We are spoiled for choice with an infinite range of films and series that streaming providers have in their range. However, the time-honoured regular television can still be regarded as quite alive. And adapts to the current circumstances. NL See and NPO Start are sound examples.
If you used to camp (and especially if it was across the border), you had little choice when it comes to watching TV. If you wanted to go for the terrestrial option, then there was (and is) the portable TV, nowadays in digital version. Unfortunately, only the public networks were and can be received there. For commercial channels you have to rely on either a satellite receiver or Digitenne, KPN’s DVB-T network. A subscription is required for both – for the Dutch commercial channels. In the case of Digitenne, this is simply a missed opportunity, because DVB-T abroad is many times more successful because many channels there are not hidden in a payment package.
Watching TV at the campsite: you need this
Television, but then in 2021
Well, we digress. Below the line we can conclude that you need a paid subscription to watch at least the commercial channels. And until not so long ago a satellite dish or cable TV. The latter is missing at the aforementioned campsite and the first – the dish – is somewhat impractical in the hotel room. Internet offers a solution, nowadays watching in full HD or more via a stream is possible. NPO has been offering streams for quite some time via their website and their own app NPO Start. By taking out a subscription to NPO Start for less than €3 per month, you unlock all the possibilities of the platform. Including watching programs at a time that suits you. VOD or video on demand. Largely also without advertising, so a relief. The disadvantage is that NPO Start only gives access to the three public networks and a few regional networks. There is a good chance that that is more than enough for the holidays, after all, you don’t go to a stranger to watch TV.
EN see
The problem, however, is that if you absolutely want to watch your favorite program and that comes under the wings of one of the commercial broadcasters. You could program the ancient DVR or Digital Video Recorder (also known as a hard disk recorder) at home very old school before leaving. But luckily there is now also EN see. This is a similar concept to NPO Start and an initiative of all broadcasters – public and commercial – that have joined forces. For an amount of – at the time of writing – €7.95 per month you can watch everything that is thrown into the air in the Netherlands. Including a series of themed channels, always handy. Consider, for example, a Crime channel or Telekids for young people.
Looking back
The streams are ‘broadcast’ in full HD. If you wish, you can watch live or watch previously broadcast programs. The latter can go back at least a year, sometimes even longer. Movies and the like can also be viewed in this way. A nice advantage: the endless commercial breaks are missing. If we do some math, by the way, NL Ziet is the most budget-friendly solution when it comes to watching television in 2021 (as they themselves claim). If we have something to complain about, it is the fact that you can’t ‘receive’ channels like Discovery. Or the well-known German and Flemish neighbors, for example. Perhaps that someday – preferably without a price increase – will come again.
Choose your quality
NL See works like a charm. You can reach the most important parts via buttons at the bottom of the screen. You can watch live by watching TV. You will then be presented with a digital guide, the live program marked with a green Live logo. Nice detail: you can also click or tap on previous broadcasts in the guide to look back that way (and sometimes even look ahead). If you have started a live program, you can watch it from the beginning with a tap or click using the button to the far left of the progress indicator (a symbol consisting of a kind of undo symbol and the text Live). In the app, also tap the button with the three dots at the top right of the screen (during playback). You can now choose the desired image quality. Normally you go for High, but to save data (useful if you use mobile internet) a lower quality can be selected.
No hassle with VPN
Another big advantage of NL Zich is that you don’t have to use a VPN connection to watch. When you pay, you see the image. Point. As it should be, because why else would you pay? This makes the app also suitable for anyone who lives abroad, or does so for at least part of the year. You know: the well-known pensionado for example!
NPO Start
NPO Start is largely based on the same model as NL ZIET. With one important difference: you can also watch NPO Start for free. Logical, because this is after all a broadcaster paid with tax money. This does mean that you cannot look outside the national borders without using a VPN provider that provides you with a Dutch IP address. The choice is yours: either you take out a subscription with a VPN provider (also comes in handy in many other cases, but the most reliable ones are relatively expensive) or you take out a subscription for NPO Plus. With the latter you can also watch VPN-free, so just what you prefer. Incidentally, you can also look back to programs that have been broadcast without an NPO Start subscription, but then much less far back. In addition, you will be treated to advertisements in advance. Furthermore, the maximum resolution in the free version is limited to 720p, after payment you can also watch in Full HD (1080p).
Select
Which of the two ‘systems’ you choose is ultimately important for your package of wishes in terms of options. If the 8-hour news and public programs are enough, then NPO Start is fine, even in the free version (whether or not combined with a VPN). If you just want all the freedom, including commercial broadcasters and some theme channels, NL View is the right solution. Once you have seen NL, you can also take a critical look at what you now pay for your TV subscription at a cable company, for example. You may be cheaper if you opt for an internet-only subscription there and combine it with NL Zich. Conversely, many cable providers also offer apps that make it possible to watch mobile while on the road within the subscription. Before you go abroad, check whether this trick also works across national borders.
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