XfinityTV Mobile Apps

[BrandonCO]

Bought the fiance a Kindle Fire for xmas, and she's trying to watch Comcast content on it.  However, it goes to a screen where it says it downloading, and installing the player, and never moves from that screen.  Anyone know a fix, or know if it just doesn't work on the tablet?

Thanks in advance,

Brandon

[andyross]

The Fire is a very poor tablet. It has too little system RAM (512M vs 1G for most other tablets). It's like trying to run Windows with only 512M instead of 1G. The so-called 'accelerated browsing' using Amazons servers actually is slower than direct to the browser.

If you haven't tried already, I've heard there is an update for the Fire that fixes some issues and unblocks browser access to the Android Market.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/12/checking-in-on-the-kindle-fire-performance-updates.ars

[rog286713]

also I will add the xfinitytv app only works on the ipad and the iphone to watch content and its only on demand content.  All you can do with it with an android device is manage your dvr and that only works if you have a motorola box.  

[BrandonCO]

While I appreciate the reply.  It had nothing to do with the question I asked.  You may consider it a poor tablet.  I bought it for my fiance because she wants a reader, and doesn't need a $500 iPad.

So far it's been great.  Just was curious as to whether or not anyone was able to get streamable Comcast on it.

For $200 you can beat it.. after we root it, I expect we'll have no complaints.

[rog286713]

you cannot watch anything streaming on comcast through any tablet.  The only thing you can do is with an apple device is watch on demand type programming.   The current kindle fire update closes the root function.  you're going to keep going in circles with this root unroot as everytime amazon updates it blocks the root and removes all un-anuthorized kindle apps.  Good luck though. 

So to answer your question comast does not have streaming content to any tablet no matter what.

[BethKatz]

There are a couple of problems here:

1) There isn't an Xfinity TV app for the Kindle Fire

2) Comcast has only fixed programming (not live) in the Xfinity TV app

On the bright side, Comcast has increased the amount of "free" programming available on the iOS and Android apps. On the down side, Comcast still doesn't support the Watch ESPN app.

Page for Xfinity TV app: http://xfinity.comcast.net/learn/internet/mobile-tv-app/

You might try contacting Comcast and ask them to support the Kindle Fire. The Xfinity TV support team can be emailed at: xfinity_remote@cable.comcast.com

This page describes how to download Android apps to your Kindle Fire. I have no idea if this really works: 

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/261011/20111204/install-google-android-apps-kindle.htm

[rog286713]

the kindle fire is not supported from the android store unless you root it, jail break it.  Amazon wants you to only download apps from the amazon store.  the fire is a color ereader with access to some popular apps it is not an android tablet never was intended to be.

[BethKatz]

The Kindle Fire is being touted as being more than a color reader. And it isn't clear whether you have to "jailbreak" it to install some of the Android apps.

But that's why I suggested contacting the Comcast developers about creating a Kindle Fire version.

[rog286713]

You do have to jailbreak it to install android apps that are not on the amazon store.  That is a big problem with the fire that people are just finding out.  Amazon has great marketing and most people are not tech savy.

Here is a quote from a parent on amazon's site about what they think of the fire they bought.

Posted on  Dec 25, 2011 8:09:42 AM PST 

D. Scott Alsobrookssays:

    Just bought my son a Kindle Fire for Christmas, it totally sucks!  Cannot go to Android Market place and get apps/games that he likes to play on my phone.  Total bunk!  Buy another brand, as this tablet tries to force you to Amazon for everything.  I purchase lots of stuff from them, but do not want to be forced there to get simple apps, like paper toss!         

Also read this article.

http://gigaom.com/mobile/kindle-fire-no-longer-blocks-android-market-website/

[wildsdark]

Can you stream Xfinity on Kindle Fire:   Nope      (Bummer, I know)

You don't necessarily have to jailbreak the Fire to put Android apps on it.  I have installed the xfinitytv app for android onto my Kindle Fire and it was pretty simple to do.  The link that was provided by Beth for information on how to install apps without jailbreaking does give correct information. The only thing that I did differently was that I downloaded the .apk to my laptop and then transferred that file via USB to the Kindle Fire. It was not a difficult process.

Also, I have seen streaming from Xfinity on an iPad. So stating that you cannot stream on any tablet is not correct.

I really like my Kindle Fire and am quite happy with it although, it would be nice to stream from xfinity.com but, I have been able to stream from a couple of the major networks websites and there are other sites out there that you can stream from (no, I am not talking about Hulu or Netflix).

[rog286713]

the only thing you can do on an ipad or iphone is watch ondemand programs what I said was you cannot stream live tv to it. 

[ComcastEric]

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that we are actively working on making this available in the Kindle Market soon in 2012.  We'll let you know when there's more information.

Eric

[UnhappY-Kindle]

When oh when will comcast fix the issue for us Kindle fire owners. Why can Netflix and Hulu+ work but Xfinity won't. The stream has not been updated since January when will this be resolved?  Now you rollout streampix and that doesn't work either.  Its not the browser its Xfinity.

