History
Philo, formally known as “Tivli” is an internet TV company founded in 2009 and is based out of San Francisco, California. The name “Philo” comes from one of the pioneers behind television, Philo T. Farnsworth. Philo was started by two Harvard seniors as an experiment through a makeshift satellite dish to see if they could “pick up TV signals and deliver them wirelessly to their laptops via a jerry-rigged server.” Well, it turns out it worked, because by July 2013 the company raised about $6.3 million, with investors that included big names like Patrick Chung, Mark Cuban, HBO and Rho Ventures. Philo continues to collect financial backing and in November of 2017 launched a new OTT (streaming service available via internet) TV service available to anyone in the U.S. with a capable TV, computer, tablet, and smartphone device.
Content
Philo has an impressive 59 channel lineup, that includes popular networks such as A&E, Food Network, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Nickelodeon, ID Discovery and so many more.
Philo does not have any sports or local channels, but based on the channel lineup you do get plus its low-dollar price point, Philo may be worth it to some.
Pricing
Some streaming services can cost upwards of $40-$50 a month, but because Philo was built for college students in mind, the service is $20 a month and that includes their entire 59 channel lineup.
If you’re interested in trying Philo before you buy, they offer a 7-day free trial. All you need is a phone number to start the trial, and they’ll contact you after 48 hours for billing information to unlock the remaining 5 days of your free 7 days access. If you’re unhappy with the service, no problem! Philo will allow you to cancel before the 7 days are up and your card will never be charged. However, after the 7 days, your card will be charged and your subscription begins.
Features
Besides a super-low price point, Philo boasts a few different features that users will appreciate. Philo lets you watch content on up to 3 devices at the same time. If you’re someone who loves to record your favorite shows and binge-watch them at a later time, or your favorites are on at times you’re unable to watch, Philo lets your record and save for up to 30 days! You can even fast forward through commercials to get back to your show faster.
Capable Devices
To start watching content on Philo, all you’ll need is a mobile phone number or email address, a broadband internet connection and a supported device. Philo services are available on iPhones, iPads, Mac and Window web browsers, Android TV, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV with more options coming in the future.
