Telstra TV 3: The Verdict
The Telstra TV 3 is packed with nifty features that deliver on its promise to provide a one-stop-shop for all your entertainment needs. But with a comparably high price point and key benefits that are locked to Telstra broadband and postpaid mobile customers, the latest generation of Telstra's streaming device fails to make a case for itself.
What we love
- Universal app search with voice control
- Live TV and streaming on one device
- Listen to your TV privately with headphones
What could be improved
- To get full use, you must remain with Telstra
- Limited streaming apps
75/100
The Telstra TV has long been Australia's freebie of choice when it comes to perks on home internet plans. Telstra has handed out older generation models to its customers left, right and centre. It offered the Telstra TV 2 in a $99 bundle with unlimited data, NBN 50 speeds and a free 24-month subscription to Foxtel Now. It was an attractive proposition.
These days, however, the bundle is no more. Foxtel Now is no longer included, and if you add a Telstra TV 3 to your broadband plan, you'll pay for it: $216 over 24 months for a device that holds its best features hostage to your continued financial commitment to Telstra.
This makes the Telstra TV 3 less a "perk" and more an expensive ball-and-chain. If you're a Telstra die-hard and can't ever see yourself changing plans, it's a great device. If you want some flexibility for your money, it's not so great.
What's good about the Telstra TV 3
Flexibility issues aside, there's a lot to love about the new Telstra TV 3. For starters, all the best features from the Telstra TV 2 are back. There are all the usual streaming apps like Netflix, Stan, ABC iview, etc, combined with access to live TV, and all controlled by one remote.
Telstra TV has also recently added Amazon Prime Video to its list of supported apps, which is great news for Australians keen to check out its increasing number of exclusive high quality shows like The Grand Tour, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, Hanna and the upcoming Good Omens.
The Telstra TV streaming apps plus live TV function come together in the supremely helpful universal search feature which will let you look for TV shows and movies across all apps, live TV and the Telstra TV Box Office movie and TV rental store.
It's a super useful feature and a bit of a money-saver. When I searched for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, I found it available to stream on Netflix, for rent on the Box Office, but also available on good, old-fashioned free-to-air if I cared to tune in to Channel 7 that night at 7.30pm.
As well as all of the usual apps, the Telstra TV 3 adds a host of extras including Docplay, Crunchroll, AnimeLab, Kanopy, Netball Live, NRL, NBA, Vimeo, iHeart Radio, Bloomberg, The Economist and more.
As we've come to expect from Telstra TV, navigating on the device was fast and simple, and setting it up was a breeze. And for those with a TV that supports it, the Telstra TV 3 can stream in 4K where content is available.
Sign up and get money-saving deals, telco news and more.
Best new features
Telstra TV 3's major new offerings are voice search feature, a handy companion app for your phone and the ability to control your TV and the Telstra TV 3 with one remote.
If you've ever tried to type the name of a movie or TV show into an older Telstra TV with the remote control and click navigation, you'll find the Telstra TV 3's voice search feature a big upgrade. To use it, all you have to do is press the speaker button on the remote and say "Search for ..."
The voice search operates fairly responsively. It had no problem understanding terms like "Harry Potter", "Steven Universe", "Russian Doll" or "Orange is the New Black". It did struggle with more challenging titles like "Amadeus", "Code Geass" and "Howl's Moving Castle". But hey, nothing's perfect.
It was also nice to be able to control my TV's power and volume with same remote that controls the Telstra TV. No more remote control clutter. No more fumbling with two or more different remotes to find the right one.
But my favourite new feature came from the Telstra TV companion phone app. The app has been around for a while and in its previous iterations it's felt like a bit of a gimmick. It was basically Telstra TV's universal search function, but on your phone. If you like to plan your entertainment on the go, it lets you add shows and movies to a "to watch list", and it also lets you use your phone as a remote for your Telstra TV.
But the app now also lets you watch TV and movies on your big screen, with headphones on. Called "private listening", this feature lets you use any headphones, so long as they're connected to your phone and your phone is paired to the Telstra TV, via the app.
