a Video Catcher, playing streams it receives wirelessly from your AirPlay device!   While the support is not complete, and a work in progress, the current implementation is stable and supports video, music and images on most all platforms, including Android!

The Future of XBMC and AirPlay

Who know’s what the future holds for AirPlay and Xbox.  What I know is that wireless transfer of media in-home is here to stay.  Apple recently included AirPlay in their OS and iOS updates.  The XBMC Dev team is actively meeting to strategize future releases.  Given the activity on both sides, Apple and XBMC, I’m expecting solid progress and additional integration.

Tell us about your experience with Xbox, XBMC and AirPlay in the comment section below.

AirPlay to Xbox is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

What is a Media Server?

A Media Server is a computer whose purpose in life is to stream your video, audio and pictures to you, on demand.  Let’s say you’re on the road traveling, and you want to watch a football game you recorded two days ago.   No problem with a Media Server.  Just launch the iPhone app, browse to the  Sports directory on your media center, and click play!  Kind of like cable, except different and better!

Views of Plex

Is the Mac Mini Media Server Material?

The Mac Mini has always been an enticing piece of hardware that demanded unique applications like serving media. The Mini footprint is compact, and it’s operating system is solid, making it a perfect fit for this type  of “set it and forget it” application. While the hardware itself is a perfect fit for the “Media Server” job, software is needed to round out this kit and convert the Mac Mini into Media Server.  Before we get into that, let’s talk processor cycles (horsepower).

What kind of horsepower does this Media Server thing require?

The newer Mac Mini models have more than enough power to transcode several streams concurrently, in addition to serving several additional streams to clients at the same time.   In other words, a new Mac Mini will have media streaming to all 3 TV’s in the house, and your iPhone, with no trouble.  But what if your Mini isn’t brand new?  If you have a older (2-3 yr. ago) Mac Mini, you should be fine as well, just know that the Mini may not handle as many concurrent video streaming sessions, but will still certainly get the job done for 1-3 TV viewing.  The biggest advantage of a newer model Mini aside from horsepower is the HDMI outputs, allowing for streaming of full HD resolution to your TV.

Why Plex?

There are lot’s of media servers out there, but the ease of use and functionality makes Plex an excellent choice for newbies and techies alike.  This should be no surprise as the software builds on the XBMC code that’s been serving media for years.   Aside from the obvious features including streaming video and media players, the notables of Plex are are;

• Access you content anytime from anywhere with virtually no configuration
• On the fly transcoding for mobile or lightweight mediaplayer
• Playback of archived HD content to basically any device on your network capable of receiving video streams like the Roku and XBox media players including soft clients
• Ease of Operation using a Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
• Playback of audio and images from media server
• Centralize Library Management System puts all of your media at your fingertips
• Automatically retrieves meta data from the internet for your content
• Automatically updates when you add new content to your media files
• Dynamic device recognition and transcoding by defined bit-rate
• HDHomeRun Integration for OTA streaming of your favorite football game.

The Plex interface displays your content in an easy to view graphical interface  allowing you to search by name, author, cover and more.  Browsing your home movies, iTunes content Hulu or the latest videos on YouTube has never been easier, and the visual organization of the Plex interface makes sorting thru your media collection a snap.

What is Plex?

Plex is really a two products designed to work together to stream your video, audio or pictures to you using a rich graphical interface.   The two products work together to provide an end-to-end solution for media consumption.  The first product, Media Server, creates the streams of media for consumption.  The Server also indexes your media, creates the menu system for your local content (movies, pictures, etc) and integrates with a plethora of online content providers, the likes of Hulu Plus, iTunes, Amazon Prime, PBS, CNN, Fox News, HGTV, Food Network, BBC, Netflix and more.  The second product, Media Center, or desktop Plex client “catch’s” the video streams and displays them on the screen.  Mobile Plex clients catch streams from the Plex Servers for mobile devices.

Plex also ties your online viewing experience to your home “media room” viewing experience by offering a synchronized bookmarking service of sorts.  Setting up a My Plex Account will allow browser queue management and sharing of your content. In other words, you’ll be able to save videos for viewing later on another device like your television at home while you’re sitting on the couch.  Sounds great right! It is.  And it’s easy!  Keep reading.

Installing Plex – Media Server Software

The installation and download for Plex, the Media Server Software couldn’t be easier.    Once the download is complete, fire off the install and let it do it’s thing.  When you are asked to locate your media, simply click to the directories where your video, audio and pictures are stored and the setup wizard will ingest the media and prepare vivid and informative menus indexing all of your content on the fly.   Adding your myPlex credentials in the Preferences menu allows you to publish your Plex server on the internet for remote viewing using a Plex client.  This publishing uses UPnP to connect thru your home router, so be sure UPnP is turned on in your router’s configuration.   Once the setup is complete, the next step is to load a Plex client.

