PlayOn is a Windows application that turns a PC into a recorder for streaming video. PlayOn Home records shows and movies from services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock and Pluto TV. It saves them as MP4 files on the computer and casts them or personal media to a TV. The program is free to download, with a free tier limited to ad-supported content in standard definition and paid plans that unlock the rest. A related service, PlayOn Cloud, does the recording on remote servers for people who do not want to leave a PC running.
Channels and service logins
Everything in PlayOn Home starts from its channel list, where each tile represents a streaming service or network. Channels that need an account take the user’s credentials through Edit Channel Settings, and a Test button checks that the login works. Services reached through a cable or internet provider use a separate sign-in. PlayOn opens a small browser window. The user logs in and confirms a video plays, then saves the connection.
Recording from Netflix, Hulu or Amazon requires an active subscription to that service, and some channels, such as ESPN, need cable provider authentication. What appears in each channel depends on the provider and the user’s region.
Recording shows and movies
To record, the user opens a channel, drills down to a title and clicks Record. On an episode listing, Record All sends every listed episode to the queue at once, so the user can capture a full season in one action.
PlayOn Home processes its queue one recording at a time. Users can drag items into a different order or cancel them individually. They can also pause, resume or clear the queue. Pausing stops new recordings from starting without interrupting the one already in progress.
Subscriptions for new episodes
A Subscribe button on a show’s episode listing tells PlayOn to record new episodes automatically as they are published. Removing a subscription stops future recordings but keeps the episodes already saved.
Off-peak scheduling
For connections with data caps or busy evening hours, the off-peak option restricts recording to a chosen time window. Users can choose specific days and hours on a grid.
Recorded files and quality
Finished recordings are MP4 files stored in a location the user picks. This can be an internal drive, an external disk or network storage. TV episodes go into a folder named after the show, movies into a folder named after the channel. Storage space is the only cap on how many recordings PlayOn keeps, and files remain until deleted.
Paid plans record at up to 1080p, though actual quality depends on the source stream and the PC’s processor. Users can lower the Maximum Video Quality setting to reduce CPU load. Hardware acceleration shifts work to a supported graphics card. Users can organize recordings into folders or send them to iTunes.
AdSkip during playback
AdSkip does not cut commercials out of the MP4 file. Instead, PlayOn Home skips the ad breaks when users play a recording on the PC or on compatible devices such as Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, iOS and Android. It requires a paid plan.
Casting and the media server
PlayOn Home runs a media server on the PC that sends video to a TV over the home network. Casting works with Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV and Xbox. Other network devices such as PlayStation and Wii consoles and most DLNA devices can connect to the server as well. Casting recordings works without an internet connection, since the files are local.
A cast controller in the PlayOn window handles volume, pause, skipping and a scrub bar. Users cannot scrub live streams, but they can seek to any point in recordings.
Personal media library
Beyond recordings, PlayOn indexes folders of the user’s own videos, photos and music so they can be cast or streamed to the TV. The server transcodes videos for the target device, and formats the device already supports, such as MP4, can be set to skip conversion.
Phones and PlayOn Cloud
The PlayOn Cloud app for iOS and Android connects to PlayOn Home while the phone is on the same home network as the PC and copies recordings to the phone for offline viewing.
Used on its own, PlayOn Cloud records on PlayOn’s servers instead of a PC. Recordings consume credits, with Full HD costing more than SD or HD. They stay online for seven days unless a plan adds permanent storage. Finished files arrive as MP4 downloads in the app, by emailed link, from the website, or through the Cloud Downloader for Windows and Mac. The downloader fetches them on a schedule. Cloud recordings can also be added to the PlayOn Home library.
Ad-free HD recording with a subscription
The free version of PlayOn Home records ad-supported content in standard definition and lets users browse channels and set up subscriptions. A paid plan adds content from subscription services without ads, HD and Full HD recording, subtitles and closed captions. It also adds casting and AdSkip, with no limit on the number of recordings.
