What Is YouTube TV and How Does It Work?
33 comments
Updated on 3/27/2023
You’ll be able to watch TV shows, sports games and other TV options as they’re being broadcast live. You can also record them via DVR to watch later at your leisure.
Let’s take a look into this new way to watch TV.
What is YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service, not the popular video platform. While the YouTube you’re probably familiar with offers billions of videos—that’s right, with a B—that you can play on demand, the streaming service offers TV to watch, much like the cable TV you’ve been used to. On YouTube TV, you’ll have access to more than 100 channels (including popular cable and national broadcast networks, depending on your zip code), along with options for live TV stations, on-demand videos and recorded shows.
YouTube TV gives you access to an extraordinary range of content on dozens of TV channels, so you can watch or record big games, movies, award shows and everything in between.
How do I sign up for YouTube TV?
Make sure your TV is ready to stream. You’ll need to have a smart TV, or connect a streaming device like Google Chromecast, Roku or Amazon Firestick. When you have that, choose the YouTube TV app on your TV’s home screen. Follow the directions to sign in from your computer or smartphone. Check with your internet provider to see whether you can sign up through them. You may be eligible for a special pricing offer.
How do I watch with YouTube TV?
YouTube TV programming comes to you via your internet connection, not through a set-top box like cable TV. Whenever you want to watch, you use your own remote from your smart TV or your streaming device to click on the YouTube TV app on your TV or any other devices where you have it, including Apple TV, iOS and Android smartphones and PlayStation and other gaming devices, among others. Your account can be accessed at home or on the go. If you don’t have any of these devices, you can also watch on a desktop or laptop computer at tv.youtube.com.
Each YouTube TV user gets their own login and personal library for DVR content, up to 6 accounts per household. As a bonus, you may get additional benefits, such as personal content recommendations and a remote with a dedicated YouTube TV button. Otherwise, you should be able to use the same remote that came with your existing TV.
What content does YouTube TV offer?
Get ready for the sports you love. Unlike some other live TV streaming services, YouTube TV includes NBA and NFL networks. You’ll also find popular networks like BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and more.
Viewers who want premium services such as Showtime, HBO Max and niche sports channels can easily customize their account by paying to add these additional channels, just as they would with a cable subscription.
How is YouTube TV different from YouTube online?
YouTube and YouTube Premium are separate entities from YouTube TV. With YouTube Premium, you can enjoy your favorite YouTube videos on- or offline, ad-free. YouTube TV is a separate streaming service.
YouTube TV’s no-obligation, easy installation and setup make the transition to streaming the latest TV content a breeze, and without sacrificing access to your favorite shows and channels. One more tip: If fiber internet is available in your neighborhood, optimal streaming is a great reason to sign up.
Make the move to YouTube TV with Frontier at a special price you’ll love
Ready to sign up for a great streaming experience with YouTube TV? As a Frontier internet customer and first-time YouTube TV subscriber, you’ll get all this: All the popular channels you love, including sports, unlimited DVR storage, up to 6 accounts to share with your household and no contracts. Plus, you can start watching minutes after you sign up. Get the details here so you can go cable-free with our exclusive Frontier pricing.
Product features may have changed and are subject to change.
Does YouTube streaming offer secn+ through the ESPN app.?
Hi Joan, great question. While we are partners with YouTube TV, bear in mind that it’s their product not ours, but they do have the SEC network in their lineup and according to ESPN’s website, SECN+ (streaming only content) through the ESPN mobile app is included if your subscription includes that channel. ^Michael
Please provide a link that identifies the channels/content providers included in the offer.
Hi Mark, you can check out YouTube TV here: https://fybr.to/42uRAUu Their site includes all lineup and plan info (not inclusive of bundled billing and discounts with us) and a 20-minute free trial. ^Michael
Where can I see the channels it covers
Hi Pattie, you can check out YouTube TV’s lineup and various options here: https://fybr.to/3IYYkmW ^Michael
Does it have Spanish channels. Univision, TV Azteca, Telemundo, etc.., where do I find all this information. Tnx.
You can check out the lineup and Spanish language channel options at the YouTube TV site here: https://fybr.to/3oIUI1s, hope this helps Carlos! ^Michael
Where is a list of available channels found? Can we have 3 TVs connected with no additional charge?
