Tip: How to stream Live TV to your PPC

[Bruno Figueiredo]

You'll need:

- A TV tuner card (or a tv or vcr connected to video in in your graphics card)
- A Wi-Fi network between your PC and PPC
- Windows Media Encoder 9 (it's free)

Just put the TV signal in your computer and use it as a source of sound and video in windows media encoder.

Select broadcast live event in the wizard.

In the connections tab see what's your ip.

Put it in Windows Media Player for PPC and voila! (almost) Live TV! (it's circa 30sec. delayed).

Now you can carry your TV anywhere. The bathroom, yard, kitchen, etc...

And with a Remote Control app you can even change the channels. Otherwise it's fixed...

ENJOY!!!

[PPCRules]

You speak as in theory. Do you actually do this with good success? I have never gotten good results with this setup, trying it on a couple different systems, and there seems to be a ton of problems to get in the way. I have written it off as not worth the time it would take to perfect.

[CoreyJF]

I get really good result with snapstream. Streaming to pda's broke in 3.0 but they fixed it in beta's and I belive if they have not they will soon post the new release version. It works great. You can even change the channels. I can even stream tv through a wirelless hot spot over the internet. Love it!

[clarkth]

I have been trying to get something like this to work for a while. I can use WME to create a live TV stream from my TV Tuner card, but can't get the playback on my PocketPC! I only get audio, no video. When I use the WMP on my desktop (stream from WME to WMP - desktop) it works great. I have a wired LAN, but I can't seem to get it to show me the video!

[delfuhd]

I've gotten this to work, with my ATI TV Tuner card, 3850, and a wifi card. The only thing was I couldn't get the video to work, but I knew I had a setting wrong. I couldn't figure it out so I just gave up, but it definitely is possible. There's an old pocket pc thoughts artile that goes through step by step how to stream TV to your ppc... If I find the link I'll post it

[delfuhd]

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,3263

There ya go. That's what I used, and it worked, even though I didn't get video, but that was user error. Enjoy and good luck! 8)

[Huy]

Use "AMCap" as a video capture application with your ATI TV Wonder
VE card. It's compatible with [Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP]. I wouldn't watch it on my pc cause the picture quality on my the desktop is not that good BUT the stream output is excellent if you tune in with your pocket pc.

Here you go:

http://noeld.com/download/amcap.zip

Simple steps to stream your TV to your pocket pc:

1. Launch the "AMCap" application
2. Launch the Window Media Decoder

That's it.

...now I just need to figure out how to configure my Linksys router to let my access via ip address from the outside :wink:

[clarkth]

delfuhd: I tried using the directions in that post, but the WME was an older version than I have and I couldn't follow it directly. Did you ever figure out what the setting you changed to get the video?

Huy: I'll try AMCap this week when I get home, and use that to capture and stream the video with WME. Also, if you figure out how to configure your Linksys router, let me know.

Thanks for your help!

[that_kid]

I get really good result with snapstream. Streaming to pda's broke in 3.0 but they fixed it in beta's and I belive if they have not they will soon post the new release version. It works great. You can even change the channels. I can even stream tv through a wirelless hot spot over the internet. Love it!

PPC Streaming has been fixed since version 3.1 and they are up to 3.2 now and 3.3 will be coming soon. Go check it out I think you'll like it, I was riding with someone last week and watching MSNBC on my ipaq while driving up and down 95. The nice thing with snapstream is that you can also cahnge the channels from you ppc.

[PoweriPaq]

I get really good result with snapstream. Streaming to pda's broke in 3.0 but they fixed it in beta's and I belive if they have not they will soon post the new release version. It works great. You can even change the channels. I can even stream tv through a wirelless hot spot over the internet. Love it!

PPC Streaming has been fixed since version 3.1 and they are up to 3.2 now and 3.3 will be coming soon. Go check it out I think you'll like it, I was riding with someone last week and watching MSNBC on my ipaq while driving up and down 95. The nice thing with snapstream is that you can also cahnge the channels from you ppc.

That_Kid, what kind of Capturing board do you have? I'm thinking of getting one, but I want the ability to change the channel on the go. Would WinTV GO do that?

[PoweriPaq]

delfuhd: I tried using the directions in that post, but the WME was an older version than I have and I couldn't follow it directly. Did you ever figure out what the setting you changed to get the video?

Huy: I'll try AMCap this week when I get home, and use that to capture and stream the video with WME. Also, if you figure out how to configure your Linksys router, let me know.

Thanks for your help!

I have linksys router, you need to open the port 8129 for Snapstream. And to do that, go to the advance tab, then go to the forwarding tap. There is a box to enter your port number. Do it this way.

8129 to 8129, then check the enable box, and put your computer local ip, for instance, if it's 192.168.1.101, then just enter 101 on the IP box. Hope that's clear. I got mine to work with Snapstream and have been able to watch my home movies as a test on someone else's computer out of my network. Haven't tried with my ppc with WiFi yet.

[Kaber]

We talked a bit about doing this in this post (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12640&highlight=directv) also, so check it out.

[Kash76]

I'm waiting for my 2003 upgrade from HP for my 3955. Then hopefully I can use WME9! Anyone had any luck with this?

[clarkth]

I have linksys router, you need to open the port 8129 for Snapstream. And to do that, go to the advance tab, then go to the forwarding tap. There is a box to enter your port number. Do it this way.

