Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders
How to Watch iPhone Movies on Your TV
Podcast Video | Posted by Phil Leigh on September 3, 2009
If you would like to learn how to watch movies on your TV that were downloaded to your iPhone, this video is for you.
Every iPod or iPhone owner knows they can buy digital music at Apple’s iTunes online store. Most also realize they can rent or purchase movies and TV shows there as well. Finally, many are aware that numerous free video and audio podcasts, some including popular TV shows, are also available. However, few understand that it is not difficult use iPods and iPhones to watch the movies stored on the portable units through a conventional flat panel TV.
Today’s video shows how to do it.
Apple sells two types of cable assemblies that can connect the iPhone and iPod to a TV. One is termed Component and the other Composite. The Component assembly provides a higher quality picture, but it also uses more jacks. Both assemblies retail for $50.
At first glance, the wiring looks complicated for two reasons. First, it is best to provide an external power supply to the portable devices so they don’t drain their batteries. Second, and more importantly, Apple does not support the HDMI standard which can transport video and audio over a single cable. Thus, while both audio and video exit the iPhone and iPod from a single socket the constituent signals must be delivered separately to the TV.
In the Composite assembly video is input to the TV via a single wire and audio enters as a stereo signal via two more wires. The Component assembly inputs the video to the TV with three wires (one for each primary color) and also uses two pins for stereo audio.
A textual description makes it seem more difficult that it actually is. That is why we urge you to watch the video.
The fact that consumers can easily play through a television the movies and TV shows they downloaded on their iPhones and iPods has further implications. The public is becoming increasingly aware that the flat panel TV can also readily function as a giant monitor for a variety of Internet-connected devices. In addition to iPods and iPhones, other popular examples are laptop computers, video games, and specialized appliances like Roku. Ultimately this has profound implications because it induces a trend toward more frequent viewing of Internet Video on the TV.
If you would like to learn more about the future of media, please inspect the commentary and videos for our market research reports, “Future Developments in Video Advertising” and “Third Generation Television”.
Categories: Podcast Video
Tags: Apple, digital-media, Future-of-Television, Hollywood-Studios, Internet-Movies, Internet-TV, iPhone, Phil-Leigh, television
Leave a Comment
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
A very interesting article but I notice that you make no mention of the screen resolution differences between Ipod/Iphone and HDTV’s. I know that component video can reproduce 720p and even 1080i HDTV (I think) so what happens if I buy an HD Movie from Itunes which I assume is 1920x1080i and then put it on my IPhone at much smaller resolution and then play it on my 46″ Sony HDTV which is can display up to 1080p. Does the Ipod or IPhone store the full 1920x1080i video and collapse it down for the Iphone display so that the full 1920x1080i can also be displayed on my HDTV. Of course I could go and buy a component cable for Apple and hook my IPhone to my Sony HDTV, but I think others would like a second article about any optical resolution conflicts that may occur using the IPod/iPhone as a video source.
Tony:
My preference was to attach my iPhone to my TV with Apple’s Component Cables because it provides High Definition, as you note. However, the pins from the Apple cable would not mate snugly with the sockets on my TV, so I go no picture. When I returned the cable to that Apple store we tested the cable to see if it would produce video on their TV and it did. In point of fact, it provided video in HD although I cannot specify which (line) x (pixel) standard. I *can* confirm that the picture looked great on a pretty large TV.
Both the Apple rep and I were puzzled as to *why* the pins of the cable would not fit the sockets on my TV. We looked at each other like the other was somehow to blame. For example, as you may have noted in my video I had already attached the cable set-top box to one set of Component Sockets, and I merely tried to attach the Apple Component cable to the adjacent set. (The two sets are clearly visible in the video. One set is stuffed with cables from the CATV set-top box, and the other is vacant.)
In short, the Component pins and sockets are *supposed* to be a standard, so Apple’s Component Cable should have worked in my TV. But it did not.
As a result, I had to use the Composite cable and that is what is demonstrated in the video. However, I rented movies that I put on the iPhone and played through the TV. They looked as good as the pictures I get via the TiVo. That is because I had to hook-up the TiVo to the CATV set-top box with Composite Cable as well. The fault for this lies with the CATV operator, Bright House Networks.