Installing Plex – Media Clients

iPhone Plex Client

Having completed the Media Server install,  jump back to the Plex site and download a Plex mobile client or a Plex desktop client.  These clients are the virtual set top boxes used to catch and play the streams being sent from the Media Server.  With the heavy lifting done, this part of the setup is simple business.  After installing the client of your choice, simply add your myPlex credentials in the application preferences and you should be able to connect to your Plex Server straight away.  Streaming video from a mobile device could take some tweaking to get it just right, but the default bandwidth settings worked for us, even with less than 5 bars signal.  Catching up on Dexter episodes just got a lot easier! And, the On Deck and On Shelf features allow you to start watching a program on your phone, and finish watching it on your computer or home television. Reminds me of that DirecTV commercial where the guy pauses the robot war to resume watching it in the other room.  The On Deck and On Shelf features really are cool!

Have you Plex’d your Mini?

We’d love to hear about your Mac Mini used as a Media Server or Media Player.  Comments or suggestions are welcome in the area below.

How to use a Mac Mini as a Media Server is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Play Station 3 get’s the NFL Sunday Ticket for 2012!

Ohh sorry, that was 2011. Why are they making us wait!  What about 2012?  The internet is a-buzz with people everywhere looking for information on the 2012 NFL Sunday Ticket’s availability for the Play Station 3, similar to the 2011 arrangement  For those of us who have become accustomed to watching sports online without cable, the PS3 / NFL marriage was a beautiful thing! With games starting in just weeks, and still no news on this from the NFL or Sony, there’s still time in game to make something happen but both teams (Sony the NFL) will have to move fast.   In the event that all Sony and the NFL can’t work things out, you can always just buy and install your own HDTV Antenna to watch the games in your local DMA.

Trust we are watching this closely and will update you if news breaks.  Maybe there’s a new player coming into the game…Roku anyone?  Com’on NFL, we’re all waiting with baited breathe.

Update: Ok good, everything is squared away now for PS3 owners, the NFL App is available for download now. I don’t know why they treat the availability of this app with such secrecy each year? At any rate, we can all carry on with our regularly scheduled games.

How will you watch the 2012 Sunday Ticket?

What are your plans for watching the Sunday Ticket this season?  Please let us know in the comment section below.  We appreciate your comments and suggestions.

NFL Sunday Ticket 2012 on PS3 is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

NBC Streams to Pay TV Subscribers

NBC has extended viewing rights for their Live Video feeds to any “subscriber” of their MSNBC AND CNBC programs, on Cable, Satellite or Telco TV providers.  What this means is if you have BOTH of those services at home, you are also able to view the 2012 Olympics Live Video Feeds. You must be a Pay TV subscriber to view their 3500+ hours of streaming video content this year unless…

NBC Provides Live Video Tease

Even though NBC is requiring Pay TV Authentication to view their live video streams, they are letting you watch the stream without the afore mentioned authentication for a short period of time…but only a few hours…and only if you can get it to work. Basically they are saying, if you don’t know the password to authenticate with your content provider (DirecTV, Cox, ATT, other) they will give you a temporary pass to watch live streams. This same temporary pass seems to be available on the mobile app, but with mixed results in performance, and working at all.

A Better Way to Stream the 2012 Olympics

Anyone with an internet connection in the UK is able to watch live streams of the Olympics at bbd.com. Those outside of the UK however, aren’t able to view the live streams due to geographic blocking by web servers.  Sometimes, locations are blocked inaccurately, due to poor reporting by ISP’s to IANA about how they have allocated IP address space around the world.  If this is the case for you, there are a few ways around this geographic blocking issue. Below, we’ve listed two.

1. Sign up for a VPN service. This will allow you to view the BBC site, and appear as though you are in the UK. Setting up the Witopia VPN Service is fairly straight forward with solid FAQ’s for help, and online assistance if you get stick. During the signup process, you’ll have the option of choosing which country and city your want your traffic as coming from, avoiding the geographic blocking being employed by the BBC website. Once you have the VPN setup on your computer, simply point your browser to www.bbc.com and start streaming those 2012 games.

