Cyfrowy Polsat introduced a new multimedia product – service Cyfrowy Polsat GO. One way to use it is to use a new mobile application called Cyfrowy Polsat GO . In addition, access to the service can be accessed through any (almost – for’ll explain what it was) a web browser. This program is available at the moment only on the Android platform. We checked what conditions must be met in order to get through this application to media offer of Cyfrowy Polsat and cooperating with this company distributors of audiovisual content, we looked at the stability and intuitive new mobile program. Could it finally the end of the war over the remote control at home? ; -)
Anyone who on the news of a new mobile application giving access to the content VOD, linear television channels and other types of materials distributed online store launch Google Play to download the new mobile application Cyfrowy Polsat we must pause.
First of all, the mobile program is useful only to subscribers of TV Cyfrowy Polsat (more precisely: satellite TV subscribers Cyfrowy Polsat). In other words, if you have a home satellite reception of Cyfrowy Polsat and use the services of this company, recently (literally a few days), you can also also use the mobile application described here. Cyfrowy Polsat GO does not work as Ipla, another product of the same company available on mobile platforms – the need to install to get access to published materials online video. Here service Cyfrowy Polsat GO is closely linked with established subscription to any of the packages of TV Cyfrowy Polsat.
Access to the service Cyfrowy Polsat GO can get basically three ways: through a set-top box Cyfrowy Polsat (according to the declaration of the operator by the end of March, all decoders will have the updated software, the service Cyfrowy Polsat GO will be available from the menu VOD decoder) through a Web browser (this aspect briefly deal with the end of the article) and a dedicated mobile application Cyfrowy Polsat GO for Android .
How much does it cost?
Officially Cyfrowy Polsat GO is available for free. More specifically – subscribers who already pay for any package Cyfrowy Polsat theoretically have access to the service Cyfrowy Polsat GO and do not need anything extra. In practice, however, if we want to use the mobile app, or access by the browser must be activated via the ICOK (Internet service subscribers Cyfrowy Polsat) function called On The Go , and pay an additional, so-called. “Technical fee” in the amount of 5 zł per month. As part of a subscription can be Cyfrowy Polsat GO to run on up to three devices at once. This means that the house in which it operates decoder Cyfrowy Polsat, the activation of the On The Go , you can use the content made available through Cyfrowy Polsat GO eg. On three smartphones with Android (and the application installed, which here we do), or on a smartphone and two tablets (Android, of course – on other mobile platforms does not have an application Cyfrowy Polsat GO and at the moment it is not known if and when they emerge). The On The Go does not need to be activated (and thus incur additional pięciozłotowej charge technical) if the resources of Cyfrowy Polsat GO will benefit through the decoder.
Application Cyfrowy Polsat GO in action
It left us nothing but use the test granted access to the service and install the hardware of the mobile application Cyfrowy Polsat GO. During the test program, we used the tablet Google Nexus 7 operating under Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
Immediately after starting the application appears on the screen login form – should be given here, the same data with which you log to ICOK.
After a successful login, the program will ask you to name the device by means of which we want to access the service. At any given time can be activated up to three devices. We manage devices using ICOK (show this later in the article). Right at this stage, parents can turn on parental controls for activated device, which is particularly useful when such. Want to give your child a tablet.
This shows the standard screen running application Cyfrowy Polsat GO acting on the tablet (for obvious reasons edition smartphone it looks a little different – a default vertical screen layout and a slightly different arrangement of individual components, but the functionality of both versions: tablets and smartphones – is identical.
Scroll your finger up and scroll down the content available in a given category, and move your finger left and right to switch views content categories (category names appear on the pulley with thumbnails).
Indication of any thumbnail to display information about the program, film or show its availability. At the same time, the application displays the information that the service On The Go is activated (as a reminder, it is required to be able to watch content from Cyfrowy Polsat GO on your mobile device). If the material is available at no additional charge as part of the package purchased by the subscriber television, just point the Watch , which starts playback.
the left upper corner of the application has a button activating the menu program. From this menu, basically choose the type of content that interest us.
the items are marked with an arrow after touching down in the sub, but the whole menu structure is only two levels. On the one hand, it is a good solution, because it allows easily navigate through the menus, but on the other lacks some features. Eg. A person interested in a specific film genre is not possible to select the application menu, eg. Only westerns or films S-F. If the viewer knows what he wants to watch, quickly reaches a particular program or video simply by typing its title with a built-in program search (activates it is visible in the upper right corner of the screen symbol magnifying glass).
Application Digital Polsat GO also gives us access to linear TV channels, their number depends on what payment package uses subscriber Cyfrowy Polsat. For packages Family Max HD and higher (more expensive) the subscriber gets access to 84 channels via the mobile application. In the case of the cheaper packages, their number is smaller – eg. For the cheapest package Family HD , after the activation of the On The Go can be on mobile applications to watch 48 channels of linear.
