Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Plex’s latest update means Android users can stream live TV — from anywhere

Nick Hastings
By

Plex live TV Android Apple TV
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Over the past year, streaming management platform Plex has been building a more holistic suite of services, adding dedicated apps for lots of devices, allowing users to stream their owned content just about anywhere. Earlier in 2017, Plex even added live-TV streaming to its list of offerings —  if you subscribe to Plex Pass.

On Wednesday, the platform upped the ante by announcing that users can now pause and rewind live TV — which they call “time-shifting” — on any supported device, making Plex one of the most versatile ways to watch your favorite channels on the go.

Recommended Videos

The announcement also marks the official end of the beta period for Plex’s live TV and DVR services. As long as you are in possession of a compatible digital tuner and antenna, you can watch live TV on any supported device. Once they are connected with your Plex server, just download the Plex app on your desired device and start watching.

Related

Anyone can watch over-the-air (OTA) digital channels with Plex; these vary by location, and there are more than you might expect. Apart from the Plex Pass fee — $5 monthly, $40 annually, or $120 for a lifetime license — and the costs of acquiring the tuner and antenna, this is absolutely free. However, Plex is also compatible with cable TV subscriptions; there are just a few catches.

To use Plex with your cable channels, you need a CableCARD tuner. Currently, the only such tuner supported is the HDHomeRun Prime from Silicon Dust. With it, you are able to bounce cable signals through your Plex server into your desired device. Some channels, though, may be encrypted, meaning there is no guarantee that you will be able to watch everything this way. Still, it’s a pretty cool feature.

That is not all, either; Plex also announced live-TV support for Apple TV (version 1.14 or newer), and live TV and DVR support for Android mobile devices. Considering the current cord-cutting trend and the widespread popularity of Android smartphones and tablets, this could prove to be a big step for Plex. It is a great platform, but it can be confusing to get started — if you’re interested, check out our guide to setting up Plex.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Nick Hastings
Nick Hastings
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick is a Portland native and a graduate of Saint Mary's College of California with a Bachelor's of Communication. Nick's…
F1 live stream: How to watch Formula 1 online for free
F1 2021 racers on track.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to start in under an hour, and if you're looking for an F1 live stream, we have everything you need to know, inlcding how to catch every lap on your laptop or mobile device, no matter your location. Take a look below at all you need to know about how to watch Formula 1 online, how much it costs, and whether there's a free F1 live stream for you to catch. We also have a full Grand Prix schedule so you know exactly what to expect.
Watch the free F1 live stream

The 75th F1 World Championship is being aired for free in Austria and Luxembourg. This is great news for those in the countries, but not so great for residents traveling abroad who want to watch the action unfold live in their local language -- especially when it's free to watch at home. It's only fitting that an Austrian currently in the United States would want to watch the race in Austrian and not English, right? This is completely safe (and legal) to do with a VPN.

Read more
Sling TV adds arcade games on Fire TV and Android TV
Sling Arcade on Sling TV.

If you've ever been watching live TV and thought to yourself, "What I'd really like to do right now, as I'm watching a basketball game, is also play some Tetris," Sling TV now has you covered. Enter Sling Arcade.

As the name implies, Sling Arcade is a smattering of arcade-style games (ask your parents, kids) that are not only available in the Sling TV app as a standalone feature, but you also can play multiview style, with the game you're playing side by side with whatever you're watching. Or if you want to play full-screen, just hit the "Arcade" playlist on the Sling TV app home screen.

Read more
How many screens can you stream Disney+ on?
The Disney Plus app runs on an Apple Vision Pro headset in a person's living room.

In the world of streaming entertainment, Disney+ stands atop a mountain of content all its own. It's home to everything from classic Disney shorts and features to all things Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, Nat Geo, and more. If you only wanted to pay for one service, a Disney+ subscription wouldn’t do you wrong.

Unlike some competitive streaming meccas, a single Disney+ account can be shared with multiple users, and more than one Disney+ movie or show can be streamed simultaneously. How many exactly? We’ve put together this guide to answer that question, and to provide some additional Disney+ account sharing info.
How many people can stream Disney+ at the same time? 

Read more