Launched in 2009, TV Everywhere is an initiative between cable companies and content providers that allow users to stream channels they receive in their cable bundle. Generally, this requires a user to download a different app for every channel in their bundle. But, who wants to install a different app like Bravo Now and Fox Sports Go for every channel they pay for?

FitzyTV is hoping to change that. The company which was started in 2018 by Silicon Valley-based engineer James Fitzgerald, allows you to log-in to a single app and access all your TV Everywhere streams in one place.

What is FitzyTV?

Unlike the Live Channels App on Android TV (which doesn’t have TV Everywhere support) or Apple’s TV App, you will be able to stream live TV from major cable channels directly in the same app.

The app currently supports 77 channels, which appear on a standard grid guide. Some of those channels include locals like NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and cable channels like CNN, Discovery, USA, TBS, and TNT. It even works with sports networks like ESPN, FS1, NBCSN, as well as Regional Sports Networks like NBC Sports Chicago, MSG, and NESN (the full list is below).

The service currently works on Fire TV, Android TV, and Android Phones & Tablets — but he hopes to expand it to Roku, Apple TV, and iOS devices in the future.

How To Use FitzyTV

When you first sign-up, you can add multiple paid cable, satellite, or streaming providers to give you access to the widest number of subscribed channels. When you pick a provider, it will forward you to authenticate with your log-in credentials on your cable or streaming provider’s site. FitzyTV will store a token which it uses to authenticate your account on the channels in your bundle.

The company supports over 600 providers including cable companies like Charter Spectrum, Xfinity, Cox, satellite services like DIRECTV and DISH, and streaming services like Philo, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, AT&T TV NOW, Philo, and Locast.

One thing that surprised Fitzgerald was how many people wanted to add multiple TV Everywhere accounts. Many he said do this to combine local channels with services like Philo or Sling TV that might not have access to them.

Once authenticated, you can select a channel from the grid guide and start watching live TV. And believe it or not it, it just works. Just like you would with a traditional Live TV Streaming Service, you can switch between channels and watch live TV. The grid guide will show data for the next 24 hours on TV and 7 days on mobile, but he hopes to expand that.

Depending on your cable or streaming provider, you will have to re-authenticate every 2 weeks, to sometimes once a year. Some channels, like Discovery, will require you to re-authenticate when you try to watch the channel. Since they show every channel available in the grid guide (even if you can’t access it), they recently added a “scan function” that will add only channels you can access to a favorites list.

Is FitzyTV Legal?

The company can serve as an extension of your cable box. It essentially gives you access to live TV in an additional room, without having to pay a $10-15 monthly set-top box fee.

While some other services like Aereo, have gotten into legal trouble for the “re-distribution of this content without paying broadcasters any fees”, Fitzgerald believes FitzyTV is in the clear. The company’s founder says, “we’re not rebroadcasting the channels, and we’re verifying that a user has access to each channel through their provider by using their credentials to unlock the stream.”

He also noted that he has not had any legal or DCMA notices from cable or content providers.

The service also offers a Cloud DVR for $5 per month for every 25 hours of DVR capacity. While most Cloud DVR services record a single copy for all users, FitzyTV stores a unique recording for every user that requests it. He cites the court decision of Cartoon Network, LP v. CSC Holdings, Inc, which allows for cloud recordings so long as the transmitted copy is the “copy requested and recorded by a particular user.” The DVR can record both a single episode or a recurring series.

What’s Next?

The company which was started about a year ago is in the process of fundraising. He hopes to use the money to expand the team and to start working closely with cable and streaming companies. The goal is that FitzyTV can become an open platform and allow small and medium cable operators to offer a Cloud TV App like Xfinity Stream. But for now, he wants to enable consumers to be able to watch the TV they already pay for, but all in the same place.

Full List of Channels Supported by FitzyTV