Sprint TV is one of those “bloatware” apps that drives most people crazy. It does nothing more than take up valuable storage space and slowing the EVO down to a snail’s pace. Not us though. We figure it’s time to stand up for Mr. Sprint and their little apps.
Sprint TV is a very valuable asset to your EVO and there are a few reasons why you should use it regularly. We know that you can go directly to ABC’s website and watch the Flash version of Nightly News and enjoy it on the wonderful browser on the EVO. What you don’t think about is the non-compressed videos will drain your battery faster than the streamlined ‘mobile TV’ versions that Sprint runs through Sprint TV. You also have the added benefit of not using as much data bandwidth, which ultimately keeps costs lower for all users.
Sprint TV also features more programming options that most of the mobile internet sites and has more children’s programming available on demand as well. Your kids can snuggle up in the backseat of the car on the ride home and watch Phineas and Ferb, Hannah Montana or even the Veggie Tales (with a premium subscription) on that gorgeous screen.
The menu system is easy enough to navigate, although, it can be laggy at times. A simple swipe will access the darker “subscribed” channels and the lighter “subscription required” channels.
Once you are in and watching your show, the picture quality is quite good on a decent 3G connection and even better on a solid 4G connection. The rumors of Sprint TV not working on 4G are untrue and are probably due to the lack of a solid 4G connection. Everywhere we’ve tried to use Sprint TV with 4G coverage the performance has been phenomenal.
The picture quality for Sprint TV is dependent on your connection speed. The slower the connection, the choppier and more pixelated the images are. With a poor 3G connection, videos take longer to load and are still watchable, but noticeable pixelation occurs throughout the video. The other annoyance with slower connections is the lack of audio sync between the video and sound tracks.
The biggest issue that we have with Sprint TV is that you are not able to use the service over WiFi indoors. It seems like a stupid move on Sprint’s part, but by only allowing access to the streams from their network, it does keep hackers and pirates out of their TV streams, which again, minimizes network strain and keeps costs lower.
Sprint TV is a free service that is included with your data plan. It also includes free Sprint Radio service, which is a Sprint alternative to Slacker or Pandora – without the extra frills and skipping options. Sprint TV also includes multiple options for subscribing to additional content with channels and packages ranging from $.99 to $19.99 a month. Sprint TV Xtra is the most popular option of their paid add-on packages for $9.99 a month.
Overall, Sprint TV’s free package gives you some great entertainment on the road for nothing. With free access to NCIS, Survivor, ESPN (live), Royal Pains, In Plain Sight, Private Practice, No Ordinary Family and dozens of other full episode broadcasts you can afford to try something new.
Sprint TV is currently on your EVO and a great show is just a few clicks away. Enjoy the freedom of watching something new during your commute on the bus or train.
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