For me, this feature has been a god-send. I live in a small apartment with a housemate who works nights and a living room that overlooks a busy road. It's a constant struggle to find a volume that I can hear over the traffic outside, but that won't wake the resident shift-worker. Headphone pairing solves that problem and makes me feel like I'm watching in a private entertainment booth. It's very nice.
The headphone pairing is not without its faults. On three occasions audio fell significantly out of sync with the visuals on screen, which was maddening. However, I found I could solve the problem by turning off private listening and then turning it on again.
All in all the Telstra TV 3 was a pleasure to use and while its new features may be few, they felt like significant upgrades over the Telstra TV 2.
What's not so good about the Telstra TV 3
While the Telstra TV 3 offers up to 38 apps to download and stream from, the fact is it still feels less than comprehensive. As we noted in our review of the Telstra TV 2, the streaming device is a rebranded box from an American company called Roku. If you were to buy this box in the US, you would have access to literally thousands of apps, which makes Telstra's 38 feel pretty paltry by comparison.
Maybe you don't need a choice of several thousand apps for your TV, but more choice would be nice. It's odd, for example, that while Telstra TV has branched into music and offered TuneIn and iHeart Radio, it's failed to also add Spotify.
Competitor device Apple TV offers a wide range of apps beyond just streaming services, including games, recipe apps, yoga apps, even the Ikea catalogue. I'm not going to lie, I would use that. A lot.
Hidden costs
At $216 outright, the Telstra TV 3 is one of the most expensive streaming devices on the Australian market. And the true price of the device is much higher. Because pretty much all the Telstra TV's key features will only work for as long as you have an active Telstra broadband or postpaid mobile plan. Which usually come at a considerable premium compared to similar plans from other providers.
Here, for example, is how Telstra's popular NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speed plan with unlimited data compares to a few other offers on the market:
|
#1
|
Exetel
Extra-value nbn50
$60.99/mth
Min. cost $60.99
|
|
#2
|
iiNet
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
Essential+ nbn®
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Belong
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$85/mth
Min. cost $85
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Aussie Broadband
Value nbn - Unlimited
$89/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Telstra
Upfront Internet Plan Essential
$105/mth
Min. cost $105
Link not supplied
|
Even if Telstra is your preferred internet or mobile provider right now, if you ever want to save a buck by switching or just aren't happy with the service anymore, leaving Telstra will cost you features. Without a Telstra plan, you won't be able to use your Telstra TV 3 to:
- Watch free-to-air TV
- Universal search across streaming apps
- Buy or rent movies or TV through the Box Office
- Use companion app features including universal search, "to-watch" list and headphone listening
Yes, the Telstra TV without Telstra would still perform its core function of getting Netflix, Stan, ABC iview, etc, onto your big screen. But so would a Google Chromecast which only costs $59, or a Vodafone TV, which only costs $72. And if you're after premium features like universal search and headphone listening, you can get them from an Apple TV for $209 for the HD model or from $249 for the 4K model.
The fact is, other streaming devices on the market will do the same things the Telstra TV 3 does for the same money, or less. And none of them will lock you in with a particular broadband provider for the full life of the device.
Who is the Telstra TV 3 for?
Telstra claims its streaming device is unique on the market, and it is. Technically. It's the only device that combines live TV delivery with universal search across streaming apps, in one box. If you absolutely must have that combination, it's the streaming device for you.
Take live TV out of the equation, however, and the Telstra TV 3 becomes a lesser alternative to the Apple TV that costs about the same amount of money (unless you want 4K streaming). And really, if you love your live TV you can still just ... use your TV.
If you're rusted on Telstra and can't imagine yourself ever leaving, the Telstra TV 3 is a super handy device with plenty of neat tricks up its sleeve. It will make entertainment at home that much easier.
If you value flexibility, on the other hand, the Telstra TV 3 is not for you. It'll lock you in with Telstra and make you pay for the privilege. Are you going to buy that?
I don't want a Telstra TV 3, what else can I buy?