2. Sign up for a DNS Routing service. These types of services, like the one above, works behind the scenes to make your traffic appear to be coming from an un-blocked location. The added benefit to using a DNS Redirection services is that you connection isn’t slowed down by the added layer of a VPN as in the first solution. Additionally, there’s no software to install. Setting up this service is even easier that the one above. Start by setting up an account at UnBlock-us.com. The signup is quick and easy, basically just asking for your email address, and the country you want to show your traffic as coming from. Choose the UK as your “location”, then move on to your computer network settings to make the DNS changes that are necessary.

You’ll need to change your Adapter settings, DNS entries toMake them 208.122.23.22 and 208.122.23.23. UnBlock has detailed how to documentation on their Support Center if you need more info.

The setup process is complete. Point your browser to www.bbc.com and watch the 2012 games, without cable!

How has your Olympic viewing experience been?

We’d love to hear about how you’re watching the Olympics and from where.  Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

How to Watch the 2012 Olympics Live without Cable is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Which HD antenna is best?

Choosing the best antenna for HD off-air broadcast reception is an important piece of the process in receiving all that free high quality HD content.  If you haven’t seen HD off air programming you’re in for a real treat.  A properly aligned antenna feeding a quality HD television produces some of the best pictures you will see!  Neither cable nor satellite can compare to the picture quality from Over The Air (OTA) signals.  Let’s get on with setting up your new OTA antenna.  We will talk about how to choose the right antenna, a little of the math behind what makes for the best antenna and cable setup, and how to align the antenna based on your location.  Easy business!

First off, stores like your local Radio Shack, Target and Walmart will probably carry multiple models of antenna, ranging from something small that sits on your television and looks cute, to a huge array that mounts on your chimney. Selection of the best antenna for your area should be based on a few simple points.

Here’s a list of basic things you need to know before going HD antenna shopping.
-What channels do you want to receive. Make a list of them.
-What is the distance from your TV to your proposed antenna mounting location. This may be self evident as we move further thru this excercise of choosing the best antenna for your particular location.
-A basic map of your viewing location (home) with some notable landmarks you can use for antenna alignment. A simple line drawing or printed map will do fine here.

Use the Color Code System

Once you have collected this basic information, you can go use a nifty tool that is the fruit of collaboration between The National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association. This “antenna calculator” if you will, considers your location, known geological information, height above sea level and broadcast tower location information to make recommendations on the type of antenna system you need.

To get started, navigate to AntennaWeb.org and enter your location information. First, you’ll see a list of broadcast stations in your given area. Confirm the stations you want to see listed before moving on. If so, good, if not, go back and figure out where we took a wrong turn. Second, you’ll see a map showing radians that are highlighted as you mouse over different HD broadcast stations on the list. Basically what’s being shown here is what type of antenna you need to buy, based on the color code of the station radian, and what direction you need to point the antenna to receive a given broadcast station.

Real life examples of antenna plots

This particular situation, example picture below, in Houston is fairly easy. All of our UHF (Off-Air HD Stations are typically UHF) stations are located within 10 degrees of each other, allowing us to select the constant recommended antenna, a medium sized directional configuration. Furthermore, the single antenna in this design can be oriented in a single direction to receive all of the channels in our design.  The important thing to see here is simply that all the target viewing stations can be received by alining your antenna South South West.

Map of Houston Television Broadcast Towers

Here is another example, picture below, of a not so easy configuration. This broadcast tower set, located in Atlanta, includes towers in excess of 60 degrees apart, making single antenna solutions unlikely. Receiving each of the broadcast stations shown in this image would likely require 2 antenna, oriented such that each antenna was able to receive 2-3 of the stations. The cables could be combined using a common splitter/combiner in your attic, running a single cable down to your set top box for receiving. Situations requiring more than one antenna are significantly more involved, but not so complicated that they should be avoided by the average user. Just plan on a little more trial and error getting the perfect antenna alignment. The end result is worth it when you finally sit down in your living room and are able to pull in a dozen or more quality HD broadcast stations for free!

Map of Broadcast towers in New York

Below is an image showing a rundown of the various antenna type and correlating color codes. This chart was developed as a buying/install guide for Digital HD antenna. This chart was developed by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)

Antenna selector legend

What makes the right antenna right?

HD Antennas are made in a variety of sizes and shapes. The color coded system developed by CEA and NAB breaks antennas down into 7 sections, ranging from small multi-directional antenna to large directional antenna. Basically, What is important to remember is that you can’t change physics. Larger antenna have more gain (ability to collect the signal), and smaller antenna have less gain. There simply is no substitute for gain. Designs calling for large directional roof mount antenna require just that. Smaller antenna that bear marketing slogans like “Indoor HD High Gain Highest Signal Quality” are just small antenna, and will always be outperformed by a larger more appropriate antenna if that’s what your design called for. Size matters!

