PBS Video subscription review
I rate PBS Video a 6.8 out of 10. PBS Video is a free service that primarily provides on-demand streaming live feeds and shows from local PBS stations without asking you to register an account. The premium Passport tier, which grants access to a far more significant portion of PBS's extensive repertoire, is quite reasonable.
The service has some drawbacks, such as the PBS archives or the inability to download films for offline watching. In addition, the majority of the streaming catalog is only available to residents of the United States.
PBS subscribers also get PBS Passport as a bonus feature within the app, which offers them even more access to exclusive material. It allows qualifying contributors and supporters online or through the PBS Video App access to an on-demand, high-quality public television programming library.
Local stations determine their requirements for Passport membership eligibility, with most needing annual donations of at least $60 or $5 Sustainer/Ongoing-monthly gifts.
How much does PBS Video cost?
- PBS Video is free and does not require registration, but accounts might be handy for tailored streaming suggestions and account preferences.
- If you wish to create an account, you can use an existing Google, Facebook, or Apple account to log in, or you can sign up for PBS Video using an email address and password.
- PBS Video app costs nothing.
- If you're already a PBS donor, you can link your PBS Video login to the email address connected with your account.
- PBS Passport is less expensive than other popular video streaming services, at $5 per month, yet it is comparable to many documentary streaming services.
Features
User Interface:
- The interface of the PBS Video app is incredibly user-friendly, with a dark blue background and vibrant, colorful thumbnails.
- Click on the thumbnail to get a brief description, trailers and extras, and a list of related titles once you've found something to watch.
- Add anything to your My List area if you notice something you'd like to watch later.
- To do so, tap or hover your mouse over the movie's thumbnail and select the My List option.
- PBS Video adds the most recent video you saw to the Resume Watching category on the Home tab if you don't have time to finish it in one sitting.
Compatibility:
- The PBS Video streaming service is made available to stream on almost every device including Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV along with its availability on the mobile and web platforms.
- The only exceptions are Playstation and Xbox devices that unfortunately don't stream this service.
- I used an iPhone to test the service, but the PBS video app android version works well too.
Streaming experience:
- The playback interface for PBS Video streaming is quite simple.
- On the web player, you get conventional playback controls and the option to scrub around the video's chronology; on the mobile app, you get a 10-second rewind button and 15-second rewind and fast forward controls.
- Closed captions can be enabled and customized from the web player's playing screen, as well as the playback resolution.
- You can limit sudden loud sounds if you're watching Apple TV by navigating to the Video and Audio menu and enabling Reduce Loud Sounds.
What does it lack?
Parental controls:
- There are no parental restrictions or a kid's profile options on the web or the PBS Video app.
- The majority audience on the platform is adults.
DVR Storage:
- It does not have any DVR storage. Moreover, you cannot download content for offline viewing later.
Conclusion
PBS Video app is a free service that provides on-demand streaming shows and lives feeds from local PBS stations without asking you to register an account. The premium Passport tier, which grants access to a far more significant portion of PBS's extensive repertoire, is quite reasonable.
The service has some drawbacks, such as the inability to download films for offline watching. In addition, the majority of the streaming catalog is only available to residents of the United States.
