# Streaming DirecTV to iPhone with Orb



## azcoyote85044

If you've been eagerly looking forward to the day when you can stream live DirecTV to your iPhone, it's already possible to do this without a Slingbox and soon-to-be-released Slingbox iPhone app. I just set up live streaming of DirecTV from my HR23 HD DVR to my iPhone 3G a few days ago using the free Orb software for Windows PC and the $9.99 Orb Live iPhone app. This setup works GREAT! Video quality is excellent at WiFi speeds and very acceptable over 3G with some occasional buffering depending on how good your 3G signal is. My co-workers were amazed today when I showed them that I could stream the Opening Day MLB Extra Innings ballgames to my iPhone over the office WiFi.

In order to use Orb to stream DirecTV to your iPhone, you'll need the following...

1. Windows PC at home close to a DirecTV receiver/dvr (SD or HD). It needs to be at least a 2GHz P4 or greater running XP Media Center or Vista Home Premium/Ultimate. More System Requirements details at http://support.orb.com/docs/getting-system-requirements.htm

2. Media Center compatible TV tuner with built-in MPEG2 encoder and inputs for S-video and audio L/R. I'm using the external Hauppague WinTV-HVR-1950 USB tv tuner http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr1950.html

2. Media Center remote control with infrared receiver/IR blaster. You'll need the IR receiver/blaster in order to change channels on your DirecTV receiver through Orb. If you don't have one, these can be purchased from Amazon for $19.99 plus shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Certified-Infrared-Receiver-Ultimate/dp/B000ST7QPA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1239073175&sr=8-3

3. Free Orb software for Windows. http://www.orb.com

4. Orb Live iPhone app. Available from the App Store for $9.99.

If you have a media center PC, like those by HP, you may already have the tv tuner and Media Center remote/infrared hardware. All you'll need to do is install the free Orb software and purchase the $10 iPhone app.

Connect your DirecTV receiver to the tv tuner using the S-Video and audio L/R outputs. And hook up the the IR blaster cable from the Media Center infrared receiver to the front of your DirecTV receiver where the IR sensor is located.

Before you launch the Orb Windows install, you'll first set up your tv tuner in Windows Media Center using the Settings > Set up TV Signal option, selecting the S-Video input and configuring the IR blaster to control your DTV receiver.

Once you have your tv tuner configured in Media Center, you then install Orb. You'll first create an Orb account and then go through the setup wizard for your tuner, selecting the set top box option with S-Video. Orb will automatically pick up the IR blaster configuration from Media Center. Finally you'll set up the program guide, entering your zip code and selecting the DirecTV option for your local area so it includes your locals in the guide.

Once you have Orb set up, you should be good to go. You'll be able to watch DirecTV from any PC by logging into mycast.orb.com with the account you created, or the iPhone app.

The Orb Live iPhone app lists all the DirecTV channels, even those you don't subscribe to. You can't remove the unwanted channels, but there is a better option. When you log in to Orb on a PC, you can set up your favorite tv channels by in the program guide by right-clicking a channel number and rating it 1 to 5 stars. You have access to your favorite tv channels list with the iPhone app. The channels you don't rate will not appear in the favorites. This lets you only list the channels you subscribe to. The channels you rate the highest will appear first in your favorites list.

The iPhone app doesn't have the complete program guide. It only shows what's currently playing on each channel. The new DirecTV iPhone app provides the program guide info I'll need to see what's coming up on each channel.

If you have any questions about using Orb to stream DirecTV, I'll be happy to answer them here. I also recommend going to http://forums.orb.com




























If you're wondering what stand I'm using to hold my iPhone horizontally for ideal tv viewing, it's a $2.00 plastic easel I bought at a Joann's crafts store. Michaels also has them.
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat1316&PRODID=xprd769421


----------



## azcoyote85044

A couple things I forgot to mention.. 

Streaming video will run down your iPhone's battery pretty quick if you don't have it plugged into a power source. Don't expect more a couple hours of video streaming using battery power. At work I keep my iPhone plugged into my PC's USB port so the battery doesn't run down watching video or listening to music.

Don't overuse video streaming over 3G. Use WiFi whenever possible. Even though AT&T says you're on a unlimited data plan, in reality there's a 5GB/month soft cap. Going over 5GB month after month will get you a warning from AT&T and possibly termination. Streaming tv over 3G everyday will get you over the soft cap. You'll get much better quality video streaming over WiFi anyway.


----------



## NR4P

Careful with AT&T and the 5GB cap. I know someone who got a bill for $600 in overage. AT&T negotiated it in half. 

I can't recall where but I also remember reading about a woman, purchased a 3G card/notebook from Radio Shack, went over the 5GB limit, got slammed with a huge overage bill. It's now in court with the woman suing on behalf of others who weren't told about the real limit. I think its looking for class action status.