8129 to 8129, then check the enable box, and put your computer local ip, for instance, if it's 192.168.1.101, then just enter 101 on the IP box. Hope that's clear. I got mine to work with Snapstream and have been able to watch my home movies as a test on someone else's computer out of my network. Haven't tried with my ppc with WiFi yet.

Do you have a static IP address on your home LAN? I have the router set up as a DHCP server, so how would I set it up so I could view from outside my local LAN and how would I connect to it via a browser?

[PoweriPaq]

I'm waiting for my 2003 upgrade from HP for my 3955. Then hopefully I can use WME9! Anyone had any luck with this?

Yea, I just upgraded my 3955 to WM2003 and WM9 on the ppc allows me to stream with snapstream media, but couldn't figure out how to stream with my 3870 using WM8. I use WME9 to encode all of my movies and the size is very low and quality is damn near perfect.

Do you have a static IP address on your home LAN? I have the router set up as a DHCP server, so how would I set it up so I could view from outside my local LAN and how would I connect to it via a browser?

I have my DHCP server to set automatic and I do have Static IP, but you don't need static ip to make this work, as long as you have the forwarding port open.

After you open the port, find out what your ip is and the port for snapstream media. If you Router IP is 45.92.125.66:8190.

8190 is your port, and your ip would be 45.92.125.66, this is just a made up static IP. But if you have Dynamic IP, then you need to find out how to find your IP. I just use dos command nestat -an, someone here has a better, maybe easier way.

I hope that make sense, if not, someone else can chime in.

[clarkth]

I have my DHCP server to set automatic and I do have Static IP, but you don't need static ip to make this work, as long as you have the forwarding port open.

After you open the port, find out what your ip is and the port for snapstream media. If you Router IP is 45.92.125.66:8190.

8190 is your port, and your ip would be 45.92.125.66, this is just a made up static IP. But if you have Dynamic IP, then you need to find out how to find your IP. I just use dos command nestat -an, someone here has a better, maybe easier way.

I hope that make sense, if not, someone else can chime in.

Thanks for the tips. I'll try it this week when I get home, and I'll let you know how it goes.

[that_kid]

PoweriPaq


I have an avertv board, something cheap from compusa that I got for around $35. I aslo have an iomagic card that worked well too. You should be able to use your wintv card with snapstream, I have one in my mothers computer and it works fine.

[PoweriPaq]

PoweriPaq


I have an avertv board, something cheap from compusa that I got for around $35. I aslo have an iomagic card that worked well too. You should be able to use your wintv card with snapstream, I have one in my mothers computer and it works fine.

Thanks, I just got one myself, but it's ATI TV Wonder VE for $40. Not bad. Couldn't find anything cheaper.

[Huy]

PoweriPaq,

Thanks for the LynkSys config tip. You gave me a hit which lets me work around my router to access the stream from my work network. It's still buffer a little bit but I suspect it's my upload which is not fast enough for the hight bit rate which I have coded ....need to lower it tonight.

[Kaber]

I have DSL at home and I have tried my stream from work. The 128kbps capped upload really kills it, but on the home wlan its great. I can even use this app (http://www.pcmx.net/dtvcon/) running on my PC, which is connected to my dTV reciever via serial cable, and change the channels from the iPAQ via http using pocketIE.

SWEETNESS! :twisted:

[PoweriPaq]

PoweriPaq,

Thanks for the LynkSys config tip. You gave me a hit which lets me work around my router to access the stream from my work network. It's still buffer a little bit but I suspect it's my upload which is not fast enough for the hight bit rate which I have coded ....need to lower it tonight.

Yea, mine is capped at 128kbps as well, so I might have to upgrade my upload unless if it's just you who is going to watch. Right now, I'm at 148kbps, 15fps and 320x240. It's ok, not as smooth, sometimes it jumps to catch back up, but if it's within my network, I could watch it at 640x480 at 500kbps and still smooth on my laptop. So now I can watch TV anywhere.

[clarkth]

OK, I must be doing something wrong. I can't get a live stream on my iPaq 3835 either through Windows Media Encoder (v9 - Windows XP Home OS), or Snapstream (v3.2). Each time I stream it and try to open up the IP address for the port listed in WME or port 8129 for Snapstream I get the message "Windows Media Player cannot play this file". I have the WMP v8.5 for Pocket PC in my iPaq. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advance.

[PoweriPaq]

I have 3870 as well as 3955, and it's tricky. I got mine to work at least once out of 3 times. Which sucks. I tried it on the cradle, then when it works, I tried it with my WiFi.

Here's the thing. If you're using Windows Media Encoder 9, then your 3835 won't see video, only sound. It's because Windows Media Player 8.5 won't be able to see the encoded video from version 9. So the best bet is to get Windows Media Encoder 7.

I think someone posted this link (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,3263) about how to making it work with WM8.5.

Good luck.

[marshall409]

hey there guys. this would be my first post. i have not yet purchased my first ppc, but i plan to asap. especailly after reading through this thread. my question is in regards to doing this between two pcs. my downstairs computer is connected my wi-router, so i was thinking if i put the TV GO card im getting this week in there, i could stream TV over the network and watch on my upstairs (main, completely wireless and want to keep it that way) computer. ive read the thread through many times and understand most of the programs, but if someone could please sum up all the steps i need to do in order to stream to my upstairs compiter over wi-fi from the card in my downstairs computer *with channel control i would GREATLY appreciate it. sorry for the ridiculously long post.

Adam