Can I use my iPod touch to display the BBC iPlayer app on my TV?

January 21, 2012 7:11 AM

Can I use my iPod touch to display the BBC iPlayer app on my TV?

I have a 4th generation iPod touch, an Apple universal dock, and a TV with s-video and component inputs. I can use an s-video cable to connect the dock to the TV, and successfully watch movies in Safari or the Videos app. When I do so, the in-app video player recognises that the TV is connected, and routes the video to it instead of the iPod screen. But with the same setup, the BBC iPlayer app plays on the iPod screen only. I can use iplayer through Safari and bbc.co.uk/iplayer (and it will show on the TV), but seemingly only at very low video quality. I would like to get high-quality video through the iplayer app, and see the results on the TV. I'm happy to buy new cables if necessary, but would like to not have to buy an Apple TV.

posted by beniamino to Computers & Internet (1 answer total)

Best answer: I have only been able to do this by installing DisplayOut on my Apple product (in this case an iPad 2, but it does specify that a 4th Generation iPod Touch is compatible). This does require you root your device, so this may be a dead end if you don't want to do that.

The iPlayer app is otherwise not enabled for external video out, which is why you aren't seeing output to your television. This feature may be added in a future version, but for now the Safari method you mention is your only other option.
posted by NordyneDefenceDynamics at 12:18 PM on January 21, 2012