Watch TV on your mobile phone!

Your mobile phone isn’t just for letting your loved ones know you’re running late: it can also act as a private entertainment centre. The latest generation of smartphones has produced some extremely capable download players thanks to the evolution of a mobile version of Windows Media Player.

The program is easy to use (it’s the same Windows Media Player you use on your PC) and it means you only have to carry one device around with you. The range of recordings offered is expanding every day, too. You’ll find news and current affairs programmes, cartoons, debates – even episodes of television shows such as Horizon are offered online by the BBC.

Format wars

So is it all good news? Well, there is some faction fighting: both Microsoft and Apple are competing for control of the ‘format’ of online video. So, iPods can only play specially encoded QuickTime media files, and devices running Windows Mobile will only run MPG and WMV files. In reality though, most online video is available in both formats – just choose the WMV file when the option is offered.

Be aware, too, that you’ll want to invest in a memory card. It’s not a major expense: two gigabytes of space can be bought for less than £20 online, and that’s enough for hours of entertaining television.

1. Choose your programme

Point your web browser to your chosen programme. We’re going to be watching the daily Rocketboom bulletin (www.rocketboom.com/stories), hosted by former MTV Europe VJ Joanne Colan, on our Windows Mobile handset.

2. Download the file

Once you’re on the web site, you’ll fi nd links to your programme in different file formats. We’re going to select the WMV link – it’s the simplest solution. Download it to your desktop.

3. Plug in

Plug your phone into a USB socket using the supplied cable. If this is the fi rst time you’ve connected your phone, you’ll need to restart your PC once Windows has installed the relevant drivers.

4. Drag and drop

Open Windows Media Player. Click on the Sync tab in the top-right corner, then drag your downloaded file from the desktop to the Sync list on the right-hand side.

5. Process the programme

It will take a few moments for the fi le to be ‘transcoded’ into a form suitable for listening on a mobile phone. Then, the fi le will be copied across. (You can unplug your mobile at this point.)

6. Watch with windows

Start up Windows Media Player on your mobile. Use the menu tab to select the Library, then click on your chosen fi le. The show will start immediately. Remove the player controls by hitting Menu, then Full screen.