Plex Pass users will be getting an additional benefit from their subscription today as the company announces the addition of Live TV. Currently in beta, the service allows users of indoor and outdoor antennas to watch their favorite shows live through Plex. Combined with Plex’s DVR feature, Live TV becomes another veritable option for cord-cutters.
When Plex released the DVR feature to the public, one of the missing elements was the ability to live stream over-the-air content. Though other apps like Channels have had the feature for a few months, Plex’s new Live TV brings the missing functionality to the home media center application. Support for live TV viewing in Plex starts off on iOS, Android TV, and the NVIDIA Shield. Support for Android Mobile and Apple TV are set to follow.
Plex Live TV and DVR works by utilizing an indoor or outdoor antenna paired with a tuner, like the HDHomeRun, to capture over-the-air channels. Once configured, Plex will download and present the different channels’ schedules allowing you to record what you want.
Recorded movies and shows can then be streamed to any Plex connected devices. Plex notes that these eligible channels include “local news and live sports, as well as 86 of the 100 most popular U.S. network television shows.”
Plex is available for free on iOS and the Apple TV. A Plex Pass subscription is required for Live TV and DVR support.
