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Multiview has been one of the absolute best reasons to subscribe to YouTube TV, especially during football season or March Madness. However, until now, users have been restricted to selecting from pre-curated bundles of channels assembled by Google. Starting right now, that restriction is lifting.
YouTube TV is introducing a brand new multiview builder that puts the power in your hands, allowing you to mix and match almost any live content currently broadcasting on the platform.
Build your ultimate split-screen
The biggest win with this update is the flexibility to cross package boundaries. As highlighted in the official community post, if you subscribe to a standard YouTube TV plan and a premium add-on like NFL Sunday Ticket, you can now seamlessly combine those streams into a single multiview setup. To make building your perfect view easier, the new builder flow includes quick filter chips for:
- Recommended (personalized to your viewing habits)
- Sports
- News
- Shows
- Movies
- Other live content
Where it won’t work
As noted by 9to5Google, there are a couple of notable restrictions to keep in mind before you start trying to build a 4-box grid of your favorite broadcasts.
- Live Content Only: Multiview remains strictly a live TV feature. You cannot add Video on Demand (VOD) or your personal DVR recordings to a multiview screen. Additionally, some specific family-friendly content is excluded from the customization tool.
- Device Compatibility: While the vast majority of mobile and living room devices are supported, Google notes that a small subset of older devices (less than 5%) won’t have the processing power to support the full customization UI. If you are on an older TV or streaming stick, you will still get access to the basic multiview builder focused around major “tentpole” events like the NFL or World Cup.
The Full Multiview Customization feature is ramping up now and should reach all users over the coming weeks. If you find yourself in a spot where you need to upgrade your hardware to take advantage, perhaps the brand new Onn 4K Pro is something you should check out!
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