Sherlock Holmes remains one of the most famous characters the world over (fictional, to be clear, despite some speculation Holmes may be based on a real person). He has memorably been played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Henry Cavill and Basil Rathbone, among others. All of those adaptations of Sherlock were made in the US or the UK, but did you know that the former Soviet Union made a series of Sherlock Holmes movies/TV series?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson was a series of five movies that were then broken up into 11 episodes that aired on TV in the Soviet Union during the 1980s. At the heart of it was the performance of Vasiliy Livanov as Sherlock Holmes, which many who are well-versed in all things Sherlock Holmes consider to be one of the best portrayals of the character.

What’s really cool is you can watch The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson for yourself right now, and for free on YouTube, with an account having all 11 episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson with English subtitles.

Though the Soviet Union’s film/TV industry was behind this adaptation of the classic London detective, it was heavily praised for being very faithful to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original work. This includes having the series set in London, with a street in Riga, Latvia (then part of the Soviet bloc), serving as the exterior of Holmes’ traditional residence on Baker Street.

Starring alongside Livanov’s Holmes was Vitali Solomin as Dr. John Watson. Together they went through a number of Holmes’ classic cases, including “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” “A Study in Scarlet,” “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton,” “The Final Problem,” The Adventure of the Empty House,” “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” “The Sign of Four,” “Scandal in Bohemia,” “The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb,” “The Adventure of the Second Stain,” “The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans” and “His Last Bow.”

Livanov’s performance as Holmes is so well regarded that he was actually made an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) “for service to the theatre and performing arts.”

If you’ve made your way through some of the notable current summer crime/mystery hits on TV like Untamed, Dept. Q, Countdown or Smoke, then The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson can be a fun alternative. And again, most importantly, free to watch.

If you’ve heard the buzz about the Paramount Plus crime drama MobLand starring Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan and have been itching to try it out despite not being a Paramount Plus subscriber, then today is your lucky day. The first three episodes of MobLand are now streaming for free, and I’m not talking about signing up for a Paramount Plus free trial.

As of July 7, MobLand episode 1, MobLand episode 2 and MobLand episode 3 are available to watch on YouTube. So if you have internet access, then you can try out the Paramount Plus original series.

MobLand, created by Ronan Bennett, follows an organized crime family, led by Brosnan’s Conrad Harrigan, in a battle that threatens to topple empires and ruin lives. In the crossfire stands Harry Da Souza (Hardy), a street-smart “fixer” who knows too well where loyalties lie when opposing forces collide. In addition to Mirren as Maeve Harrigan, the series stars Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Anson Boon, Mandeep Dhillon, Jasmine Jobson, Geoff Bell, Daniel Betts, Lisa Dwan and Emily Barber.

Here is a synopsis for the three MobLand episodes available to watch on YouTube:

MobLand episode 1, “Stick or Twist”
“Harry Da Souza has to make a problem vanish after a night out goes awry for the sons of two warring crime families.”

MobLand episode 2, “Jigsaw Puzzle”
“Harry deals with the aftermath of the Harrigan family meeting as Jan wonders what’s the final straw. Kevin scurries Eddie out of London after a threat from Richie. Maeve shows her hand to Conrad. Chasing a lead, Harry makes a startling discovery.”

MobLand episode 3, “Plan B”
“Richie makes his move, putting the Harrigans on high alert. Conrad and Maeve lock horns over Eddie but agree on a plan B. As Kevin prepares for all-out war, Harry kills two birds with one stone, and an anonymous tip leads Fisk to the cemetery.”

To watch the remaining seven episodes in the 10-episode first season, you will need a Paramount Plus subscription. There are two plans available — Paramount Plus Essential (ad-supported) and Paramount Plus Premium (ad-free) — either of which will let you watch all episodes of MobLand.

MobLand is the second biggest series ever on Paramount Plus with 26 million total viewers as of June 23; it only trails the first season of Taylor Sheridan’s Landman. No surprise then that MobLand was also renewed for a second season.

MobLand isn’t the only show that has made a handful of episodes available for free on YouTube lately. Dexter: Original Sin episode 2 and episode 3 were released on YouTube on July 7, just days ahead of the series premiere of Dexter: Resurrection on July 11.

Here are the links to watch MobLand episode 1, MobLand episode 2 and MobLand episode 3 on YouTube. You can also check out the MobLand trailer below to get a quick preview of the series:

You can now watch Andor season 2 in its entirety, after the final block of three episodes landed on Tuesday, May 13.

This Rogue One prequel has been one of the biggest Star Wars shows in years, thanks in part to its staggered release which saw three new episodes per week. Each trio constituted one year in the life of its title character.

Andor follows the story of Cassian Andor as he goes from lowly rogue to important figure in the rebellion. We've seen Andor get involved in insurgencies on two planets now, while danger comes to his friends and other members of the burgeoning rebellion.

The first season was a hit, as we saw Andor's kindled passion for the rebellion, and season 2 is set to bridge the gap between that series and the movie.

If you've been waiting for all of Andor season 2 to release before watching it, here's how to watch Andor season 2 where you're from.

How to watch Andor season 2 in the US

US Star Wars fans were able to watch Andor season 2 before everyone else, with the final episodes landing on Tuesday, May 13.

You'll need to sign up for Disney Plus to watch Andor season 2, which is something you probably expected given that it's where the first season is available to watch.

If you've let your subscription lapse, you can sign up for $9.99 per month (for its ad-supported tier at least) or $10.99 for the Disney Bundle which gets you Hulu too.

How to watch Andor season 2 in the UK

Andor season 2 streams on Disney Plus in the UK. The streaming service offers the final three episodes from Wednesday, May 14.

Disney Plus costs £4.99 monthly for its ad-supported tier or £7.99 for its ad-free one, with another higher tier and annual plans for several tiers.

How to watch Andor season 2 in Australia

Andor season 2 streams in Australia on — drumroll please — Disney Plus. Same streaming service as everywhere else.

A subscription to Disney Plus costs $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year, and there's a pricier Premium subscription but you don't need it to watch Andor.

Alan Titchmarsh has just launched a new TV show on YouTube where he aims to share his expertise with millions.

The 75-year-old horticulturist, who also fronts his own ITV series called Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, today [Friday, April 4] has dropped the first videos for his new show on YouTube. The series is called — rather uninspiringly! — Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh. At least it's clear what it's about!

"It's exciting," he tells us. "A producer friend on Love Your Garden suggested it and, after talking to people, I realised that YouTube is where many people go to get their information, so it seemed churlish to avoid it.

"I'm not remotely snooty about where I share my knowledge — I just want to share my passion. And the idea of presenting how-to video clips seemed a lovely new challenge."

The channel will boast a string of how-to videos designed to inspire both first-time and experienced gardeners. The how-to guides, which will also be available on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, will be added weekly.

The aim is for there to be a masterclass of advice available from Alan to help everyone make the best from their gardens. As to whether he's a fan of social media, Alan replies: "No, I only have an Instagram page and post on it once a week. I have around 160,000 followers and people's reactions are always lovely, so I'm hoping the channel will catch on, too. My plan is to build up a selection of videos, infusing the magic of gardening into them.”

Alan goes on to reveal he doesn't have far to travel for filming! Asked where he shoots the videos, he says: "In my own garden, so I can have a cup of tea beforehand! I'm starting with a seed-sowing masterclass and doing a film on how to plant summer flowering bulbs. People often think planting bulbs is an autumn job, but there's a raft of flowers, from gladioli to lilies, that you can plant in spring and enjoy in summer.”

As to what else will feature in the show, he says: "I'll be showing how to plant early potatoes, which perennials I'll be planting in my own borders and how to pot your first rose. In my opinion, every British garden should have a rose, but they’re not easy to pot. They can be greedy. So I’ll be showing how to use nutrient-rich compost and a big container."

Gardening with Alan Tichmarsh will be released weekly on YouTube.

One of the big TV premieres this spring is Andor season 2, the critically-acclaimed and Emmy-nominated Disney Plus original series that premiered back in fall 2022. To get ready for the latest batch of episodes, Disney has a few opportunities for those without a Disney Plus subscription to watch Andor season 1 and play catch up.

From March 10 until April 22, when Andor season 2 premieres, all 12 episodes of Andor season 1 are streaming on Hulu. If you don’t have a Hulu subscription either, you can still sample the series on YouTube, as the site’s Disney Plus channel has a 14-minute recap of the entire season and Andor season 1 episode 1 and Andor season 1 episode 3 available to watch for free (a report from The Wrap said all of the first three episodes would be available on YouTube, but as of publication, Andor season 1 episode 2 was absent from YouTube).

There are more special Andor treats that’ll be available on YouTube that I detail below, but first a quick summary of what Andor is about:

Andor is a prequel series to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, focusing on the character Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, following how he became involved in the rising rebellion against the empire. Created by Tony Gilroy, who wrote the screenplay for Rogue One, the series also stars Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Stellan Skarsgård, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau and Fiona Shaw.

In addition to the recap and episodes available, YouTube is also going to host a live re-watch event on Thursday, March 13, at 3 pm ET/noon PT hosted by Gilroy. It will appropriately be titled “Andor season 1 with Tony Gilroy,” will last an hour and feature an unpacking of key scenes, behind-the-scenes info and a fan Q&A. Clips from the show will be available on Disney Plus, Hulu and Star Wars YouTube channels after it ends in case you missed it.

Of course if you catch up with the show and want to watch Andor season 2 — which adds other Rogue One stars Alan Tudyk, Ben Mendelshon and Forest Whitaker — as soon as it premieres, then you will need to subscribe to Disney Plus. The good news is that between now and March 30, there is an enticing Disney Plus deal that will allow you to get a subscription at a discounted price for a limited time.

Andor season 2 premieres on Disney Plus on April 22. Check out the trailer for the new season right here:

Every now and then, streamers and networks give a gift to TV watchers, and Starz is doing just that ahead of the Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 4 premiere on Friday, March 7. Starting on January 31, the official Starz YouTube channel has every episode of Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 1 available to watch for free for a limited time.

Since the initial Power series first aired in 2014, millions of viewers have flocked to the universe curious to see how Ghost (Omari Hardwick) and those connected to him rise and fall in the criminal underworld. Of course, fans of the original series know Ghost has long since been declared dead, but sequel series Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force centered around how Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) and Tommy (Joseph Sikora), respectively, have carried on the legacy of the show.

Then there’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan. The prequel predates Ghost and Tommy’s rise to power and zeroes in on how their mentor, Kanan (Mekai Curtis), became a powerhouse in the fictional New York City drug world. But as much as the series is Kanan’s coming-of-age story, it’s also a riveting drama about the lengths his mother Raq (Patina Miller) will go to in order to protect him and her own legacy as one of the few drug queenpins in the city. At times those two goals conflict with each other, making for some entertaining TV.

If you want to see how the stories of Kanan and Raq initially play out and have yet to do so, now is your chance to watch for free via YouTube. Once you finish season 1 on the platform, you’ll actually then have to start paying for a Starz subscription to watch seasons 2 and 3 and the upcoming season 4. Currently, Starz is offering a promo where new subscribers can pay $5.00/month for the first three months (the series airs on MGM Plus in the UK).

Lastly, when Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 4 does premiere, here’s what you can expect to see:

“In the riveting fourth season, slates have seemingly been wiped clean for Kanan, Raq and the rest of the Thomas family in pursuit of a fresh start. However, in the eye of the storm, one very dangerous obstacle looms large, Unique is alive. Unique makes a volatile and violent return, as he hunts to upend the lives of the Thomas family. Amidst the chaos, the Thomas family faces a truth that can no longer be denied: You are who you are. Although you may be capable of change, the fundamentals remain the same, and sooner or later, you will be forced to confront the inescapable reality of your inherent nature. In season four, whether the family chooses to reject or embrace the truth may be the difference between life and death.”

On the fence about watching Dune: Prophecy, the new HBO series that airs on the cable channel and streams on Max. Well, you can try it out right now with no buyer’s remorse as Dune: Prophecy episode 1 is now available to watch on YouTube for free courtesy of the Max YouTube channel.

Dune: Prophecy is a prequel to the Dune movies from Denis Villeneuve starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, but is set thousands of years before the events of those movies and features an entirely new set of characters and actors portraying them. Villeneuve is also not involved in the show, though Brian Herbert, Kim Herbert, Byron Merritt, Jon Spaihts, John Harrison and Richard P. Rubenstein have producer credits on both the movies and show.

The TV series follows two Harkonnen sisters, played by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams, who work to establish the Bene Gesserit as one of the most influential groups in the galaxy. The show also stars Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Mark Strong, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea, Jade Anouka and more.

Dune: Prophecy episode 1 debuted on HBO and Max on November 17. Here is the official synopsis for the premiere episode, titled “The Hidden Hand”:

“On Wallach IX, young Valya Harkonnen promises Mother Superior Raquella that she'll protect the Sisterhood by putting one of their own on the Imperial Throne. Thirty years later, Valya faces a threat to her long-awaited plan.”

New episodes of the sci-fi drama are released Sundays in the US and on Mondays in the UK. To date, three episodes of the six planned for the inaugural season have aired.

