Mohu Channels Is a Streaming Box That Works Seamlessly With Antennas
When it comes to cutting cable, most people try two main aspects: free-to-air TV with antenna and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Both are good on their own, but together they are much stronger. Mohu Channels is an Android-based set-top box that seamlessly integrates both in one TV device.
Free over-the-air (OTA) HDTV is easy to get when you have an antenna , and when combined with streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, you never have a shortage of content to watch. But combining both is usually not something that can be done with one device. It involves connecting an antenna to your TV, searching for channels, watching TV broadcasts, and then switching to a set-top box or game console to watch streaming video. Mohu Channels, the Kickstarter success of the same people making one of our favorite OTA antennas, wants to fill that gap. They sent us one to try, and it definitely lives up to the promise, so even non geeks can flop on the couch and have fun.
How channels work
Mohu Channels ( $ 99 ) are an unassuming elongated cylinder. It is elliptical so you can easily put it on one side, which is what you need as there are ports on both ends. There is a coaxial connector on one end to connect to your antenna (Mohu suggests you use their Mohu Leaf for this and even sell kits with channels and antenna included, but you can use any antenna you want). ports for the supplied power adapter, an Ethernet connector, and an HDMI port for connecting to a TV. There is also a USB port that you can use for external storage, allowing you to rewind or pause the show while watching (as well as play other video files).
Once you’ve got everything hooked up, the channels will guide you through the setup process. You will connect to your network (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, of your choice), log into your Google account (to download apps from Google Play), and then search for OTA TV channels in your area. You may have done this on your TV before, but be prepared for some differences. We found that the channels were a little more sensitive about which channels could be “received” and added to our channel list and which were “too weak” to add. Either way, keep scanning until you have all the channels you want.
Once you’re done with the setup process, you’ll be taken to the biggest perk of Channels: the Channel Guide. You will see in one window what is playing on all of your available channels, and it automatically updates to keep it up to date. At the bottom of the channel guide, you’ll also see additional channels for your streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Google Play. You can open any of them to log into your account and essentially use the Android app for that service to view, manage your queue, or play web videos and movies on your TV. Press the Guide button on the remote at any time to return to the channel guide and quickly switch from Netflix to local TV or vice versa, depending on what you want to watch.
Once I got the channels up and running, it became easy to use. There were some quirks, of course, but I saw it as a system that gives it to someone who wants to cut the cord but misses out on perks like channel guidance, or the ease of being able to sit in front of the TV and just watch something. without fiddling with menus or multiple devices. Likewise, on those nights when I want to watch local TV but then feel bored on YouTube, this device means I don’t have to switch remotes or inputs on my TV.
Where the channels are excellent
Channels are doing a number of things right. First, it definitely makes it easy to move from regular broadcast TV to streaming services without switching devices, inputs, or even putting off one remote and taking another. It’s so simple that even non-tech savvy people can use it with ease, and much of the credit goes to the program guide. Sure, it’s a little tricky to set up (and we’ll touch on that in a minute), but once it’s up and running, it should work well. In our experience, the software was fast and responsive, and the channel guide was quickly updated every time we returned to it.
The included remote control is another highlight. Since Channels is essentially a tiny Android device, it needs a remote that combines a keyboard with a tablet’s touch sensitivity, and the remote that comes with it provides. It takes a little getting used to, but it offers a combination of a gesture-based pointer that you can move in the air to select objects on the screen (unlike Nintendo Wii), or you can turn off the air gestures completely and use the arrow buttons to highlight and selection of items. The keyboard on the remote is also great responsive, lights up every time you press a key, and makes it easy to log into things like Netflix, Hulu, or Google while you’re sitting on your couch. It’s also backlit, which is nice (and useful for searching between sofa cushions).
I used channels to watch TV, switch between live streams on Coachella a few weeks ago, watch Netflix and find it faster and easier to use than launching my Xbox and opening the corresponding app there. Of course, this isn’t Android TV, and you’ll need these aerial gestures to simulate tapping, swiping, and dragging panels on opening and closing. This may be annoying to some , but again, if you’ve ever used a Wii controller, it’s child’s play for you.
Where it fails
However, the channels are by no means perfect. As we mentioned, the installation process can be awkward. While Mohu has an excellent guide to guide you through scanning OTA channels, the process of finding streaming apps to customize the channel guide is quickly interrupted. Basically, adding “channels” for services like Netflix and YouTube involves installing the required apps from Google Play, and it’s good if you’ve ever opened an Android device and set it up for the first time, you know when you first log into Google. Play it will try to download a lot of apps, update various Google services, etc. It’s a little annoying to just update the built-in YouTube app and install Play Services three times while getting Hangouts notifications on the TV just like on a phone or tablet. However, they can be easily dismissed or ignored.
Likewise, if you don’t know how to add a channel or service that you like, you essentially flow into the browser – to your TV – and you have to go to the corresponding website and download it manually. You can add websites as “feeds”, but this is not the best experience. Some sites perform better than others, but if you can find apps, stick with them. Likewise, if you’re the type of person who is turned off by the fact that this is essentially an Android device, channels are probably not for you. When it comes to YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and other apps, you’re essentially using the tablet versions of them. This means a lot of scrolling, clicking and dragging with the remote control. That was fine with me – game consoles and the like hadn’t been required in years, but be prepared for that.
Finally, another problem that the channels presented to us was related to terrestrial television. Channels have their own arbitrary logic that determines whether a channel is “too weak” to be added to the channel guide or displayed at all. Sometimes the channels passed networks that I knew could receive if they went straight through the antenna. On other occasions, while watching, the channels suddenly decided that the channel was too weak, turned off the screen and displayed a message asking me to change the antenna position or try a different channel. I appreciate trying to get rid of these issues, but it would be nice to have a “show it anyway” or “add this channel manually” radio button. It’s that inconsistency – the interface is really crude on the Android side, but so polished on the TV side that I lack the control I would like to have – this is the most confusing channel usage.
There are many other options, too
Channels themselves cost $ 99, but they’re not the only product that does this. In our guide to streaming TV to PC, we’ve covered more than a few, but they work for your big screen too. Of course, you may not have to spend anything if you are comfortable using your TV to set up OTA TV and another device like a cheap set-top box like Roku or Chromecast for streaming video. For many of us, this may very well be the solution to the problem, and if it sounds like you, it doesn’t cost money.
However, if you live in an area with a lot of great OTA TVs (like me) and don’t like your aging universal remote, switch devices or inputs frequently to switch from TV to Netflix and vice versa, or better yet, you’ll need a Device. that is easy enough to use by any non-computer geek can be a worthwhile – and life-making – investment.