Comcast Xfinity Stream App With Live Channels and On-Demand Shows Now Available on Apple TV

Posted this in the other (Realityck's) thread but it is probably helpful here too...

Some early insights for those interested:

* unlike several different smart TV app versions of this app, this one DOES include HD channels.
* those with channels that have become DRM'd such as certain movie channels and select others like Bally Sun and Bally Florida for me will be happy to know that those will play through this app.
* the app UI seems to be several steps above versions for smart TVs I own from Samsung and TCL. Fast, crisp, seemingly intuitive (so far).
* certain channels that won't show up in cablecard scans in HDHomeRun Prime do show up here. For example, through this I get Smithsonian Channel HD (channel 1477 where I am).
* it appears videos that have a DD5.1 soundtrack use it, not downing the audio to stereo only... but still investigating this one. Down in post #68, user enricoclaudio seems to have put this one to bed: NOT 5.1 unfortunately.
* On demand has a LOT of "free" content. I spot checked a few videos and they look and sound good.

Continuing to test and will add more if I notice anything else interesting relative to TV app versions or things lacking via cablecard alternatives.

Anyone paying for the box lease and not really needing a big DVR might look into this. I don't recall what else the leased box offers but an AppleTV might scratch the itch for basic watching and some level of DVR storage (unclear what it is). Anyone who also owns an AppleTV may want to do some side-by-side comparisons of features to identify what the Xfinity box retains as exclusive vs. this app on AppleTV.

I'm still a big fan of Channels (app) with HDHomeRun devices to own my own gigantic-and-scalable DVR and solid integration of locals and cable channels (and doesn't count against the data cap)... BUT that doesn't deliver:

* Xfinity on demand (been using Peacock app for that),
* a few channels I should get but aren't available via cablecard, and
* any DRM'd channels that I'd have if I leased a box from Xfinity (been using individual apps like Bally Sports for that).

So this does deliver a few nice bonuses and can definitely be a great backup for my own purposes. At the price of free, what's not to like?

Why would anyone who has their TV service choose to log into an app on Apple TV, when they can just watch the same channel live on the same TV, or just DVR their favorite shows for later viewing?

I swear, this world...

People who don't want to pay a monthly fee for a 2nd TV.

Interesting. From a technical standpoint, why is this the case?

The video looks different on cable box because the box applies a filter to everything you watch on it. I first noticed when got new X1 box back in 2017… did some research and saw someone mention the filter on Reddit or DSL Reports forum. The filter applied to video on the cable box smooths out the image in some cases but can also cause artifacts. Also the cable box 4K upscaler is not as good as the Apple TV.

I first reported this news in Xfinity Stream app for Apple TV available ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/xfinity-stream-app-for-apple-tv-available.2349738/')

I laughed at "Made with love in Philadelphia"

Like all internet traffic on Comcast/Xfinity, it all goes against your data cap unlike the cable modem box receiving TV channels.

I happily kicked Xfinity to the curb a few years back.
But I'm confused by why an Xfinity subscriber would also want this app. Better UI?

Live TV without the cable box!

So you still need to be a paying Xfinity subscriber, just not renting/buying their cable box?
What kind of savings does that offer?

Saves about $10 a month. We had cable box on each TV so switching to Roku app while waiting for Apple TV app has saved us about $40 a month.