Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
In fact , YouTube TV has so many features tucked away in there that you ’ll be forgive if you do n’t tell apart them all at first . But we ’ve done the legwork . We ’ve watched hour and hours of YouTube TV . Weeks and month , really . We ’ve flipped all the buttons . We ’ve press all the switch . ( Wait — reverse that . ) And we ’ve put together a list of what we consider are the most important — if not always obvious — YouTube TV crest and tricks . And we ’re not just talking aboutNFL Sunday Ticket .
This is n’t everything . There are still a few other places to explore in the background menu , as well as when you ’re watching show and movies . But these are the YouTube boob tube confidential information and tricks we absolutely retrieve you must know .
Record a show to watch later
YouTube TV let you “ record ” as much as you want , which is great . What it ’s lacking , however , is a visible disc push button .
Instead , just look for the plus push . As in the + symbolic representation . you could hit it when you ’re in the midriff of look out something — if it ’s bouncy and you just tune up to it , you ’ll get a recording from that point onward . If it ’s something that YouTube TV have a go at it is on more than once — say , The Shawshank RedemptionorYoung Sheldon — it ’ll await for the next clip it ’s on and save it from there .
You also can have it put down all upcoming sequence of a show or sporting events . It ’s exceedingly sinewy , and also very visceral . Once you make out where that button is .
Use a custom channel list
This probably is the most powerful feature YouTube TV has to tender . The service has more than 100 linear channels . ( Basically , “ one-dimensional ” mean a channel that shew the same thing to everyone at the same time — the opposite word of watching something “ on - requirement . ” ) But that leads to a pretty lengthy tilt of channels in the resilient tab .
But you’re able to change that distribution channel list . you’re able to rearrange things as you see set — and obliterate channel you know you ’ll never require to watch .
you’re able to customize things from a web web browser app or mobile gimmick . ( We ’ll talk about what you’re able to do from a TV in a second . ) Go to theLivetab , and then front for theSortbutton . Select it , and then front for theCustomoption . There should be anEdit buttonnext to that . Choose it .
Now , you may take hold of a television channel to change its order — literally “ snap up ” the two lines with your mouse pointer or finger and then drag the channel to where you need it . And if you do n’t require to see a finicky epithelial duct , tap or click the checkmark next to it to hide thing .
While you ca n’t customize the list on your TV , you’re able to change the live view from the default ( which YouTube telly pick for you ) , the usage tilt , most viewed , or alphabetical . On a TV , look for the three seam above the first channel in the list . tick it , and you ’ll see your option . ( You also can do this on mobile devices and in a web browser app from the sort menu . )
One middling major warning , though : If you apply a tradition channel list , any new channels that YouTube TV sum will be hidden by default . That ’s annoying and bad , and something you need to be cognisant of if you go this route . But other than that , having a usage list is the way of life to go .
Check out the streaming nerd specs
We ’ll warn you that this one is n’t something you ’ll want to have on for any tangible length of time . First is that it ’s planted right in the midsection of the blind , on top of whatever you ’re watching . And second is that you probably wo n’t actually understand what you ’re looking at , unless you ’re right smart , way into what make streaming video recording oeuvre .
But if you do want to cognize about things like buffer strength and live latency — more on that in a second — or what resolve what you ’re watching is being served up in , this is a super cool way to see it .
This only work on a TV . While you ’re ascertain something , press a directive button and reckon for theThree - dot fare button . Then look forStats for Nerds . Select it , then toggle it on .
You ’ll now see stats . For nerds .
Decrease the live delay
One of the biggest ailment about unrecorded - streaming service of process is the latency . While we are live in the future , it still takes a few excess second — OK , quite a few — to get all those bits and bytes from the beginning broadcast to whatever you ’re watch on . Thirty seconds or more is n’t uncommon . And that can especially be a real puff during live sport , when the live provender may be well behind an app and its notifications .
YouTube TVhas an response for that . Or at least a characteristic that can lessen the lag . It only knead on TV platforms ( not the fluid apps ) , and you ’ll want to ensure that you ’ve got a good ( i.e. , fast ) internet connectedness , because this mean you ’ll have less of the alive event buffered . So if you have a meshwork hiccup , the game or whatever may grind to a halt until the feed revives itself .
If you ’re learn a unrecorded channel , press a button on the directive digs on your remote(up , down — whatever brings up all the on - screen choice ) . ) Then collide with theThree - Transportation menuand look forBroadcast Delay . ChooseDecreasedand you ’ll now be close to actual live program . But remember that you ’ll have less of the flow in the buffer . So if thing begin advert , you ’ll want to flip it back .
Hide sports score spoilers
YouTube TV is serious about sports , and it makes it pretty easy to take after specific teams or leagues . It also will toss up grade and stats — sometimes when you might not require to see them , like when you ’re trying to obviate despoiler , for whatever reason .
The good intelligence is that it ’s easy to hide score — you just need to know where to get hold them . This is something you’re able to do on a mobile gimmick , on a boob tube , or in a web web browser . The inwardness is that you ’ll want to go to the home screen and choose theSportscategory . ( Look for the little tablet - shape buttons . )
Now scroll until you get to a specific squad , or a specific conference , and flick into it . On the mobile app or in a WWW web browser , you ’ll hit theThree - dot menu , and then chooseHide all scotch for this team / league . It ’s basically the same on a TV — but look for the littleEyeball logoinstead . Once you select the heart , it ’ll expand to show the Hide all scoreslanguage .
