Get Your Favorite Shows, Movies, Documentaries and Podcasts
Now-a-days there are numerous Content Providers and Apps all offering varying degrees of services. So far, no one provider/app offers it all. But with a combination of two or three providers or apps you can easily watch your favorite TV shows, movies and other content at your own convenience.
To choose between providers and apps it helps to understand the language! So let’s first start with a few definitions to see the differences:
Channel Apps (Applications) – A Smart TV can display an on-screen menu that includes a list of available internet channels provided in the form of apps (similar to the apps on a smartphone). Some apps come preloaded, but you can download more. When you click on the icon for a specific app, you are taken to its content offerings, which you can then select to view. These internet streams can come mainly in SD (720p), HD (1080p) or 4K (2160p). Examples of Channel Apps include both Live TV and VOD channels, such as: Disney Channel, Netflix, ESPN, Hulu, YouTube, YouTube TV, Sling TV, etc.
Content Provider App vs. Channel App (Together, called Channel Apps)- Content Providers offer a variety of content from different TV channels and current or genre type movies (Netflix, Hulu, YouTubeTV, SlingTV, etc.). Channel Apps offer proprietary content from a specific channel (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Hallmark, ESPN, etc.). They may or may not charge subscription fees. Most do.
OTA TV (Live OTA TV, TV antenna required) – Live local Over-the-Air TV shows and movies which are broadcast by your local TV stations and received by your own TV antenna. They are shown live at a specific time and may be re-broadcast at other times as reruns. It is TV the old fashioned way but now broadcast in the higher quality of SD and HD (4K is now available in limited areas via the new OTA 3.0). Examples would be any of your local TV stations.
Live TV (Live Internet TV) – National TV shows and movies are streamed live via the internet to your TV, phone or computer by Content Providers or Channel Apps. They are shown live at a specific time and may be re-broadcast at other times as reruns. Usually streamed in SD, HD and 4K (UHD). Examples of Content Providers would be DirecTV, Hulu TV, Philo, PS Vue, Sling, YouTubeTV, etc. Channel Apps would include A&E, BBC America, ABC, NBC, Fox, Lifetime, ESPN, etc.
VOD (Internet Video on Demand) – Content Providers or Channel Apps streaming TV shows and/or movies pre-recorded and viewable by you on demand (whenever you want). Usually streamed in SD, HD and 4K (UHD). Examples of Content Providers would be Amazon Video, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. Channel Apps that record and make content available on demand include A&E, BBC America, ABC, NBC, Fox, Lifetime, ESPN, etc. (Most Channel Apps make selected content of their own available on demand.)
Live TV with VOD – Live TV with selected recorded shows and movies available on demand. Examples include AT&T Watch TV, Hulu TV, YouTubeTV, etc.
Device OS – Different devices offer differing Providers and Channel Apps depending on their operating system. Examples of Devices include Amazon Fire, Android, AndroidTV, AppleTV, Chromecast, LG, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung, Vizio and XBox One. The Windows and Apple OS’s are not included here as most Providers and Channel Apps offer their content through their websites fully accessible via internet browsers on both OS’s.
DVR – A Digital Video Recorder can be a physical DVR Box or as a service provided by a Provider or App. It allows you to record a Live TV show or movie to watch at a later time or multiple times. A DVR Box sits next to your TV or WiFi Modem. Storage space is limited only by your hard disk or USB disk attached to it and you can save it indefinitely. A DVR service by a Provider stores your recordings on their server (as they say, “In the cloud”!). But space may be limited and last for only a number of days or weeks before being automatically deleted.
Sort Through the Content or Take the Quiz!
With all of that now in our heads, we can sort through the Channel Apps to find the Live TV and VOD Providers. Or you can sort by Genre and explore their features!
The links below will open to a new page:
Live TV Apps by Broadcast TV Channels
VOD Apps by Genre
Devices by Live TV & VOD Apps
The Selecting Content Quiz!
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