Pluto TV: Apps, guides, channels and how to activate

Pluto TV: Apps, guides, channels and how to activate

Free TV. available on Pluto TV. If you're sick of monthly streaming bills, this is the service for you Pluto TV is one of the best free streaming services out there. This ad-supported service offers over 250 live channels and on-demand movies and TV shows. New channels include Pluto TV Christmas, Fireplace, Holiday Lights, and other holiday programming. In addition, gamers can watch great highlights on the "Fortnite" and "Call of Duty" gameplay channels.

Pluto TV, a ViacomCBS subsidiary, launched in 2014 and has grown rapidly since then; as of November 2020, it has over 28 million monthly active users in the U.S. Sling TV Live like Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV Unlike TV streaming services, Pluto curates free content already available on the web.

Pluto TV is an "over-the-top" (OTT) service, meaning that it is offered over the Internet rather than through a dedicated line or broadcast like Netflix. It is also an advertiser-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service. As such, it falls into the same bucket as streaming services like Crackle, Tubi, and the new Sling Free.

To use Pluto TV, you can stream it on Pluto's website or download an app to one of the many devices supported by the service.

So what makes Pluto TV one of the best free streaming services? See below for more details.

Yes, seriously: Pluto TV is completely free; there's no need to sign up with an email address, no need to enter credit card information; just launch Pluto's website or app, and you can start watching shows and movies right away.

By signing up for a Pluto TV account, you can take advantage of special features such as specifying your favorite channels or resuming viewing a show on a different device.

This is all made possible by Pluto's ability to air commercials during programming. In general, the experience is similar to watching cable television: a 30-minute program typically has four commercials, each consisting of a 20- to 30-second advertisement.

Pluto TV's channels are divided into sections such as Features, Entertainment, Movies, Sports, Comedy, Kids, Latinx, and Tech + Geek, with two new channels dedicated to CSI and Star Trek.

There are also versions of top cable networks such as MTV, VH1, BET, TV Land, and AMC, but in general Pluto TV's channels are not the same as those found on standard cable and satellite packages.

The news channels are names you recognize, such as CNN, NBC News, and CBS News, but in most cases they play curated, pre-recorded clips rather than live network streams.

Similarly, sports channels are channels you have heard of, such as Fox Sports, NFL Channel, PGA Tour, and Major League Soccer. However, it is not possible to watch live sports on Pluto. These channels play past games, highlights, and analysis.

Pluto's television programming is generally found on other free streaming services such as Hell's Kitchen, Roseanne, 3rd Rock From the Sun, 21 Jump Street, American Chopper, The First 48, and other older sitcoms and reality shows.

The Pluto TV app is available for web browsers, many major smart TVs, smartphones, and devices such as streaming boxes and sticks.

Pluto TV accounts can be activated and paired with compatible devices to turn a cell phone into a Pluto remote control. These devices are currently Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and PlayStation 4.

The steps to activate your Pluto account on these devices are as follows.

There are not many reviews of Pluto TV, but those that do exist are mostly positive about the free TV streaming service.

PC Mag states that "Pluto TV could be a viable solution for those who don't want to close the door on cable TV altogether, but more importantly, don't want to pay for the privilege." "Their review cautions potential users that "those looking for an Internet-based live TV service to replace cable may be underwhelmed by Pluto TV. "Pluto TV needs to polish its interface and channel guide. The omission of DVR functionality is also noteworthy, but not surprising given that it's free."

Clark.com adds, "If you've decided to stop paying for cable TV or subscription streaming services, Pluto TV needs to be seriously considered as part of the free streaming content. The platform has a wealth of cable TV-worthy content, and the barriers to trying it out are extremely low."

Yes, Pluto has thousands of movies on demand, with live thematic movie channels ranging from genres (drama, romance, horror) to '80s Rewind and Black Cinema.

Pluto TV's movies consist of older titles that were hits there at the time. Recent selections include Shaft, The Addams Family Values, The Rainmaker, Airplane, Crew, Road to Perdition, and The First Wives Club.

Pluto TV does not provide specific guidelines regarding Internet speeds for its service. The company states in its help section that "While having a fast connection (faster than 5mb) is certainly important, having a 'stable' connection can be just as important, and if your super-fast WiFi connection drops out for 1/2 second, you will experience playback problems."

MORE: How Much Should You Really Pay for Internet Speed?

Since Pluto TV is free, "Can I use Pluto TV instead of cable?" You may ask: "Can I use Pluto TV instead of cable? The answer is: something like that; Pluto TV has some shows that you can enjoy, if you are content with older movies and shows. But if you want a true cable TV replacement, you may need to supplement Pluto TV with other streaming services.

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