Cablevision just released their Optimum for iPad app, it’s good, but Live TV only works when your at home using the cable modem associated with your account. I’ve tried logging in with someone else’s Optimum account and I wasn’t able to stream live TV even though I was on Optimum Online. The error message is pretty accurate, you need to connect to your home network and logged in to your account to watch live TV.
That got me thinking, since this app only works from within your home network, what if I’m connect via VPN? With VPN, all traffic appears to be coming from the VPN server within your network. And what do you know? It does work. I disconnected the iPad from my home WiFi, then connected to my VPN server via 3G and I was able to stream live TV from the Optimum app. This little trick should work with WiFi as well, probably better than on 3G since it does lag a bit while streaming on 3G.
Below are the steps you need to take to get 3G and roaming WiFi streaming on the Optimum app, a DD-WRT compatible router is required.
Step 1
Setup VPN on your DD-WRT router and iPad.
Step 2
Connect iPad to your VPN.
Step 3
Launch Optimum for iPad and start watching TV.
That’s it! Three easy steps. Well, maybe not that easy, since Step 1 is a link to another guide. But it’s not too difficult and straight forward. Hope this is helpful.
Update 7/24/2011: I just tried this trick and it doesn’t seem to work anymore, I guess it’s been fixed.
Update 9/11/2011: I noticed last weekend that if I enabled 3G Unrestrictor on the Optimum app, I was able to stream while using this method on 3G.
That is a really neat trick; I just think that it is sad for Cablevision customers to have to think of things like this just to use a simple function. This app cannot compare to the Sling adapter with DISH Network. I actually have and work at DISH and the Sling adapter allows you stream live and recorded TV to you iPad, iPhone, or Android devices. The best part is that you can use it wherever you have 3G coverage or simple WiFi. There are no little tricks involved to get TV everywhere.