Got an antenna and a tuner? You can now stream live TV with Plex

Free broadcasts now live where you watch the rest of your streamed content.

A new streaming company is getting in on the live TV action. Today Plex announced live TV streaming support for its Plex Pass members. The streaming content service will now be able to stream live TV from over-the-air (OTA) providers directly through the Plex app. Supported networks include major broadcast channels like ABC and CBS, giving subscribers one place where most of their streamable content can live.

Plex's new live TV beta will be available for all users with a Plex Pass. As long as you have an antenna and a digital tuner, you can stream HD digital broadcast channels, including local news and sports, from directly within the Plex app. Any digital antenna will work with Plex, and the company is continuously working to add more tuner support. Currently, all HDHomeRun models are compatible with Windows, Linux, Nvidia Shield, OS X, and NAS systems in the US, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Asia, while other tuner compatibility varies depending on platform. Plex Pass users don't pay extra for live TV streaming—it's bundled into the subscription just like other features, like DVR and cloud syncing. However, time-shifting features for live TV—including rewind and fast-forward—will not be available at launch, but they'll come at a later date.

Until now, Plex only offered TV content through its DVR service, which is also coming out of beta today. While it wasn't live TV, the service allowed Plex Pass holders to record free OTA broadcasts using SiliconDust HDHomeRun devices. Those DVR recordings were available across all Plex Pass holders' devices. Now with live TV integration, you can set which shows to record directly within any Plex app (previously, recorded shows had to be set through the Web app only) and watch them on any device associated with your Plex account.

Plex's DVR service isn't cloud based, which could be good or bad depending on your preferences: all recorded content is stored on your own PC, NAS, or hard drive, so you have as much storage as you're willing to pay for. With other live TV streaming services, such as Sling TV or YouTube TV, you may have a limited number of recording hours, or you'll have unlimited space but only so much time to watch your recorded shows before the oldest content is deleted.

Ars received a short demo of Plex's live TV streaming on Android TV, and the feature is built directly into the existing Plex app, so users don't have to go back and forth between different apps to watch TV or their personal content. While there are no live previews like in YouTube TV, you can browse what's currently on TV on any given channel, and each program's avatar will also display how many more minutes are left in that show. Live TV doesn't stop while you browse, so you can continue to watch a show while looking for the next simultaneously. You can also choose any show available for free to record and watch later, setting up rules for recording within the app. The experience is simple and looks right at home within the no-frills setup of the Plex app.

The service is another cord-cutting way to watch live TV, but Plex's TV streaming is quite different from that of YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV. Plex didn't have to secure special contracts with cable providers like the other services did, and that's because the only live TV available is what's free in your area. If you have an antenna and a tuner installed, you can watch live TV on Plex from any of the networks that broadcast free OTA content.

Plex co-founder Scott Olechowski and CEO Keith Valory told Ars that the company isn't trying to compete with all the new live TV streaming services that have been popping up recently. Those, including YouTube and Hulu, charge anywhere from $35 to $40 per month for access to a live TV package, whereas Plex is focusing on providing a simple and easy environment for both live TV and personal media content to live. Olechowski and Valory aren't ruling out opportunities to add more content to Plex in the future, but they wouldn't elaborate much on what that content might be. Plex did acquire the streaming news service Watchup earlier this year, and Olechowski and Valory said Plex is building up infrastructure to bring some sort of customizable news feed to Plex users.

Plex's live TV streaming service is rolling out now for those who have a Plex Pass. That includes all subscription tiers—the $4.99-per-month level, the annual $39.99 price, and the lifetime $119.99 one-time fee. Plex's live TV streaming service will be available on iOS devices and Android TV to start and will come to Android, Apple TV, and other devices soon.