| Available on Google TV | Yes |
| Cast Support | Yes [Play Store | App Store] |
| Category | Entertainment |
| Official Website | www.pbs.org |
| Base Subscription | Free |
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) is a popular, non-commercial, free-to-air TV network in North America. The PBS channels are available with cable and satellite TV providers. The app can be downloaded directly from the Play Store and doesn’t require a subscription to stream its content. Once you get the app on your Google TV, you can stream live TV, live news, live or On Demand TV shows and movies on this free app. Apart from the direct installation, you can also easily cast the PBS content on Google TV from your Android and iPhone. This article will walk you through the simple steps of installing and using the PBS app on your desired Smart TV.
Note – This guide also applies to Smart TVs running on Google TV OS.
How to Install PBS App on Google TV
Since the PBS app is natively available on the Play Store on your Google TV, you can directly install the app. To access the content on the app, you need to create a free PBS account if you don’t have one.
1. Turn on and connect your Google TV to a WIFI.
2. Hit the search tab at the top and enter PBS using the on-screen keyboard.
3. Select the official PBS app from the results and tap the Install option.
4. After installing, hit the Open button to launch the app on your Google TV.
How to Activate and Use PBS on Google TV
When you open the app for the first time, you have to activate the app to stream its content. To do so, follow the below steps.
1. Open the PBS app on your Google TV by clicking the app icon.
2. Select the Activate Now button and get the URL link along with an activation code.
3. Now, you will see two options to activate the app. On your smartphone or PC, visit PBS.org/activate.
4. Enter the activation code and select the Continue button.
5. Now, Sign in with your PBS account credentials or Google, Facebook, or Apple account.
6. Another method is to scan the displayed QR code using your smartphone. Then, enter the activation code in the required field and hit the Continue button.
7. Now, you will be automatically logged into the TV app
How to Use PBS on Google TV
1. Open the downloaded PBS app on your Google TV and complete the prompted requirements.
2. On the next screen, you will get the app’s home page. Here, you can browse all the shows and movies under different categories.
3. On the left pane, for the menu options like Home, Shows, Search, My List, My Station, and Profile.
4. Use the Search option to find any show you want. Otherwise, select any title on the Home screen and then hit the Play button to start playing the app on your TV.
How to Cast PBS App from Android and iPhone
With the PBS app’s built-in cast feature, you can easily cast shows and movies from your smartphone to your TV with a few taps. To do so, follow these steps.
1. Install the PBS app on your smartphone.
2. Launch the app and log in with your account credentials.
3. Now, connect your smartphone and Google TV to the same WIFI.
4. Hit the Cast icon on the home screen of the app and select your Google TV from the list.
5. Now, the content on your smartphone will start to cast on your Google TV.
FAQ
Most of the content on the app is free to stream. However, some shows require a PBS Passport membership. You can get this membership by donating to the local PBS stations, and the stations will set the donation amount.
The PBS app may not work on your TV. So, reboot the Google TV to fix the minor issues, uninstall and reinstall the app, or clear the cache data on Google TV.