If you want to catch up with the entire series after checking out episode 1 on YouTube, you can stream Dune: Prophecy on-demand exclusively on Max in the US (subscription required); in the UK the show streams on Sky and NOW TV. If time is a little compressed, you can also get all the critical details from the first three episodes with WTW’s Dune: Prophecy episode 1, Dune: Prophecy episode 2 and Dune: Prophecy episode 3 recaps.

There’s no indication right now if any more of the first three episodes of Dune: Prophecy are going to be released on YouTube.

YouTube is synonymous with watching videos online, but you can also cut the cord and watch cable channels – and even HBO Max - via its sibling service. YouTube TV is a huge name in the live TV streaming service market and not just because of its ties to the classic video-sharing site.

While there are many competitive live TV streamers out there, YouTube TV stands apart from rivals like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV and Fubo for one reason: its simplicity. Instead of having various packages or plans with different perks and combinations of channels, it just has one plan for one price.

The base plan includes 100+ live channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN for more live sports, new, shows, and more. It also includes unlimited DVR space, 6 accounts per household, and other benefits.

So if you’re a cord-cutter looking at Your options, YouTube TV is the pick for many and it could be for you too. Here’s everything you need to know about the live TV streaming service...

How much is YouTube TV monthly?

Normally you'd pay $82.99 per month to sign up to YouTube TV but right now, you can pay only $67.99 for 5 months (Normally $82.99 a month). The deal runs from now until June 30th, 2026. New customers only.

YouTube TV doesn't lock you in for a long period, so you’re able to cancel at any time. Plus, new users typically get a free trial, which is a bit of no brainer.

Add-on packs vary in price, and new ones get added over time. HBO Max is available, as is Showtime. There's also a Sports Plus bundle with NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer Plus and more. And it also has most of the major Paramount Network channels, including Comedy Central, MTV and BET.

YouTube TV pricing, benefits and offers overview

• The YouTube TV plan is currently $67.99 a month (deal expires 30th June 2026): this gives you plenty of channels, DVR recording and six accounts you can use with your household (with Netflix cracking down on password sharing it'll be interesting to see how long this stays) and three concurrent streams.
• There's a free trial for new customers.
• If you live in a Spanish-speaking home, you can sign up for the Spanish Plan, which includes Spanish-language channels.

Does YouTube TV have a free trial?

Yes, YouTube TV has a free trial period that lets you test the service before you pay.

The length of the free trial can chop and change depending on how keen YouTube TV is to sign up new customers, but the YouTube TV free trial usually lasts anywhere from 7-21 days, which should be more than enough time to make sure that it's something you want to pay for.

Free trials for add-on networks have separate sign-up and billing. Either way, the cool part is you get all the same channels with YouTube TV free trial period as you would with a paid subscription.

Just note that if you cancel during your free trial, you'll lose access to YouTube TV (and any add-ons) as soon as you cancel.

How to watch YouTube TV from outside the US

If you’re traveling away from the States you can use a VPN to access your usual YouTube TV account from anywhere.

Not all VPNs have the power to do this, but NordVPN does (we tested it rigorously) and our friends at NordVPN have supplied us with an exclusive 74% discount...

What channels are included with YouTube TV?

YouTube TV channels — live TV

YouTube TV live channels are part of the standard plan, so everyone gets the same "core" channels in the Base plan. (There are some regional/local restrictions.)

YouTube TV also doesn't really organize its channels in any particular way, save for your local affiliates appearing up top. Anything new is added to the bottom and from there it's up to you to rearrange things as you see fit.

You do have the option to show your channels either in the "default" order (which is YouTube TV and Google predicting what you're going to be most likely to watch), or you can have a custom view, with channels in whatever order you prefer. For full details see the YouTube TV site.

The YouTube TV channels available in the Base plan (to most subscribers), all of which include local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations:

Lifestyle channels on YouTube TV:
AMC, BET, BET Her, Bravo, CMT, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet TV, Court TV, Cozi, The CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, E!, FOX SOUL, FXM, FX, FXX, Food Network, G4, Galavision, Get TV, Game Show Newtork, The Great Courses, HGTV, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, JusticeCentral.TV, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV 2, MotorTrend, My Network TV, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo, NBC LX, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Start TV, SundanceTV, TBS, Turner Classic Movies, TLC, TNT, TV Land, TeleHit, Tastemade, Travel Channel, Tru TV, Universo, USA, UniMas, VH1, We TV

Sports channels on YouTube TV:
BTN, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, ESPNews, SEC Network, ESPNU, Fight Network, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, Impact Wrestling, MLB Game of the Week, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, Olympic Channel, SNY (where available)

Family channels on YouTube TV:
Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Disney Channel, Freeform, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, PBS Kids, TeenNick, Universal Kids.

News channels on YouTube TV:
ABC News Live, BBC America, BBC World News, CNBC, CNN, Cheddar News, FOX Business, FOX News, Fox Weather, HLN, LiveNOW from FOX, Localish, MSNBC, NBC News NOW, NBC Universo, News Nation, TYT Network, The Weather Channel

YouTube TV channels — premium add-ons

YouTube TV has a number of premium add-on channels available. These are channels that require an extra fee outside of your usual YouTube TV cost. But this is the best way to get uncut and uncensored movies on YouTube TV.

Subscriptions and billing are handled directly within YouTube TV itself, and the channels appear in the main YouTube TV guide. And that's cool because it lets you move things around and put them as high up in the list as you like. Here's how to edit your YouTube TV channels list.

The list of premium add-on channels on YouTube TV includes the following:

• ALLBLK ($5/month)
• AMC+ ($7/month)
• Acorn TV ($6/month)
• Cinemax ($10/month)
• Comedy Dynamics ($5/month)
• CONtv ($5/month)
• CuriosityStream ($3/month)
• Docurama ($5/month)
• Dove ($5/month)
• Fandor ($4/month)
• Fox Nation ($6/month)
• Hallmark Movies Now ($6/month)
• HBO ($15/month)
• HBO Max ($15)
• IFC Films Unlimited ($6/month)
• Law & Crime ($2/month)
• MLB.TV ($27/month or $130/year)
• NBA League Pass ($40/month)
• Outside TV Features
• Pantaya ($6/month)
• Screambox ($5/month)
• Screenpix
• STARZ ($9/month)
• Showtime ($11/month)
• Shudder ($6/month)
• Sundance Now ($7/month)
• Tastemade Plus
• UPFaith & Family ($6/month)
• VSiN

YouTube TV subscribers can also add NFL Sunday Ticket to their subscription, though it's not cheap. The 2025-26 regular season if over so YouTube is offering cheaper ways for latecomers to stream the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl LX on 8th February 2026. YouTube TV says the NFL Sunday Ticket will " will be back soon" for the 2026-27 football season.

YouTube TV channels — Spanish Plus add-on

YouTube TV also offers access to 28 Spanish-language channels including Cine Sony, tl novelas, Discovery en Español and Tastemade en Español for $14.99 per month as an add-on package. It is a $34.99 monthly cost if you buy the Spanish channels as a stand-alone plan.

YouTube TV channels — Sports Plus add-on

YouTube TV includes channels like ESPN, NFL Network and Fox Sports channels. It also has a Sports Plus premium add-on. This will get you sports channels that put an emphasis on some international sports and things that you normally won't find in the United States.

For $10.99 a month you can also get the following in the Sports Plus package:

• beIN Sports
• Billiards TV
• Fox Soccer Plus
• Gol TV
• MAVTV
• NFL RedZone
• Outside TV
• Players TV
• Poker Go Plus
• Stadium
• TVG
• VSiN

YouTube TV channels — 4K Plus add-on

Launched back in 2021 , the YouTube TV 4K Plus plan gets you content from a number of channels — seven at launch — in 4K resolution. There is also some live programming streamed in 4K resolution. You can use the Live tab to find channels showing 4K programs.

The 4K Plus add-on typically costs $9.99 per month, following a promotional period, adding features like 4K streaming, unlimited home streams, and offline downloads to the $67.99/month base plan, though prices can vary and new packages are rolling out in 2026.

4K channels include:

• Discovery
• ESPN
• Fox Sports
• FX
• Nat Geo
• NBC Sports
• Tastemade

What devices can I watch YouTube TV on?

It's no surprise that the streaming service owned by Google would prioritize device compatibility — making sure that you can watch what you want, where you want and how you want. And you really can. There's a huge list of supported devices but in short, if you've got one of these, you can watch YouTube TV on it:

• YouTube TV on mobile devices: smartphones and tablets running Android L or later and iPhones and iPads running iOS 12 or later (download the YouTube TV app)
• YouTube TV on computers: supported on latest versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari
• YouTube TV on Smart TVs: Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku TVs and devices, Apple TV/Apple TV 4K, Vizio SmartCast TVs, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Hisense TVs
• YouTube TV on game consoles: Xbox, PS5, PS4
• Stream YouTube TV to your TV: using Chromecast, AirPlay for Apple TV

YouTube TV features

We've covered a number of YouTube TV features already, including the unlimited DVR and the number of concurrent streams subscribers can have, but there's more offered by the live TV streaming servce.

First among them is the YouTube TV mobile app, which allows you to watch YouTube TV on the go through a mobile device. As long as you have bandwidth that can handle it, you can be watching live TV.

A recent report from Protocol also teases a couple of features that are on their way to YouTube TV. This includes the ability to support YouTube Shorts, YouTube's answer to the TikTok craze. The update that'll enable the ability to play YouTube Shorts is expected in the coming months and will have the vertical video displayed in the center of the screen with the title and other key info off to the side.

Protocol also detailed what YouTube TV is calling Mosaic Mode, which is designed to let subscribers watch up to four live feeds at the same time, dividing the TV screen into quadrants. There was no clear indication of when this would be available, but it seems tailor made for sports viewing.

Deciding to part ways with any live TV streaming service is always a tough choice. But what if you're thinking about cancelling from a platform as big as YouTube TV?

Axing such a massive streamer can leave a hole in your watching habits, a practice known as cord-cutting, but thankfully we've got some alternatives for you. With its infrequent price hikes and lack of separate tiers, YouTube TV is in some ways very inflexible so it may be worth considering some of these replacements which boast various more stable options.

So, before you decide to cut that last cord, have a thorough look at five alternatives that may be a better fit for you, your finances and viewing habits compared to YouTube TV...

• Find out how to cancel YouTube TV
• Read our thoughts on YouTube TV vs Hulu

Hulu with Live TV

Hulu is home to a whole host of incredible entertainment, including its own Hulu Originals like Pam & Tommy, The Handmaid's Tale, The Great and more. With the Hulu with Live TV package, you also benefit from 75-plus live channels, access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus and the streamer's on-demand library of TV shows and movies, all for $76.99 a month (with ads).

Customize your Hulu with Live TV plan exactly how you want with the option to select further add-ons. These include HBO Max, Cinemax and Showtime, as well as the option for unlimited screens and cloud DVR.

Find out more about Hulu with Live TV here.

Fubo

If you're a sports fan, you'll want to give Fubo a try. It also has a huge stable of add-ons for all kinds of sports, including international sports, soccer (aka football as it's known outside of the US), outdoor events and more.

With Fubo you have a choice of a few plans, but its baseline Pro plan costs $74.99 a month and boasts 129 channels and 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR. There are three higher tiers including some expansive ones.

Each of these plans comes with a seven-day Fubo free trial period, as well as add-ons, so you can tailor it to your viewing preferences.

Find out more about FuboTV here. We've also got a guide to Fubo packages here

Philo TV

If you just want to spend as little as you can every month while still actually watching TV, then Philo TV may well be the budget choice for you. For just $25 a month you'll get more than 60 channels — and these are channels that you know and love — from news, to entertainment, to lifestyle — including MTV, Comedy Central, Lifetime and the Paramount Network.

And Philo is available on just about every device you've got. It's really one of those services you have to see to believe.

Find out more about Philo TV here.

Sling TV

Sling TV is another affordable option for those looking to avoid an expensive cable package. With its Sling TV Blue and Orange packages, you can opt for one or both, depending on the channels you want to watch. On their own, each offers 30-plus channels and costs $40 a month. You can combine the Blue and Orange packages for a monthly cost of $55.

Although there's no longer a Sling TV free trial, they are currently offering new subscribers their first month half off.

Find out more about Sling TV here. We've also got a guide to Sling TV packages here.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream has been through many iterations in its time. Previously it was known as AT&T TV, before that DirecTV Now and AT&T TV Now. Whatever it's called the streaming service has an option of four packages, at varying price points, depending on how many channels you want to stream. The DirecTV Stream entertainment plan starts at $69.99 a month, all the way up to the Premier Plan, at $149.99 a month, which throws in more than 150 channels and HBO Max.

Find out more about DirecTV here. We've also got a guide to DirecTV packages here.

True Detective season 4, aka True Detective: Night Country, is one of the best TV shows of 2024 so far, but if you don't have HBO or Max you probably haven't seen it yet. Well, that's no longer a problem, at least for the first episode, as you can now watch True Detective season 4 episode 1 for free on YouTube.