I bought the composite cable for my iPhone. Hooked it up to my Sony LCD Digital Color TV. Sound worked but video did not.
First I got some video that was srolling up the TV then a message on the iPhone that the device was not compatible.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Steve
I want to do the same thing … but without any wires connection to my iphone..
Is it possible?
I would assume that your TV would have to be able to receive either WiFi or cellular signals from the iPhone. I don’t think many TVs can do that.
Great info and detailed video Phil, Thanks!
Hi,
Will this component cable work to view live TV from the iphone to the TV? I have recently purchased the sky sports channels (UK) and want to watch them on my plasma via my AV reciever.
Many thanks
Mark
I do not know the answer to your question. The best thing to do is to visit the Apple store and tell them what you want to do. If I recall correctly, I did try to play YouTube video streams from the iPhone through my TV but they did not work.
After watching your video of the composite cable I went to Best Buy and purchased the GRIFFIN cable for the iphone. I connected it to my television and played a movie I had on my iphone, but all I got was sound and no video. The same thing happened when trying to preview a video from itunes store. Is there something else I need to do to make the video transfer? Any input would be great.
Thanks, Tommaso.
It is best to buy the cable from the Apple Store. Go back to Best Buy and tell them the cable did not work. Then go to the Apple Store with your iPhone and have a video on your iPhone. Tell the Apple Salesperson that you want a cable to make the video on the iPhone play through a TV. They have TVs at the Apple Store, so when the salesperson shows you the cable ask him or her to demonstrate the set-up through one of the TVs they have in the showroom. Tell them you have video on the iPhone ready to play.
Great article!, i’ve already tried it and it works great; although i have a question. I would like to use it with an application that i have in my iphone that allows you to watch a live tv feed. Its there an option to set this up. Thanks!
It is best to take your iPhone to the Apple Store and tell them what you want to do. They will be able to answer the question.
Phil:
I ordered the component AV cable through the Apple store online. I received it today, and I am happy to say it works. Thank you for the information.
Tommaso
As we begin to realize that our TVs can also function as monitors, all sorts of possibilities open up. Have you considered attaching a laptop to the TV and watching Internet videos that way?
Great Video, I still need help. I purchased a dock and cables from the Apple store. I have it all set up but can only hear the audio. How do I get the video to work? I followed everything your video said and made sure it was official Apple cables.
The best thing to do is to return to the Apple Store with (1) your cable harness and (2) the iPhone loaded with a video that is ready to play.
Tell the salesperson at the Store that you cannot make the set-up work on your TV. He, or she, will be able to demonstrate how to do it at the Store because they also have TVs for sale there. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly common for people to walk into the Store with questions like yours. You can trust that they will make it work or find out what is wrong.
Hullo all – further to this discussion, have bought the Apple connecter from the Apple store where I was assured that would allow the Tv to act as a monitor to display ANyTHING that was on the iPhone 3gs screen – BUT, it will ONLY display videos, and at that ONLY YouTube videos, not news broadcasts available on various websites etc. This cannot be right in 2010, surely?
Also, a smaller annoyance but still annoying – when a YouTube video is playing on the iPhone alone, obviously it doesn’t got to screensaver – but when playing the video via the TV connector, it doesn’t show on the iPhone screen and the iPhone goes to screensaver while it’s playing, thus stopping the video on the TV!
Any solutions, anyone? Thankyou!
The Apple iPhone will not display native Flash Videos. It only does YouTube Flash because there is a special iPhone app for it. See the link below for more background
http://insidedigitalmedia.com/iphone-and-adobe-go-to-the-mattresses/#more-865
Theresa
You may have a settings that allows you to view the video on your phone or the alternate, which is TV output. Check the settings on your app that is allowing you to view the video. My particular app had to be switched to TV output to view the video, otherwise I would have only had the audio myself.
If the video is in the iPod section of your iPhone, then it should play via the cable harness to the TV without doing anything to the setting.
I want to connect my phone to my TV/Monitor while on the internet. Will this work?
It only play videos that have been put in your iPod section of the iPhone. To connect your TV monitor to the Internet you can use your laptop computer. See our earlier posting on this in the Spring of 2009.
Help
HI i was wondering if does it matter the tv as long as it has a RCA JACK. i connect my iphone to the tv with the same cord u have there i can hear sound but no picture the i says not capable with my phone do i want to turn on airplane mode…??? why is that ????
