TV.de in the test: Six different apps for live TV and more

TV.de in the test

editorial rating 3,5 reader ratings

12 reviews

picture and sound quality

4,0

Supported Devices

3,0

A streaming service that seems out of date

TV.de is an ancient and superfluous streaming service. The platform offers too few channels as a free offer. With a paid package, you pay money for a live TV offer that you can access for the most part free of charge in the providers’ media libraries. The fact that there are no significant additional functions or pay-TV content underlines once again that TV.de cannot even begin to keep up with other streaming services in 2022.

We liked that

• wide range of free-to-air TV channels
• clear app design

We didn’t like that

• no pay tv channels
• Subscription packages are way too expensive
• Offer includes live TV only
• Media library app for Apple iOS only
• no significant additional functions

The best live TV providers in the test

With live TV providers, you can conveniently receive your favorite channels on your PC, tablet, smartphone or SmartTV. Everything without a cable contract or antenna, conveniently via WLAN. We show you the most interesting offers in Germany. » To the detailed live TV provider comparison

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1. How can I watch TV.de?

2. Costs and Subscriptions

3. Operation and app use

4. Channels and highlights

5. picture quality and audio

6. cost and value

7. Conclusion
   

Couchfunk operates its own TV streaming platform under the name TV.de, which primarily provides live streams to many German television stations. The provider has outsourced some functions to separate apps, but the core is the live TV area, which you can watch either in the browser or via the “TV.de Live TV” app.

How can I watch TV.de?

TV.de’s streaming service runs over an internet connection. You can call up the service either in the browser or in the “TV.de Live TV” app for iOS, Android, Apple TV or Windows. Since the browser version and the app version differ minimally in terms of content, your choice does not affect your streaming experience, but the choice of platform does.

Finding the right stream amidst the numerous TV channels is sometimes a bit tedious, especially in the smartphone apps. But once you’ve sorted the most important channels up there, you should be able to use the mobile version just as quickly as the PC version.

In contrast to comparable live TV providers such as Zattoo, Joyn or RTL+, a media library is not integrated into the live stream service. To access these, you have to use the “TV.de Mediatheken” app. There is no library available in the browser.

You don’t need to look for additional series, films or even exclusive US productions on TV.de. In addition to the broadcasters’ live streams, the media library app only contains content that was previously broadcast on television. TV.de is more of a live TV service than a pure streaming provider.

TV.de: Costs and subscription packages

Can you watch TV.de for free? Yes, but only a very limited portion of the service. You can access the streams of around 17 channels without registering and paying for a subscription, but these are more niche channels and teleshopping channels such as QVC, Sonnenklar TV or Bible TV. Rather a meager offer.

The fact that not even the public broadcasters are accessible free of charge, although ARD, ZDF and Co. even provide their own content free of charge in the corresponding media libraries, arouses incomprehension. You can already watch many of the fee-b ased channels from TV.de from other providers with free access.

If you want to invest, you first have the choice between three packages: Pro One, Pro Universe and Pro TV. With Pro One for around 1 euro per month, you can switch off advertisements. The Pro Universe subscription for around 4 dollars a month gives you access to around 30 additional, mostly public channels, and the Pro TV subscription for just under 9 dollars a month adds almost 17 more channels. You can also stream in HD with TV.de Pro.

In view of the freely accessible media libraries of the public broadcasters, only the Pro package actually offers added value, but at almost 10 dollars per month it is clearly too expensive as a pure live TV package.

Test TV.de: No time-limited trial subscriptions

While Joyn or RTL+ let you test the paid subscriptions for about a month free of charge, you don’t have this option with TV.de. Here you will be asked to checkout immediately.

TV.de: Operation of the PC and app version

However, TV.de’s small offer also has an advantage: the user interface remains clear. Both in the app and in the browser, you simply select your desired stream from a list of TV channels and watch it. It’s nice that you have a few more functions in the app.

There you can sort your channels and have access to a 7-day program preview, which in turn contains information about the programs and shows shown. In times before the Internet, this type of digital program guide would certainly have been interesting.

The simple user interface serves its purpose and is also quite attractive, at least in the app version. The optics of the browser version looks rather old-fashioned in places.

Program from TV.de: highlights and included channels

With TV.de you only watch the current program of the included TV channels in the live stream, so you watch television over the Internet. There is no other content, such as series and films that can be called up. The outsourced media library app also only offers on-demand content that has recently been shown on TV.

Of the more than 60 channels for which TV.de offers live streams, only a fraction is really interesting. We have already clarified why the public broadcasters do not offer any added value. The many niche and sales channels should also be of little interest to most.

In the end, this leaves only around 17 private broadcasters, most of which you can find the associated live streams for free in other streaming services. Examples of this are ProSieben, Sat.1, kabel eins, RTL, RTL Zwei, Sixx, ProSieben Maxx or Super RTL.

You will also look in vain for additional functions on TV.de. You will not find a function to record the content of the live streams, high-quality sound and image resolution (4K, HDR10, Dolby Atmos, etc.) or customization options for the stream. You can only switch to full screen, whereby a program bar on the right edge of the screen ensures that the content is not really broadcast over the entire screen.

Picture and sound quality without any special features

You can only stream the individual TV channels in HD with the most expensive additional package Pro TV, otherwise the picture resolution is limited to SD. When it comes to audio, there’s not a great choice either. The program is output with stereo sound.

In terms of quality, the picture and audio are largely the same as what you get on any conventional Smart TV. To be fair, it has to be said that only the big streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video offer alternatives for sound.

cost and value

TV.de would at least be an alternative to watching television programs via the Internet if it weren’t for the sometimes absurdly overpriced pricing. Even with the Pro Universe upgrade, which costs just under 4 dollars, you only get access to stations whose live streams and content you can find in the free, freely usable media libraries of the relevant providers anyway.

TV Over the Internet: Watch Live TV Online with TV Streaming Apps

Here you pay money for an offer that you get elsewhere for free. The pro subscription, which costs almost 10 dollars, is also not convincing, since the private broadcasters that come with this package are not really a great added value. You can now find much of this content in other streaming services, mostly even in the free version. For example, you can find the RTL content on RTL+ or the Sat1 content on Joyn.

This makes TV.de almost seem like a relic that has fallen out of time and which in 2022 will hardly have a reason to exist. In view of the disastrous selection of channels, the free version is also unlikely to convince a television enthusiast.

All in all, our recommendation is: Save the money for a TV.de subscription and invest it in another TV streaming service. There you get a lot more for your money. For film and series fans in particular, we recommend subscribing to one of the major US streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video.

TV.de

editorial rating 3,5 reader ratings

12 reviews

picture and sound quality

4,0

Supported Devices

3,0

TV.de: The best alternatives

Don’t you agree? Are you looking for suitable alternatives? Below you will find the best TV.de alternatives.

We also recommend that you take a look at our Internet television leaderboards. You can find comparable products, for example, in the “Television over the Internet: Watch live TV online with TV streaming apps” leaderboard.