playon.tv

With the increasing number of streaming services, it has become only natural for the supporting software such as DVRs to also be increasing. One such service is PlayOn, which made a lot of noise in 2008 when it first rolled out its desktop software. Since then, the service provider has not looked back. Though it is not as hot as it once was, it still has a massive following. The fall of PlayOn Desktop and PlayOn Cloud has led to an overall decline in the capabilities of competitive devices. Both PlayOn Desktop and PlayOn Cloud have seen a decrease in popularity due to their poor compatibility with newer platforms.

If you have not heard of PlayOn before, please continue reading to learn more about the service. You will learn why it is still relevant, and how it can be extremely useful.

What is PlayOn?

PlayOn is a streaming brand and software suite which allows the users to access and view content provided by various streaming platforms as well as record that content using the software. There are two main products offered by the brand - PlayOn Desktop, which is available on Windows, macOS, and iOS, and PlayOn Cloud, which is available on Windows, macOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, and Roku. If you are interested in accessing or viewing content from digital streams on your device of choice (iOS or Android), you can do so via PlayOn Cloud. However, if you want to access or view content from digital streams on a desktop computer using the Windows-based software, then that is an option available to you.

Why do you need PlayOn?

PlayOn is an excellent way to organize and consolidate various streaming media. You can download, record, and store the content on a preferred device. Though it is a premium service, you can enjoy flexibility and convenience in keeping all your favorite content in one place.

History

PlayOn Desktop was launched in 2008 by MediaMall. It is a Windows-based consumer software that started as a windowed product. Later with PlayOn Cloud, users got to access the same functionality on streaming services using devices such as game consoles, and other video players.

Why should you stream on PlayOn?

Even if major publications believe that PlayOn is no longer the best option, I still think there are many benefits to be had when using a premium service such as PlayOn. We could explore some of the key benefits here.

Lifetime access

Once you have recorded content on PlayOn Cloud, you will have access to it for the rest of your life. There is no time limit attached to this service. You can access any content, whether it's premium or regular, on the network for as long as you want. If you choose to delete this content, that's entirely up to you.

Wide-range of platforms

There are two plans available on PlayOn - a desktop service, and a cloud service. The desktop service allows you to record on 24 platforms, while the cloud service allows you to record on 22 platforms. Some of the popular networks that you can record content from are ABC, Amazon Video, AMC, AT&T Now, CBS, Crackle, DC Universe, Fox, HBO GO, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, NBC, Xfinity, and YouTube.

One-click recording

To record content on PlayOn, simply click the recording button. You don't need to be technically savvy to do this- all the compatible services have an organized menu that makes recording content easy. When streaming, you can begin recording content by clicking the Record button.

Smart Recording

Although premium streaming networks are mostly ad-free, there are still services that have pre-roll ads. This allows you to pause and resume recording, thereby allowing you to continue recording without breaking the session. This saves a lot of space as well as keeping the recording ad-free.

Offline viewing

This is an easily predictable feature, but not so commonly available. Obviously, when you're recording, you can view it offline. But mind you, there are many platforms that don't provide the liberty to do so. However, that's not the case with PlayOn which allows you to watch content at any time and on any device given that you've synced it.

How to access PlayOn?

To access PlayOn in an easy and fast manner, you can either search for it on the internet or click on the screenshot on the left.

Design

Despite its clean design, PlayOn does not have anything extraordinary about it. It seems like a premium service, but there is nothing that makes it stand out from the competition. The blue/white/grey/black combination looks great on the website, but it can be seen as being too conservative. There is an odd green 'Spring Sale' banner which appears strange and out of place.

Header

Finally, under ?Free Download?, you have ?PlayOn Desktop? and ?PlayOn Cloud?. The sticky header section on the website features a logo on the left and three options - "On Sale Now?", "Explore Features?", "Free Download?" - towards the right. The options are on a slightly transparent background. Out of the three options, two of them have drop-down menus. Under "On Sale Now?", you have "PlayOn Desktop?", "PlayOn Cloud?", and "Cloud Plans?". Under "Explore Features", you have "PlayOn Desktop" and "PlayOn Cloud". Finally, under "Free Download?", you have "PlayOn Desktop" and "PlayOn Cloud".

Hero Section

The "hero section" as of now has a "Spring Sale" banner, but I feel that the static "Record Streaming Videos" banner is the usual hero section element. Herein, you'll find links for the app on the "App Store," and the "Google Play Store."

Body

The website's body section features various features of the service, including a comparison section, media coverage information, and testimonials. Finally, the website includes a press & features section.

Footer

The footer section on PlayOn is a dense area. There are four options - PlayOn Desktop, Store, Support, and About Us. In each of these categories, you have several navigation options. For instance, under PlayOn Desktop, you will find options to pages such as "Features?", "Downloads?", "What's On?", "Compatible Devices?" and "Reviews?"

Inner Pages

When you first arrive on the website, you can explore different areas by clicking on any option on the homepage. For example, when I first landed on the website, I wanted to learn more about PlayOn Credits and so I clicked on the footer area, found an option called "Credits," and followed the instructions to get all the information I needed. The inner pages are also well designed- they have clean banners and design which add to the overalllayout.

Content

PlayOn is a service that provides free streaming of movies, TV shows, and content from various sources. It has a Picks channel that includes a variety of titles, including some well-known films and television shows. When you subscribe to the service, you can access recent episodes of your favorite shows for free. Just head over to the source and start watching! It follows the Hulu model in that you can just access recent episodes of shows. For instance, you won't be able to watch an entire season of The Good Place. They have content from popular networks such as NBC, Fox, ABC, Comedy Central, MTV, and VH1, but you don't get the comprehensive experience which is a major drawback.

Desktop/Mobile experience

I did not enjoy recording an episode using PlayOn on my laptop. The service was not the best and the loading time was excruciatingly long. If it continues to operate this way, it won't make the cut in the coming years. Though the company claims that it offers a comprehensive service, I couldn't experience anything like it. I have to commend certain aspects of PlayOn that I liked, including its compatibility with various streaming devices such as Roku, Firestick, Chromecast and gaming consoles. However, there is a limitation to this service nonetheless. Even though PlayOn is a premium service, it doesn't allow users to stream content in 1080p. This is a disappointing feature, isn't it?

Plans & Pricing

As for plans and pricing, you can choose from three options - $2.99/mo for 50GB capacity + 10 recording credits, $4.99/mo for 100GB capacity + 20 recording credits, and $19.99/mo for 1TB capacity + 40 recording credits.

Suggestions I have for PlayOn

It is essential that the developers raise their game if they want to stay afloat in this competitive streaming market. The service is substandard and while it has certain benefits, it still lags behind the leading services in terms of resolution and overall quality. It's especially discouraging that the platform has a resolution limitation - this is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

Conclusion

Although PlayOn is affordable, it is not unique in comparison to the different services that are already out there. It fails to distinguish itself and thus it isn't a DVR that really stands out. Nonetheless, if you are satisfied with 720p and are looking for an affordable option, you can still give it a try.