I'd stick with WiFi here for this cool app


----------



## dhhaines

Thanks for this post.

I put this app on my iPod touch and it works great over WiFi.


----------



## azcoyote85044

The upcoming SlingPlayer iPhone app looks pretty sweet from the online demo. I like that you have FULL remote control functionality, not just channel changing, allowing you to watch recorded shows from your DirecTV dvr and set up the dvr to record shows. You can't do that with Orb. The Slingbox is also more idiot proof, whereas setting up Orb might be too complicated for those less technical.

http://www.slingmedia.com/go/iphone


----------



## MarkN

NR4P said:


> Careful with AT&T and the 5GB cap. I know someone who got a bill for $600 in overage. AT&T negotiated it in half.
> 
> I can't recall where but I also remember reading about a woman, purchased a 3G card/notebook from Radio Shack, went over the 5GB limit, got slammed with a huge overage bill. It's now in court with the woman suing on behalf of others who weren't told about the real limit. I think its looking for class action status.
> 
> I'd stick with WiFi here for this cool app


Approx. how many hours would it take to go over the 5GB cap?


----------



## Maui

That is very cool but how close to the receiver do you have to be? 

I understand the iphone 3.0 OS is supposed to open up the broadband and allow things like SMS with photos.


----------



## Brandon428

NR4P said:


> Careful with AT&T and the 5GB cap. I know someone who got a bill for $600 in overage. AT&T negotiated it in half.
> 
> I can't recall where but I also remember reading about a woman, purchased a 3G card/notebook from Radio Shack, went over the 5GB limit, got slammed with a huge overage bill. It's now in court with the woman suing on behalf of others who weren't told about the real limit. I think its looking for class action status.
> 
> I'd stick with WiFi here for this cool app


The iPhone unlimited plan has no cap.


----------



## Brandon428

Also Orb only works on wifi when trying to watch TV unless you have it pwned then you can get a app to trick the iPhone to think its on wifi even though your on edge or 3G.


----------



## azcoyote85044

Brandon428 said:


> Also Orb only works on wifi when trying to watch TV unless you have it pwned then you can get a app to trick the iPhone to think its on wifi even though your on edge or 3G.


You can definitely view live tv over 3G with the Orb Live app without having your iPhone pwned or tricked into thinking it's on WiFi. I use 3G to watch tv whenever I don't have a WiFi connection available. Works just fine with 3G, just not quite as good video quality with more frequent buffering.


----------



## azcoyote85044

Maui said:


> That is very cool but how close to the receiver do you have to be?
> 
> I understand the iphone 3.0 OS is supposed to open up the broadband and allow things like SMS with photos.


To use Orb, you have to run an s-video and audio cables from the Directv receiver to the PC tv tuner, as well as an ir blaster cable, so it can't be more than a few feet away. 6 feet is probably about the limit.


----------



## Brandon428

azcoyote85044 said:


> You can definitely view live tv over 3G with the Orb Live app without having your iPhone pwned or tricked into thinking it's on WiFi. I use 3G to watch tv whenever I don't have a WiFi connection available. Works just fine with 3G, just not quite as good video quality with more frequent buffering.


Oh,they must have updated it,I haven't used it in a while.


----------



## cadams8221218

do you have to have windows media center edition to stream direct tv from your set top box to orb. I have XP home, will this do.


----------



## ticket

SlingMedia had announced towards the end of March that they have submitted their long awaited iPhone app - SlingPlayer Mobile to the App Store for approval.

Its almost three weeks now and SlingPlayer for iPhone is still not available on the App Store. In fact we are hearing rumors that Apple might have rejected the iPhone app based on AT&T's request
more info...
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2009/04/...-iphone-rejected-from-the-app-store.html#more

another site...
Slingplayer for iPhone rejected by Apple/AT&T
http://www.9to5mac.com/sling-app-rejected


----------



## fleadog99

The slingplayer Iphone app will not work on 3g unless you jb and trick it in to using wifi. I just ordered the hauppage unit that you suggested through dell and with this discount code 65G7RQ11J?M2LH I got 15% off. so for 120.00 including tax and free shipping this is way cheaper than having slingbox and it works over 3g woohoo.


----------



## stbluesrul

Is it not possible to use the IR blaster port on the WinTV tuner to control the DirecTV receiver from Windows MCE? I'm guessing that it just works as a pass-through with the remote that comes with the WinTV tuner and thats why you need the extra IR blaster/reciever module?


----------



## Stuart Sweet

Folks, this is a really old thread. Let's start a new one for this topic if there's anything to say. 

Thanks.


----------

