Live Stream Cable TV to Your iPad: Xfinity iPad App How-to

Comcast is rolling out a new feature for their Xfinity iPad App, and it will use an additional piece of hardware on your home router to stream your cable stations right to your tablet. Comcast made the announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 10, and said they would be adding a similar feature to the Motorola Xoom in the near future. Comcast calls it AnyPlay and it's working right now for Xfinity HD Triple Play customers in Denver and Nashville with other cities to go live throughout 2012. The feature only works with the AnyPlay device from Comcast, and it plugs right into the cable so it can send out a secure signal to your iPad only. Once you are out of range of your home Wi-Fi, you'll need to switch to the On Demand content, and won't be able to watch your channels like at home.

Comcast added On Demand streaming will be made available to the Xbox 360 and Samsung Smart TVs, but that will be later in the year.

If you live in Denver or Nashville, have an iPad and subscribe to Xfinity HD Triple Play, here is how you get the streaming feature to work. First you have to get the AnyPlay device from Comcast. It plugs into your wireless router, so make sure the little light is not blinking. Once the light stays on, it's working. Get the Xfinity TV iPad app, and go to the Xfinity TV app settings by hitting the gear icon in the upper left corner. Make sure your AnyPlay Active setting is set to ON. Go back to the Xfinity TV app menu and select the TV Listings icon at the bottom of the screen. Go to the TV Listings grid and pick a currently airing program from a broadcast network and press PLAY LIVE. You have to repeat this last step for each of the network types you subscribe to: cable channels, (HD) channels or premium channels.

Now, to watch those channels, open the Xfinity TV app and choose the TV Listings icon at the bottom of the screen. Pick a program to watch and then hit PLAY LIVE from the details pane. Tell us in the comments if you have Comcast and if you think it's a good deal to sign up for the Triple Play package to get the streaming feature.