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How to watch TV on Android: Elgato EyeTV Micro puts Freeview on your Galaxy S3

What’s happened? 

Elgato’s EyeTV Micro is a tiny digital terrestrial adapter that plugs in to your Android phone or tablet and lets you watch Freeview on the go.

Everything comes through an aerial, so you don’t need 3G or WiFi for this to work – you just need to be able to get digital TV reception, install the EyeTV Micro app from Google Play and away you go. Android phones and tablets running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich with a dual-core processor or higher ought to be able to work with the EyeTV Micro.

How to watch TV on Android: Elgato EyeTV Micro puts Freeview on your Galaxy S3

Elgato has tested the EyeTV Micro on the Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy Note, Asus Nexus 7 and the HTC One X and it works on all of those.

If you’ve bought a high-end Android phone or tablet in the last six months it ought to play ball. Once the EyeTV Micro app lands in Google Play we’ll be able to see which phones and tablets work.

Launching later this month, the EyeTV Micro will be going for £55 direct from Elgato’s site and on other retailers.

September 4, 2012


How can I watch TV on my Android phone or tablet?

There’s a number of ways you can get live and catch-up TV on your Android phone or tablet.

BBC iPlayer for Android lets you watch and listen to live TV and radio over 3G and WiFi. Android phones and tablets running Android 2.2 Froyo with Adobe Flash Player 11 installed are supported.

Download BBC iPlayer for Android here and Flash Player 11 here.

ITV Player for Android lets you watch programmes from ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV for up to 30 days after broadcast and works over WiFi only. Those watching in Scotland/STV or UTV regions might not be able to access ITV1 through the ITV Player.

ITV Player for Android works on devices running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and above and needs Adobe Air 3.1 installed to work.

Download ITV Player for Android here and Adobe Air here.

While there’s no 4oD or 4seven apps available for Android yet, if your phone is capable of running Flash you can watch programmes by going to the 4oD site through the stock Android browser. Programmes and clips play in landscape so you get a similar viewing experience to what you’d get on the iPhone 4oD app.

Demand5 can also be accessed through the standard Android browser but doesn’t scale to fit the screens of most phones. Again, there’s no Demand5 Android app available right now.

Sky customers can access the excellent Sky Go app on selected Android phones. This lets you access a selection of Sky programmes (based on your subscription) on your phone over 3G and WiFi. Currently the following phones are supported:

HTC Desire, HTC Desire S, HTC Desire HD, HTC Incredible S, HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XE, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy Note.

Sky Go for Android now works on devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as well as those which have not yet been upgraded.

Download Sky Go for Android here.

Virgin Media customers can download the Virgin Media Player from Google Play which lets you access catch-up content powered by 4oD, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and more. Working on devices running Android 2.1 Eclair and above, Virgin Media Player currently works over 3G and not, somewhat oddly, WiFi. An update bringing WiFi support is coming.

Download Virgin Media Player here.

Virgin Media subscribers can also look forwards to Virgin Media Anywhere, a new service that will be launching in web and iPad versions. Though an Android-optimised version isn’t on the cards right now you still should be able to access it through your phone or tablet’s browser.

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