[jfiascone]

I have read the posts and know you are working on it but we are getting to the end of the first quarter of 2012 and no Xfinity App for Kindle Fire.   Is Kindle not helping? 

[rnagel12]

I hope this is not a stupid question, but have you tried turning on the option to "Allow installation of applications from unknown sources"?  It can be found in the settings under Device.

[jfiascone]

Thanks for asking, yes I did install the Xfinity basic app, downloaded the ap.pak and installed.  It does not allow you to watch streaming that I saw, just control the tv, like a remote control.  Wanted the streaming part.

Thanks

[UnhappY-Kindle]

Netflix is working great they must know what their doing.

[hamiltonali]

Did you get a response about the Fire working with Xfinity? I am getting the same streaming error you are. I guess I could call them...

Thanks,

Ali

[wildsdark]

Currently you cannot stream xfinity on the Kindle Fire. Supposedly, Comcast is working on an app but....nobody seems to know for sure. The only app available that will work is one that shows program listings and basically turns your Fire into a remote control for your television. Fat lot of good that does when I'm not at home...lol

So, I have to either sign up for Hulu+ or Netflix or pay for Amazon Prime to watch TV programming/movies at the moment. Not planning on any of those 3 options because I figure that if I am already paying a small fortune for Comcast and have it available on my laptop to stream, they could at least provide an app for the Fire....

~~my 2 cents~~

[fwatriss]

very glad to hear that you are working to make Xfinity streaming available through the Kindle Fire. It would be very handy. Please keep me/us posted.

[wricbenz]

As for streaming live TV on the kindle fire; Yes you can if you have a sling box and the sling box app.

[UnhappY-Kindle]

there are better options than slingbox but thats not what were asking for. We want to watch xfinity on demand on our kindles not streem from our tv's. Does anybody know if the verizon fios on demand has the same issues?

[UnhappY-Kindle]

Yet another month has gone by and no updates for us Kindle fire owners. Netflix is the way to go. I feel let down by xfinity. Maybe xfinity needs to learn the same lesson apple did when we bought kindles instead of Ipads.

[UnhappY-Kindle]

Just a note to all those kindle fire owners. HBO2Go works great just like netflix and July. Why doesn't xfinity fix this!!!!!!!

[dneece6]

yeah - I find it very disappointing that, still, 8 months after this thread began - comcast/xfinity tv still can't support the Kindle device.  There is no mobile app so you assume you can watch tv via the regular website - no such luck.  So I'm stuck either watching tv on my phone (not ideal) or re-buying programs from Amazon that I've already paid a fortune to Comcast to get.  Very disappointing.

[MIACGACMAN]

So - just bought a new Kindle Fire (two days later, I learned why Best Buy didn't have any more in the pipelin - it is being discontinued). 

Expected that we could use it to watch Xfinity ON DEMAND.

I've read this thread and most of the discussion is about Xfinity streaming, and how you simply cannot watch Xfinity streaming on a Kindle Fire.

My question - what about Xfinity ON DEMAND?  If that question was answered here, I missed it.  And, if there is a way to enable the watching of Xfinity ON DEMAND on a Kindle Fire, how is it done?  In detail please

'cause I'm an old guy.

[kmoser1810]

$200.00 dollars and criticsm? I am totally impressed with Kindle Fire and what it does for the money. I paid a little more than most e-readers and less then half of what an I phone costs and moree than happy with it. I am a little unhappy with lack of help available as I was looking st e-readers and note books for a long time and was unfamiliar with how to do things, but daily  I learn something new. The fire is outstanding for the money.

[kmoser1810]

 Of course they could improve the ram etc, but then those of us not willing to spend twice the money for features we would not use would not have had this avaliable to us. I am quite satisfied with what I got for the money.

[jtibbetts]

Is there any update to this string? I am trying to watch Xfinity content on my Kindle Fire. I don't see an app yet in the app store. Is Comcast really working this?

[jfiascone]

No unfortunately, Xfinity seems to only support Apple products and has not moved to supporting this on the Kindle.  Now with the iPad mini, perhaps taking some of that market share they may never support it.

[ComcastJoe]

Hi all,

I am sorry but we do not have any new information at this time.

Once we have more information to pass along, we will update this thread.

Thanks,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[kmoser1810]

Anyone know if WOW supports this device?

[ComcastJoe · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

I am sorry I overlooked this thread. The XFINITY TV Player App is now available for the Kindle Fire:

http://www.amazon.com/Comcast-Interactive-Media-XFINITY-Player/dp/B00AOA9BL0/ref=sr_1_29?s=mobile-ap...

Thank you for your patience and sorry for the inconvenience,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[dneece6]

YAY!!!!

[dneece6]

(although I don't see it available yet....I'll keep checking)

[ComcastJoe]

---

dneece6 wrote:
(although I don't see it available yet....I'll keep checking)

---

Please click the link that I posted in my previous post.

Thanks,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[jfiascone]

You have to install the Amazon App Store app then get it from that?  I installed it and now I can't get to any App store.  This is Xfinity TV App for Android devices and I will keep trying but seems to have a problem working on the kindle.