Returning for the first time in five years, this latest edition of the True Detective anthology series stars Jodie Foster, Kali Reis and John Hawkes and is set in a small Alaskan town during what is known as "the long night," a stretch of winter days when the sun doesn’t come up. The case at the center of the season is the mysterious disappearance of a group of scientists from a research facility without a trace. To solve the mystery, detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) must confront their past and the dark truths that lie underneath the ice.

Three episodes of True Detective season 4 have aired to date, with another three remaining, including this Sunday, February 4. So if you watch the season 4 premiere episode 4 and decide you have to find out what happens, you’ll have time to catch up with the season, possibly before it ends.

Just don't expect anymore episodes to come onto YouTube for free. HBO has done this with a few of their shows, including The Gilded Age season 1 episode 1 and the first two episodes of The Sopranos, but it's meant to entice viewers to sign up for Max, where they can stream all of these shows on-demand or, in the case of True Detective season 4 and other current HBO shows, basically live, as they premiere on the streaming service simultaneously on Max and HBO.

Max has a starting price of $9.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, while you'll have to go up to $15.99 per month to watch ad-free. But in addition to HBO shows, you also get Max originals, including the upcoming Tokyo Vice season 2 and Hacks season 3, a library of classic movies and, at least until the end of February, live sports for free (after February sports will cost an additional monthly fee).

Take a look at all that is new on Max in February.

Of course if you are somewhere HBO and Max are not available, like the UK, there are other options. UK viewers wanting to catch up with True Detective season 4 can do so on Sky TV's video on-demand library, as well as watch the episodes live on Sky TV.

Watch True Detective season 4 episode 1 one YouTube right here. New episodes Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and Max, and the Mondays on Sky TV in the UK.

As The Sopranos celebrates its 25th anniversary, HBO is the one giving a gift to fans of the show, as well as those who never had the chance to watch the acclaimed crime drama. Right now, anyone with an internet connection can watch The Sopranos' first two episodes for free on YouTube.

The Sopranos premiered on HBO on Sunday, January 10, 1999. The series was created by David Chase and starred James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mob boss that deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business, ultimately leading him to see a psychologist. In addition to Gandolfini the series starred Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa and more.

Running for eight seasons, The Sopranos is widely considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time (it ranks at no. 2 in What to Watch's 100 best TV shows of all time list). It won 21 Emmys, including two Outstanding Drama Series trophies, and was a key contributor to the reputation of HBO being the home of some of the most prestigious TV around. 

Of course, being on HBO meant that it has not always been available to all viewers. You had to have the cable service to watch the original run of the series and since then it has only been available to watch on-demand in the US via HBO's streaming services, the most recent of which is Max. That didn't stop it from becoming a cultural touchstone though, whether it was the iconic theme music to the iconic (but for many infuriating) cut to black in the series finale.

While you're still going to need a subscription to Max to watch the entirety of The Sopranos, if you've never seen the show before the barrier of entry is now an internet connection with the first two episodes available on YouTube.

Here's the synopsis and links for the episodes:

The Sopranos season 1 episode 1, "Pilot"
"After suffering anxiety attacks, New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano agrees to see a psychiatrist."

The Sopranos season 1 episode 2, "46 Long"
"With the family's boss Jackie Aprile deathly ill, Tony prepares to get into a power struggle with Uncle Junior."

In addition to all seasons of The Sopranos, Max also has curated a special 25th anniversary section for the show with quick access to memorable episodes, never-before-seen deleted footage and expanded access to behind-the-scenes content. The streamer also has the prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, that saw James Gandolfini's son, Michael Gandolfini, play the teenage version of Tony Soprano.

This isn't the first time that HBO/Max have put some of their TV episodes on YouTube for free. They recently did it with the series premiere of The Gilded Age in advance of The Gilded Age season 2 premiere.

If YouTube isn't your thing, HBO announced they are launching an @Sopranos account on TikTok, where it'll show each episode in 25 second clips. Also, select cable partners' free on-demand platforms will carry episodes of The Sopranos if you prefer a more old-school method.

Debating whether you want to watch Lawmen: Bass Reeves? Well, you can try before you buy (a Paramount Plus subscription), as the entire first episode is available to watch right now on YouTube for free.

The Taylor Sheridan-created Lawmen: Bass Reeves, which debuted on Sunday, November 5, with its first two episodes, is the latest Paramount Plus original series from the prolific writer. It joins the likes of 1883, 1923, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King and Special Ops: Lioness. Lawmen is intended to be an anthology series, which will focus on real-life figures. In this first iteration, it is based on the old west US Marshal Bass Reeves, who in the series is played by David Oyelowo (Selma). Also starring in the series are Dennis Quaid, Donald Sutherland, Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper and Shea Whigham.

The first episode that is available to watch on YouTube is simply titled "Part I," and has the official synopsis of: "Bass rides into hell. Esau makes a violent impression on Bass. Bass escapes his chains, but has to make a hard sacrifice."

As a Paramount Plus series, Lawmen: Bass Reeves is streaming exclusively on the platform, which does have a one-week free trial, but after which you are automatically signed up for a monthly subscription. So having the first episode of the series available to watch on YouTube is a great way for potentially interested viewers to try out the series before having to commit to another streaming subscription service.

Making an original series available for non-subscribers is not uncommon for Paramount Plus. They've often aired Taylor Sheridan-created series' first episode (or even first couple) on the Paramount Network cable channel (or in one case after its initial run, all 1883 episodes) but that didn't happen with Lawmen: Bass Reeves. However, sharing them on YouTube hasn't been uncommon in the past.

The practice has also been done by other networks/streaming platforms, most recently Max, which has The Gilded Age season 1 episode 1 currently available or free on YouTube.

But if you want to watch Lawmen: Bass Reeves episode 2 or any of the other episodes that are going to be airing in the coming weeks, you are going to need to sign up for Paramount Plus, as they are going to stream there exclusively.

NFL teams are getting ready for the 2023 season with training camp and NFL preseason games, but fans need to get ready too to make sure they have the best possible setup for watching their team every week. A long-time key for that is NFL Sunday Ticket, which lets fans watch all out-of-market NFL games every weekend. With its new home on YouTube/YouTube TV, NFL Sunday Ticket will have a number of new features for fans to enjoy this year.

A blog post introduced six features that YouTube is touting for this upcoming season: a new monthly payment plan, an upcoming student plan, various multiview options, live chat & polls, key plays and real-time highlights available in the YouTube Shorts player.

The first big change is the introduction of a monthly payment plan for NFL Sunday Ticket, just one of the NFL Sunday Ticket deals available for subscribers this year. The basic way to sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket is to sign up for the entire season, ranging from $349-$489. Instead of having to pay all of that money up front, football fans can spread the payment out over the course of the season. However, monthly payment plans will not be available in all states — consumers in Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, New Jersey and Tennessee will have to pay the entire bill right away.

Another payment feature YouTube is going to offer is an NFL Sunday Ticket student plan. This is something that NFL Sunday Ticket has offered in the past, but until this announcement had not been confirmed by YouTube. No specifics were immediately available, but YouTube said that it would share pricing and more info "within the next week," so that should be by Wednesday, August 23.

The multiview option is something that YouTube introduced earlier in 2023, allowing sports fans to watch up to four games at once on both YouTube and YouTube TV. That capability will be added to NFL Sunday Ticket, with subscribers able to choose from an assortment of multiview combinations each week, including the ability to watch NFL RedZone as one of the options (if you signed up for the Sunday Ticket package that includes NFL RedZone). On YouTube TV, you can also include your local game broadcast alongside out-of-market games available via Sunday Ticket.

YouTube's live chat and polls features will also be available for those watching games on their mobile and TV devices. YouTube adds that it plans to incorporate NFL Shop integrations in the future.

The YouTube TV key plays feature is going to be available for those watching NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, which allows viewers to see the biggest plays of the game if they are either joining a game late or watching it after it's been completed. For this season, the key plays feature is only going to be available when watching YouTube on TV.

All YouTube viewers will be able to watch highlight plays from all the games as they are happening with YouTube Shorts, but NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers are going to be able to click directly on the red "Live" ring around these videos to allow them to start immediately watching the game on YouTube.

YouTube says that all of these features will be ready for NFL week 1, which takes place on September 10.

If you're a YouTube TV customer. you can pay for an additional subscription to HBO's Max to swell out your content library with even more shows, movies and sports. If you need some pointers in figuring out how, we're here to show you.

A popular live TV streaming service, YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month and includes ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, as well as ESPN, TBS, TNT, FX, Paramount Network, AMC, Comedy Central, CNN, NFL Network, Disney, Nickelodeon and more.

• Sign up for YouTube TV

In addition, subscribers can opt for add-on packages, which can include enhanced services like the 4K add-on or premium cable channels like Showtime, Starz, EPIX, Hallmark Movies Now and, yes, HBO Max.

Adding Max (formerly HBO Max) will give YouTube TV access to  Max’s library of shows like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, as well as classic and newer movies from Warner Bros. They’ll also be able to watch Max Originals, which include Hacks, The Flight Attendant, The Staircase, Julia, Our Flag Means Death and more.

So, how do you start watching Max on YouTube TV?

How to watch Max on YouTube TV

As an add-on, it is pretty easy to add Max. You can add services through the YouTube TV app on your TV, phone or computer. 

On the YouTube TV app on your TV, you select the store icon next to your profile picture in the top right, you then select the network you’d like to add (in this case  Max), select "add network" and confirm the purchase on the next screen.

On a computer or through the mobile app, you need to go into your profile, then settings and then membership. You then click the checkmark next to the Max box and then simply click purchase to finish.

What does Max on YouTube TV cost?

Adding Max to YouTube TV will cost an extra $15 per month to your YouTube TV subscription. 

YouTube TV does also offer an Entertainment Plus package, which adds HBO Max, Starz and Showtime to their subscription for a combined price of $29.99 per month on top of their base subscription.

It should be noted that if you have already subscribed to Max outside of YouTube TV, it will not carry over to your YouTube TV subscription, it will still be required to purchase Max either as an individual app or through the Entertainment Plus package.

Max is also available to add to Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Android TV and Vizio TVs.

The 2023 NFL season is about five months away, but NFL Sunday Ticket is ready for the new season on its new home, YouTube, as pricing information and a special presale deal for the TV service have been announced. 

In case you don't know, NFL Sunday Ticket is a TV service that allows subscribers to watch any and all out-of-market NFL games live on their TV. So if you're a Kansas City Chief fan but don't live in an area where their games are always on TV, you can still catch every game with NFL Sunday Ticket. And if you're just a football die hard, having NFL Sunday Ticket alongside your normal TV setup gives you access to every NFL game throughout the season.

For years, NFL Sunday Ticket was exclusively available through DirecTV, but during the 2022 NFL season, YouTube picked up the rights. New and existing subscribers to YouTube TV are going to be able to add NFL Sunday Ticket as an add-on to their existing service. Not a YouTube TV subscriber, not a problem; you can sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket without YouTube TV, accessing the football offering through YouTube PrimeTime Channels.

However, there is going to be a difference in price between the two options. YouTube TV subscribers can sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket for $349 for the entire season or an NFL Sunday Ticket/NFL RedZone bundle for $389. If you sign up through YouTube PrimeTime Channels, it'll cost you $449 for NFL Sunday Ticket and $489 for the bundle.

If you know you're going to be signing up for NFL Sunday Ticket, you can knock $100 off those prices with a limited early sign-up offering. That means that YouTube TV subscribers would pay $249 for NFL Sunday Ticket and $289 to add NFL RedZone, while you the cost through YouTube PrimeTime Channels would drop to $349 and $389, respectively. The early sign-up offer is slated to end on June 6.

YouTube also notes that subscriptions will auto-renew each season. If you sign up for the early sign-up deal, next year the price would increase to the normal rate for each service.

Some of the new features for NFL Sunday Ticket have also been shared by YouTube. YouTube TV members are going to have access to the service's multiview feature, unlimited DVR storage, the ability to view key plays, NFL fantasy data, real time stats and can hide spoilers. Those who sign up through PrimeTime Channels are also going to have access to multiview and key plays features, plus have NFL games readily available in their feeds.

Additional features YouTube says are in the works include shopping integrations, social features, chat, polls and more.

NFL Sunday Ticket will be available to watch on any service that YouTube TV/YouTube PrimeTime Channels is available.

Get ready to adjust your budgets, YouTube TV subscribers, as the live TV streaming service has announced it is raising its monthly subscription fee. The YouTube TV price hike is going to cost subscribers an additional $8 a month, as the subscription fee is changing from $64.99 to $72.99. The change is effective immediately (as of March 16) for new subscribers, while existing users will see the price change starting April 18.

YouTube TV shared the news to its current subscribers in an email, where it says that the reason for the 12% price increase is due to rising content costs.

"After nearly three years, we're adjusting our monthly price from $64.99/month to $72.99/month," the email reads. "As content costs have risen and we continue to invest in the quality of our service, we are updating our price to keep bringing you the best possible service."

