Question About the FAST SmartTV Services

[Foxbat]

Without doing much digging, I see my LG WebOS TVs offer "LG Channels", a collection of "hundreds" of "no-cost" video content channels, plus some music channels. These appear in the TV's Guide above the OTA TV Channels, and run the gambit from FAST channels (dedicated show channels like "Suits", "CSI", "Dragnet", "Beverly Hillbillies", "The Walking Dead", etc.) to a tie-in with PlutoTV, to 24-hour News channels. There are several that appear to duplicate channels that are available OTA in our DMA.

The problem appears to be knowing what’s available. Short of scrolling through the Guide, it’s hard to find what you’re looking for. But for the cost of a Smart TV and agreeing to "them" using your viewing data (as the saying goes, "if you don’t see a cost, you’re the price") it seems like affordable alternative to Cable/Satellite Paid TV.

Samsung appears to have similar FAST channels available on their SmartTVs, at least the one my in-Laws have features similar to the LG WebOS sets.

Has anyone else here at SatelliteGuys had positive experiences with these "free" IPTV channels?

 

[Foxbat]

Also, I am not familiar with the TVs that include Roku, so I’m curious if they likewise integrate "free" channels into the TV's Program Guide.

 

[navychop]

I’ve begun to watch a little of the Roku channels. “Clash of the Cookbooks” IIRC. Max Miller. Plenty to watch!

This is via my Roku Ultra. Havta check the Roku TV to see if it’s there also.

DK about LG stuff. I wonder if it’s pretty much the same, marketed thru multiple “channels.”

 

[Bobby]

TCL has similar channels...

 

[Foxbat]

Maybe I should get rid of the "Korean" in the thread title… Done!

 

[NYDutch]

I haven't looked for awhile, but our ONN/Roku TV came with several FAST apps installed, Pluto, etc. Since we watch the attached Firestick instead, which also has a number of FAST apps installed, we haven't spent much time checking out the Roku offerings.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I see my LG WebOS TVs offer "LG Channels", a collection of "hundreds" of "no-cost" video content channels, plus some music channels

Yeah, I get those on my LG set also. Most I've never heard of, but there are some legit diginets there- Buzzr, Bounce, GetTV, Fox News, ABC 7 New York, Fox 5 DC, Ion, Ion+, Grit, Motor Trend, Court TV, MAV Tv.

There are also a suite of "Music Choice" type channels from Stingray Music.

 

[dfergie]

I watch some stuff on the Roku channel from my Roku, also some Pluto TV... SG-1 and Star Treks.

 

[Foxbat]

I watch some stuff on the Roku channel from my Roku, also some Pluto TV... SG-1 and Star Treks.

I found the Star Trek channel. It looks like it is provided by PlutoTV. Of course, we have Paramount+, so nothing I couldn't watch already, and sans commercials, too.

The reason this came about is we got a new 27” LG TV for my in-Laws to use in the kitchen nook (I found a good Black Friday sale at B&H Photo.) My Father-in-Law designed and built this cool corner cabinet that has a 24” wide shelf that slides out from the top cabinet (3 drawers underneath) and the doors then slide back on either side of the opening. The old LG set was 24” with wide bezels, so this bigger screen fits in the 24” opening with a couple of inches to spare. A 32” screen is too big, unfortunately.

They originally had Verizon FIOS for phone, TV, and Internet, but when it became Frontier, the TV service prices started to creep up. The monthly combo is now over $300! If these LG channels can be limited to a few channels of interest (I know the America's Test Kitchen & Cooks' Country channels will be popular) and the Locals OTA, we could drop the Frontier TV and go with a faster fiber connection for a lot less money. And if ESPN launches their standalone Streaming service, that’s one less reason to keep Frontier.

But it depends on how easy it is to access in day-to-day use. The new remote is smaller (not good for my Mother-in-Law's eyesight) but I think the old LG remote will work on the new set. We'll have to see.

Another plus on this set is much better off-axis viewing. This should help when many folks are in the kitchen and the game's on. The old LG washes out much more than direct view.

 

[dishdude]

These free channels are great, there's a ton of great content and the price is right! Oh, there is a TPIS channel as well!

Regardless of the platform, they all seem to be the same channels.