[MIACGACMAN]

Does this work on the original Kindle Fire?

If so, how about some customer support here?

Explain, in simple detail, and with screen grabs if that will make it even easier to understand, how to access this download and plop it onto my Kindle Fire?

Now that would be something special.

[jfiascone]

Do not follow the link and download the app.  It does not work for the Kindle Fire.  In fact when you go to get it there is a big red x next to it saying "not available for kindle fire".  I did it anyway and my Kindle Fire will now no longer access the "regular" Amazon app store and they have had to escalate it to a different support person.

[jtibbetts]

This seems to be bogus. I navigate to the link on my Kindle fire and I get the red X for compatibility with my Kindle Fire. What gives. Why wouldn't it be in the regular App Store accessible through the Kindle instead of on the web?

[btl7]

"Do not follow the link and download the app.  It does not work for the Kindle Fire.  In fact when you go to get it there is a big red x next to it saying "not available for kindle fire".  I did it anyway and my Kindle Fire will now no longer access the "regular" Amazon app store and they have had to escalate it to a different support person."

Look like good advice if you don't want to root your Fire to try to install it. The Xfinity mobile app is not available directly from the Fire device itself by going to the Amazon app store either. A relative is a Comcast employee who got a marketing update email a few weeks ago that said the Kindle Fire app was available. That's why I asked in the other thread, because I couldn't find it. Seems kind of odd that HBO can make an app that works great on the Fire for watching HBO content but Comcast/Xfinity cannot.

[ComcastJoe]

Hi all,

Kindle Fire HD apps often require devices to have specific hardware or software to run properly. If an app isn't available on your device or has a red X over it, this means that your device does not meet the requirements of the app. 

Please do not root your device.

Thanks,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[btl7]

Hi all,

 

Kindle Fire HD apps often require devices to have specific hardware or software to run properly. If an app isn't available on your device or has a red X over it, this means that your device does not meet the requirements of the app.

 

Please do not root your device.

 

Thanks,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

Thank you Joe for that very interesting information but the HBO GO app for the Amazon Fire works flawlessly to watch HBO content, Netflix works flawlessly to view Netflix programs, Amazon videos work flawlessly on the original Fire as do other video services too. So the folks at these companies must have figured out the amazingly difficult puzzle of making the inferior Fire play videos very well. Maybe Comcast's developers can phone them up to see what they did to make their mobile video apps work so well? I mean the Fire device has been out in the wild for more than a year now, let's get real at this point and stop making excuses.

[MIACGACMAN]

Yes - Amazon Joe - what bt17 says makes a lot of sense.

Answer my questions - they were pretty straightforward and specific.

Either tell me it cannot be done (bonus points if you can explain why)

OR

Tell me exactly how I can watch Comcast on an original Kindle FIRE

I am not asking for the moon here.  I don't want free Comcast for 3 months or an Amazon gift card.  Just the courtesy of a corporate response that makes sense.

MIACGACMAN

[ComcastJoe]

MIACGACMAN & btl7,

This app was developed on the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and is not backward compatible with any older Android operating systems.

Sorry,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[MIACGACMAN]

COMCAST Joe

You are speaking gobbledegook.

"older devices" - older than what?

Can't you just answer the questions the way they are asked?  Is English not your native language?  Why must this be soooooo difficult?   It seems to be from your tone that the answer to my question is clearly - NO, you cannot watch Comcast streaming anything on an original Kindle FIRE.  If that is the case, why don't you simply say so.  I think you maybe were trying for the bonus points but skipped over the main question, and then just made it all the more confusing.  Please try again.  Please.

MIACGACMAN

[MIACGACMAN]

COMCCAST JOE

Opps!  My bad - not above apologizing for my error.

"older devices" is supposed to read "older Android operating systems"

and, what does Ice Cream Sandwich have to do with anything Kindle?

MIACGACMAN

[ComcastJoe]

---

MIACGACMAN wrote:

COMCCAST JOE

Opps!  My bad - not above apologizing for my error.

"older devices" is supposed to read "older Android operating systems"

and, what does Ice Cream Sandwich have to do with anything Kindle?

MIACGACMAN

---

I am sorry but your device does not meet the requirements of the app.

Sorry,
Joe
XfinityTV.com/Xfinity.com Support
Twitter: @XfinityTVJoe

[dneece6]

So...back to the original purpose of this thread.... when will Comcast/Xfinitiy streaming be available on the Kindle fire? 

We've waited this long, I guess we can continue to wait if we know it's coming.  We all got worked into a frenzy when we thought it was already here (but wasn't).

[btl7]

I think the decision not to support the Fire is unfortunate for a few reasons. 1) the Fire plays video beautifully as can be seen from the Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Slingbox, HBO GO, Hulu etc sources.The Fire has a very good display, playing videos is one of the things it does best. The audio is decent on its speakers and very good when connected to some good headphones (or a good audio system}. 2) The Fire is probably the second most common tablet after the iPad, ignoring it ignores customers in fairly high numbers. 3} It's not the right thing to do.