If you're wondering what some of those investments in the service are, YouTube announced its new multiview feature, which is currently being tested by select users during the March Madness college basketball tournament. Another updated feature announced in the email was that YouTube TV is lowering the monthly cost for its 4K Plus add-on by half, from $19.99 per month to $9.99 per month, effective immediately. 

To top it all off, YouTube TV is going to be the new home for NFL Sunday Ticket, allowing fans to watch out-of-market NFL games starting with the 2023 regular season. Signing up for Sunday Ticket via YouTube TV is going to cost an additional monthly fee.

Though YouTube TV did recently say goodbye to another major sport offering, removing MLB Network from its channel lineup after a new deal could not be reached. 

Still, the live TV streaming service offers more than 100 channels, including all local TV stations, unlimited DVR storage, up to six accounts per household, the ability to have three streams going at once and add-on options that include HBO Max, Starz and more.

This price raise puts YouTube TV closer to the monthly cost of other big name live TV streaming services like FuboTV (starting at $74.99 per month) and Hulu with Live TV ($69.99 per month with ads, $82.99 per month with no ads). Sling TV offers the best deal among the big four live TV streaming services (starting at $40), though its channel selection is a bit less than the others.

Check out What to Watch’s rankings of the best live TV streaming services.

If you've been trying to find the best way to stream March Madness, then you might want to give YouTube TV a try, because the Google-owned service has just become the best live TV streaming service for fans of college basketball.

This is because of a new feature that is currently being rolled out by the cord-cutting platform called "multiview." As the name suggests, multiview lets you view multiple streams at once, letting you follow along with four different channels at the same time.

While this feature is only in early access for now, meaning YouTube TV is testing it and will give it a full release "over the next few months", the platform has confirmed that it'll be letting college basketball fans test out the feature between March 14 and April 3, to stream as much basketball as possible.

• Sign up to YouTube TV here

With the feature, you can choose which streams you're watching at any time, change which stream is providing your TV's audio (you don't want four streams' commentary at the same time) and also jump in or out of full-screen for any of the channels.

Unfortunately, multiview is initially being trialed for select users, and YouTube TV hasn't specified how it's selected the lucky few, though it says it'll get a wider release soon. However, you can find out if you're one of these guinea pigs by heading to YouTube TV's "Top Picks for You" section, then checking to see if multiview is available.

For now, YouTube is referring to multiview as a sports feature, so it's unlikely that you'll be able to stream from, say, four different news platforms at once, or multiple weather channels simultaneously.

But for busy sports events, like March Madness as well as the Women's Soccer World Cup later in 2023 or the Olympics in 2024, a feature like this will help sports fans catch as many events as possible without having to constantly change channels.

With TBS, TNT, CBS, TruTV and ESPN all channels offered by the streaming service, YouTube TV is already a one-stop shop for college basketball fans wanting to watch the NCAA March Madness (both its Men's and Women's brackets). We've got an entire guide on how to watch March Madness 2023 if you need advice on streaming it in other ways.

KSI: In Real Life is a candid documentary film on Prime Video that follows KSI, aka JJ Olatunji, over the course of 12 months, as he prepares for the biggest year of his career so far. 

Produced by Louis Theroux’s company Mindhouse, the feature-length documentary goes behind the scenes of JJ’s life, as he prepares to take to the stage at Leeds Festival, records his third album and gets ready for a massive solo tour. 

But the show also gives an intimate portrait of his fractured relationship with his family, his emotional break-up with his girlfriend and the move into his 10 million pound London home.

Here's everything you need to know about the Prime Video documentary KSI: In Real Life…

KSI: In Real Life release date

KSI: In Real Life will launch worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday January 26, 2023.

Is there a trailer for KSI: In Real Life?

Yes Amazon Prime Video has released a trailer for KSI: In Real Life which shows what's going to be covered by this fascinating documentary. 

Take a look below...

Interview: JJ on what happens in KSI: In Real Life 

Here JJ, 29, reveals what we can expect from his fly-on-the-wall Prime Video documentary KSI: In Real Life. 

The film charts JJ’s rise to fame from a teenager posting online YouTube videos from his home in Watford to global superstar with millions of followers, plus a successful boxing and music career. But it also finds him at a crossroads in life and shows him struggling with his identity while trying to mend the rift with his parents and his brother, Deji.

"I felt very lost at the start of this documentary and I definitely needed to find myself, I needed to understand myself more," says JJ. 

"My situation with my family wasn’t great, especially my parents, so I knew I had to fix that. I wasn’t in the best place. I thought 'I’ve got all this success, but what does that mean if I’m not happy within?' But making the documentary really helped me open up, although it’s quite crazy that the cameras managed to capture that whole situation! But I’m in a much better place now, and therapy has helped me understand who I am instead of trying to be something I’m not. Hopefully this film will show I’m just human."

KSI: In Real Life also sees the star open up about his fear of failure, while we get to see the pressure cooker situation of relentless online trolling. There are moments of huge highs, particularly when he’s meeting his fans or on stage, but also crushing lows as he deals with the end of his three-year relationship. 

However, by the end of the film, he’s seen repairing his relationship with his family, and a touching moment when his dad, Jide, visits him in his new home for the first time.

"My parents have seen the documentary and it was heartbreaking for them because obviously, I get upset in it," he says. 

"But they’re just happy now that everything is just so much better than it was before. If I’m honest, at the beginning I hated having the cameras following me, I found it quite intrusive because I’m quite introverted and I love my alone time. It was also weird not being in control. But I didn’t want the documentary to be a fluff piece, I didn’t want to just be like, oh look how great I am. It’s going to be interesting what audiences think of it but maybe it will help in terms of relatability. For me success isn't a destination. I see it as a journey and I'm still on that journey and I'm still figuring out more about myself and what more I can do."

* More guides to top Prime Video shows and documentaries are below...

• Wildcat
• Lioness: The Nicola Adams Story
• Rooney
• The best Amazon Prime movies
• Amazon is right: You don't own your digital media
• The best shows on Amazon Prime
• New movies on Amazon Prime

If YouTube wasn't already your go-to video streaming service, between its main video platform, YouTube TV, YouTube TV Flexible Plan, YouTube Premium, YouTube PrimeTime Channels and YouTube Shorts, then the Google-owned company's next effort may give it another chance to impress you.

According to reports, YouTube is testing offering free and ad-supported TV shows and movies, with select users already getting to experience this as part of a testing program.

A report written by the Wall Street Journal suggests that these are early tests for a wider rollout later in the year, as apparently, YouTube is speaking to certain entertainment companies to see if they'd be interested in the service.

YouTube certainly wouldn't be the first free and ad-supported TV service — Tubi has a big selection including some originals, while Amazon's FreeVee offers certain channels, movies and shows, and on your Roku device you can watch lots of free TV too.

But being one of the biggest video companies on the planet, YouTube has plenty of resources to compete against these rivals — its free TV service would likely be the biggest upon launch, due to the size and popularity of YouTube.

There's no confirmed release date for YouTube's free TV offerings, beyond a rough '2023' window, and we'll likely have to wait until whenever it launches to find out what channels are offered or how many ads you have to see. 

It'll likely be a US-only service, like Tubi and Pluto TV, with free TV being less of a draw in countries like the UK which doesn't have expensive cable plans.

The fact that YouTube is testing out this service already suggests that the service could come sooner rather than later, but if WSJ is correct in saying that YouTube is still in talks with entertainment companies, the free YouTube TV service could start small with limited offerings before growing over time.

While it's not clear whether the free YouTube movies and TV shows will be offered via YouTube.com or a separate service, it's definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled every time you head to the video platform, to see if you too can pick through some new shows or films.

If you currently use YouTube TV for all your live TV streaming needs, then over Thanksgiving you're going to find a lot more movies and TV shows available for you to watch.

That's because until November 29, people who use the YouTube TV service are getting free access to preview channels for HBO Max and Cinemax. You don't need to opt-in to get these, the video content is immediately available for you to access. 

• Sign up to YouTube TV here

You won't need to opt-out after November 29 either, so this is a smooth and seamless free trial, though you can choose to sign up for these extra channels if you want to keep them around. Per month, HBO Max costs $14.99 and Cinemax $9.99.

HBO Max is a really great get for the week — with it you can catch up on House of the Dragon, catch the latest episodes of White Lotus or stream the new Love, Lizzo documentary when it airs on November 24.

White Lotus is a particular draw, as its episodes have been airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max, and it's currently the channel's biggest show. November 27 brings its latest episode, the fifth out of seven in the season, which you can watch as soon as it's out with YouTube TV.

Cinemax is a great channel for catching movies, which makes it perfect for the Thanksgiving period when you may want to stick on something for the entire family.

YouTube TV is already one of the more affordable live TV streaming services out there, as it slightly undercuts FuboTV and Hulu with live TV. While it costs more than Sling TV, it offers plenty more channels too.

So throw in this HBO Max and Cinemax trial and it's the best pick for your method of streaming live TV this Thanksgiving, if you don't already have a service or cable subscription.

If you're looking for something else to stream, we're in the midst of Black Friday, which means there are plenty of streaming deals to pick between — some of them bring huge discounts on services like Hulu, Paramount Plus and HBO Max too. We've also rounded up some of the best Black Friday entertainment deals for other pop culture-related gifts.

You might not consider YouTube to be one of the best streaming services — that's not a comment on its quality, but most people don't even consider it amongst the likes of Netflix or Prime Video, since it's much older and has less of a focus on TV shows and movies. However that might be changing.

YouTube now offers subscriptions to individual channels within its website and app, it announced in a recent blog post. The new feature is called "PrimeTime Channels." This feature is exclusive to the US to begin with, but the video company has confirmed that it's going to open it in other markets at some point in the future.

• Find the YouTube movies and TV hub here

Over 30 channels have been confirmed already, including big names like Showtime, Paramount Plus and AMC Plus, as well as niche options like Sundance Now, Law and Crime, NBA League Pass (which is coming shortly after launch) and Gaia. Pricing for the channels hasn't been announced yet, but it'll likely vary by channel.

If you subscribe to a channel, the videos from it will appear in your YouTube library alongside other recommended videos from your frequented channels, making it very easy to find.

If you're confused, we should point out that this is completely different to YouTube TV, a separate streaming service. That's for streaming live TV, not video-on-demand.

PrimeTime Channels isn't a new feature to streaming services, as both Prime Video and Roku let you subscribe to individual channels too. The main difference is that, for Roku, you need a compatible streaming TV or dongle, while for Prime Video channels you're paying for them on top of your Prime subscription. YouTube is free for anyone with a phone or PC, so could be a cheaper way to get these channels.

The real charm of PrimeTime Channels is that, as with Roku or Amazon's equivalents, it lets all your videos sit in one place, not in countless different apps on your PC, phone or TV. It makes it easier to find something new to watch, as everything is stored on the same menu, and you can control your subscriptions better as they're all organized through one service.

While there aren't as many PrimeTime Channels right now as there are Prime Video ones — Amazon has nearly 100 more — we could see YouTube add plenty of more in the near future.

If you've been considering subscribing to YouTube TV, but have been put off by the $65-per-month price tag, or the fact that you likely won't use all 85 channels offered, then a new change to YouTube's US-only TV streaming service might make you reconsider.

Going forward, if you don't want the full YouTube TV package, the company is now offering a flexible solution — this lets you pick your own collection of channels, each for its own separate fee, instead of paying for all of them.

• Sign up to YouTube TV's flexible option here

This change will be great news if you only use a select few of the many YouTube TV channels available to you. If you only use sports channels like NBA or MLB, or stick to your factual shows with Docurama and CuriosityStream, then you'll certainly save money by picking just a few channels to subscribe to.

However, if you like making the most of YouTube TV's range, then sticking with the Basic package (the one that gets you all the channels for $65 per month) may still be an economical idea. That's because each channel costs roughly $15, so if you use five or more, subscribing individually will actually be more expensive.

If you're a current YouTube TV subscriber, you'll need to manually switch over to this new package — it won't happen automatically. But doing so could save you money monthly, so we'd recommend looking into your options.

Subscribing to YouTube TV using the flexible option lets you use some of the Basic plan's features, including DVR (digital video recorder) for recording shows, and access to apps on gaming consoles, smartphones and smart TVs.

In case you're confused by YouTube's streaming services, TV is actually completely different to Premium. The former is for watching live TV, while the latter gets you extra features for your standard YouTube videos, particularly the removal of pre-roll ads (and it's rumored that 4K YouTube videos will soon be exclusive to Premium). There's basically no overlap between the two services.

YouTube TV is one of many live TV services available on the web, with Hulu arguably the biggest competitor. While YouTube TV was already cheaper than its rival by $5, this added flexibility could make it an even more tempting choice for spending-savvy streamers.

More about YouTube TV

• YouTube TV free trial: How to try YouTube's live TV service before you buy
• How to sign up for YouTube TV
• How to remove channels from your YouTube TV live guide

Among the different add-on channel options available on YouTube TV, Hallmark Movies Now — which comprises movies from the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries and Hallmark Hall of Fame — is sure to be a popular one, available on the live TV streaming service for an additional $5.99 a month.