There are plenty of great options on the Australian market if you're looking for a streaming device. Unfortunately, not all support the services you want to watch. Check out which devices will let you watch all your favourite shows, in one place, below.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Apple TV (2015+) | * | ||||||||||
| Telstra TV | |||||||||||
| Fetch TV | |||||||||||
| Chromecast | ** | *** | |||||||||
| Hubbl | |||||||||||
| Amazon Fire devices | |||||||||||
| PlayStation 4 | |||||||||||
| PlayStation 5 | |||||||||||
| Xbox One | |||||||||||
| Xbox Series X |
* Foxtel Now is only available through Airplay, and not as a standalone app.
** Chromecast 1st Generation is no longer supported by Kayo. For optimal streaming using Chromecast, Kayo recommends Chromecast Ultra and latest 3rd generation.
*** Foxtel Now is streamed through the Foxtel GO app.
Legend
Streaming Device Compatibility
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Apple TV (2015+) | ||||
| Telstra TV 3 | ||||
| Fetch TV | ||||
| Chromecast | ||||
| Hubbl | ||||
| Amazon Fire devices | ||||
| PlayStation 4 | ||||
| PlayStation 5 | ||||
| Xbox One | ||||
| Xbox Series X |
Legend
-
Netflix
-
Stan
-
Amazon Prime Video
-
Disney +
Apple TV
The Apple TV is just about the most comprehensive streaming device you can buy in Australia today, in terms of features. While those already in the Apple ecosystem will have the best Apple TV 4K experience, it's still easy to recommend even if your life is otherwise free of iDevices.
It comes with support for Australian streaming services that is nearly comprehensive, plus a tonne of other apps on top. And its got universal search across streaming apps to find everything you want to watch. A 4th generation HD device will cost you $209. If you want to stream in 4K you'll pay $239 for the 32GB model or $279 for 64GB.
Fetch TV
If you want a set-top box that handles live to air TV, plus Netflix andStan, catch-up TV and some Foxtel-style premium TV channels, you might want to check out Fetch TV.
The box is offered in two variants. Fetch TV Mini costs $169 outright and does all the basics including live TV, streaming and movie and TV rent or buy online. Alternatively, you can get a Fetch TV Mighty which costs $449. The Mighty does everything the Mini does, and also lets you to record, pause and rewind live TV.
You can get a Mini or Mighty set-top box plus one premium channel pack bundled on a plan from a number of Australian broadband providers, including iiNet, iPrimus and Optus. See plans with Fetch TV and NBN 50 speeds from these providers below.
|
Optus
Optus Plus Family Entertainer nbn®
$110/mth
Min. cost $110
Link not supplied
|
Vodafone TV
The Vodafone TV looks similar to the Telstra TV, but it's got one big difference: the price. This little streaming device will set you back only $72 outright.
Its features are a bit more basic than what's offered by Telstra TV. Powered by Android TV, it will get Netflix, YouTube, catch-up TV and a range of other apps onto your big screen. It also offers 4K streaming and comes with a voice search remote.
Google Chromecast
If you just want to get streaming apps onto your TV, the Google Chromecast is a great choice and at $59 outright, it's also one of the most affordable.
The Chromecast is essentially an HDMI dongle that beams video from your phone onto your TV. Chromecast functionality is supported by a wide range of Android apps including your usual favourites Netflix, Stan, SBS on Demand and the rest, but also other entertainment apps like Spotify, Pocketcasts and plenty more.
Once you're casting your phone becomes the remote control, and your content is streamed directly to the Chromecast, freeing up your phone to perform other tasks while you're watching, and preserving its battery.
If you want to stream in 4K, you'll need to shell out $99 for the Chromecast Ultra.
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Telstra Streaming VideoPopular Topics
NBN Telstra Optus Streaming Internet Broadband 5G smart home Foxtel Mobile Broadband
Sign up for telco news, money-saving deals and more.
Internet Plans by State
- Internet Plans in ACT
- Internet Plans in NSW
- Internet Plans in NT
- Internet Plans in QLD
- Internet Plans in SA
- Internet Plans in TAS
- Internet Plans in VIC
- Internet Plans in WA