Thankyou for some responses – first, in regard to Youtube flash vs other flash, that’s not my problem – my iPhone apps all play perfect video on the iPhone itself, but only the YouTube videos play on the tv when I connect it via the Apple cable.
With regard to the apps having a tv vs iPhone play setting, unfortunately I haven’t seen any such settings in the apps I’m using to play live tv, or a video I downloaded.
Did soemone mean that the YouTube app that was preloaded on the iPhone has something specific that allows it to play on the tv? Because actually I can’t see that it is that special – I can play YouTube videos on the iPhone even from the Safari browser, when they are embedded in websites or on the YouTube website itself. What’s more, these YouTube vidos also play perfectly on the tv, so it’s not the iPhone YouTube app that is special!
The iPhone will not play flash videos unless the player on the Website has a special App. YouTube has such an App. Other websites that do not have it yet rely upon flash videos will not play on the iPhone. Check out earlier videos at Inside Digital Media to see what I mean. I think also Flash videos at The New York Times and Wall Street Journal also will not play on the iPhone
The iPhone will not play flash videos unless the player on the Website has a special App. YouTube has such an App. Other websites that do not have it yet rely upon flash videos will not play on the iPhone. Check out earlier videos at Inside Digital Media to see what I mean. I think also Flash videos at The New York Times and Wall Street Journal also will not play on the iPhone
Sorry to labour the point, but the main focus of my question is the videos that DO PLAY successfully on the iphone, will NOT play on the TV set when connected using the Apple Component AV cable.
I can play many different videos successfully on the iphone over safari or various iphone apps (so presumably this means these video players all have the special type of app required to make the videos play on the iphone) – my MAIN problem is that other videos OTHER THAN YOUTUBE, which DO PLAY ON THE IPHONE, will NOT play on the TV?
Any ideas why this is so, anyone?
Any video that you can put into the iPod sector of your iPhone will play via the cable to the TV.
Playing videos via the browser is a different matter. If you have an Apple Store near you, the best thing to do is visit the store and explain the problem. As I understand it, Apple developed the YouTube App whereas the other apps you are using were presumably developed by independents. That may explain why YouTube works okay and the others don’t. As you seem to realize, iPhones will not play Flash video without such apps.
hi, my name is Brenda and i just will like to ask why when i set up the set of cables and i just follow the easy instruccion that i saw in this video , the first day everything works perfect the same as you watching on your iphone , so when i was so excited to show a friend mine this my videos came on white an black and seems like my tv is not sync loos half of the top and half of the bottom. I will like to know how i can fix this i been looking up on website to see if i find any solution but i did not find it , some one can help me with that or could be my iphone what its 3Gs.
Hey I was wondering what if I have downloaded movies but not from iTunes therefore my movies are not in my iTunes folders they are in my app which allows me to download movies. Now when I play movies on my iPhone it gives me an option to play on tv..is it the same procedure of how you explained earlier??
Also to view my laptop on my plasma is it the same procedure and with the same cords as the apple cords used for the iPhone??
Take your iPhone to the closest Apple Store and explain what you want to do. Be sure you also take your cable harness. They sell televisions at the Apple Store so they will be able to demonstrate for you just what your iPhone can and cannot do in the context of displaying videos on TV screens.
Hi Phil,
) Thanks so much,
I have the cable and have been using previously but what I DID learn from your clip was what the extra USB cable was for!! I didn’t realise it was to plug in a power supply!! Makes perfect sense now!!!
Cheers,
Corina
Hi Phil,
thanks for the video! It got me started, and I quickly (and successfully) hooked up to one of our Sony Bravia TV’s and played video from my iphone no problem.
I then went to a second TV in our house, also a Sony Bravia, and the resulting video was the screen split in half, showing duplicate video on both sides (sort of like a picture in picture!). The video was also only black and white, flickering and distorted. I’ve been fiddling around all night and can’t figure out for the life of me what’s wrong.
I know I’m setting it up right; I’ve already done so on one TV no problems. And since it worked on one TV already I also know it’s not the cable (which I forgot to mention is the Apple component AV cable purchased at the Apple store today). Any thoughts on what might be causing this? I’m pretty sure it’s something with the setting on the TV, but can’t figure out what it is!
