DirecTV now offers a real Multiview experience that allows customers to build their own Multiview lineup and watch up to four different channels at the same time on the one screen.
What You Need to Know
- DirecTV has now rolled out a real build-your-own Multiview experience.
- Sports fans can choose the layout and channels to watch at the same time.
- At launch, DirecTV’s new Multiview experience is limited to select devices.
For some time now, DirecTV has offered a Multiview experience to its customers, allowing them to watch more than one live feed at the same time on the same screen.
However, the Multiview experience was limited, as it relied on pre-selected ‘Mix’ channels where viewers had no say over the feeds included in a Multiview.
While options increased in August with the arrival of Curated Multiviews, the experience overall was still restricted compared to Multiview features offered by other live TV services.
Beginning today, however, DirecTV offers streaming customers the ability to build their own Multiview experience, removing the need to continually flip between Mix channels.
As this is a build-your-own experience, sports fans can not only choose the channels they want, but they can also choose between a two-, three- or four-view lineup.
Getting started appears to be easy too. Any channel already being watched will be pre-selected when creating a Multiview and viewers can then simply add other available sports channels to their custom grid.
“DirecTV has been at the forefront of Multiview innovation for nearly two decades, and we continue to evolve the experience around how fans want to watch,” said Vikash Sharma, head of product, DirecTV. “Giving fans the ability to build their own lineup is the next step, offering even more choice and control over how they follow the games that matter most to them.”
Some Limitations Still Apply
While a real Multiview experience, it does look as though customers may still be limited in some respects, including the selection of supported channels.
Although the main sports channels most fans will want, including ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network and the SEC, Big Ten and ACC Networks, are confirmed to be supported, DirecTV notes the new Multiview experience covers “eligible channels” and “participating local broadcast channels.”
The clear suggestion here being that not all channels included with a live TV package are automatically supported. At least not at launch.
Another notable limitation (for now) is device support. The new Multiview experience is currently limited to DirecTV’s own Gemini devices and Roku devices.
DirecTV has confirmed Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Samsung, LG and Vizio device support is in the works and coming soon.
In spite of these limitations, for those DirecTV customers that have liked the Mix experience but wanted more of a real Multiview, this will be a notable upgrade.
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