Image: Aereo: Live TV Online
Aereo allows you to stream live TV to your computer.
This is something I've wanted for a while. You know when breaking news happens and twitter starts being filled with live reports? Many times, the best place to see what it happening is on live TV.
That means stepping away from the computer, and moving to a TV. It's a first world problem for sure.
But Aereo seems like it could be a solution for people without subscriptions to cable TV, or those that want to use their computer as a TV replacement. Existing solutions require the purchase of add on hardware tuners.
So here we go. Let's see what Aereo looks like.
SIGN UP
You have to sign up with a valid credit card which has a Boston billing address. That's straight forward.
Once signed up, the Aereo home screen shows up.
Image: Aereo: Home Screen
RECORDING
Oh look, it's SMASH! One of my favorite shows. I'll be sad to see it go. That's onw of the featured shows, and oh look, you can record it like a TiVo.
Let's try that.
Image: Aereo: RECORD a SHOW
My options are to Record:
- Jut this oncee
- Every New Episode
- All Episodes
- Cancel
Optionally, I can share to twitter.
Since this is the last episode ever, I'll choose Just this once, and I'll share to twitter.
Oh look, recording options.
Image: Aereo: RECORDING OPTIONS
Very nice. I'll just click SAVE.
Cool. Now it shows up as a scheduled recording.
Image: Aereo: RECORDINGS
I have a total of 20 hours of recording space at the $8/month subscription rate.
WATCHING LIVE
Now let's get back to watching live TV.
Let's watch that show about BBQ.
Image: Aereo: WATCH
OK, I'm watching Live.
No wait.
I'm watching Buffering... live.
This isn't so good.
Let's see if it clears up.
Image: Aereo: More buffering
Mmmm...
Image: Aereo: And more buffering
Coffee-crusted pork tenderloins! Sounds good, but the buffering makes this unwatchable.
Let me check the Support FAQ to see what's happening. Maybe it's getting slammed buy everyone from Boston trying it at the same time.
Here's my SpeedTest results:
Should have no bandwidth problems.
Let's try another channel.
How about Track and Field?
Image: Aereo: Track and Field
OK, now that's better. No buffering. HIGH quality and great sound.
Let's watch for a while.
No buffering now. This is working very well.
Now I'm watching I SPY on Retro TV. Hey, it's secret agent Bill Cosby!
Image: Aereo: I SPY
I didn't even know there was such a thing as Retro TV. ;-) Tonight on Retro TV, The Saint and Route 66. Nice.
Despite the initial buffering problems, everything is running smoothly now.
Do you have Aereo? What's your experience?
Update:
I'm back.
Golf is buffering.
Update II:
I'm back.
Golf isn't buffering.
Update III:
I'm back again.
I'm watching Martin and Lewis on #TheColgateComedyHour from the 1950's on @aereotv (It's a time machine!) bos.aereo.com/s9836
— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) May 25, 2013
Oh this is great!
Read more: Aereo TV works on an iPad too.