Is YouTube TV on Roku?
It is possible to connect YouTube TV to your Roku player but also note that not all Roku models are compatible with it. YouTube TV should not be confused with YouTube service. The former is a premium subscription service that allows you to watch over 70 live channels by paying around $49.99 per month.
When you get connected to YouTube TV you can use a DVR for recording so that you can watch your favorite shows at whatever time you want. With your subscription you can watch up to six accounts at once. This makes it ideal for families. For an additional fee you can add cable channels like Showtime and Starz.
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Roku players that are compatible with YouTube TV
The following Roku players are compatible with YouTube TV: Roku Ultra, All Roku TVs, Roku Express/Express+ (3900x, 3910x, 3700x, and3710x) Roku streaming Stick+ and Roku Streaming stick (3900x and 3600x), Roku Premier/+, Roku 4, Roku 3 (4200x and4230x) and Roku 2(4210x).
YouTube TV on Roku gives you access to a library tab for ease of navigation, no storage limits on the cloud DVR, personalized recommendations, access to recorded shows, and background playback. The later allows you to watch shows while you are still browsing through the app.
Some of the shows you should expect on the YouTube TV include ESPN, Fox, CW, ABC, Fox, NBC, CBS, Disney Channel among others. You do not need a cable box to stream this channels. You also get more premium channels like Fox Soccer Plus, Showtime for an additional fee.
The other key benefit of having YouTube TV is you get a more robust Sports network that competitors. Here you get to watch channels like Fox Sports 1 &2, ESPN, CBS Sports Network, Big Ten Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, and NBCSN. In September 2020, YouTube TV added the NFL network to their platform. You can also access Fox College Sports, NFL RedZone for $10.99 per month through the channel Sports plus add-on feature.
Steps on adding YouTube TV to Roku
- When you want to access the service press the Home button on your Roku remote
- On the left side of the screen select “Streaming channels” and then press “search channels”
- Type in “YouTube TV” and wait for it to appear on the search results.
- Press “Add channel”
- Once installed press Ok
- Go to the Home button and find the YouTube TV
- Select it to open it
- Remember you need to be subscribed to YouTube TV to start using it
How to know your Roku device is compatible
- From your Roku remote press the Home button
- On the left side of the menu select “settings”
- Select “system”
- To check your model number select about
- Cross reference what you see with the list of Roku devices we have described above
YouTube TV pricing
For sometime YouTube TV was priced at $50 but by the end of 2020 it experienced a price hike of 30% to $65. This puts it in the same category with its competitors like Hulu Plus Live TV that goes for $65. One key benefit of the price hike was now consumers got more channels like MTV, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. With YouTube TV you get almost 76% of the top 100 channels in the market and this beats competitors like Fubo TV, AT&T TV and Hulu. The channel has also simplified its navigation channels and this makes it very easy to watch.
How YouTube TV compares with its competitors
YouTube TV |
Hulu TV |
Sling TV |
FuboTV |
|
Price |
$65 for 85+ channels |
$65 for 60+ Channels |
$30/$45 for Sling Orange or Blue 30+ channels |
$60 for 100+ channels |
Simultaneous streams per account |
3 |
2 ($15 for unlimited) |
1 (orange)
3 (blue) |
2 ($6 option for 3) |
Cloud DVR |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (30 Hours, 500 hours for $10 a month) |
YouTube user-interface
The user-interface for YouTube is simple as you get a simplified menu with Home, Library, and Live. When you press on Home you get live thumbnails and featured ones. Library hosts your DVR content and live hosts your currently playing and upcoming shows. You can get additional content through the search feature and this makes it relatively easy to identify what you want to watch. The DVR has rewind and fast forward capabilities and this helps you navigate through a host of recordings.
One downside to the price increases is that once you pay $65 for YouTube you also need to search for additional sums to carter for the internet. This is where service providers like AT&T have an edge in that they offer bundled offers of TV and internet which is way more affordable than paying separately. YouTube TV is contract free so you can opt out of your subscription at any time without worrying about early termination fees.
Conclusion
If you have no objection to paying $65/Monthly for YouTube TV then know it is a worthy streaming service provider. You get access to premium channels and it is available on Roku. You will need to follow the instructions mentioned above to know whether your Roku model is supported. YouTube TV is better than its competitors due to the fact that you will find most of the top 100 channels being streamed on it. The channel also has an interactive menu that is very easy to use.
FAQ
How do I know that may Roku device supports YouTube TV?
On your Roku remote you can go to home then settings. From here you can click on systems to get more details about your Roku device. Use this information to compare with the list we have given of supported Roku devices.
How many channels do I get on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV offers you over 85 top 100 channels. You can get the platform for free during the trial phase then from there pay $65/month to access the service. You can stream on three devices. The device also offers cloud DVR with capabilities for fast forwarding or ability to skip commercials.