Once you’ve determined what type of antenna you need to purchase, by using the guide above, you’ll want to consider how the cable will be routed between the antenna and your HD Tuner.   Be conscious  of distance, and remember that the longer the cable run, the more signal loss you’ll have.  The more signal loss, the poorer the signal and the resulting picture on your TV screen.  Long cable runs are not your friend, keep the cable short!

How do these antenna add up?

The math here, if you’re interested, goes something like this. For every 100′ of average RG-6 coac cable used, you will see a signal loss of 1.5-2dB. Every connector used (1 for each end of the cable) will add a loss of about 2dB. So, assuming we start out with a 15dB gain antenna, minus 2dB for 100′ of cable, minus 4dB for two connectors, we are down to 11dB by the time our cable reaches the receiver inside the house. When this value get’s too low, you begin to loose the HD signal occasionally or all-together. Weather such as rain and snow also reduces signal received, so it’s important to have a strong enough signal that weather events don’t disrupt reception. Bottom line here is to use good quality connectors and keep the cable runs as short as possible.

Comments or Questions?

Take the time to plan your OTA installation  and you’ll reap the benefits of a well designed system with years of  quality of HD broadcast. OTA, also known as digital TV, is often better quality uncompressed modulation shaming what both satellite and cable networks offer, and the price is free!

Please let me know if you like this article or have any questions about the antenna selection or installation process in the comment section below. Good luck installing your high gain HD Broadcast Television antenna.

How to choose the best antenna for HD TV is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Roku is playing in the big leagues with todays announcement from major panel manufactures stating they will comply with MHL implementation standards and provide support for the forthcoming Roku Streaming Stick. Due to be released later this year, the Streaming Stick takes advantage of the MHL port, not the HDMI port, on newish TV’s. Check out the MHL Compatibility Site for a full listing of compatible televisions. This list is updated regularly, so check back if you don’t see the set your looking for at the time. Expect several more “B” and “C” panel dealers to show up on the list soon.

This new device, first debuted at the CES, will allow your MHL equipped television to play with services like Hulu Plus, HBO and the like without relying on the internals of the TV to keep up with streaming set top box technology. Chas Smith of Roku, said “The Roku Streaming Stick adds instant access to the leading streaming platform with virtually no overhead from manufacturers, while giving consumers the best streaming experience available” This is a big plus with the rate of change we are seeing in televisions and set top boxes.

The Roku Streaming Stick (credit:Roku)

For the techno hungry folks, here’s a few tidbits from wiki on the MHL specifications as they relate to HDMI.
-Power is transmitted thru the cable, unlike HDMI. Typically used for charging a mobile device or powering a MHL to HDMI dongle
- Resolution limited to 1080P
-Typical MHL connector is a micro USB, same as found on many mobile devices (hurry up Apple I now you’re working on it)
-Interoperability of devices guaranteed thru use of the HDTV remote control thru the CEC feature

So what does all of this mean to you? Basically, if you are in the market for a TV, make sure it’s on the list of compatible devices. This ensures you will be able to partake of the MHL/Roku goodness that’s to come with the Roku Streaming Stick release later this year and stream your favorite premium content shows to your new TV.

Roku sticks it to cable…again! is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Starting today, Apple TV owners can watch Hulu Plus on their big screen, including Hulu’s premium content.    Apple added the Hulu Plus icon to the home screen sometime in the past 48 hours, putting the service front and center for Apple TV users.   This addition of the Hulu lineup, at $7.99 per month, includes major networks like ABC, NBC and FOX to name a few.

Hulu has been a hold-out in joining Apple TV for some time, but with the broad reach of Apple’s AirPlay (Mountain Lion) it seems Hulu’s hand has been forced in their “by device” methodology approach to the market.   AirPlay is the Gigawidget of TV.  Wirelessly “Beam” content to your 60″ TV connected to your Apple TV, from your laptop!  This makes your laptop quiet a proficient television remote control.

This latest hardware partnership between Apple and Hulo rounded out the already robust lineup of hardware partners including Netgear, RCA, Samsung and many Android powered devices.    Tim Cook is clearing the  way to make Apple TV the preferred ecosystem for Premium Content providers.  And still somehow, Google TV is left in the cold.

To get started, go to Hulu on your computer and sign up for your account. Then straight to your Apple TV to watch Family Guy, The Office, Gossip Girl and more.

