TV on iPhone

January 10th, 2009

What you will need

A PC (Vista, XP Service Pack 2, or XP Media Center Edition) with a TV Tuner installed. I’ll use a Hava Platinum HD Media Streamer as a “wireless” TV Tuner.
Orb installed on a PC (free, link)
OrbLive installed on your iPhone ($9.99, link opens AppStore)

1. Install TV on your PC (If you already have this, skip to step 2)

As I mentioned above, I use a Hava Media Streamer as my TV Tuner. At first, I had a USB TV Tuner, but that meant I needed a separate computer next to my set top box. Instead, I bought a Hava Platinum streamer from Amazon for $79, hooked it up to my home network (I have an ethernet jack by my set top box), and ran component video cables and audio cables from my set top box to the Hava. I also attached the IR blaster that came with the Hava to the set top box - very important and necessary to change channels. After connected all cables, I ran the installation disk. This installs the PC Player and the drivers that enable your computer to use Hava as a TV Tuner.

During the Hava setup, I was able to choose my set top box. I have AT&T U-Verse, and was happy to see it as an option.

Important: There is an option that asks if you need to press “OK” or “Enter” to change channels. On my U-Verse, you actually don’t have to do this, but the U-Verse set top box turns off after a while, so you’ll need to say yes to this so your box “wakes up”. The setup automatically configures the IR Blaster for changing channels and emulating the U-Verse remote control.

Do you have Windows Media Center installed? If yes, continue below, otherwise go to step 2.

In my case, I have Windows Vista Ultimate (which includes Media Center), so I fired up Windows Media Center and it detected a new TV Tuner. For this setup, I told Media Center that I did not have a set top box. You need to do this because the Hava drivers will take the command directly from Orb on what channel to change, so Media Center acts as a sort of middleman. I continued the setup and was able to successfully watch TV and change channels with Media Center.

2. Install Orb on your PC

Now that your TV Tuner is installed, you’ll need to install and configure Orb. Orb will detect if you have a TV Tuner installed. Choose “Yes” to configure live TV. When asked if you have a set top box, answer “No”.

If you have Media Center, Orb will ask if you use it for Live TV. Since we just set that up above, answer Yes. Enter you zip code and look for your local listings based on the set top box you have and complete your installation.

If you don’t have Media Center, you need to specify the type of connection. Answer “cable”, and continue. Orb will scan for channels. A few members on the MyHava forums said at this step, they entered a channel number and ensured Orb could change the channel. I don’t believe you have to do this for each channel, because Orb will download your program guide based on your zip code, and will retrieve the channel and guide information for you. Continue and complete installation.

Once Orb starts up, it may take a few minutes for your guide to be updated. Some have reported issues recently on the Orb forums regarding issues with program guides - I had to be a bit patient, but my guide showed up after several hours.

3. Install OrbLive on your iPhone

Now for the easy part - go to the AppStore and get OrbLive. You can try OrbLive Free first - this app lets you choose from 3 randomly selected channels to make sure your configuration works. This is a good test for those who want to make sure everything is set up right before spending 10 bucks.

4. Success! Live TV!

Now you should be able to start the OrbLive application and choose Video - TV - Live TV, and your guide should be displayed. Choose a channel and enjoy live TV!

Please comment below with any errors or omissions in this article, and happy streaming!

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 5:24 pm and is filed under iPhone. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

36 Responses to “TV on iPhone”

Tony Maida Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I keep getting the codec error and need to find out the solution to this on my PC. I am running Vista Business and have installed all codecs on the Orb website to no avail. HELP!

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admin Reply:
January 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Hi Tony, what codec error are you getting?

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Your Reader Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Great! Thank you!
I always wanted to write in my site something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
Of course, I will add backlink?

Regards, Your Reader

Reply
admin Reply:
January 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Sure, no problem. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Tom Says:
February 4th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I tried this but I couldn’t access channels above 200.

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admin Reply:
February 13th, 2009 at 11:27 am
I’ve heard of others with this issue as well - your installation of Orb might think that you have an analog tuner (instead of digital). That’s pure speculation, but worth a check of your configurations to look for a digital tuner setting. Good luck.

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arrannywand Says:
February 5th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hello. Your site displays incorrectly in Mozilla, but content excellent! Thanks for your wise words.

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admin Reply:
February 6th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Thanks arrannywand. Could you let me know what version of Mozilla you’re using - I’ll have a look at the problem.

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Jose Says:
February 5th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
I have u-verse and orb will not change the channels on either iphone or mycast.orb.com through pc. I’ve tried everything. I have a USB IR blaster. Followed the steps and still nothing.

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admin Reply:
February 13th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Hi Jose,

It sounds like Orb doesn’t support the particular USB IR Blaster you have. If you haven’t already, I’d try the Orb forums and see if Orb has commands that will control your IR Blaster. My IR blaster came with my Hava Tuner, and Windows Media Center ends up actually doing that portion for me.

Best of luck!

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February 11th, 2009 at 2:06 am
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admin Reply:
February 13th, 2009 at 8:45 am
I should bring the RSS link to the top of the page - it is currently at the bottom. You can add the following link to your RSS reader:

http://www.appliedgadgetry.com/?feed=rss2

Thanks!
Applied Gadgetry

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EsconsAmomb Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
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admin Reply:
February 13th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Thanks EsconsAmomb!

