Dyle Mobile TV Service

Dyle Mobile TV Service - Software - CNET Reviews

The Dyle service from Metro PCS is a free way to watch TV on mobile phones, but reception isn't perfect.

Dyle is the answer for people who can't live without their favorite daytime talk shows and soap operas. Essentially a mobile TV service that picks up special broadcasts of local TV channels, Dyle allows you to get programming anywhere you have your handset or smartphone. In the works for years, it's finally launched on the Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G, which MetroPCS began selling today.



The service is run by a consortium of broadcasters around the country, jointly known as Mobile Content Venture. Following the Lightray are a few other Dyle products, including dongles that can connect to an iPad or iPhone, turning it into a portable TV. Don't get your hopes up, though; the Lightray isn't a handset from some far-flung future. Sadly, it's a perfectly generic smartphone, aside from a retractable antenna that needs to be extended in order to grab the Dyle broadcast signal.
Dyle mobile TV debuts on Galaxy S Lightray 4G (pictures)

There are definitely a few things to like about Dyle. First, the service is free once you buy the phone. It also works pretty well, picking up four local channels in the New York area. Coverage and the number of channels available will vary from market to market, though, and not every city will get the service initially. That said, because it runs off of a separate broadcast network, it doesn't take a bite out of your cellular data allowance, which is great if you're worried about MetroPCS throttling your connection at the end of the month.

Dyle, in some ways, competes with Aereo, which offers streaming over-the-air TV service, and on August 2 introduced a free trial option. But Dyle is a bit more bare-bones, offering just the live channels with no option to save or record programs for later viewing. While the service is free with a standard phone plan, the price of entry is fairly high. The phone, which launched today, costs $459, or $80 more than the next most expensive phone in MetroPCS' lineup. Of course that price doesn't include an onerous two- or even one-year service contract.

My take
I only had a chance to use the Dyle application around the office, but I was pleased with what I got. Of course, I went into this with fairly low expectations. The service was able to locate four channels: NBC, Fox, the children's channel Qubo, and Telemundo. The problem is it only ever picked up three channels at once (and really just two most of the time). The upside was NBC was usually one of them, allowing me to catch a few swimming events live while at work.

The app comes with a handy guide that tells you what programs are coming up. By clicking on a future show, you also get a synopsis and option to set a reminder to watch later. The video stream was fairly smooth as well, although it did stutter a bit when I moved my test phone around. Generally, though, when it worked, it worked well.

Unfortunately, Dyle didn't always function flawlessly. I can probably chalk it up to thick walls in my office, which make cellphone calls a herculean challenge, but with that factored in coverage was still inconsistent. Even when the phone's spotty coverage wasn't an issue, Dyle winked out, and vice versa. I also wasn't a big fan of the retractable antenna, which artificially ages the phone and will more than likely open you up to ridicule.

Dyle has another big drawback in my view. With only three channels, I'm not sure if the service is really worth it. I look forward to testing it outside, however, to see the extent of the coverage and whether I'll be able to pick up more channels. And for big events like the Olympics, or even at tailgating parties before major games, this service could come in handy.

So-so specs
As I previously mentioned, the phone itself doesn't offer top-of-the-line specs, although they are right in line with the better phones offered by prepaid wireless carriers. If it looks familiar to you, that's because it's identical to the Galaxy S Aviator at U.S. Cellular, minus the antenna.

The Lightray comes with an 8-megapixel LED flash shooter on the back, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for photos and videos. The phone is powered by a 1GHz processor, and runs on Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread. Dyle's TV service is decently displayed on the phone's 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touch screen. Underneath the screen are four physical buttons, for menu, home, back, and search. The phone comes with a 16GB microSD card, with 1.38GB of internal memory available.

The Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G also has an HDMI-out connection, although it disappointingly doesn't work with Dyle, so outputting TV signals to HDTVs is out of the question. The Lightray is also the first MetroPCS phone to offer a mobile hot-spot feature, allowing other Wi-Fi devices to run off of its cellular connection. To be clear, while MetroPCS technically uses 4G LTE in its network, the data speeds are more like 3G.

Certainly the Dyle service is still in its infancy, so I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

EyeTV Mobile - Mobile TV Tuner for the Dock Connector

According to the above article, the Elgato EyeTV Mobile TV tuner device is now available for $99.95. I look forward to reading reviews on this device and this service.

The EyeTV Mobile TV tuner device works together with the free EyeTV Mobile app.

