Spectrum TV Review

Spectrum offers two different English channels, TV Stream and TV Select. Their flagship and most popular plan is Spectrum TV Select. It includes 150 channels for $64.99/mo. It's a great option for a lot of folks and our most recommended Spectrum plan.

For just $10 more per month, you can upgrade to TV Select Plus. The "Plus" means you get up to 10 additional channels, all Regional Sports Networks (RSNs). In most cases, this is a no-brainer upgrade for sports fans.

The other English plan is also their only streaming option, Spectrum TV Stream. It's a new plan and gaining a bunch of traction. No TV box is required and, of course, sufficiently fast internet is required (all Spectrum internet plans do the job). With about half the channels as Select, TV Stream's 85 channels for $39.99/mo fits in well with a lot of smaller households.

With regard to value, TV Select is their most valuable plan at $0.43 (cost/channel) - TV Select Plus has the same value. TV Stream, and its cost/channel of $0.46 is slightly more expensive but not incredibly so... especially compared to competitors. Speaking of which, Xfinity's cost/value hovers around $0.40 for their TV plans - however, they have hefty fees that bring their overall costs just about in-line with Spectrum.

Spectrum does a lot of things well but, frankly, their TV receiver isn't one of their strengths. It lacks the snazzy and advanced features but is reliable and generally works well. We used and tested it thoroughly for years and never had any major issues.

Spectrum tends to rotate a lot of different Arris and Motorola receiver models -- all slightly different but with the same core tech and software, they all work about the same way.

When it comes to to price, the $12.50/mo receiver fee is a bit higher than other providers. If you want a DVR, you'll also need to fork over an additional $4.99/mo for 1 TV. For 2 or more TV, it's $9.99/mo. Yeah, that adds a fair amount to your bill but at least you have the option of opting out.

Is a receiver required?

Not always. For the traditional cable TV plans like TV Select, yes. With TV Stream (streamed via internet), a TV box is totally optional - instead, they offer a Xumo box which lets you watch all your apps (Netflix, etc) from one place.

Parental controls

Overall, Spectrum does a solid job with their parental control options. As with most receivers, you can restrict programming by rating, content, channel, time of day and more. When first turning on parental controls, you'll need to a create a PIN. That code will give you access in the future and let you override previous settings - so be sure to remember it and to choose numbers not easily guessed by the kiddos. With On Demand and purchases, you'll be able to cap the allowed purchase amount per transaction and for tighter controls, force the use of a Purchase Control PIN for every purchase.

With any service, being able to deal with issues or to ask questions is an important part of the experience. If your receiver stops working right or you just can't figure out how to order that pay-per-view movie, being able to speak to someone that can easily help is a big deal. With Spectrum, their customer service reps are generally well-trained and you'll almost always have a positive experience.

24x7 Support

The first line of support for most Spectrum customers is their call support. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, there are exceptions but most support agents are super friendly and helpful. You'll occasionally get routed overseas but even when you are, there's almost no gap compared to domestic centers. Wait times are typically extremely short and, on average, better than competitors. Call Support: 833-949-0036

When you don't need a bunch of help or would rather handle it all online, their online chat usually works just as well. Chat agents are trained just as well as phone agents and have the same access to your account and settings. It's also available 24x7 and wait times are typically extremely short (less than 15 seconds). Jump into their chat here.

What about going to a Spectrum store?

Being a nationwide provider, there are a bunch of brick-and-mortar Spectrum stores throughout the country. Most medium to large cities have a Spectrum store relatively close. Going to a store in person gives you a few advantages. You can often pick up your equipment in person (no waiting for delivery), get help with setup, get familiar with the program guide, etc. Unlike other providers, there's usually never a hard sell to bundle with other services. Find your closest Spectrum store here.