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Zattoo is a piece of software that enables you to watch live TV, from your country, for free online

Zattoo is a piece of software that enables you to watch live TV, from your country, for free online

Vote: (11 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Zattoo

Version: 5.0.1

Works under: Windows

Also available for Mac

Vote:

Program license

(11 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Zattoo

5.0.1

Works under:

Also available for

Windows

Mac

Pros

  • Dozens of local channels to choose from
  • Most streams are in HD
  • Live TV guide

Cons

  • The video resolution can’t be changed
  • Some streams lag during heavy traffic

Zattoo is a standalone client that streams local TV stations directly to your PC or laptop. After downloading the program and creating an account, you will be able to skim through dozens of different local channels as well as a few popular news stations. In addition to being extremely stable, most of the streams are also broadcast in HD. After watching a short advertisement, you will have access to countless sitcoms, news broadcasts, sports matches, and documentaries.

Trying to stream live television without a cable box can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. Most in-browser programs require you to input your personal information, and that might result in identity theft. Even the legitimate sites can eat up your system resources or track your viewing habits. With Zattoo, you are going to get HD video from many of your favorite stations without those drawbacks. In order to sign up for an account, all you need is a username, password, and active email address.

Zattoo is a completely free program, but there are some limitations that you should be aware of. In order to keep its servers running, Zattoo displays short advertisements periodically throughout the day and whenever you change stations. Luckily, those advertisements are extremely short, and you can usually skip them after a few seconds. This program also uses peer-to-peer streaming in order to keep its bandwidth to a minimum. Some of your system’s resources will be devoted to streaming videos to other users. That resource usage is usually negligible, and you most likely won’t run into any problems as long as you are using a Windows 10 PC.

Once you get used to the layout, Zattoo is incredibly user-friendly as well. The user interface can be fully customized so that it only displays the exact information you want. The default user interface gives you a small TV guide on the right with the live video stream on the left. While you aren’t able to change the quality of the video stream, you can alter the size of the screen or get rid of the TV guide entirely.

When you first open Zattoo, the software will ping your IP address to see where you are located. It will then populate your feed with local and national programs. Unfortunately, that can result in some issues if you have scrambled your IP address or hidden it entirely. Zattoo can be used with a VPN or proxy IP address, but you will most likely receive random channels from somewhere else in the world.

As a general rule, Zattoo is an excellent piece of software for anyone who would like to watch live TV without the hassle of going through a local cable company. This program usually streams dozens of local channels in HD, but you might run into some issues if your IP address doesn’t match your location.

Pros

  • Dozens of local channels to choose from
  • Most streams are in HD
  • Live TV guide

Cons

  • The video resolution can’t be changed
  • Some streams lag during heavy traffic