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z Says:
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I can’t seem to get org to change channels on my iphone/ipod touch. I am using the HAVA Titanium HD WIFI and have it connected wirelessly. If I cannot it directly via ethernet would that make a difference? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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admin Reply:
March 5th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Can you connect with a PC and change the channels that way? For me, I had to get things working with a separate PC first, and then Orb changed the channels for me after that.

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Felix Says:
April 12th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
happy easter, hi so i have followed your instructions and when i try to log into orb live on my iphone it keeps saying,

“connection error timed out, error the operation timed out, if this keeps happening, try to restart ORB.”

how do i restart orb on my iphone? or does it mean my computer? is there a reason it wont log in? thanks..

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Felix Says:
April 12th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
hey i got it to work on my iphone!! sorry pls disregard the last comment…now i just like to know how to change channels thru the iphone? thanks..

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admin Reply:
April 12th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Excellent! I have Windows Vista Ultimate (which includes Windows Media Center), so in order to change channels, I had to set Windows Media Center up separately. You can do that by launching Windows Media Center and going to the Settings. Once you have this configured, Orb should be able to use Media Center to change the channel - at least that’s how mine seems to work.

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Felix Says:
April 13th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
i only have windows media player, how do i get the media center? or is it the same thing? thanks again!

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Felix Says:
April 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
just so it’s clear what i have, i have a hava gold and it’s all hooked up as you described, thanks, i can change channels on my comp no problem, i have orb on my comp as well and on my iphone, i can watch tv and i can see the program guide but when i select a channel it doesn’t change it on my cable box, it only shows what’s playing on my cable box. I followed your instructions above, if i don’t have media center, which i do not. Is media center needed to change channels on i phone? thanks again!!

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Felix Says:
April 13th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
haha..sorry..i just figured it out…but now it only goes up to channel 149 or something…i can live with that!! lol

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admin Reply:
April 13th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Glad to hear you figured it out - not exactly an elegant solution, no? Can’t wait until Hava releases a player so we can skip the Orb step and hit the Hava device straight on.

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Felix Says:
April 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
yeah that will be sweet! thanks again, hey is there a solution to receiving channels above 149?

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admin Reply:
April 15th, 2009 at 7:20 am
I’ve heard of others with the issue - it is possibly related to Orb thinking the TV tuner is analog instead of digital. If there was a step during your install that asks if your tuner is digital or analog, it may be worth specifying it is a digital tuner and seeing if that works. Good luck.

Reply
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April 17th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
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Charles Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:01 am
After spending nearly 10 hours on trying to get Orb to recognize the Hava tuner, I am at my wit’s end. I have installed and uninstalled each Orb version from 2.0.1.1014 to the present (ends in .0044) but at no point has it ever detected that the Hava was installed. I have taught the Hava every command on my DirecTV remote. I have installed the virtual IR from Hava’s website. I have tried setting up Orb while the Hava player is playing live TV and when it is not. I have tried setting up Orb while WMC is playing live TV and when it is not. I have tried setting up Orb with “no set top box”, set top through co-ax and composite but not S-video. No matter what option I have tried, whenever I get to “enter zip code,” it allows me to select a provider but immediately goes back to the configuration screen.

My current setup consists of a computer (with more than enough processing speed), a modem and a wireless router. I have the Hava Titanium WiFi. The computer modem is connected to the router via ethernet cable. The Hava is connected to the network via WiFi. The Hava is connected to my DirecTV box via composite connection (red, yellow, white). I am able to run the Hava player, see video and hear audio and change channels on the computer. I set up Windows Media according to the Hava forum’s virtual IR instructions and I can view, hear and change channels on live TV via WMC. I just cannot figure out how to get Orb to even recognize that the Hava is connected. Any assistance that anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

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Mike Says:
April 27th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Thanks for the guide! I got everything working, but I’m not able to change channels from the iphone. I can change them fine with the Hava player from the PC (Verizon Fios TV), but no matter what channel I choose on the ORB player I’m stuck with whatever channel it is currently on. Do I need media center?

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Mike Reply:
April 27th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I forgot to add one thing. In ORB setup there are two tuners to choose from. One is the Hava Video Deivce, and the other which is disabled by default is the Hava Remote Viewer Device. Enabling/disabling either one or both still does not allow me to change any channels from ORB, but again it works just fine in HAVA PC Player. Is it because I don’t have a physical remote (I’m using the software remote included with the PC Player)?

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mopik Says:
August 6th, 2009 at 11:59 am
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Nickargos Says:
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 am
Hi. Congrats for the excellent effort. I have Hava platinum wired to lan. Connected to it is satelite receiver Dreambox. IR cable connected and all works well in Hava PC player and Hava S60 mobile. I am trying your Orb method to receive the Dreambox on Iphone. I also have Vista ultimate and windows media centre. When I try to setup the signal to WMC and I chose satelite, through S-video 1 I see picture and hear sound but when I push next WMC does not detect IR cable! and you cannot bypass this. Is there anything I can do? or do I have to wait for the Hava for Iphone to see the box directly?

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December 8th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
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juan Says:
February 7th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I successfully set orb up and can see all my files but when i try to watch live video i get (MediaCenter process is running so Orb can’t access the tuner) i am running windows vista on my pc and cant seem to figure it out. the last time i had orb on the same computer i was able to use it with no problem.

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Jim Says:
July 20th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
I have setup the above…but instead using Hava Titanium WiFi. works…however after ii tune in my chances from my cable box (in australia) all my images are duplicated (like seeing double)…anyone have a solution?

thanks!

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