Article: Two reliable ways to stream internet flash video to an iPad

[Scott DeLeeuw]

You can view the page at http://www.homenetworkenabled.com/co...deo-to-an-iPad

[pearl]

I use a dedicated playon server, and want to point out that you are incorrect about only being able to view on your local network. PlayOn has mobile clients (I use the one for IOS) and a browser based access method via m.playon.tv. You need to access your playon server from your local network once from your mobile device, and then you can access it from anywhere you are connected to the Internet. I use the browser based access on my netbook when I travel. It of course will only work as well as your home internet connection and processor allow.

-Pearl

[Scott DeLeeuw]

Good point, I completely forgot about that since I don't use the mobile portion of it. How does the mobile client work for you?

[pearl]

It works decently, certainly not like at home connected on the same subnet, but it does work. I have tested it a few times, using both the IOS client on my phone and the web client on my netbook. You need a decent internet connection on the client, and good upstream speed from your home or where ever your PlayOn server is (I get a little over 5Mbps up), and decent down on the client. For example, I had a spotty WiFi connection at a hotel i was staying at a few weeks ago and the video kept buffering. On the other hand, from that same city I used the IPhone client while stuck on a plane on the runway and had no issue watching a few episodes of a show. I still need to investigate a bit deeper on if there is a good way to optimize it. I will say though, I was very impressed with the way that it self configures. Use the client at home once (on the same subnet as the server) and then you have to do nothing else to connect to your playon server when on the road. Pretty neat.

[Scott DeLeeuw]

Wow, that's nice. I really haven't explored that aspect of it because I haven't perceived the need for it. I may have to simply try it however, especially if the self-configuration is that easy.

[James Intriglia]

I use the Photon web browser to play Flash-based videos on my iPad 3 - works great! I've got a link to Photon on the web page that follows, along with some other apps that I find really useful: http://jimintriglia.com/business-computing/

[Scott DeLeeuw]

Thanks for the suggestion Jim, I'll check it out!