Plex Rolls Out Live TV Support for Over-The-Air Channels Within iOS App - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Plex Rolls Out Live TV Support for Over-The-Air Channels Within iOS App

by

Plex will today begin integrating a live television feature into its popular video streaming and personal media application for iOS and Android TV, allowing Plex subscribers to stream live TV on their smartphones wherever they are located. The company said that live TV is supported only under the Plex Pass subscription tier, which starts at $4.99/month.

To use Plex Live TV, users will have to install a digital antenna, connect a digital tuner, and sync everything to their Plex Pass subscription account. Once set up, subscribers will be able to watch live HD content on channels available over-the-air, from major US networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and CW, as well as local programming, news, and sports. International programming includes CBC, BBC, ITV, Telemundo, and Univision. As with all live video streaming services, the channels available vary depending on your zip code.

plex live tv ios

That’s right, today we’re rolling out support for Live TV! And we’re doing it in a truly Plexy way. It’s built right in to the Media Server, so you’ll be able to stream live (starting with our Android TV and iOS apps, with more to come) anywhere in the world through the power of Plex!

Plex Live TV is launching only on iOS and Android TV right now, but the company mentioned that any content recorded to Plex DVR from a live broadcast can then be watched on any device that Plex supports. With the launch of live TV, Plex has also enhanced its DVR features, allowing overlapping recordings on the same channel, a "smarter" scheduling system, taped show management within the iOS app, and general improvements to the DVR user interface.


Plex has also expanded the supported DVR devices that work with the service so that it's easier than ever to begin using live TV and DVR features. Additionally, the company has rolled out support for a wider array of digital tuners including models from Hauppauge, AVerMedia, DVBLogic and more. Users can find a complete list of supported antennas, tuners, and DVR systems here.

Besides the low-tier $4.99/month option, Plex Pass is available in a $39.99/year tier and $119.99 for a lifetime subscription. Plex said that after launching on iOS and Android TV, more of its apps will gain the live TV feature sometime soon.

Tag: Plex

Top Rated Comments

118 months ago
For those complaining about the antenna component of the deal, you can thank SCOTUS for that. Aereo was exactly what was needed to stream local channels, but, sadly, they were litigated out of existence.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mudflap Avatar
118 months ago
Not sure why folks are complaining about the antenna. Local stations charge rebroadcast fees to cable TV providers like Comcast which is why we pay an extra fee every month on our cable bill. And the channels are only 720p or 1080i, and they are compressed. OTA channels via a simple, $20 flat antenna you can tack up on your living room wall are free and broadcast at 1080p with no compression. Cable nor streaming cannot hold a candle to OTA, quality-wise.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
I got excited for a second, then read the details. Needs an antenna to catch OTA channels? Useless to me. Still waiting for a service that will stream local channels. Playstation Vue is the closest I have seen so far.
How else do you capture OTA channels? Were you hoping for this to work with your existing cable service?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
i could not figure out from Plex's site alone how something like this would be set up. Why don't they give step by step instructions for dummies? The service sounds interesting, but I don't know what a digital antenna or digital tuner is nor what all other equipment I'd need for DVR purposes. And Plex's site leaves all that totally vague, like they intentionally filter out potential customers who aren't already hard-core cable-cutting experts.
1-2-3 guide and Supported digital Tuners and Antennas here:

https://www.plex.tv/features/live-tv-dvr/

List of supported devices here:

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/225877427-Supported-DVR-Devices-and-Antennas
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdelvecchio Avatar
118 months ago
too much work just to pay plex $5/mo to watch what i can already watch "live" for free by switching inputs to TV and using its built-in tuner. what's the value add here?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
118 months ago
I love plex. Been a lifetime pass member for a few years and even at the current price I'd consider it a bargain. Barely a day goes by when it isn't used now, hardest part was ripping all of my DVD library which took over a year.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

plex logo

Plex Tripling Lifetime Plex Pass Price to $750 in July

Tuesday May 19, 2026 3:53 pm PDT by
Media platform Plex today said that it is increasing the price of its Lifetime Plex Pass option to $750, which is a $500 increase from the current $250 price tag. Plex said that the updated price reflects the "real, ongoing value" of the software that it plans to build and maintain. The company has considered removing the Lifetime Plex Pass because recurring subscriptions pay for long-term...
iphone 17 pro black feature

iPhone 18 Pro's Camera Upgrade Will Cost Apple 50% More

Friday May 29, 2026 3:44 am PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's all-new variable aperture lens will cost Apple 50% more than the camera unit used in current models, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Variable aperture has been one of the most persistent iPhone camera rumors of the past few years. Kuo first flagged the feature in late 2024, and it has since been corroborated by multiple reports and...
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini has been done for months and...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors