Philo is a great option for those looking to stream live TV at an affordable price, but the service is a little limited on device support. In terms of smart TVs, Philo supports Samsung TVs, Vizio TV, and TVs models powered by Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku.
The one major smart TV limitation to be aware of is Philo doesn’t currently support any LG TV models. As a result, anyone with an LG TV, or any other TV that isn’t currently supported, will need to attach an additional device to download and access the Philo app.
Philo on a Samsung smart TV
Samsung smart TVs gained support for Philo in October 2022, opening up the possibility for Samsung TV users to download the app directly on their TV. The only limitation here is that only Samsung smart TVs made in 2017 or newer are supported. If using a Samsung TV that’s older than 2017, an additional device will be required to download the Philo app.
Philo on a Vizio smart TV
Vizio smart TVs gained support for Philo in January 2024, making this product category one of the newest to gain support. So long as the Vizio TV in 2016 or newer, the Philo app can be downloaded directly through the SmartCast interface on the TV. If the Vizio TV is older than 2016, an additional device will be required to download Philo.
Philo on other smart TVs
The Philo app can be downloaded on TVs that are powered by popular third-party operating systems, including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku.
For example, the Philo app can be downloaded from the Roku Channel Store on any TVs running Roku OS. This includes various smart TV models by Hisense and TCL.
The Philo app can also be downloaded directly from the Amazon Appstore on Amazon’s Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series and Omni Series models. The app can also be downloaded on most ‘Fire TV Edition’ smart TVs, including models made by Toshiba and Insignia.
Another option is Android TV. Depending on the model and age of the device, the operating system will be labeled as Android TV or Google TV. Either way, the Philo can can be downloaded directly from the Google Play Store on these devices. Compared to Roku OS and Fire TV, the list of TVs powered by Android/Google TV is far more substantial, and includes models by Hisense, Sharp, Sony and TCL, among others.
If a household is using a TV which doesn’t currently offer access to a dedicated Philo app, the user will need to consider connecting another device to bridge the support gap. While not an ideal solution for those that want to keep their entertainment setup to a minimum, it is the best option other than waiting to see if the TV gains support in the future.
Using a streaming player to watch Philo
Generally speaking, Philo is better supported at the streaming player level. Not to mention, with streaming players available to buy for less than $50, picking one up is usually a far more affordable solution than replacing the TV.
For example, consumers can connect an Apple TV player (4th gen or later) or a Roku player (Roku Express, Roku Streaming Stick or Roku Ultra) and stream Philo. In addition, pretty much any Fire TV device can also be connected and used to access the live TV service. Another option is to connect a streaming player that’s powered by Android/Google TV. This includes Google’s own Chromecast with Google TV models, Nvidia’s Shield TV and Shield TV Pro, and Xiaomi’s Mi Box players.
If none of these devices are available, a standard Chromecast is another option. With a Chromecast connected to a smart TV, the user can cast Philo from the mobile app using their smartphone. Philo can also be accessed on Mac and Windows devices, so if a home already connects their desktop or laptop to their TV, this can be a workaround for watching Philo on an unsupported smart TV.
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