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iPad, iPhone can pick up live TV with EyeTV add-on

The iPad and iPhone accessory is the second product to work with Dyle's mobile television service, which picks up local channels.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
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  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Roger Cheng
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Elgato

Dyle took another step towards bringing mobile live television to the masses with the debut of the EyeTV plug-in for any iOS device, which essentially turns it into a small television.

EyeTV, manufactured by Elgato, is the second product to run on Dyle's mobile live television network. The device, which costs $99.95, plugs into any iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch's dock connector, allowing it to pick up local broadcast channels such as NBC and Fox. The device has a little antenna that sticks out to pick up the airwaves.

Dyle is an initiative formed by several major broadcasters under a partnership called Mobile Content Venture, and aims to get more local shows onto smartphones and tablets. The companies have spent millions of dollars and years building the service, which culminated with the launch of a MetroPCS Galaxy S Lightray 4G by Samsung Electronics.

The service, however, is fairly limited at the time. A test of the Lightray 4G found that only a handful of channels could be picked up, and the quality of the video varied greatly depending on location. Dyle is confident that consumers want access to local programming, particularly local news and weather reports.

Mobile live television has had a mixed history in the market, with big name companies such as Qualcomm attempting -- and failing -- to get a service off the ground. Many consumers have instead opted for on-demand viewing or streaming video.

EyeTV is available now and comes with a free mobile app to help run the programs. It can also connect with the iPhone 5 using an adapter.

Elgato isn't the last manufacturer to build Dyle-compatible products. Others including Belkin and LG have committed to putting the feature into their devices and accessories as well.