Thank you,
Jennifer
Since it works on one TV and not the other, I suspect there is something different about the second TV.
I have a iphone 3GS. I’ve done everything step by step. The only picture i get is a scrambled black and white picture with no sound. I have my movies in the video category in my itunes. Is there any settings I have to change?
On your iPhone go to “Settings”. Scroll down to “iPod” and select it.
Next, scroll down to “TV Out”.
At that point on the “TV Signal” option choose “NTSC” if you live in the United States.
Hi Phil,
I watched your podcast and read the comments below but still couldn’t fix my situation.
Here is my issue (I assume from what I read from one of your replies you went through something similar as well…):
I bought the component cable(not the composite because of my tv definition and the definition of the slingplayer app in my iphone) to attach my old iphone to my tv (a samsung led 46″).
I had no issues going through all the steps up until I finally started playing the podcast and it would not show on my TV! How frustrating!
Is there anything I can do to fix this??
Thanks,
Paola
Note: When I tried to be creative and used the USB cable to plug it to my TV I was able to watch a slideshow of my pictures in my iphone and if I had any videos stored in it could have worked as well.
Take the iPhone and cable to the Apple Store and ask them to show you how to make it work. They also sell TVs there so they will be able to show you.
Will this connection work with all 3g iPhones ?
Yes, it should work with a 3G phone. It is all really coming from the iPod section of your phone anyway.
You can go to the Apple Store and ask them for a completely authoritative answer.
the explanation was really good but when i conect my iphone to my tv i can only hear the podcast but not watch it, ive checked the inputs twice because i thought i put them in the wrong place but i didnt, is there anything im doing wrong???
thanks a lot
If you live in North America 1. click on settings icon — 2. click on iPod icon — 3. on “TV Signal” choose the NTSC option.
hi, saw the vid awsome dude but is there a way of using the av cable on a computer monitor(not connected to the PC)??? if so what do i need????
If the computer monitor has an HDMI socket then you would connect it the same way.
kool but on the apple av cable there is no HDMI plug to plug into the monitor, is there an adaptor or converter i can use??
I think so, but got the the Apple Store and explain your problem.
kool cheers
hi got the av cable pluged in the video starts then stops i live in england and have the settings on PAL is there anything else i have to do????
ok I have sky sports on my iphone. I can stream all tv, videos, photos, you tube and tv from tv catchup or anything on the net. I cannot however get the picture for skysports!!!! I can get audio but not video, it is a ri off. All i want to do is watch the sky sports on a larger media and not the iphone screen. I called sky sports and they told me it is basically blocked. I told them that i legally pay for the package, which I do and all i want to do is watch it on a biiger screen, it seems they have blocked the output signal for that app, yet everything else works and as i said I can get sound!!!!!anyoine know how it can be done?? thanks
ian
If you have AT&T cable, there is a USB port on your converter box by your tv, plug in your phone to the USB cable provided with your phone( w/out the plug, of course), and insert it into your box. Follow the promps and you are good to go…..
How to Watch iPhone Movies on Your TV…..I did everything you said but after 30 seconds it stops playing the movie for some reason?? please help
Sorry, Brian. I don’t know what the problem is. I have never experienced such a thing.
If you have netflix on your iphone, can you stream the video from the netflix app to your tv using this setup??
I do not have Netflix, so I do not know. However, I was able to watch Video Streaming from the Apple Website on my TV via the iPhone when I watched the September 1, 2010 iPod and Apple TV product introductions.
Still wondering if netflix is accepted through this setup? I’m having a hard time contacting the apple people via phone and was hoping someone has had some luck…
It is probably best to take your iPhone with the NetFlix App and the cable you are using down to the Apple Store. Show a rep everything and ask him/her to make it work on one of the TVs they sell in the store.
what is the cable called that allows you to Watch iPhone Movies on Your TV.
There are at least two you can use. Go to the Apple Store and explain what you want to do and they will tell you the choices you have. However, you must know the kinds of sockets that your TV has.
There is a website called iphonetvshoes.net that I watch on my iphone. Will I be able to watch the shows from this website on my TV with the composite cable you demonstrated?
Thanks,
Mark
The iPhone does not play Flash, so if iphonetvshoes.net uses Flash without an app to adapt it to iPhone, then it will not play.
