The New App on the Block
We have heard of internet or web-based apps, we know about native apps or mobile apps, then we have seen the advent of progressive web apps. But one more type of application that is blazing its way across households and is set to grow even bigger is the TV app.
What is a TV App?
Televisions being sold are increasingly being equipped to connect to the internet and use this connectivity to browse content and get live streaming. An independent study reported that as many as 55% TVs used the internet to access content online. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before applications were developed which would allow those televisions to get content from different sources on your internet connected television, just like you watch a YouTube video on your mobile phone. Let us examine some numbers and facts. There are as many as 151 TV and movie networks on the most popular app-based video device in the USA. There are more than 500 million IP devices today which have the ability to support at least one TV app. As a matter of fact, set-top boxes and IP devices have become almost indistinguishable. So as all devices in a particular house become capable (with the help of a TV app) of helping deliver content to the television in that home, the house itself becomes a mini internet of completely connected devices.
The Most Popular TV Apps
A large number of TV apps have already made their mark and are increasing their subscriber base fast. Here are some of those names:
- Zeebox
- TV Guide
- Netflix
- PlayUP
- IntoNow
- Yamgo
- TVCatchup Live
- Miso
- Crackle
- IntoNow
Possible Problems and Their Fixes
So far so good, but there still might be some common issues that internet-enabled TV owners might experience while using their TV apps.
If the WiFi at your home refuses to connect, check if the TV is positioned at a place where the WiFi signals can reach. If changing the TV’s position is not possible, you might need to reposition the WiFi router.
If the mobile device on which the TV app is installed is using a different internet connection (like a data pack) than the TV, then it might have connectivity problems sometimes. Ideally both the mobile devise and TV should be connected to the same network, ideally the WiFi network at home.
Sometimes the video quality is disturbed. The age-old solution of ‘switch off, then switch on again’ usually works. Try restarting the live stream, and if that doesn’t work, then a quick check of the HDMI cable to ensure it is tightly connected at both ends should do the trick.
The same approach can be used if the audio signal is weak or disturbed or not audible at all.
These minor blips are small irritants in an otherwise successful story of making each home a small IoT for entertainment and news based on the use of TV apps.