Highlights
Watch live TV on your iPad & iPhone on-the-go
Access major network TV with Dyle™ mobile TV coverage (see coverage map below for availability in your area)

No internet connection required: EyeTV Mobile doesn’t touch your data plan
Powerful, compact TV tuner connects easily to the dock connector port
Works with Apple’s Lightning to 30-pin adapter (sold separately)
Features a miniature telescopic antenna for convenient portability
Alternative rod antenna included for enhanced reception at home or the office

Only $99.95

Real live TV. Without internet.
Watch live TV on your iPad and iPhone with EyeTV Mobile. Since the tuner technology uses special TV airwaves and is not streaming, you won’t need an internet connection, 3G/4G or a Wi-Fi hotspot to watch TV. EyeTV Mobile never touches your data plan, so you can enjoy real live TV in brilliant quality without waiting for any data to load.

The compact TV tuner connects directly to the iPad or iPhone, receives the TV signal via the supplied miniature telescopic antenna and works with the free EyeTV Mobile app (available on the App Store).
It couldn’t be simpler.
Just visit the App Store, download the free EyeTV Mobile app to your iPad or iPhone, and connect the compact EyeTV Mobile TV tuner. Launch the app, choose a channel, and start enjoying live TV right away.

Superior reception.
EyeTV Mobile is the only TV tuner of its kind to offer flexible antenna options. Position the telescopic antenna for great reception on the go, or connect the rod antenna in areas with poor reception – you decide. The proven MCX connector always ensures optimal signal transmission and prevents damage to the TV tuner or iPad or iPhone.

Take a break.
Distractions? No problem. Pause and resume live TV on your iPad or iPhone with EyeTV Mobile.

Convenient TV functions – no second screen required.
EyeTV Mobile brings convenient functions to your iPad and iPhone. You can email or tweet recommendations directly from the electronic program guide or even surf the Internet, all while still watching your favorite show. EyeTV Mobile turns your iPad or iPhone into a portable TV with a social twist.

System Requirements
iPod touch (4th generation), iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2 or iPad (3rd generation) with iOS 5.1 or later
iPod touch (5th generation), iPhone 5, iPad (4th generation) and iPad mini require optional Lightning to 30-pin adapter (sold separately)
Dyle™ mobile TV coverage (check Coverage Map » Dyle.tv or map below for availability in your area)
Important:

The EyeTV Mobile app can display electronic program guide information transmitted in the digital TV stream. The availability and amount of program information varies depending on the channel.
EyeTV Mobile lets you enjoy up to 9 hours of live TV on your fully-charged iPad and over 4 hours on your iPhone (30% brightness, flight-mode enabled).

Technical Specifications
Antenna input: MCX
Dimensions: 1.2 × 1.6 × 0.4 in
Weight: 0.5 oz
Standard: ATSC-M/H

What is Dyle really, it's not ATSC M/H repackaged or is it something else? (I suspect the latter)

Info is scant.

Quoting Dyle TV FAQs here:

FAQs » Dyle.tv


"Using a special mobile digital broadcast signal, we are able to deliver programming from our participating networks. So save your bandwidth, and watch TV on your device over the air ..."


"The application also allows access to local broadcast channels that are not affiliated with Dyle mobile TV by performing a full scan of channels that are available over the air ..."


So perhaps its more than one thing at the same time, as its using a "special mobile broadcast signal" but also "performs a full scan of channels that are available over the air".

Info is really scant

For whatever this is worth, when I tried a non-Dyle ATSC-M/H recevier several months back, the receiver scanned in the "Dyle" channels and displayed them in the channel list, but when I went to tune them in it would not display any picture. So, I guess in a manner of speaking it is "ATSC M/H repackaged"!

Sounds like another WASTE of bandwidth to me.

I know WPXN had something called "AirTV" which they've turned on to test from time to time. It's encrypted with nagravision.

Originally Posted by Jim1348

For whatever this is worth, when I tried a non-Dyle ATSC-M/H recevier several months back, the receiver scanned in the "Dyle" channels and displayed them in the channel list, but when I went to tune them in it would not display any picture. So, I guess in a manner of speaking it is "ATSC M/H repackaged"!

Dyle is ATSC M/H with an internet "authentication" requirement so that they can collect data on what people are watching. It's a way of getting around not having Nielsen ratings for mobile TV, but it requires an internet connection inorder to collect the data. Big Brother is watching you, knows where you are, and knows you're watching Jerry Springer again.

I did finally see the TV commercial for Dyle Mobile TV Service on KARE-11 earlier today.