That means you've got another way to access more than 1,000 hours of commercial-free Hallmark-branded content. It's all family friendly, you can stream as much as you want and new titles are added all the time. This includes Hallmark's Christmas and Christmas in July programming, as well as other original movies throughout the year that star many fan favorites, including Ashley Williams and Tyler Hynes.

And because you'll be subscribing via your YouTube TV account, Google will handle all the billing. Just go to tv.youtube.com/settings/subscriptions and select Hallmark Movies Now. You'll get a free seven-day trial to see if it's something you want to continue. 

YouTube TV has an easy-to-use on-screen guide, unlimited cloud-based recordings and you have have separate profiles for up to six people, so one person's recommendations don't pollute someone else's. Additional features (with a slight price increase) include 4K quality video.

Hallmark Movies Now is just on example of the add-on channels available through YouTube TV. Subscribers can also easily sign up for channels like HBO Max, Showtime, NFL Red Zone, ESPN Deportes and other Spanish-language channels or add-on bundles with the YouTube TV Entertainment Plus and YouTube TV Sports Plus package. 

YouTube TV costs $64.99 a month and has just a single list of channels — no separate plans from which you'll have to pick and choose. It's available to watch in a web browser, on Android TV, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV, as well as on select smart TVs.

UPDATE 19 Dec 2021:
YouTube TV has shared the news that it has reached an agreement with Disney which returns ABC, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels to its live TV streaming service. The removal of Disney-owned channels on YouTube TV lasted less than 48 hours. Though the blackout period was so short, YouTube TV said that it will offer a one-time credit for base plan members of $15. YouTube had promised it would drop the YouTube TV monthly price, by $15, while Disney-owned channels were unavailable. If your account is still active, a one-time $15 credit will be applied to your next bill. Anyone who canceled, following the dispute, will receive the one-time $15 credit if/when they rejoin.

Original article below.

The number of channels for YouTube TV has shrunk overnight, as ABC, ESPN, Freeform and other Disney-owned channels were removed from the live TV streaming service as of 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 17. This loss of channels is a result of the distribution agreement between YouTube TV and Disney expiring on Friday and negotiations for a new or extended contract not being agreed to.

YouTube TV, which boasts more than 85 channels as part of its offering, will go without these Disney channels as long as the two sides remain at odds. Here are all the channels that will be removed from the service: ABC-owned TV stations, ABC News, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, the SEC Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, FX, FXX, FXM, Freeform, National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild.

As a result, YouTube TV subscribers would lose the chance to watch college football bowl games that are airing on ABC or ESPN networks, possibly including the College Football Playoffs on Dec. 31; to watch Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas programming; as well as all the other programming available on these channels.

Disney-owned channels, including ESPN, have featured graphics during the week letting those watching on YouTube TV that they could lose access to these channels after Dec. 17. YouTube TV, meanwhile, sent out an email to its subscribers earlier in the week warning them of the possible outage, though informing them that the service’s monthly price will be lowered $15 to $50 per month as long as the Disney content remains off the platform.

“Disney is an important partner for us,” YouTube TV wrote in the email. “We are in active conversations with them and are working hard to keep their content on YouTube T. Our ask of Disney, as with all of our partners, is to treat YouTube TV like any other TV provider — by providing us the same rates that services of a similar size pay, across Disney’s channels for as long as we carry them.”

YouTube TV also reminded their subscribers that they have the flexibility to pause or cancel their membership at any time, while also providing them with information on where else they could watch the some of the Disney-owned channels, including with the Disney Plus bundle, which offers Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus for a single monthly fee of $13.99. Many of these channels are also available on other live TV streaming services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and Sling TV.

This isn’t the first time that YouTube TV has been in difficult negotiations that threatened for some channels to be dropped from the service. Back in early October, YouTube TV was at risk of losing NBCUniversal channels, but a new agreement was reached and no NBCU channels were ever dropped from the service.

UPDATE: YouTube TV and NBCUniversal officially made a new deal that will keep NBCU channels on the live TV streaming service, and at no price increase for YouTube TV subscribers.

Crisis averted for YouTube TV and NBCUniversal, at least for the moment. After warnings that NBCU channels could disappear from the live TV streaming service at midnight on Sept. 30 due to a contract dispute, an NBCUniversal spokesperson shared that a short extension had been reached to keep the channels on YouTube TV as negotiations continue.

YouTube TV and NBCU had shared warnings about their expiring agreement to carry NBCU channels to consumers early in the week, each blaming the other for the disagreement in renewing their deal. Had a deal not been reached, 14 NBCU channels would have gone black on YouTube TV as soon as midnight on Sept. 30, including local NBC stations, NBCSN, the Golf Channel, USA, Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, Universal Kids, E!, Oxygen, NBC Universo, Sy-Fy and NBC-owned regional sports networks.

With this short-term extension between the two sides, YouTube TV subscribers will still be able to watch the season premiere of Saturday Night Live and the highly-anticipated return of Tom Brady to New England for Sunday Night Football, as well as other NBCU programming this weekend.

Had the stations gone dark, YouTube TV said that it would have dropped its monthly subscription fee by $10 to $54.99 as long as the NBCU channels were off the service.

Under this short-term extension, it is likely that YouTube TV and NBCU are keeping whatever framework they had for the agreement that initially would have expired at midnight on Sept. 30. No information, however, was shared on how long this short-term extension would last, so if the two sides continue to be unable to reach a deal consumers may have to go through this whole song and dance again. Though this extension could signal that the sides are closing in on an agreement and just needed more time to iron out the details.

As live TV streaming services like YouTube TV continue to grow in popularity, content distribution agreements like this that were previously the problem of traditional pay-TV providers could become more of an issue for YouTube TV and its peers.

YouTube TV’s channel selection may shrink as of Thursday, Sept. 30, as the live TV streaming service and NBCUniversal are currently in the midst of a contract renewal negotiation for YouTube TV to continue carrying 14 NBCU channels.

YouTube TV is emailing its subscribers to let them know of the situation, as has NBCUniversal, according to a report by 9to5Google. According to an NBCU information sheet, should negotiations fail, on Sept. 30 YouTube TV subscribers would lose access to their local NBC station, USA, the Golf Channel, Bravo, MSNBC, Universal Kids, Telemundo, CNBC, NBCSN, E!, Oxygen, NBC Universo, Sy-Fy and NBC-owned regional sport networks.

If this happens, YouTube subscribers would lose the ability to watch shows like Law & Order: SVU, Chicago Fire and Sunday Night Football live.

In the event that an agreement is not reached before Sept. 30, YouTube TV said that it will be lowering its monthly subscription fees to $54.99 while the NBCU content remains off the platform. It also said that subscribers can pause or cancel their YouTube TV subscription at any time and will provide updates to its subscribers on the status of NBCU channels, should they disappear.

Unsurprisingly, each side is pointing figures at the other. NBC’s info sheet says that YouTube TV is dropping the channels and calls on consumers to take action via sending tweets, chatting with YouTube TV or switching providers. Meanwhile, YouTube TV says that it is looking for equitable terms compared to other distributors of NBCU content. This is the same kind of debates that content providers and TV distributors have been getting in for a longtime, though now it’s just happening more with SVOD services like YouTube TV.

This isn’t the first time that YouTube TV has been entangled in a contract dispute, in April 2021 they had issues with Roku.

One option to continue accessing live sports and other new NBCU programming is by signing up for the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. While there is a free version of Peacock, if you want to be able to access live and new content from NBCU channels, you will need to sign up for Peacock Premium, which is available via either an $4.99 ad-supported plan or $9.99 ad-free plan.

What to Watch will keep you updated as this story develops.

Anyone who subscribes to YouTube TV may notice a couple of additional channels added to their lineup this weekend, as the live TV streaming service has announced that it is offering free previews of NFL RedZone, HBO Max and Cinemax the weekend of Sept. 24-26.

First up, the free previews for HBO Max and Cinemax are available starting today, Sept. 23, and will continue through Monday, Sept. 27. Available traditionally as a channel add-on, HBO Max on YouTube TV provides all of the same access that the standalone streaming service does, including access to classic HBO series like Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, HBO Max originals like Hacks and a library of hundreds of other TV shows and movies. With the free preview of Cinemax, viewers can watch its popular original series, including Strike Back, and its lineup of classic movies, among which are the likes of Dirty Dancing.

This isn’t the first time that YouTube TV has given free previews of HBO Max and Cinemax. The service previously offered the add-on channels for a brief preview in the summer.

Then, on Sunday, Sept. 26, starting at 1 p.m ET, football fans that subscribe to YouTube can get a free preview of NFL RedZone, the specialty channel that shows every touchdown from all NFL games in action. This will just last for the NFL games playing on Sept. 26.

No action is required for YouTube TV subscribers to enjoy any of these free previews.

News of these previews were sent out in an email to subscribers. In addition to NFL RedZone, HBO Max and Cinemax previews, the message also promoted a deal for subscribers to bundle the Starz and EPIX add-on channels for $11.99 per month, which it says is a 20% discount.

It also promoted Shudder’s 61 Nights of Halloween lineup that is available via the Shudder channel add-on and the ability to download content offline with its YouTube TV 4K Plus package.

YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service, offering more than 85 channels of basic and premium cable channels as part of its standard package, including the most recent addition, Univision. Other premium channels are available as add-ons. The starting price for a YouTube TV subscription is $64.99.

Fitness fanatic Joe Wicks became a national treasure when he got our little ones doing PE With Joe during lockdown. Now The Body Coach is teaming up with popular CBeebies character Hey Duggee to teach children about the importance of exercise once more on YouTube.

Blending animation and live action, each instructional video is guided by Joe and two children, encouraging viewers to join them in themed exercise routines to earn a coveted Workout Badge - and animated pooch Hey Duggee and his squirrel friends join in, too!  Here Joe, 36, reveals more… 

How would you describe Workout Badges?

"The Workout Badges is a series of 13, five-minute videos starring me alongside two young kids, which are fun, entertaining, and interactive as I get thrown into this animated ‘Duggee world’. This is a great way of engaging kids in exercise."

How does it do that?

"Each episode has got a theme, so it could be to win the 'Running on the Spot' badge, or the 'Star Jump' badge. We all do the exercise together and, at the end of it, you get awarded with this little badge."

It’s aimed at very young kids isn’t it?

“Yes, It’s my mission to get pre-schoolers working out - I really think it can have an impact on their lives if they get into exercise at a very young age. It’s a great way of getting kids thinking about the connection between their bodies moving and how they feel. And it’s fun.”

Do you think exercise is good for kids physically and mentally?

"Oh yes. I think exercise is so good for children’s mental health. I’ve obviously done an amazing thing with PE with Joe but that started with older children whereas this show is targeting the two, three, four-year-old kids. Being a bit of a naughty kid myself, I realised from a young age that exercise just made me feel better and I felt like I could escape what was going on in my head. I think if I can use my story and my passion and energy to help other kids, that’s really what I’m most excited about."

Do your own children enjoy exercise? And why do kids love Hey Duggee?

"When my daughter Indie does a workout, her face lights up. She is going to be so happy to see me on screen with Hey Duggee. I think kids love Duggee because of his mannerisms and he way he barks, runs off and jumps back into screen. He’s a comical animal. And I think the animation is really simple; it’s bright and visual. Indie is mesmerised. She was obsessed with it as soon as she started watching it and when I told her I was doing this, she said: ‘Wow, do you know Duggee?’ I was like: ‘Yeah, we hung out!’"

The Workout Badges is available on The Body Coach TV on YouTube with new episodes every weekday from Sep 22 - Oct 8.

Popular live TV streaming service YouTube TV is adding another batch of channels to its lineup with the immediate addition of Univision, UniMás and Galavisión for YouTube TV subscribers. These channels, offering Univision’s network and local content, are available as part of its standard offering.

Univision is a Spanish-language network featuring national news programming, award shows, live soccer matches and primetime entertainment geared toward Hispanic audiences. The network says that it has been the top-rated Spanish-language network for 29 consecutive seasons.

UniMás features popular reality shows like Enamorándonos and weekend movie blocks, while Galavisión is meant to be the cable destination for the modern Hispanic family, according to Univision.

“We are delighted to partner with YouTube TV to expand Univision’s robust portfolio of networks and stations to include YouTube TV,” said Hamed Nasseri, vice president, Content Distribution, Univision. “Amid the popularity of streaming services as well as the growing influence of our Hispanic community, this is an important step to ensure that our audience has access to our leading Spanish-language news, sports and entertainment wherever they consume content. We are excited for today’s launch and recognize YouTube TV’s continued commitment to serving our growing and influential Hispanic audience.”

In addition to the three networks, YouTube TV will also carry Univision’s video-on-demand content and will enable YouTube TV subscribers to get authenticated access to the Univision app with their YouTube TV login credentials.

“We’re thrilled to introduce three new networks from Univision to our YouTube TV base membership, expanding our lineup of diverse content for our YouTube TV members,” said Lori Conkling, global head of TV & Film Partnerships at YouTube. “This launch will give our members access to even more Spanish-language news, sports and entertainment to enjoy on our service.”