Hello, is it possible to watch live streams or internet movies or lets say netflix. With the netflix app can this be watched on your tv through the iphone?
If the streams come in Flash the answer is no unless there is a special app that makes it work on iPhone. YouTube has such an app and maybe the Netfix app works as well.
What about netflix, is it possible to send netflix from the iphone to the tv? I am about to return my component video cable back to apple unless there is a way.
Thanks
It depends, I think, on the NetFlix app. The people at the Apple Store can tell you.
I would like to know if anyone else has been able to get any picture other than just sound when playing MLB through the iphone. Or with the use of games and with netflix.
You can take it to the Apple Store and explain what you want. They can give you a definitive answer.
This is very helpful but I can’t seem to get NetFlix to play using the cables nor do I see something on my iPhone that tells me to push the video to the TV.
Thanks
Dan
I do not use NetFlix, so I do not know if the App will work. However, anything that you put in the iPod section of your iPhone will work as well as streams from YouTube. However, you should also be certain that the iPhone settings are correct. Go to “settings”. Then go to “ipod settings” and within that section there will be an area for television. If you live in North America, choose NTSC.
What Is the wire called that I need to play my iPhone films on my tv and do I need any special software? Thanks juan
It’s best to just go to the Apple Store with your iPhone and tell them what you want to do. They sell TVs there and they can show you how to set it up and tell you the cable options. However, you will need to know what kind of jacks your TV has. It most probably has (a) composite video, (b) S-Video, and (c) component video. If you do not know what it has then take a picture of the socket panel and show the panel picture the the Apple sales person.
Hi Phil, i purchased the APPLE MB128ZA/B Component AV Cable, it has four connections rather than 3! (2x red, white, green and blue) i dont know if this is because i am from UK but i cant get it to work – we connected the cabels whcih we could to the tv/ipone then tried to play a movie which i downloaded from iTunes but nothing happened – we tried the TV on AV1, AV2 etc but couldnt get the movie to play – can you suggest what i can try? i spent £40 on it so would really like to know how to use it – hopefully you can help.
Thanks Melanie.
I think you bought what is known as “component” cable. It is a high definition cable which delivers each of the primary color “components” thereby obtaining the moniker.
The best thing to do is to go to the Apple Store with your iPhone and the cable harness. If the stores are like the ones in the States, then they also sell televisions and can show you how to set-up the connections.
Can i do the same if i have an iphone 4? How do i make it work with an iphone 4?
I don’t have an iPhone-4, but I know of no reason why it will not work with that model.
Do you lose any quality when you watch movies or videos like this? It seems that since you an enlarging the picture so much that it would lose resolution?
I don’t think there is a loss of quality. The key determinant of resolution is the file from iTunes. Generally iTunes sets the file resolution for videos to accommodate the AppleTV which is designed to play the video through the TV.
Hello, I have an iphone 3gs 4.1 and i purchased the component av cable. I am only able to hear sound and not see the picture. Can you assist please?
Thanks.
Go into the settings for the iPod section of your iPhone. Scroll down to “TV Out”. Choose the proper settings. In the USA they would likely be Widescreen and NTSC.
I bought the cable you used in the video and I hooked it up exactly as you showed. When I played the video on my iphone, a message came up on the phone screen that says this device is not supported by iphone. I have 3 different brands of flat screen tv’s(Mitsubishi, Toshiba and Dynex) and I got the same results on every brand. What do you suggest?
What are you trying to play? The set-up will not play streams from Flash Websites for example. It will play anything you put in the iPod section of the iPhone.
The best thing to do is to go to the Apple Store with your phone and cable and have them show you how it works. They sell TVs at the Apple Store and can set-up everything and *show* you how to make it work.
I was wonder if you could play movies or shows from Netflix.
Thanks, Glenn
Glenn: I don’t have NetFlix. Whether it works or not depends upon the app.
When I connect my G3 iphone to my television I only get audio from my tv. There is no video on the tv. What is the problem?
Ralph: I’m not sure what the problem is. Go into “Settings”, then to iPod settings, then scroll down to TV Out and set on Widescreen and NTSC if you are in North America.
Otherwise go to the Apple Store and they can show you what to do because the sell televisions there as well.
is it possible to just play music from your itunes library on your iphone to your tv?
