Google’s YouTube TV is a good alternative if you are looking forward to cutting the cable and ditching the traditional cable subscription, or switch from other streaming services.
With the $50-per-month subscription bundle, it isn’t quite the cheapest alternative but with the features it provides, the range of program offered and the many ways you can engage with the content makes it totally worth it.
From streaming live TV, sports, news, movies, and TV Shows, YouTube TV got you covered.
Channel Available to Watch and Record on YouTube TV?
As of right now, it offers 85+ channels. However, it depends on your area of residence.
Channels include such as – ESPN, Fox, FX, MSNBC, National Geographic, ESPN, Fox, FX, MSNBC, National Geographic, and many more.
Go to tv.youtube.com/welcome/ and enter your Zip Code to view channels available on your region.
YouTube TV DVR (digital video recorde)
We live in a busy world and with our busy schedule, making time to watch all of your favorite tv shows can be quite a hassle. From work to night outs, schools, etc,
Fortunately, YouTube TV has the option to record the shows setting up a DVR that will record your entire program.
How Does the YouTube TV DVR Work?
Actually YouTube TV doesn’t call it’s DVR feature a DVR, but rather a library instead.
Basically how it works is that, if you add a particular program to your library, the DVR feature will automatically record the program when it airs.
This way, even if you missed it, the show is recorded and you can watch it anytime.
Related read: How to Transfer your Google Play Music library to YouTube Music
You can access your recorded program by navigating to My Library section of the YouTube TV.
YouTube TV’s DVR Features
The unlimited DVR feature is one of the biggest selling points of YouTube TV.
- No Limitations: You can record multiple programs or shows at once to add to your library.
- Unlimited Storage: YouTube TV has no DVR storage limits which basically means, there is no limit to the number of shows you can record without worrying about storage space.
- Long Availability: Your live TV recordings are available in your library for up to nine months.
- Cloud DVR: Since the recorded programs are stored in the cloud and not on a traditional hard drive, you can access them anywhere, anytime.
Other features include Fast-forwarding during the commercials, Recording while watching another program and others.
How To Record Live Shows On YouTube TV
Since YouTube TV has its own DVR and is self-integrated, the process itself is quite simple.
Step 1: Open YouTube TV app on your phone or navigate to tv.youtube.com if you are on browser.
Step 2: Use the search bar at the top to search for the program or show you wanna record. If you don’t have any particular show to record, use the discovery tools to browse through and find something you like.
Step 3: Once you have found a show to record, tap the + icon on the program detail page. The + icon will change to an ✓ icon.
Note: On the app version, click on the bell icon to receive a notification each time it is broadcasted live.
Once it change to a check mark icon, it means that the program is added to your DVR and all broadcast will be recorded.
How to Watch Shows you have Recorded
Once you have added programs using the DVR feature, You can watch your recordings from the library section from the YouTube TV app or the website itself.
- Open YouTube TV app on your phone or head to tv.youtube.com
- Tap on Library.
- You will find the recent recordings at the bottom of the screen.
- Click on the show you wanna watch.
- If it is TV Shows, select the episode and tap the play button
View Scheduled Recordings
Wanna make sure that your shows are added into DVR and set up properly to record? If you are unsure about it, you can check your scheduled recording in a few taps.
- Open the YouTube TV app.
- Click on Library < Scheduled Recordings.
It will show the upcoming shows and program that are set up for recording.
Remove Scheduled Recordings
- Open YouTube TV.
- Navigate to Library < Shows.
- Select the program or show you wanna stop recording.
- On the right of the show title, click on the stop icon.
Delete YouTube TV DVR Recordings
As of right now, there is no option to delete the DVR recordings. Fortunately, YouTube TV has no DVR storage limits which means there is no limitation to the number of recording hours.
However, the recordings lifespan is nine months, so it will automatically get deleted by the end of the 9th month.
If you have tons of recordings, apart from the clutters, there really isn’t a problem.
Remove Programs From Your YouTube TV Library
Even though it doesn’t has the option to delete a DVR recordings, you can remove them from your library. This can at least help with the cluttering and congestion.
- Select the show to remove from your library.
- Click the ✓ icon to revert to a + icon
Once the icon is changed to a +, it means that the show has been removed from your library. You can always add back in the future if you want to.
YouTube TV User Guide
Before discussing about how to record on YouTube TV, we will like to share tips and tricks on setting up and customizing the YouTube TV subscription, personalize your Live TV guide and others to help you make the most of it.
Customize the Live Guide
Your live tab can easily get cluttered with shows and channels that you don’t necessarily watch nor interested in it.
YouTube TV doesn’t put the 85+ live TV channels it offers in any kind of discernable order.
However, you can change the order and customize the guide with a few taps. Apart from that, if you are not ever gonna watch a channel, it also has the option to flat out remove the channels.
Here are the steps to do so:
- Open YouTube TV
- Tap on the Live tab.
- Select Sort < Custom.
- Drag and drop the three-line buttons to reorder the channel in your preferred order.
- To remove channels from your custom view, Tap on the red checkmark.
- Head back to your TV and at the top of the guide, select “Custom” and not “Default.”
Browse by Channel
Scroll down to the bottom of the “Home” tab and a list of channels in alphabetical order will be available that are upcoming.
Click on any of it to see a menu of its programming.
Family sharing
YouTube TV allows you to share your account with up to five different people at once with each having their separate recommendations and DVR libraries.
To set up or switch accounts, head over to your profile photo in the top-right corner < Settings < Family Sharing.
Get Similar Shows
If you like a specific genre or type of movies, there is a similar section to find the shows and content that are similar to the ones you are currently watching.
Open the show you love to get similar recommendations, click down twice, < scroll over to “Episodes” < select “View More” < click on the “Similar” tab.
Hide Scores to Avoid Spoilers
Adding sports teams into your YouTube TV account will occasionally send score updates. You will also be notified whenever you open the YouTube TV.
So, to avoid spoilers, you can hide the scores by navigating to a particular team or an entire league and select “Hide all scores for this team” or “Hide all scores for this league.”
Make it Kid-Friendly
You can make your YouTube TV kid-friendly to curate content that are catered to family-friendly clips, channels, and educational videos.
Navigate to YouTube TV < profile icon < Settings < Filter < Toggle the TV-Y, TV-G, G and PG movies to the On position.
Delete your Search & Watch Histories
Wanna hide your watch and search history or both?
To do so, navigating to your profile icon < Settings < Privacy< Delete your history.
There is also an option to also “pause” your history from being collected in the first place.
Watch recordings in progress
Once you have added a program to be recorded, you can track the recordings by navigating to Library < Scheduled < “Recording Now.”
Dark Mode
Dark Mode is essential not only fr your battery life but also for your Health & well-being.
Toenable dark mode,
- Visit YouTube TV
- Click on your profile icon < Options < Dark Theme
- Toggle/ Click the switch to turn the Dark Theme on.
Go Record Away!
YouTube TV has its own pros and cons. But personally I would say, it’s advantages far overshadows its cons.
Anyway, use the above steps to record on YouTube TV’s DVR. Hope it helps and you can make the most out of it.