One of several things unique to streaming TV services when compared to traditional cable or satellite is that you don’t have to pay to rent a number of receiver boxes for each TV you own, including for rooms that you may not frequent but definitely want TV in. YouTube TV has no arbitrary limit on the number of devices, which can include mobile phones, computers, tablets, and Smart TVs/Streaming Devices using the YouTube TV app, but it does limit the number of simultaneous streams to 3 for an account with the basic package. This is unlimited within the home with the 4k addon. ^Michael
How do I get help for YouTube TV through Frontier? Cannot connect YouTube TV to my Samsung Smart TV!
Hi Joan, I’m sorry you’re encountering issues getting YouTube TV to work. YouTube TV should be very easy to set up as long as you’re connecting with a compatible device. Since YouTube TV is a product we’re partnered with and not one that we created ourselves, you would definitely want to rely on their help resources as our support teams aren’t going to be equipped to support another company’s product beyond the basics. That includes both YouTube TV service and Samsung Smart TVs. As for the basics, all you should need for YouTube TV to work is a connection to the internet, a compatible streaming device (Like the 30-40 dollar Chromecast with Google TV or compatible Smart TV) and your YouTube TV credentials. If that doesn’t work, YouTube TV has support available here: https://fybr.to/42qT567 and Samsung’s is available here: https://fybr.to/43IeWXY ^Michael
If I am travelling oversea (S Korea) on business, can I watch youTube TV from there?
Hi Mark, good question. YouTube TV addresses this in their FAQs https://fybr.to/3OUacu9 and unfortunately it indicates that YouTube TV cannot be accessed internationally. ^Michael
Can I use YouTube TV on more than one device?
There really isn’t a limit to the number of compatible devices you can access your YouTube TV service with however the service does limit you to 3 simultaneous streams. Hope this helps! ^Michael
It says that “up to 6 accounts to share with your household”, but then it says that you can only have 3 simultaneous TVs on at the same time. How can that work if, say, two or three households you are sharing the account with are watching 2 TVs at the same time? That would be six TVs. so three TVs would be blacked out?
Hi Rene, to clarify YouTube allows up to 6 accounts, not households, per YouTube TV subscription. The intent being that your home may have users 6 age 13+ who would wish to have their own profile. The base account allows 3 simultaneous streams, but with the 4K Plus https://fybr.to/42MsLUd this is increased to unlimited within the home. ^Michael
We have a vacation home with a different internet server. So will our subscription work in both houses? Additional charge?
YouTube TV will work anywhere in the US as long as you have the available bandwidth for a video stream and supports 3 simultaneous streams with the base package. This makes it a fantastic solution for those with multiple homes! ^Michael
How do you have 6 houseolds on one account? How do your add another household to your account?
You can have 6 users in a single household on one YouTube TV subscription. For example, Mom, Dad, and 4 children over the age of 13 with unique Google accounts can all be added to one YouTube TV plan. The basic plan supports 3 simultaneous streams and that increases to unlimited with the 4K Plus plan. ^Michael
Am I able to stream YouTube TV at home and at a lake house we own in a different city?
Thanks for the question, Nancy! You can watch your YouTube TV subscription anywhere in the US on any compatible streaming or mobile device. The standard plan includes the ability to have 3 simultaneous streams playing. ^Michael
How do I record & do I need a dvr?
Hi Sandra, this is mentioned in the blog post but not in substantial detail. YouTube TV provides unlimited cloud DVR recording with 9 months of retention. You can learn more about this function of YouTube TV here: https://support.google.com/youtubetv/answer/7129564?hl=en ^Michael
Can I upgrade to Youtube with no commercials with this special?
Hi Colleen, good question. YouTube TV and YouTube Premium are separate products, here’s YouTube’s answer to that question: https://fybr.to/43RMu6d Hope this helps! ^Michael
Will NFL Sunday Ticket be available with You Tube TV? If so, what is the monthly cost? What is the cost per month for HBO and Showtime? How do I record shows on a DVR without a set top box?
Hi Peter, thank you for these questions. YouTube TV is the new home of NFL Sunday Ticket starting this year. Plan details are available from YouTube here: https://tv.youtube.com/learn/nflsundayticket/. YouTube TV has a number of add-ons including bundles of premiums that you can also explore on their site. As for recording, YouTube TV provides unlimited cloud DVR recording with 9 months of retention. Hope this helps! ^Michael
ESPN andESPN+ available.?
I see that you can watch from your home, as well as a 2nd home. Which local channels would you see? For example, NBC local news from where you initially set up YOUTube TV, or where you physically are when you choose that channel?
Hi Molly, thanks for the question. Here’s a link to YouTube TV’s info on how they use location and how you may change it. https://fybr.to/44DrAaB I hope this helps and answers your question! ^Michael