It’s awesome this is what I was looking for. I want to buy one composite cable. How is the quality and what is the recommendations for good quality picture.
The quality is HD.
Phil, thanks for the video…it was very useful. I followed every step. Also, I was able to get the video and audio working but the resolution on the TV is not great. I have a Samsung flat screen 1080p….Any suggestion to improve the resolution?
Thanks
There could be a lot of explanations. For example, you may have used “composite” cable instead of “component”. It’s best to just take the harness and iPhone into the Apple Store and make them show you how to optimize it. They sell TVs in the store so they can make all this work for you.
I have an Insignia tv and the settings are TV-Composite 1 & 2-Componite 1 & 2-VGA- HDMI 1 & 2 It does not work in any of those settings. It is possible I have a bad AV Cable? Itis the same one you show in the video.
If you have the same cable that I do, then go through the composite connection. Be aware, however, that the iPhone does not play flash in its native form. That means you can watch YouTube and any video in the iPod section of your iPhone but any *native* Flash site will not play.
Great show. I allready had the cable i got it at radio shack on one of
my trip to the states.
I am retired and am residing partime in the Dominican Republic.
Great video
I will like to know if there is a way or a cable to transfer all my information
From a iPhone 3GS to a iPhone 4 which I am about to purchase, it would be
Difficult to do the way they have explained. Please help. I had a dificult
Time when I transferred from Ipot touch to iPhone 3GS thank in advance.
Great work
What’s wrong with a simple HDMI cable? How can you get a decent picture from av cables last seen on a VCR from the 80′s?
Dave:
There is no choice but to use cables that Apple will permit to connect to the iPhone.
I have a vizio and it only has composite, so if i hook it up there the pic is black and white, is there a converter?
Thank you so much! One question, would it work with my hulu plus? On my iPhone 3G?
My video was posted before there was a Hulu-Plus, so I don’t know. I think it will depend upon whether or not the Hulu-Plus App permits it.
I understand what u walked through in the video. Their is just one thing I don’t get
Where is the power source for the I phone going all I see is the jack thats meant to carry
The signal to the tv but I don’t see how u also hooked up the charger when there isnt anywhere to put it
If you get the cable harness from Apple it will include a power cord to plug into the wall.
Can the cable be used to play Netflix on the TV?
This video (composite cable) was a big help would of liked to see
The other video demonstrating the other cable but found to be very helpful
Many thanks
Kind regards
James
It works the same for the other cables, you just need to purchase the correct cable harness at the Apple Store.
However, if you have an iPhone 4s, the it is even easier by using mirroring as described in the video provided by the following link:
http://insidedigitalmedia.com/watch-iphone-4s-internet-video-on-your-tv/#more-2634
Okay so you can watch downloaded movies. But I have a question. On my iPod I watch movies online, could it be possible to use the cable and watch the movies on a bigger screen than on my iPod screen ? Someone with the cable should experiment. Go to YouTube or watch a video/movie online and see if you are able to watch the video/movie on a tv instead. Thanks. Hope someone tries. Give feedback.
Anything you can watch on your iPhone or iPod online will also play through your television as described above.
I was wondering if hooking up my IPhone like that would allow me to watch Netflix movie from my iPhone to the television
If Netflix will play on your iPhone, then the set-up will enable it to play via your TV as well unless the App you use prevents it.
If you have an iPhone-4, the better solution is at the link below
http://insidedigitalmedia.com/watch-iphone-4s-internet-video-on-your-tv/#more-2634
How can the power supply and the video output be connected to the iPhone simultaneously?
The cable harness enables them to be connected simultaneously as demonstrated.
i am trying to see and learn how to get the movies that are on my ipod i can get my pictures and music but do not know how could someone please help..?????????? thank you Raylene Schultz
sorry, i mean the movies off my ipod on to my samsung 53 inch we can get the pictures and music so if some one can tell me if you can how would be great.., thanks i hope you can undestand every thing i just wrote..
So does will I be able to watch any YouTube on my tv using my Iphone?
Okay so I have a pioneer elite surround sound system and it have me a USB cord that splits into a video and a USB then into the lightning adapter. Why will this not play the video as I can get the sound but not the video. I do not understand PLEASE HELP ME!