With the addition of Univision, UniMás and Galavisión, YouTube TV now has more than 100 channels available to its subscribers.

A YouTube TV subscription is available for $64.99 per month. At this time, there is no word that the addition of the Univision channels will raise the monthly price of the service.

When it comes to live streaming video — what you get with the likes of Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV or Sling TV — 4K resolution largely has been a white whale. We know it exists. Some of us have even seen it. And we swear we'll see it again.

That time, it seems, has arrived, thanks to the optional 4K add-on available with YouTube TV.

The "4K Plus" option is not inexpensive. Technically it runs $19.99 a month on top of YouTube TV's $64.99 monthly fee, though it's currently discounted to $9.99 a month for the first year. That's a 15 percent increase in the total monthly cost at the discounted rate, and a 30 percent increase at the full rate.

And that beg the question: Is 4K on YouTube TV worth it?

What you can currently watch in 4K on YouTube TV

The obvious answer to our obvious question is "it depends." If there's something worth watching that's in 4K — and "worth watching" really just means "something you like" — then it might well be worth the extra expenditure.

At launch, though, the list of 4K content was pretty sparse, and it was comprised completely of on-demand programming, with none of the titles particularly notable. The FX series Pose was the biggest name among the dozen or so entries. But even then, it's more of a critical favorite than a super-popular show.

That said, there's no denying that a show of that nature absolutely lends itself to the 4K treatment, thanks to the makeup and the fashion. If you want people to see the details, then you want the highest resolution and the highest bitrate (that last part is separate but as important) that you can get.

Otherwise, though, the list of shows available in 4K thus far is fairly unimpressive. It's a lot of stuff that you might watch if it's on, but not necessarily destination television.

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu With Live TV

Live TV is the holy grail of 4K on YouTube TV

Streaming video in 4K isn't a new phenomenon. It's just a matter of pushing data, and it's something that the likes of Netflix and Amazon, Hulu, Disney and even HBO Max have been doing for some time now.

Live TV, however, is another matter. It's one thing to serve up data — and to be clear, 4K video necessitates a lot of data — that's been previously recorded, processed and propagated among any number of content distribution networks. It's another thing altogether to do so with video for an event that just happened a minute or so ago. (And preferably with even less lag time between real life and the live stream.)

And you have to take the setting into account, too. A live news broadcast from a studio is easier to produce and easier to stream than a live report from the field. Same goes for the even bigger live event — sports.

At the end of the day, sports are what will sell the 4K add-on for YouTube TV. Or for any other MPVD (that's industry shorthand for a live TV streaming service) that offers increased resolution for an increased price. You have to make it worth it, and sports likely is the only thing that'll fit that bill.

And to be clear, we've been here already. FuboTV has been serving up the occasional sporting event in 4K resolution for a couple years now — including this year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the same as YouTube TV is doing. But FuboTV doesn't have the extra on-demand content in 4K, nor does it charge extra for the increased resolution. (YouTube TV also throws in the ability to watch on as many devices as you want on your home network when you subscribe to 4K Plus, so there's that, too.)

So is 4K Plus worth it on YouTube TV, or not?

That's the question. Is 4K worth the extra money you'll be paying to YouTube TV? So far, it's pretty tough to justify. That is unless you just have to watch a bunch of B-level shows on demand in 4K, and will settle for the occasional sporting event. 

That and the ability to watch on as many devices as you want with the 4K Plus package, frankly, is not enough to justify an extra $10 a month — never mind an extra $20 after the first year. Not yet, anyway.

The Tokyo Olympics are coming to YouTube TV in 4K resolution, with the Opening Ceremony, tennis, skateboarding,  women's volleyball, gymnastics, triathlon, diving, and basketball on the agenda so far.

That's the key. As more 4K content — live sports as well as other high-profile primetime shows — are available in 4K resolution, the add-on will make more sense. And it's good to remember that you get 30 days for free, so you can sign up now and give it a whirl, and hope more 4K content is coming.

And it almost certainly will be.

We've known that YouTube TV was going to have the Tokyo Olympics available in 4K resolution with the new "4K Plus" package — and now we have a better idea of what to expect. 

NBC is serving up the opening ceremony and a number of early sports in the higher resolution, starting with the Opening Ceremony on July 23, 2021.

Also coming our way in 4K will be tennis, skateboarding, women's volleyball, beach volleyball, gymnastics, men's 3x3 basketball, swimming, diving and triathlon — and presumably that's just for starters, taking us through July 26. The Closing Ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics is scheduled for Aug. 8.

The "4K Plus" package on YouTube TV technically costs an extra $19.99 a month on top of your $65 subscription, but it's available for just $9.99 a month for the first year. And that's after a 30-day free trial, so you actually can watch the entire Tokyo Olympics in 4K on YouTube TV for free, just for the sake of kicking the tires on the optional (and not inexpensive) add-on.

In addition to live and on-demand content in 4K, the 4K Plus package also increases the number of devices on your home network on which you can simultaneously watch YouTube TV to, well, unlimited. (There still will be a cap when you're away from home.)

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu With Live TV

YouTube TV is the second-largest live TV streaming service in the United States, behind Hulu With Live TV. (Probably — YouTube TV hasn't given updated numbers in nearly a year.)

Streaming video in 4K resolution is easy. Sure, it takes a lot of bandwidth and uses a lot of data, but it's old hat. Streaming live events in 4K? That's where it's it at. And that's where a streaming service like YouTube TV (and FuboTV, which also has had some sports in 4K) has a real chance to distance itself from its competition.

YouTube TV launched its $19-a-month 4K resolution add-on a couple weeks ago. And it did so with a handful of shows in 4K, with the promise of live sports to come from ESPN and NBC later in the summer. This week, we'll get our first taste of live sports in 4K on YouTube TV, with featured holes from all four days of the British Open on July 15-18, as well as the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at 8 p.m. Eastern on July 13.

This year marks the first time the All-Star Game has been presented in 4K resolution. As is usually the case with this sort of thing, it'll be an upscaled feed, and Fox says it'll have more than 50 1080p cameras — which also will be capable of broadcasting in high dynamic range — on hand for the game. It'll also have a couple of what it calls "Megalodon" cameras, which it also used in the last NFL season. They're actually Sony a7R IVs with a Cannon lens and a penchant for some serious bokeh, akin to the much more expensive Sony Venice cameras that we've also seen at the Super Bowl.

The All-Star Game also will feature more than 75 microphones to capture "two-way conversations between players on the field and the FOX Sports booth."

Featured holes at the British Open isn't quite the same as watching the full NBC broadcast over the four-day event. (Though some would argue that it's better.) But it's still live sports in 4K. (And spare us the "yeah, but it's golf" bit.)

YouTube TV's optional 4K service is free for the first 30 days. And as an added bonus it's being offered for $9.99 for the first year. That takes the effective cost of the service up to $75 a month — and that's without any of the other optional add-ons. So far, the list of content available in 4K is fairly sparse — so we'll definitely be keeping a close watch for additional sports and other popular fare.

MORE: All the shows available in 4K on YouTube TV
ALSO: YouTube TV vs. Hulu With Live TV

YouTube TV now has an option that allows you to watch some shows in 4K resolution. And that's great, because higher resolution is always better. It means the picture is clearer. It means colors are brighter. It is, in a word, better.

It also is more expensive. In addition to the $65 a month you'll already be paying for YouTube TV, the 4K Plus option will add a bit more. The add-on technically costs $19.99 a month — that's an increase of about 30 percent each month. But the good news is that you currently can get the first year of 4K Plus for $9.99 a month — and that comes after a 30-day free trial. Still, it's not nothing.

And all that raises the question of what, exactly can you watch in 4K on YouTube TV with the 4K Plus option? At launch, some seven networks — channels, really — are a part of 4K Plus. They include: Discovery, ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, Nat Geo, NBC Sports, and Tastemade. Google says we should expect live sports on ESPN and NBC this summer (the latter presumably will include the Tokyo Olympics).

Live sports in 4K resolution is, of course, the holy grail of streaming. It's not uncommon to see live events streamed in 720p at 60 frames per second. The higher the resolution and the higher the FPS (and bitrate), and you're pushing some serious data. But for many sports fans that'll be worth an extra $10 or $20 a month. 

In the meantime, there are a handful of on-demand shows available in 4K resolution. (And Google has helpfully added a 4K filter to the home menu, making them easy to find.) At present, here's what you can watch in 4K on YouTube TV:

• American Titans
• Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost
• How It's Made
• Insane Pools: Off the Deep End
• Jeremy Wade's Mighty Rivers
• Mad Good Food
• Make this Tonight
• Misfit Garage
• Pose
• Race to the Center of the Earth
• Sea of Shadows
• Snowfall
• Struggle Meals
• The Community Table

There are a few caveats, of course. You'll be able to watch 4K content on YouTube TV on smart TVs from Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense and others, and on devices like NVIDIA Shield, Chromecast with Google TV, Roku, the 2021 Apple TV 4K, PlayStation 4 Pro, and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. However, only select content will be available in 4K on Apple TV and PS4 Pro.

In other words, not all 4K is equal. So be sure to test things out thoroughly during that free trial period.

When it comes to live, linear streaming television — that is, things other than video-on-demand like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video — 4K resolution is hard to come by. That's because live TV in and of itself isn't easy. And the higher the resolution (and higher the bitrate, which is separate but related), the more data you have to push as a provide.

And so the only option we've had for any 4K live video has been the occasional sporting event on FuboTV.

That appears to finally be changing, however, as YouTube TV has just added a "4K Plus" option as a premium add on. (A feature it previously alluded to.) Technically it costs $19.99 a month, though YouTube is doing the first 12 months at $9.99 a month — and that's after a 30-day free trial.

And we're not just talking live, linear TV in 4K resolution. The add-on subscription will also unlock the ability to watch simultaneously on an unlimited number of devices at home (previously the limit was three, and that'll still be in effect if you're away from your home network), and the ability to watch recorded shows offline on mobile devices. (The content itself will have to support that, though.)

At present, only seven channels will be available with any 4K content. Those are Discovery, ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, Nat Geo, NBC Sports, and Tastemade. And even then, what you're watching presumably also will have to be served up in 4K resolution. Typically, live sports have been streamed in 720p resolution at 60 frames per second. Google, in its blog post announcing the new 4K option, says that we'll see live sports in 4K from ESPN and NBC later this summer. 

Once you've added the 4K option, you'll see a new 4K section on your Home screen, promoting various shows that you can watch in the increased resolution. So far it appears to be shows that YouTube TV also has made available on demand. So it's not quite (or at least not yet) true linear 4K.

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu With Live TV

You'll need an internet connection that can support the increased data required to stream YouTube TV in 4K. Google says that'll require at least a 15Mbps connection.

And you'll also need hardware that supports 4K. That means your TV will have to have a 4K-capable display, and anything else you're using to stream YouTube TV also will need to support 4K resolution. Google says that includes Chromecast with Google TV, any 4K Roku streaming devices, the 2021 Apple TV 4K (but not the 2017 model, apparently), PlayStation 4 Pro, and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. Google also notes that on some content available in 4K elsewhere may be served up in a lower resolution on Apple TV 4K and PS4 Pro.

You'll also be able to take advantage of the increased resolution with 4K-capable Android TV smart TVs, other smart TVs from manufacturers like LG, Samsung and Hisense, and on NVIDIA Shield.

YouTube TV today let subscribers know via email that they've got a free preview of seven legacy HBO channels and HBO Max, and eight Cinemax channels — all good through the weekend. 

The free preview period starts now and is live through June 21. Once the free preview period is up, you'll lose access to the channels. If you want to keep them, you'll have to go into the YouTube TV settings and actually subscribe. (And that's exactly the way YouTube TV should be handling things, so kudos to them for doing it right.)

In all, you're getting 15 free channels to watch all weekend. They include:

• MovieMax
• OuterMax
• Cinemax 
• Cinemax Latino
• ActionMax
• ThrillerMax
• 5StarMax
• MoreMax
• HBO 2
• HBO Family
• HBO Zone
• HBO Comedy
• HBO
• HBO Signature
• HBO Latino

Outside of the free preview period, the legacy HBO add-on costs $14.99 a month. Same goes for HBO Max. Cinemax normally costs $9.99 a month. 

YouTube TV is the second-largest live TV streaming service in the United States, at least check. It runs $65 a month, and Google handles all the billing. For that, you'll get more than 100 linear channels, including your local broadcast affiliates. YouTube TV has an unlimited DVR, so you can "record" all the shows you want and watch them again at any time. 

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu With Live TV

YouTube TV also has the ability to create up to a half-dozen profiles to use with other connected Google accounts. That's important because it allows different family members to have different libraries of recorded shows, and different recommendations.

Google today has sent an email to YouTube TV subscribers on Roku, detailing a plan that will allow them to watch YouTube TV via the YouTube channel on Roku. The workaround come days after Roku dropped the official YouTube TV app due to deteriorating negotiations with Google.

If that sounds like Google poking a much smaller bear and daring Roku to ban the YouTube app, well, you're right.