Add a more kid-friendly filter
One of the more powerful feature of YouTube TV is the ability to have disjoined profiles for dissimilar user . That ’s great for observe your kids ’ shows from influencing your recommendation . ( Or vice versa ! ) But those separate profiles require disjoined Google accounts , all tied to a head - of - household designated account .
But does your 3 - class - old need a full Google account ? in all probability not . If you still desire to make trusted they ca n’t incidentally take off watching , say , HBO on your Google television set visibility , it ’s time to set a filter .
you could do this from a TV , from a peregrine equipment , or in a web internet browser . Go to theSettings , then wait forFilter . You ’ll see a toggle switch that ’ll make things a little more tyke - well-disposed .
It ’s not all that granular — you ’ll be confine boob tube show to TVZ - Y , TV - Y7 , TV - Y7 - FV , or TV - G. And movies will be limited to G and PG valuation . But it ’s good than nothing . And having to explain … thing .
Add all the shows
YouTube boob tube uses a depicted object - matching algorithm to run you Modern movies and show that you might be interested in . However , to get the best possible experience you need to teach it what you care . Since YouTube TV has anunlimitedDVR , you’re able to append everything you care to YouTube TV .
This serves two purposes . First , you then have easy access to your favorite programs , making it easy to find your comfort show after a long twenty-four hours at piece of work . Second , YouTube television will then begin to hint you more appearance and movies like the I you ’ve save . It ’s a great way to stumble across Modern programing that fit your vibration , with a lower limit of travail .
Take control of your downloads
YouTube TV allows you to download designate to catch offline — if you also have theYouTube boob tube 4 K Plus minimal brain damage - on , which costs $ 10 a month . If you ’ve ponied up for this option , it ’s worth having a look in theDownloadssection of the options .
You have a few option here . First is the power to only download over Wi - Fi . That ’s significant if you have a information detonating gadget on your mobile plan ( which is something kids — who tend to download things a lot — do n’t usually deliberate ) .
You also have the ability to adjust the download lineament . By default , it ’s countersink to 720p on a phone , but you could increase that to 1080p , if you want . And my iPad default to 1080p , but you may ratchet down that back to 720p ( or lower ) if you want .
And this also is where you ’ll see how much entrepot you ’ve used with downloads , and it ’s gentle to delete thing from here .
Use the dark theme
There are two kinds of people in this mankind : those who employ dark mood and those who are improper . YouTube television receiver caters to both , which is perceivable . But you require to be in the former pack .
YouTube TV does n’t launch in drab mode by default . You ’ll need to enable it . Head into theSettings , and look forDark Theme . Then toggle the switch and bask in the darkness . You ’ll need to do this separately on nomadic devices and in a WWW internet browser .
Flip between channels
This is one of those feature that sort of fell by the roadside when folks swop from line and satellite to streaming , and we ’re glad to see it back . While there ’s no dedicated button for this on any of the streaming remote ( Roku comes tightlipped , but it ’s not the same ) , you ’re now able toflip between two channel on YouTube TVwithout having to first return to the live guide . It ’s like having a dedicated “ previous channel ” button on the remote control .
Here ’s how to do it : Start determine one channel . Then switch to a different epithelial duct . Now you could just hold down theOKorSelectbutton on the removed control for whatever platform you ’re using . You ’ll then switch between the first and second channel .
And if you tune up to a third communication channel , you ’ll flip between it , and the most recent old channel you were watch ( and so on and so forth0 .
If you ’re a habitual television channel - fin , it ’s a lifeguard .
Autoplay on start
YouTube video automatically make for one of your top recommendations when you ’re on the domicile covert . Maybe you wish that . Or maybe it scares the livelihood daytime out of you when you stumble into the living elbow room at 4 a.m. on a Sunday morning and accidentally wake your total family . ( It , erm , happens . )
Here ’s how to change by reversal off that autoplay characteristic : Go into theSettingsscreen and chooseAutoplay . Now toggle theAutoplay on Startoption .
That ’s it . Enjoy the secrecy .
Toggle surround sound
YouTube TV now attempts to serve up sound in 5.1 environment audio , whenever possible . The channel and show you ’re watching will have to support it , of course of action . And you ’ll need computer hardware that supports it , too .
But what if you do n’t want to listen to everything in surround sound ? Sometimes it just does n’t quite ferment ripe . Weel , you may turn it off . take hold of your remote and select theProfile picturenext to the lookup button to get into the menu choice . Then head up into theSettings sieve . Now choose5.1 Audio , and toggle theSurround Soundoption .
This one only works on television setups , for the obvious reason .
Set up notifications for live programming
YouTube video cede a ton of hot programming through the app . If you desire to ensure you may hitch the newest episode of your show when it airs , then you may set up notifications through the app so that you never pretermit an episode again . For this to work good , we suggest add the YouTube TV app on your headphone , or tablet so that you see a notification when it seem .
Enabling notifications is simple . Navigate to the show you want notification about and select thebell iconnext to it . This will assure you get a notice each clip it ’s about to be transmit live .
