YouTube TV is Google’s live TV streaming service offering over 60 channels depending on your location. If you’re a fan of Live TV streaming or you love to record and stream videos on-demand, YouTube TV is just for you. It is a standalone product from Google. This means that it is not available on the YouTube website. You will need to download the YouTube mobile app, install separate YouTube and other streaming devices. The reason being that YouTube TV works well with mobile apps such as YouTube apps for mobile and Google Home app. With these apps, you can even record or call up any DVR recordings from the live streaming service.

Outline:

YouTube TV Overview. Features and Benefits of YouTube TV. How Does YouTube TV Work? Is YouTube TV Global? How Much Does YouTube TV Cost? What Channels Do I Get on YouTube TV? How To Link your Device to YouTube TV. Steps to Enter the TV Code on your Phone, Tablet or Computer? How to Enter the TV Code on your Computer? Steps to Start Free Trial. What are the YouTube Sports Channels? How to Record Shows?

YouTube TV is available on most LG & Samsung smart TVs especially from 2016 onwards. You will also find it on Apple TV (the 4th Gen & 4K), Hisense smart TV, Vizio SmartCastTV, Sharp Smart TV, Android TV, Roku TVs, and other streaming devices such as Google Chromecast, Microsoft Xbox One, Laptop, Desktop, MacBook, Tablet, smartphone, and all Roku streaming media players (Roku Premiere+ inclusive). You also have the option to watch online via the YouTube TV website using Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. The live streaming service includes local network broadcast channels, basic cable networks and original web shows from YouTube Red.

Features and Benefits of YouTube TV

The features and benefits of YouTube TV are as follows:

YouTube TV comes with DVR functionality. By adding a program to your Library, you can record or even call up any DVR recordings. When you add a program to your Library, all airings (both upcoming & reruns) will be recorded automatically. You can stream from your Library from a location in the U.S at any time.

It offers users unlimited cloud storage. YouTube TV users can record as many programs as they want at the same time. There is no storage limit and each recording is kept in storage for up to 9 months.

YouTube TV offers you the opportunity to watch videos on-demand. Most of the broadcast networks provide recent episodes of shows and movies on-demand.

It allows you to share your membership service with up to 6 members of your household. Everyone gets their own login and personal DVR library. Members cannot include children under the age of 13. So, parents will not be able to share or create a YouTube TV account for their under aged children. The maximum number of users that can watch at a time is 3.

YouTube TV offers its numerous subscribers live TV from over 60 broadcast, cable, and regional sports networks. The service is available in most metro area locations around the United States. Over 85 percent of US households are connected already.

You can cancel your membership anytime. When you cancel your subscription, YouTube TV retains your settings in case you may want to reactivate your account again. You will not be charged for canceling and reactivation.

How Does YouTube TV Work?

It is a TV streaming service that allows you to subscribe and you watch live TV from over 60 major broadcast and popular cable networks in the United States. With your active subscription, you will be able to enjoy the most recent episodes of shows, movies, and sports. You can also record all your favorites shows & movies without any storage space limits, and stream wherever you go in the US. It is available on Chromecast, Xbox One, Android TV, Hisense smart TV, Vizio SmartCastTV, Sharp Smart TV, Apple TV (4th Generation & 4K models) and so on. You can also stream online via Mozilla Firefox and Chrome browsers.

Can I still Watch YouTube TV Globally?

When you travel within the US, you will be able to watch the Live TV anywhere you go. All the areas where the service has been inaugurated offer the Live TV. However, your ability to access local networks is dependent on which zip code you are in. It is not yet available globally. So, you will not be able to access either the live or recorded programs while traveling globally.

How Much Does YouTube TV Cost?

The cost of YouTube TV is $49.99 a month for 1 membership subscription with up to 6 accounts. Subscribers who access the service through Apple iTunes will pay about $54.99 monthly. The subscription covers your local CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX streams, ESPN, regional sports networks, etc. Add on such as sports and premium networks come with an additional monthly fee. The extra monthly charge for adding Showtime to your bundle is $11 USD. The Fox Soccer Plus, Sundance Now, and Shudder will cost you $15, $7 and $5 USD a month respectively.

What Channels Do I Get on YouTube TV?

Apart from the 8 Add-on channels, it offers over 60 Channels as at November 2018. The availability of the local channels depends on the on the deals it has secured in your area. This is common with all streaming service providers. The list of the available channels on YouTube TV, starting from the 8 Add-ons is as follows:

Premium Network Add-ons

AMC Premiere, $5 USD a month. CuriosityStream, $3 USD a month. Fox Soccer Plus, $15 USD a month. NBA League Pass, $40 USD a month. Showtime, $11USD a month. Shudder, $5 USD a month. Starz, $9 USD a month. Sundance Now, $7 USD a month.

Regular Broadcast & Cable networks

ABC

BBC America

CBS

CBS Sports Network

CNN

Big Ten Network

NBC

AMC

Fox

BBC World News

Bravo

Cheddar

Cheddar Big News

Cartoon Network

CNBC

Comet

CW

Decades

Disney XD

ESPNEWS

ESPNU

Fox Business

Fox News

Freeform

FS1

TCM

Telemundo

Tennis Channel

TNT

TruTV

TYT Network

Universal Kids

Universo

USA

YouTube Originals

WeTV

Disney Channel

Disney Junior

E!

ESPN

ESPN2

MLB Network

MSNBC

My Network TV

NBA TV

Nat Geo

Nat Geo Wild

Newsy

FS2

FX

FXM

FXX

Golf Channel

HLN

IFC

Olympic Channel

Pop

SEC Network

Smithsonian Channel

Start TV

Sundance TV

Syfy

Tastemade

TBS

How To Link your Device to YouTube TV

If you are not connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can link your TV device with your phone, tablet, or computer. Here are the steps to find the TV code on your TV using either your phone, tablet or computer.

Open the “YouTube app” on your TV device. Go to “Settings”. Select “Link TV and Phone” screen option. Scroll down to Link with TV code. A blue TV code will appear on your TV. Note that the TV code is usually made up of numbers. If the code is made of letters, repeat the steps above to get a numeric code.

How to Enter the TV Code on your Phone, Tablet?

Having generated the TV code, grab your phone, tablet or computer.

Open the “YouTube app” on your phone or tablet. Select “Watch on TV” under the menu. Tap “Enter TV Code”, under the Link with TV code section. Take the blue TV code that appears on your TV and, Enter it on your phone or tablet.

How to Enter the TV Code on your Computer?

Type youtube.com/pair on the web browser of your computer and hit the enter button. Take the blue TV code that appears on your TV and, Enter it in the Link with TV code section. Click “Add this TV”.

Steps to Start Free Trial

With your Google account, you can sign up for YouTube TV. Signing up entitles you to a seven-day free trial. Note that you cannot sign up with a Google account you had used to access the service before for this purpose.

What are the YouTube Sports Channels?

Popular sports networks such as the four ESPN channels, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, The Big Ten Network, the SEC Network, The Tennis Channel, NESN, and the Olympic channel are part of the services offering.

How to Record Shows

One of the greatest features of YouTube TV is the DVR functionality. It gives users the ability to save programs to DVR library. To start recording a show, click on the “+” button. The action will cause YouTube TV to start to record the show, if it is Live, or save it later if the show is yet to air.