"An update for our Roku users," the email begins. "Today we’re introducing a feature that gives you a new way to access YouTube TV from within the YouTube app. This update will be available to all YouTube TV members on Roku over the next few days, and we will expand to as many devices as we can over time."

It looks as if the scheme simply adds YouTube TV functionality into the YouTube app itself. It'll require an app update — which is maybe less of a hurdle than you think because this really is geared toward new subscribers, as current subs weren't affected by the conflagration. But after that you'll just need to select the "Go to YouTube TV" section in the menu on the left.

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu

For its part, Google still says that it's "still working to come to an agreement with Roku to ensure continued access to the YouTube TV app for our mutual customers. As of right now, existing YouTube TV members still have access to the YouTube TV app on Roku devices."

How long that will continue after this latest escalation remains to be seen.

None of this also changes the fact that it's pretty simple (and affordable) to find alternatives to both Roku and YouTube TV.

Good news for those of you rocking a PlayStation 5 but waiting on YouTube TV to hit the platform: You can now watch YouTube TV on PlayStation 5, as noted on the YouTUbe TV support pages and first spotted by Android Police.

And, well, that's pretty much it. The timing couldn't be better, considering that Google (which owns YouTube TV) is in the midst of a pretty major spat with Roku, which happens to be the No. 1 streaming platform in the United States.

The move means that that YouTube TV is now available on both of the latest models of the major gaming platforms — it's been available for Xbox Series X for a while now — and so pretty much every piece of major modern hardware is supported. That also includes Android devices, of course, from phones to tablets to Android TV, Google TV and more. YouTube TV also works great on Apple TV, iPhones and iPads. Or if you're an Amazon Fire TV sort of person, you can rock it on there as well.

Or if you want to watch YouTube TV in a web browsers — go right ahead.

YouTube TV has more than 3 million subscribers at last count. It costs $65 a month and has about 100 channels in its single plan, with a suite of premium add-ons that let you complete things even more. There's a YouTube TV free trial, of course, so you can kick the tires before you decide if you want to buy. But you also can cancel at any time, so there's not that much risk, really.

And if you're trying to make the decision between YouTube TV versus Hulu, well, we can help with that, too.

Update December 2021: panic over. The long-running disagreement between YouTube and Roku has been resolved and Roku owners have full access to YouTube TV again.

Original article:

Depending on who you ask, YouTube TV may be about to pull its support for the Roku platform. Or Roku, in the immortal words of Randal Graves, is about to tell YouTube TV that it's not allowed to rent here anymore.

There's nothing attractive about two very rich companies fighting, with nobody but employees and customers caught in the middle. But here we are again. Same as it ever was.

The gist is this: On the morning of April 26, Roku sent an email to its customers (it's not clear just how many of its customers, or whether it was just those who have the YouTube TV channel loaded) with the subject line "Google may remove your access to YouTube TV." That sets the stage. "Google's going to take this thing away from you, and us." Whether that's 100 percent true is up for debate. The email goes on to say that "recent negotiations with Google to carry YouTube TV have broken down because Roku cannot accept Google’s unfair terms as we believe they could harm our users."

OK, that's a little different. That's like saying "I refuse to pay the price you're saying I have to pay that I think is unfair, but how dare you not let me have that thing I refuse to pay for." Welcome to the childish world of the video business, boys and girls.

Roku goes on to decry Google's "monopoly power" and "unfair and anticompetitive requirements to manipulate your search results," neither of which seems to have a damn thing to do with your desire to watch live TV. But that's neither here nor there. For its part, YouTube TV calls the complaints "baseless."

What, then, would happen if Google were to unceremoniously strip YouTube TV off of Roku? Or, if you want to put it another way — what if Roku is unwilling to pay whatever Google is asking in order to offer Youtube TV?

It's worth a reminder that what they're fighting over is, in fact, money. Google makes money by selling ads against shows you watch on YouTube TV, and Roku presumably gets a slice of that pie. YouTube TV also now allows you to sign up for third-party channels like HBO Max and Showtime directly inside of the YouTube TV app on Roku, so chances are Roku gets a cut from that as well. Terms of those percentages almost certainly are what they're arguing over. YouTube TV probably doesn't want to fork over as much as Roku is demanding. Or Roku doesn't want to accept a number a low as what YouTube TV is offering.

Who's to blame really doesn't matter — and the continued use of customers as pawn in that little business game is as unseemly here as it is when YouTube TV and Sinclair were fighting. Or when Sling and the NFL were fighting. Or when Hulu and Sinclair were fighting.

This situation is a little different, though. Here, have options. Good ones.

Hardware options if Roku loses YouTube TV

It's really easy to replace a Roku device. Easy — and inexpensive. That's because the vast majority of Roku devices come in at under $50. Roku itself just unleashed the Roku Express 4K+ for just $40 — and like the name implies it gets you 4K resolution for that price.

But, frankly, Roku isn't the low-cost diamond in the rough that it once was. 

Its biggest competitor in the space is Amazon Fire TV. Roku and Amazon Fire TV are No. 1 and No. 2 in the United States, respectively, and the reverse in the rest of the world. 

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K costs just $50 when it's not on sale. (And it's often on sale.) And, in fact, it's better than any of Roku's hardware at that price point, supporting both Dolby Vision for high dynamic range (the Express 4K+ only has HDR10), and Dolby Atmos for audio. It has basically every app that you'd be able to get as a Roku "channel" (which is what Roku calls apps), plus the added bonus of being a direct link to the Amazon ecosystem. That means even easier access to everything that Amazon Prime Video has to offer. That means direct access to Amazon Alexa. (Roku also supports Alexa, but built-in is always better than not.)

If you just don't want to go the Amazon route — and there are plenty of reasons why that might be a concern — then Google's got you covered. The new(ish) Chromecast With Google TV is the latest entertainment option from Google, and it's pretty darn good. It also retails for $50. Our biggest gripe is that like all devices in that price point — including Roku — is that it's a little underpowered and can occasionally make you wait a few seconds before it does what you've told it to do. But outside of that, you'll also have access to all the streaming apps you have on Roku. That includes services like Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Paramount Plus and more. It's got all the power of Google Home inside it, too, so it's great for search and recommendations and controlling all your smart things — very much like Amazon Fire TV. YouTube TV works just as well on it as it does on Amazon Fire TV.

Or if you want to go the more expensive route (and given that your TV interface is something you're going to be interacting with a lot, I say it's worth it), crack open your wallet and go for the new Apple TV 4K 2021 model. It's like butter.

Other streaming services if Roku loses YouTube TV

If you just have to stick with Roku — and that's a perfectly fine position to take — you have options as well.

The easiest way to compare MPVD streaming services (that's multi-platform video distributor) is to start with price. That generally will give you a good idea of just how robust a service you're dealing with, and how many channels you'll have access to.

And to that end, there are several services in the United States that land at the same $65-a-month price point as YouTube TV.

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu

The first, and most familiar, would be Hulu With Live TV. Like YouTube TV, Hulu With Live TV has just a single plan of channels. What you pay for is what you get. But unlike YouTube TV, Hulu With Live TV also gets you access to the full Hulu on-demand catalog. And that means you're really getting a lot more for your money. We're talking thousands of movies and shows in addition to what's on linear TV. Hulu also tends to match the YouTube TV free trial.

And if you want to take another leap, consider just springing for the Disney Bundle. That'll get you Hulu With Live TV, the Hulu on-demand catalog, ESPN+, and Disney+, all for just $7 more a month. 

That's a really tough deal to beat.

Why not go with Hulu With Live TV, then? Hulu's coverage of local broadcast affiliates (particularly CBS) isn't quite as strong. Maybe that's a deal-breaker, and maybe it isn't. YouTube TV also has the stronger cloud-based DVR, seeing as how it's unlimited.

If Hulu With Live TV just isn't your jam, you've got another option in that same price range. The "Starter" plan for FuboTV hits at $65. (Be sure to take advantage of that Fubo TV free trial, though.)

That basic plan will get you some 95 channels, 500 hours of cloud-based DVR, and the ability to watch on three devices at the same time.

You can build up from there. The Fubo Elite plan costs $80 a month for 153 channels, 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to five streams at the same time. 

FuboTV is pretty strong in the local channels game, too, though like every other service you'll want to double check that it has your location stations.

Starting today, April 6, T-Mobile subscribers can save $10 off a subscription to YouTube TV, thanks to a new partnership between the mobile provider and Google. So instead of paying $64.99 a month, a subscription to the second-largest live TV streaming platform in the United States will cost $54.99 a month.'

Instructions for how to get all this done are available at t-mobile.com/tvision. That will point you either to your T-Mobile account, or direct you to call for help. (We might recommend the latter because at this point we've yet to see any actual mechanism for signing up.)

There also is some fine print to be aware of, however. And that's mainly this:

• The $10 off is available through July 30, 2021. So sign up before then if you're going to sign up at all.
• If you're already subscribed to YouTube TV, you'll have to cancel your subscription and then re-subscribe via an SMS that T-Mobile sends you.
• After a year of this lower rate, T-Mobile can force you to start paying your YouTube subscription fee as part of your T-Mobile bill, instead of through your Google account.
• Per the fine print on YouTube TV itself, the rate goes back up to $64.99 after 12 months. (Unless there's been a rate increase by then, in which case you'll pay whatever that new price is.)

And that's that. The question you'll have to ask yourself is whether jumping through those hoops — and then remembering that you'll only get the discount for a year — is worth $10 a month to you.

If it is? Good luck! If not? Just keep on watching YouTube TV as you've done before. 

MORE: YouTube TV vs. Hulu

T-Mobile and Google today issued a pretty big love-fest of a press release, with the former praising the services of the latter — they've been longtime partners on all sorts of things, including the first Android phone.

For our purposes here, though, we're talking about T-Mobile's TVision Live skinny bundle streaming TV service, which is now the short-lived TVision streaming service. T-Mobile announced that it's shutting down the Live, Live + and Live Zone flavors of TVision and will offer current T-Vision customers $10 off the monthly YouTube TV subscription, taking the cost down to $54.99. And to try to make it up to those subscribers, they're also throwing in three months of YouTube Premium, which gets rid of those annoying pre-roll ads on YouTube.

T-Mobile will continue to sell its TVision Hub hardware — it'll just now feature YouTube TV instead of its own service.

And if you don't have T-Vision services (which you almost certainly did not), you're not out of luck, either. All T-Mobile subscribers will be eligible for those cheaper YouTube TV rates starting April 6. You'll be able to sign up at t-mobile.com/tvision.

And ya know what? That's not awful. YouTube TV — the second-largest live TV streaming service in the United States — has nearly 100 channels for that single price. It also comes with unlimited recording, and the ability to have up to six profiles within a single family. (They'll all be tied to individual Google accounts.) That means everyone has their own recommendations and their own recordings. 

YouTube TV also has a strong slate of premium add-ons, like HBO Max and Showtime, which allow you to watch even more within the YouTube TV app. (And you can now add those add-ons directly within the YouTube TV app on your TV, which is nice.)

YouTube TV has a number of premium add-ons that help you flesh out the second-largest streaming service in the United States. We're talking things like HBO Max, NFL RedZone, Showtime, Fox Soccer Plus — and quite a few more.

But to subscribe to those services, which require an additional monthly fee on top of your YouTube TV subscription, you'd have go into your account settings on at tv.youtube.com. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but also not as seamless as it could be.

Today, that's started to change. YouTube TV is getting a new section that allows you to subscribe to all of the premium add-ons right from inside the YouTube TV app. That's definitely a good addition.

It's not yet available on all platforms — I'm seeing it on Amazon Fire TV and Roku, for example, but not on Apple TV. (Maybe an app store in-app purchase thing? Or just my impatience?)

The full list of premium add-ons available on YouTube TV includes: Acorn ($6), ALLBLK ($5), AMC Premiere ($5), Cinemax ($10), CuriosityStream ($3), EPIX ($6), Hallmark Movies Now ($6), HBO ($15), HBO Max ($15), Showtime ($11), Shudder ($6), STARZ ($9), Sundance Now ($7), and Urban Movie Channel ($5).

If you're looking to combine a few of those, there's an Entertainment Plus bundle that gets you HBO Max, STARZ and Showtime for $29.99 a month, saving you $5.

And there's also the $10.99-a-month Sports Plus bundle that gets you NFL RedZone, Fox College Sports, GOL TV, Fox Soccer Plus, MAVTV Motorsports Network, TVG, and Stadium.

And now you can get all those things right from your television.

One last thing: Before you confirm the subscription, be sure to click through and get a preview of what's available on each add-on. That's another nice tough.

It's been nearly a year since YouTube TV announced it was getting channels from ViacomCBS, with an initial batch in the summer of 2020, and more on the way. Those remaining channels are now finally available.

New to YouTube TV are MTV Classic, MTV2, Dabl, Nick. Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, and BET Her. Previously added were BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network (that's different than Paramount+), TV Land, and VH1.

