CES: Bigstream battles for your iPhone, iPad content

If the Apple TV isn't your cup of tea, there are options. We took a look at one of them here ate CES.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations

Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

Jan. 7, 2011 5:57 p.m. PT

Watch this: Bigstream iPhone-to-TV transceiver

00:55

LAS VEGAS--If your home doesn't have a Wi-Fi network (or even if it it does) you can still get your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch multimedia content onto a TV screen. Bigstream is a two-part hardware solution the has a transmitter you plug into your Apple device, and a receiver you plug into the AV or video jack of your TV.

The benefit is being able to quickly play music and games, watch videos, and run Keynote presentations online. In addition to your own content, you can also launch YouTube videos, Netflix, and other third-party apps.

In the case of games, the iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch then becomes the game controller. There's very little lag time with games, as we saw in our CES demo, and there are three physical channels you can switch among if you run into any interference.

Useful, but Bigstream has its drawbacks. At $99, it costs the same as the Apple TV set-top box, which also has a remote feature for playing device content. Bigstream is wired, but it also doesn't have a wireless option if that's what you prefer. The AppleTV earns extra points for renting out HD TV shows and movies.

Still, if gaming is your thing, Bigstream is at least worth checking out in our video.

Bigstream links iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch to TV — Bigstream plugs iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch into your TV. Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Article updated 1/8/2011 at 12:10 pm PST to correct a statement about music playing capability.