Easy to browse TV streaming service
March 12, 2023 9:11 AM

We just switched from satellite to streaming tv service. I love YoutubeTV's unlimited dvr, record everything you ever want to watch system. However my wife often prefers to browse through the channel guide and select a live broadcast. The YoutubeTV channel guide is poorly suited to browsing. As far as I can tell there is no way to jump to a channel or even a page down function in the guide. Are the better methods for navigating YoutubeTV's guide? Is there a basic streaming service which has a channel guide more like traditional cable tv?
posted by grahahw to Technology (7 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
We have a Samsung TV which has its own streaming service with a channel guide. Roku also has something similar.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 10:11 AM on March 12, 2023


Pluto TV is something like what you’re describing. It’s a bunch of categorized channels with a program guide. Most of the programming is not very new, but when you just want to browse through a program guide and pick something that happens to be on, and you’re not trying to catch today’s newest programs, it’s good for that. They also have a lot of on demand shows and movies. It’s free, with ads.
posted by bananana at 2:27 PM on March 12, 2023


YouTube TV's guide is customizable so while you can't page through you can drag the channels you watch most up or remove ones you're not interested in.
posted by fiercekitten at 4:38 PM on March 12, 2023


Tubi (broadly available), Freevee (formerly IMDBtv), and The Roku Channel (if you have a Roku) are all similar to Pluto, with some streaming channels and some on-demand options. All of them feel like a replacement for daytime or late night basic cable tv and have channel guides. Pluto is the free arm of Paramount+, Freevee is the free arm of Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi is run by Fox.

None is good for local channels, but if you just want to watch old episodes of Columbo or Star Trek or This Old House, they have you covered. They also have news channels, things like that.
posted by verbminx at 10:39 PM on March 12, 2023


thanks for the suggestions, but what we want is current programming with a easier to browse live channel guide
posted by grahahw at 7:49 AM on March 13, 2023


Philo has current programming with a live channel guide but the number of channels it has is limited on the basic package and it has tons of ads. But it's what I go to when I just want to watch what is on HGTV right now.
posted by possibilityleft at 8:10 AM on March 13, 2023


My spouse would love this as well, so I understand/sympathize. I think that Sling does this somewhat, but I don't have real world experience with it to recommend fully.
posted by hydra77 at 11:01 AM on March 13, 2023


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