For the most part, the channels are self-explanatory. Nick Jr. goes for the kids, with TeenNick aiming for older youngsters. Nicktoons is about even more cartoons. MTV Classic is the old VH1 Smooth/Classic, and MTV2 is MOAR MTV. (You might even occasionally find music videos on it.)

Dabl is the one you might not have heard of before. That's where you'll find home, cooking and lifestyle shows like fare from Martha Stewart Living and Bob Vila. There's also Emeril Lagasse and Jamie Oliver. The A&E side of the shop serves up home selling and flipping shows, and you'll find even more options on weekends.

As always, the new channels will appear by magic if you're using the default channel listing on YouTube TV. But if you've got a custom sort — and that really is something you should try — then you'll need to manually enable the new channels in order to see them.

YouTube TV still runs $64.99 a month for its single plan of channels. You get the ability to have up to a half-dozen individual profiles (tied to Google accounts), so recommendations and the unlimited recording are all kept separate, which is nice. And YouTube TV still has a great suite of premium add-ons, including HBO Max, NBA League Pass, a Sports Plus bundle, MLB.TV, Showtime and more.

And if none of that floats your boat, now is still a fine time to check out YouTube TV vs. Hulu.

There are more connected TVs is use today than ever. That's thank in no small part to the efforts of companies like Roku, whose connected OS is on more TVs than anyone else. But it's also due to competitors like Amazon Fire TV, and the TV manufacturers themselves — like Sony, LG, Vizio and Samsung. Then you've got the plethora of low-cost connected hardware, like sticks from Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast. And the higher-end options from Apple TV, and Android TV.

And so it should come as little surprise when YouTube Chief Product Officer today in a blog post noted that more than 120 million people streamed something from YouTube or YouTube TV on their television. That number was presented in a post that mostly is focused on the advertising ramifications.

But that 120 million number probably needs a little context. Google doesn't give hard and fast numbers on YouTube TV subscriptions like its competitors do. The last number we got as "more than 3 million subscribers" back in October 2020. That puts behind (but in the same ballpark as) Hulu With Live TV, which as of February 2021 had some 4 million subscribers. (Sling TV is the third-largest offering at 2.474 million subscribers.)

The numbers undoubtedly are fuzzy because subscriptions to viewers aren't 1:1, but the simple fact is that there's a big delta between 3 million and 120 million. 

And there's a bigger different between YouTube and YouTube TV.

One is a repository for video, accessible (for better or worse) but just about everyone, with hundreds of thousands of hours of content uploaded every single day. You can watch for free, in exchange for letting ads in front of your eyeballs, or you can pony up a few bucks each month to escape the advertising onslaught. 

The other is what's known as a multichannel video programming distributor. In the old parlance, it's a cable company for the streaming age. YouTube TV handles the infrastructure and secures the rights to all the channels it wants to show, then charges the end user. 

Those are two very different things, lumped into the same 120 million-viewer bucket. But what they do have in common is the advertising platform. Companies are able to get their ads directly in front of YouTube and YouTube TV viewers. And that's who that 120 million number is really aimed at. It's not us as viewers. 

It's about YouTube and YouTube TV's real customers — the advertisers.

YouTube TV has added MLB.TV as an optional premium add-on, giving subscribers the opportunity to watch out-of-market games for the 2021 Major League Baseball season. You can opt to pay monthly, which costs $24.99 after a free seven-day trial. Or you can pay $129.99 for the entirety of the 2021 season.

And, well, that's it. It's another option in the ever-expanding lineup of add-ons for Google's live TV service.

YouTube TV also has a Sports Plus add-on for $10.99 that includes NFL RedZone, Fox College Sports, GOLTV, Fox Soccer Plus, MAVTV Motorsports Network, TVG, and Stadium.

And that's on top of all the optional entertainment-focused premium add-ons. They include: Acorn ($6); ALLBLK ($5); AMC Premiere ($5); Cinemax ($10); CuriosityStream ($3); EPIX ($6); Hallmark Movies Now ($6); HBO ($15); HBO Max ($15); Showtime ($11); Shudder ($6); STARZ ($9); Sundance Now ($7); Urban Movie Channel ($5).

The core YouTube TV service still costs $64.99 a month (plus tax) and comprises nearly 100 channels, including the major sports channels like ESPN, ESPN2, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and FS2, and NBCSN. (Though the latter is going away later this year.)

YouTube TV also still supports sharing with up to six people in a single family. Each will have their own profile (based on their Google account, of course), and have their own recommendations and unlimited cloud-based recording.

YouTube TV has quietly slipped a new premium add-on option into its offerings. The "Entertainment Plus" option bundles HBO Max, Showtime and STARZ into a single package that costs $29.99 a month. (That's on top of the $64.99 monthly fee for YouTube TV itself.)

Separately, those three options would cost $34.99, so you'll save $5 with this option.

And, well, that's that. No word on if this has anything to do with the 4K resolution announcement Google made earlier — but all three of those services offer up 4K content on their own platforms.

Other premium add-ons for YouTube TV remain the same. HBO Max is available on its own for $14.99 a month. NBA League Pass can be had for $39.99 a month, or $124 for a full season. (That'll save you a little money, too.) Sports Plus — which includes NFL RedZone, Fox College Sports, GOLTV, Fox Soccer Plus, MAVTV Motorsports Network, TVG and Stadium — is available for $10.99 a month. Showtime $11 a month, STARZ is $9 a month, Hallmark Movies Now is $5.99 a month, Cinemax is $9.99 a month, EPIX is $6 a month, CuriosityStream is $3 a month, AMC Premiere is $5 a month, Shudder is $6 a month, Sundance Now is $7 a month, ALLBLK is $5 a month, and Acorn TV is $6 a month. (The legacy HBO service — without HBO Max — also is still available at $14.99 a month, but you should just get HBO Max instead.)

The addition of the bundle is a good one seeing has how it'll save you a few bucks — and YouTube TV itself has gotten more expensive in the past year. After announcing in the summer of 2020 that it was adding the ViacomCBS channels (like MTV, BET and VH1), and then losing Fox Regional Sports Networks, the YouTube price increased from $49.99 to $64.99 a month. And we're still waiting on a handful of those ViacomCBS channels — namely BET Her, MTV2, Nick Jr., NickToons, TeenNick, and MTV Classic.

In other words, if you can save $5 on three movie channels, do it.

YouTube TV just announced that it's going to add support for 4K resolution. That's a big deal for any number of reasons — mostly because 4K resolution is just better. More pixels means a sharper picture. And YouTube TV would become the second U.S.-based MVPD (that is, a streaming service that carries live TV) to support live 4K streams in the United States.

If that's actually what it was talking about, that is.

Here's the actual line from Google: "And there’s more to come, including a new add-on option that lets viewers watch available shows in 4K or download them to their DVR to watch later offline."

That's vague, as press announcements of features tend to be sometimes. Does that mean it's a new option that will somehow enable 4K resolution for something we've already been watching? If so, how much extra might it cost? And what are those shows?

You can't blame me for getting a little excited. Because if you've ever seen a sporting event in upscaled 4K resolution on FuboTV — which has the occasional game in 4K — you know that it's just a superior product. (Eventually, it'll be the norm. But right now you're lucky to get 60 frames per second in even 1080p resolution.) YouTube TV — which is the second largest live streaming service in the United States — adding any sort of live TV in 4K would be a big deal.

A day later, I'm not as sure that's what it was referring to, and there's a good reason for that. Several, in fact. YouTube TV already has channels that serve up content in 4K resolution — they just haven't done so for YouTube TV, is all. HBO Max does some content in 4K resolution. (Wonder Woman 1984 was the first movie for that.) So, too, does Showtime. As do STARZ and EPIX.

One or more of those services streaming content in 4K resolution on YouTube TV could be what Google was referring to. That makes more sense, especially since Google referred to it as an add-on option.

It's still possible that the 4K option could refer to something new, but now I'll be less surprised if it's not.

YouTube TV — the second-largest live TV streaming service in the United States — today announced a trio of new features, each of which is something its closest competitors don't have.

First and possibly the most important is the ability to watch on as many devices at once as you want. (Previously that was limited to three.) That's actually a big deal because YouTube TV has one of the easiest barriers to entry of any of the services, whether you're watching on a TV, on a phone, or on a smart display like the Nest Hub Max. Now you can watch on an unlimited number of devices at the same time.

Second is the ability to watch "recorded" shows and movies offline. Or, as Google calls it, "download to your DVR to watch later offline." That's less of a thing if you only use YouTube TV at home on your TV, but definitely cool if you want to watch recorded shows while you're on your commute.

And finally there's the ability to "watch available shows in 4K" resolution. And that's great ... except there's very little in the MVPD world (that's multichannel video programming distributor, meaning services like YouTube TV, Sling and Hulu With Live TV) that's ever streamed in 4K. FuboTV has been streaming Fox sports events in upscaled 4K resolution for some time now, so this potentially could be its first competition in the U.S. We'll have to keep our eyes out for 4K content — or maybe even an improved bitrate across the board, which is something else YouTube TV could definitely benefit from. (And as we note in our YouTube TV vs. Hulu guide, the latter does have some on-demand content in 4K already.)

The 4K stuff also is being deemed "and optional add-on package." So the obvious question is whether it's going to cost extra, or if Google will throw it in for free.

Meanwhile, no news of yet another price increase, which we hesitate to even mention out loud lest Google hear us. YouTube TV — which sports more than 3 million members; Google hasn't updated that number since the fall of 2020 — still costs $65 a month, which gets you more than 85 live channels and up to six profiles for family members. And now it also gets you all the stuff listed above.

Google has sent emails to YouTube TV subscribers offering them a free Chromecast with Google TV. That's the latest version of the Chromecast that supports 4K resolution and has a full operating system built in. It's also the first Chromecast to come with a remote control.

It's unknown if the offer is going out to every YouTube TV subscriber — there are more than 3 million of them these days — or just a certain number.

Here's the text of the email I received:

We wanted to say thanks and offer you, a longtime friend of YouTube TV, a new Chromecast with Google TV — on us.

Click the button below to get a new Chromecast with Google TV (a $49.99 value) in the color Snow. Please be sure to claim this gift soon because it’s only available through December 31.

With the new Chromecast, you can level up your YouTube TV experience with features like a homepage that makes YouTube TV recommendations based on shows you like, as well as a voice remote to quickly jump to your favorites.

Thanks for being part of YouTube TV.
The YouTube TV team

The email notes that the deals is "exclusively yours to enjoy and isn't eligible if forwarded."

Chromecast utilizes the "cast" protocol, which makes it easy to stream content from a phone or tablet (or web browser) to a television. This latest model is the first with a full operating system on board. It's technically not Android TV and as yet has not replaced that operating system, but it has access to the same apps and has an updated user interface.

YouTube TV — the second-largest live TV streaming service in the United States — has just sent the kind of email subscribers hate to see. (No, it's not another price increase. It's the other kind of email we hate to see.) It's losing a channel. In this case, it's the Tennis Channel.

Here's the text of the email that's gone out just hours before the channel is being pulled:

We’re writing to let you know that our agreement with the Tennis Channel has expired. Starting November 30, 2020, at 11 pm ET, the Tennis Channel will no longer be made available for distribution on YouTube TV. This means that you will no longer be able to watch that channel live or access any content that you have recorded from the Tennis Channel.

We regret the inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your membership.

Sincerely,
The YouTube TV team

If you read closely, you'll notice that the Tennis Channel is making its exit from YouTube TV the same day as YouTube TV let its subscribers know. Which ... is not great. (And while I can't speak for everyone, I got the email exactly 3 hours before the removal, which is even worse customer experience.)

The good news for tennis fanatics is that the Tennis Channel is still available on other streaming options, including one of the fastest growing options — FuboTV — but it'll require either the Fubo Extra plan at $5.99 a month, or the Sports Plus plan at $10.99 a month. That's on top of the basic FuboTV plan, which costs $59.99 a month.

The Tennis Channel also is available with Sling Orange and the Sports Extra plan, which totals out at $40 a month.

• Canceling YouTube TV? Check out these alternatives

YouTube TV has sent emails to subscribers letting them know that they've got more options this Thanksgiving week. Free previews of HBO Max and Cinemax are available now through Nov. 29.

If you don't use a custom view of the live guide, you don't have to do anything. The extra channels will simply appear. And there will be several channels. Cinemax itself has eight channels under its umbrella. If you use a custom channel list — if you've reordered your channels or hidden any, that's you — then you'll need to manually enable the additional channels. Here's how.

It's worth noting that if you at one point subscribed to either of those services, that service won't be available for the preview period. (For instance, I at one point subscribed to HBO Max via YouTube TV and don't see it in the preview. Cinemax is there, though.)

Once the preview period ends on Nov. 30, that's it. If you want to keep HBO Max or Cinemax, you'll need to go into your YouTube TV settings (you can get to them with this link) and add them.

• See all YouTube TV channels and options

YouTube TV is the live TV streaming service from Google. It's the second-largest live streaming site in the United States with more than 3 million subscribers. It costs $64.99 a month and is available on most every major hardware platform, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, web browsers, iOS and Android phones and tablets, and some smart TVs.