In the top image, you can see that with Zattoo, you can switch between national, regional, and international programs. This is practical because you can also watch channels from your home country while in Spain. Furthermore, there are special categories, such as Polish channels, Zattoo+, or Television with Heart 🙂 However, these cost extra.
What exactly is Zattoo Premium
- even more channels: ProSieben, SAT.1, kabel eins, Sat.1 Gold, sixx, ProSiebenMAXX and RTL, RTL 2, VOX, n-tv, Super RTL, RTL nitro, RTLplus, TOGGO plus, DMAX, TLC, Sky Sport News HD
- and over 70 HD channels
- Recording functionRecord 30 shows online
- Live Pause: pause the current broadcast and resume watching whenever you want
- Restart: Watch the current broadcast from the beginning
- Replay: 7 days on-call for some channels
- Wide selection in the On Demand section
- 2 parallel streams: watch TV simultaneously on two devices
- Faster channel switching without Zattoo ads
- Stream indefinitely on all devices: Smart TVs, PC/Mac, Smartphones, Tablets, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV
The content varies slightly between countries. I'm using a Zattoo Germany account here. The cost for the subscription is currently 10 CHF or 9.99 EUR (so it's actually a bit cheaper in Switzerland). Status: June 2019
Staying informed while traveling
I'll go into the technical details a bit later, but for me, practical arguments outweigh them when I'm traveling. For example, with Zattoo, I always have the news nicely compact with me. This works great via the Zattoo app on my smartphone or on my MacBook via the website. Zattoo.com.
Since we didn't have WiFi in the apartment in Spain, I mostly watched the news in cafes or coworking spaces. That way, you stay well-informed even in Spain. While you can get almost all information on the internet or even more, news broadcasts are often simply compact and quick.
If you happen to tune into the 8 PM news at 8:10 PM, you can conveniently rewind to the beginning with Zattoo's „Restart“ function. This way, you simply won't miss anything.
On Demand Movies and Series
When I think of Zattoo, I immediately think of live streaming TV. The fact that there's an on-demand section was a surprise to me. On our trip to Ibiza, we had WiFi at the hotel, and the same in Madrid. It was ideal for watching a relaxed movie in the evening. The selection isn't huge, but we found some nice comedies and also watched one or two action films. There are also many children's movies and series. So, nothing stood in the way of a cozy TV afternoon. You know from Amazon Prime and Netflix that at some point you've simply seen everything. Zattoo offers a different selection of movies, but given the quantity, you'll likely feel that way after some time too.
An advantage of Zattoo is that you can also watch live movies and, as mentioned above, rewind them. This increases the selection a bit. In the Zattoo Guide, you can also get background information about shows and plan your TV evening there. The guide displays all shows in a clear and concise manner, so you practically can't miss anything anymore.
Zattoo on smartphone, MacBook, and Chromecast
I used the Zattoo program on my smartphone, mostly to watch the news. But also for movies and series on my MacBook and even via our Chromecast, connected to my smartphone. The programs ran very smoothly on all devices. The HD quality also ensured that the picture was sharp even when projected via our projector. Nothing stuttered and apart from the occasional Zattoo ad appearing, everything ran without interruption. Whether that makes sense despite having a Premium account is another matter.
Also, the programs started immediately. There was none of that „pixel lag“ that you know from other providers. Zattoo clearly shines with speed here. That wasn't always the case. I've known Zattoo since the 2006 World Cup, and back then it wasn't fast or smooth at all. So, a lot has been invested and developed here.
What I miss about Zattoo
Language selection
Unfortunately, it was not possible to watch movies and series in another language. German is set as the default and cannot be changed. I am used to watching movies and series in their original language. Not only in English, but also in other languages, with subtitles in that case. Unfortunately, this is not possible with Zattoo.
Subtitles
I wasn't even able to turn on subtitles. On trains or in crowded places, it's sometimes simply not possible to turn on the sound, or you can't understand a word due to the volume. Therefore, I would want subtitles in the future, at least for blockbusters.
Download
While it is possible to record a show and watch it later, it is stored in your own cloud. This naturally has the disadvantage that I also have to be online to watch the show or movie. A download function, like other providers have, would be great. This way, you can download a movie while traveling at a cafe or airport and watch it later on the plane. Every smartphone today offers additional storage space, so such a feature would surely be well-received by users.
Conclusion
Zattoo is perfect when traveling if you have WiFi. You can also watch news over a mobile data connection, but the traffic is too high for movies and series. We've spent more than one relaxed evening watching a movie, and the kids enjoyed the kids' shows. The app and the website are user-friendly. I especially liked the rewind function because I don't have to pay attention to the start time. All in all, it's a great thing and a really good alternative to traditional cable or satellite TV.
Thanks to Zattoo Germany for providing the premium account.
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On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️