None of this makes Hulu Plus / Apple TV “The Single Solution” to well rounded TV viewing, but it sure does pave a few more steps in the path to Kicking Out Cable!

Hulu Plus brings new shows to Apple TV starting today! is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

In previous years, you could stream the NCAA^® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship online and through a number of mobile devices for free. In 2012, things have changed a bit. Streaming the basketball tournament is no longer free, but CBS, the NCAA and their partners have made it very cheap and accessible. In fact, I wish more sports operated like this.

For just $4, you can watch all 67 games of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament live on your computer, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and select Android phones (full list of supported devices here).

• To get started online, visit ncaa.com/marchmadness or download the the app in the iTunes and Android stores.
• Create a 2012 March Madness Live account
• Login on your device of choice and you’ll be able to stream the basketball tournament live, listen to live radio coverage, track brackets, get upset alerts and send updates to your social networks.

You DO NOT have to pay separately to stream the basketball tournament to different devices. Simply login with your March Madness account.

Click the graphic below to start streaming the 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament online. If you’re having issues, make sure to turn your pop-up blocker off.

Watch 2012 NCAA March Madness Basketball Games Online is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

A quick rundown of everything you need to know about the latest version of the Apple TV from the fine folks at Macworld. Click here for the full story.

New Apple TV: What you need to know is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Super Bowl XLVI kicks off February 5, 2102 in Indianapolis and no matter how you like to watch sports online you’ll have plenty of ways to stream the big game this year.

Tom Brady gets sacked by a Giant. Photo by avinashkunnath via Flickr

For the first time ever, NBC and the NFL will team up to stream the Super Bowl online. Power up your PC and tune into NFL.com or NBCSports.com. Both streams will be in high-definition and will give online fans the added bonus of switching between different camera angles and feeds of the Patriots and Giants. One potential drawback with streaming the Super Bowl online is that you’ll see a different set of commercials than the folks watching on TV will see. Kickoff starts at 6:30 p.m. EST, make sure your browser and plugins are up to date prior so you don’t miss a minute of the action.

The NFL will also stream the Super Bowl through their NFL mobile app to iPhone, Android and tablet users. The catch here is that it’s limited to Verizon customers only (sorry AT&T and Sprint). The NFL Mobile app includes player statistics and play-by-play from the action down on the field.

If you do happen to have an AT&T, Sprint or alternative smart phone service, I’ve heard a couple rumors that you may be able to stream the game to your phone via the NFL.com mobile site. I can’t confirm until game time so cross your fingers if you’re with a network other than Verizon.

There are also some third party unauthorized broadcasts that you may be able to snag on Justin.tv, UStream or First Row Sports (Justin.tv and UStream also have mobile apps available to all users). Keep in mind that these streams are often lower quality and could go out at any time.

Good luck on Sunday. May the best stream win!

Stream Super Bowl XLVI Online is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

Love your Roku, but miss your favorite iTunes podcasts? Well, today is your lucky day. Simply add the free iTunes podcasts private channel to your Roku and each and every podcast in the iTunes store is available at your fingertips. Search and sort by genre, categories and providers. Got a podcast that you can’t get enough of? Just favorite it from the Roku menu and the app will keep it safe and secure the next time you’re around.

In testing the app, audio podcast streamed nearly instantly and video programs had just a bit of buffering, but nothing that impacted the experience. Of course, this all depends on the speed of your internet connection.

To get started, add the iTunes Podcasts Private Channel by clicking here.

Thanks to Roku Guide for the tip.

Watch and Listen to Your Favorite iTunes Podcasts on Your Roku is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

The 2011 “most critically exclaimed television show” Downton Abbey has returned to PBS for a second season. Season 1 of Downton Abbey premiered in late 2010 and follows an aristocratic family living in the early 20th century. The drama takes place at the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in North Yorkshire. Downton Abbey has been nominated for  and won multiple Primetime Emmy and TV Choice Awards.

If you’re just getting into the program or would like to catch up on the first season, PBS has full episodes available on their website and through their iPad app. Season 2 previews, episodes and actor interviews are also available for download,  See the PBS website for details.

Watch Downton Abbey online at PBS.org or download the PBS app today.

Watch Downton Abbey Online or On Your iPad is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.

No cable, but you really want to watch college football games online? As long as you subscribe to high-speed internet service through a participating internet provider, you can stream many of the major college football bowl games (Rose Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and the National Championship Game) through ESPN3.com, the WatchESPN mobile app and on XBox Live.

Watch College Football Bowl Games Online is a post from:Kick Out Cable. Cut the cord from big cable companies and learn how to watch TV and movies online.