Available channels can be displayed also in list form and not just icons. In the list also get information about the currently running program on the channel – progress bar visible at any position easily shows whether a program is just started, or rather is already coming to an end.
application Menu Cyfrowy Polsat GO also has a built-in television program for all available within its package of channels. Each item on the screen is an active element.
When you touch the program, which lasts just see the screen with information and the ability to enable transmission by pressing the Watch . In the case of items that will be broadcast only for obvious reasons, we will see only a description of the item.
the player integrated with Cyfrowy Polsat GO has nothing special, but it is difficult to fault. There is a Play / Pause button, scroll bar, volume control, the choice of quality and “rack” to the player settings.
After selecting controls transmission quality can change the message forcing switch the playback stream for a specific resolution. Here some attention, because Cyfrowy Polsat uses streaming technology adaptation, the actual quality of the transferred material is dependent primarily on the quality of the link – a resolution setting determines only the maximum quality at fulfilling the requirements of the transmission link, the Internet – if the speed is too weak, setting the example. 720 p little can – priority is smoother transmission, and not the quality of communication (the main assumptions of the functional adaptive streaming).
After selecting visible on the right side of the player icon set saw only the controls you can change the aspect ratio. Nothing more.
the program offers another preview mode content available on the list of linear programs. After calling up the main menu application to TV Channels , and then point to a specific position (regardless of whether the use of icons or view the list) will see the currently ongoing on the channel program at a reduced frame the player. At the player appears to be a description of the program currently being broadcast, but this feature does not always work, an example of which can be seen in the illustration above – instead of the description was blank.
Access via the browser
Although we were interested in mainly mobile application to use the opportunity that we had given to test the service, also checked out how the use of Cyfrowy Polsat GO from your computer.
at the outset, we mentioned that the content made available through the new service Cyfrowy Polsat GO can also use via the almost any web browser. The word almost is so reasonable, that eg. Google Chrome users while trying to load your site go.cyfrowypolsat.pl only see the following message:
The solution? For now, just change the browser. When we used Firefox seen longer appropriate service interface.
the functional web interface is very similar to that with which we met described using a mobile application. Of course, there are some visual differences, but it’s the little things, both variants of applications – mobile and Web– used just as easily, unless of course the browser supports obsolete unfortunately technique Silverlight from Microsoft.
Manage
because the service Cyfrowy Polsat GO is inextricably linked with the subscription service TV Cyfrowy Polsat, the logical consequence of this is that we can through our online customer panel – ICOK – manage settings associated with the new service.
With ICOK you can activate, as well as to check whether the required option On The Go is active.
As the use of the service Cyfrowy Polsat GO on mobile devices is limited, it would be good if the user had an impact on that three devices at any given time you have the opportunity. The operator has made available the appropriate function from the menu ICOK. Prepared panel Devices Cyfrowy Polsat GO , where the user can activate or reset the PIN code to protect access to the application, as well as delete unused devices already from the pool of active. With this solution with Cyfrowy Polsat GO, you can use really on any number of mobile devices, you only need to remember that at the time were active at most three. One important note – notice that the illustration above one of the items is the laptop. After the laptop is not a mobile device, at least not in the sense of what a smartphone. But really for the device included a limited pool of “receivers” Cyfrowy Polsat GO is counted any equipment beyond decoder Cyfrowy Polsat.
Summary
Mobile application Cyfrowy Polsat GO runs stably and smoothly, it is very easy to use and is one of the few still solutions, giving access not only to offer VOD (here the competition is large) but also the TV linear. Functionally, the program lacks a little bit, for example. We mentioned that it could do with a menu selection, eg. Genres – search itself is too little facilitation in the search for specific content. However, this is just the beginning – the program we tested version 1.01 – fresh from his debut. As for the origins it is pretty good. Some may flinch, that the application is available in the public and communal store is really useful only for subscribers of Cyfrowy Polsat, but this is not a drawback scheme as such, but simply due to the adopted by Cyfrowy Polsat business model. Those who do not accept such an approach have the choice of alternative content distribution online. It is a pity that Cyfrowy Polsat “stuck” in the Silverlight technology. Promoted the product as a whole ‘new dimension of entertainment “expect, however, a solution that will be based on the methods of transmission does not require archaic extensions. Another thing that as long as you do not turn on Google Chrome, and will use other browsers or just the mobile application, few will celebrate it “a Silverlight out there” – ground that it works.
Advantages and disadvantages
liquidity action
+ stability
+ ease of use
– the lack of a more precise selection content
– the requirement obsolete technology Silverlight edition of the browser
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