The Live Channels app for Android TV had long been a favorite for cord-cutters who wanted to integrate free over-the-air channels alongside Pluto TV and other linear TV apps into a single app.
Outside of its convenience and simplicity, the Live Channels app was free to use, a welcome refuge from the barrage of subscription streaming services.
When the free app became depreciated by Google on July 31, 2022, it essentially became no longer supported, yet still functional. I had high hopes for Google TV’s live TV experience when it debuted in early 2023.
In fairness, there is a lot to like about how it integrates Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex and Haystack News directly into the live tab. I can also find channels from my Philo subscription.
However, the one area it’s lacking is over-the-air TV channels. While you may get an integrated OTA channel guide for some Smart TVs running Google TV, it’s missing on streaming devices.
That has put me on the hunt for something close to the Live Channels app that can integrate OTA TV with FAST channels.
Right now, I’m trying out the Mochi Live TV app, which is based on Google’s Live Channels app and uses Android TV Input Framework. In other words, Mochi integrates OTA channels from my HDHomeRun tuner, and Pluto TV with just a few clicks.
It doesn’t support other Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV apps such as Tubi or Plex, but has a nice channel guide that looks exactly like Live Channels. I’m all for supporting independent app makers.
However, Google TV could do cord-cutters a solid if they added OTA support to inexpensive Google TV streaming devices. Right now, I am using the Walmart Onn 4K Pro the most for my daily TV viewing.
My three primary sources of TV come from broadcast TV through my TV antenna, YouTube and free streaming services like Pluto TV.
It has become a popular narrative among some media pundits that broadcast TV is dead or declining.
But a January 2024 report from Nielsen says otherwise; an estimated 23 million U.S. households are watching antenna channels alongside streaming services. To put that in context, there are 125 million TV households total with an estimated 315.3 million people, Nielsen says.
Plenty of studies outside of Nielsen have demonstrated slow, but steady growth in antenna use. And with the bumpy, but promising rollout of NextGen TV, antenna channels should not be a segment that Google ignores.
