![]() ![]() Next comes a string of hot buttons devoted to Free to Me content (except when it costs), Live TV, New, Music (which includes podcasts), and Today-which offers local time and weather and the aforementioned home-network management features. Scroll down and you can cut paths through the vast universe of streaming channels nine different ways.įor starters, the top line shows “recently watched” content, helpful for resuming same. ![]() Tapping the button labeled “Xfinity” on the remote opens the homepage and floodgates. Comcast’s ad-supported Peacock service with programming from NBC will be nesting here, too, when it launches next year. It then froths it up with the likes of three shopping channels, ESPN 3 (one of just two part-time ESPN offerings), the foodie service Tastemade, and the stupid-human-and-pet-trick channels Fail Army and The Pet Collective. It then lists a mere 11 free channels, leading with Comcast’s newly acquired Sky News channel from the U.K. Pressing the Guide button on the remote brings up an unusually abbreviated grid that starts with 28 available pay channels from HBO, Cinemax, Epix, and Showtime. “Next track” delivery takes barely a second. To see how whip-fast content can change on the box, click on the music-video channel Xite. ![]() It’s generally recommended to have an internet connection that delivers at least 25Mbps for 4K streaming-and you’ll want more than that if other people in the home will be online at the same time. I found the Flex’s picture and sound quality to be first rate watching HD and ultra-high definition content, although you’ll want robust broadband service for the latter. The same remote buttons can do double duty to power up a connected amplifier or A/V receiver, although that does require user intervention to provide the brand and model information. #Streamcast comcast tv#When I plugged the Flex into my LG 65E6P OLED smart TV using the box’s only functional HDMI port (which doesn’t support ARC, but is CEC friendly), the Flex recognized the TV and automatically programmed the remote control so its power and volume buttons controlled the TV. The Flex remote is likewise smarter than your average bear. If you have the infrastructure for it, you can alternatively hardwire the Flex to your router with an ethernet cable. Shipped to your door, not brought by a technician, a pre-programmed Xfinity Flex already knows your Comcast account details and will automatically sniff out and self-install on your Wi-Fi network. The other, labeled Input, might see future use. Jonathan Takiff / iDGĪ rear view of the box shows an ethernet port and two HDMI connectors, although only one is active. #Streamcast comcast full#As such, the box can be upgraded to deliver a full panoply of traditional cable channels and services, including the enriched X1 on-screen program guide and the ability to store content in the cloud for time-shifted viewing. Should you ever decide to beat a retreat from cord-cutting, Flex is built on the same X1 platform developed for Xfinity cable TV. Sign up for Comcast’s Xfinity Home, which costs $40 to $50 per month on top of your broadband access, and Flex can incorporate smart-home features on your TV screen, such as streaming video from your security cameras, as well as offer on-screen controls for your smart lighting, thermostat, and other smart-home devices. This would be useful for managing the screen time of your little ones, so they’re not spending hours at a time playing video games or watching YouTube videos. With the Flex’s user interface displayed on your TV, for example, you can track network clients and schedule when they have access. Because it’s a secured component of your internet service, Flex can also monitor and control aspects of your home network, although some of those features require a paid subscription. ![]()
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