A week ago I decided to try the Philo TV streaming service. Generally I stick with free streaming platforms like Tubi TV and Pluto TV ect.
But since there has been a rise of new streaming platforms in 2019 I figured I’d step up and not assume they all offer the same experience. I will doing this every week or so for different streaming services.
I will also include my personal rating system based on key factors and features I feel people look for in a streaming service.
Initial setup
Philo is currently offering a free 2-day trial with only a phone number needed. No email, no credit card, no password just a phone number. The initial setup took 1 minute at most.
You will have instant access to all the channels on Pluto’s platform during the free trial, they give you the option to sign up before the trial is over that way you don’t miss out on any show reminders you have saved. You can stream on up to 3 devices at once.
Features
Navigating through their platform was confusing at first, but once I figured out why there was a ‘copy link’ icon on almost every video I got the hang of it.
These links can be shared on social media so when someone signs up you will be credited $5 for the referral and that person also gets $5 toward the next bill.
The guide is in alphabetical order which makes it easy to get to your favorite network. If a show is playing live it will display the ‘Live” icon in it.
When watching a live show you have the options to rewind or start over, you cannot fast forward a live show. Previous episodes of that show are displayed at the bottom of the screen, they also show you upcoming airings, but those can’t be watched.
Then we get to on-demand. As stated above you can watch previous episodes of a show on-demand. There are no premium movie networks on Philo, but they do have movies to watch.
These movies are based on networks. For example, IFC or Sundance also air movies, so their movies will be available on demand, so if you know networks you’ll know what genre they carry. Like Lifetime, they’ll have mostly drama movies, ID will have crime, drama, mystery and the list goes on.
Every network on the platform has a movie section so the list is long.
What channels do they have?
There are no sports on Philo, not TNT, NBA TV, ESPN etc. The service is for those who just want to watch good movies, TV shows and documentaries.
People say you get what you pay for, well with Philo I felt I got a lot more than what I paid for. They have have all of they popular networks that people watch. (beside sports fans)
The prices are the cheapest for any paid streaming service that offers live TV. The biggest drawback could be that they don’t offer any locals, but I can honestly see that changing in the future.
Below is a complete list of channels available on Philo TV
- A&E
- amc
- AHC
- animal planet
- aspire
- axs TV
- BBC America
- BBC World News
- BET
- BET Her
- Cheddar Business
- Cheddar News
- Cleo tv
- CMT
- Comedy Central
- Cooking
- Destination America
- Discovery
- Discovery Family
- Discovery Life
- diy
- Food Network
- FYI
- Game Show Network
- Hallmark Channel
- Hallmark Drama
- Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
- HGTV
- History
- IFC
- Investigation Discovery
- Law & Crime
- Lifetime
- Lifetime Movies
- Logo
- Motor Trend
- MTV
- MTC Classic
- MTV Live
- MTV 2
- Nickelodeon
- Nick Jr.
- Nicktoons
- OWN
- Revolt
- Science Channel
- Sundance
- Tastemade
- Teennick
- TLC
- Travel channel
- TV Land
- UPTV
- VH1
- Viceland
- WE TV
They have 2 packages
- 45 channels for $16
- 58 channels for $20
Audio and Video
Philo streams video in high definition (HD) resolution: live TV in 720p and on-demand in 1080p. Audio is streamed in standard, 2.0 stereo quality.
Quality will automatically adjust based on your available bandwidth, ensuring you always have the best picture and sound possible for streaming.
Availability
Philo is available on almost every streaming device.
Otantenna.com Rating
These ratings are based on features I feel most cord cutters expect from a streaming service
- Initial setup
10/10 I found the sign up process to be very easy. It can be done in a few minutes from a computer, mobile phone, tablet or directly from your streaming device. They only have 2 packages so that could be the reason why.
- Features and Navigation
6/10 I feel navigating through the content could be improved. It’s hard to find movies unless you know exactly where to look.
I didn’t see a search by genre feature either, this would make it easier to find movies you’re interested in. And the ‘Guide’ and ‘Live’ screens seem very similar, why not get rid of one of them and or add an ‘On-demand ‘ section.
- Availability
9/10 Philo can be watched on almost every device up to 3 devices at once. Relatively speaking this is a great feature at the price they’re charging. I haven’t seen any Smart TV apps yet. With their layout this will be a great option for those not wanting to purchase a streaming player for each television in their home.
- Content exempt
Content is mainly based on user preference, Philo is for the person who just wants to watch TV and that’s a good thing because it makes them different from the others. Though they don’t offer sports or premiums you we still find yourself sitting in front of the tv or tablet for hours. It’s easy and simple. You wont get lost in trying to figure out what to watch.
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