TCL 8K TVs to get the first 8K streaming service

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By Brian Westover
published

The Explorers gives TCL 8K TVs a subscription streaming service for 8K video

The Explorers 8K streaming app
(Image credit: TCL)

TCL launched its first 8K TVs earlier this year with the TCL Roku TV 6-Series 8K (R648), but only a few months later, the TV maker has stepped up its game by offering TCL customers the first 8K subscription video service available on smart TVs.

TCL 8K TV owners will be able to get the Explorers 8K premium subscription service, the new 8K streaming service from the The Explorers Foundation. The TV maker has partnered with The Explorers Foundation, an initiative built around protecting and promoting biodiversity through documenting the planet in all its glory. 

Specifically, by gathering and sharing a large library of 8K and 4K ultra HD video devoted to the natural, cultural and human heritage of Earth.

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I've written at length in the past about the complete lack of 8K content options available on 8K TVs.  Up to this point, you're pretty much stuck with YouTube and Vimeo, which host 8K videos.  But the content selection is sparse, the discovery process is lousy and the 8K content available is drowned out by the mountains of other videos the services offer. There hasn't been a good source of 8K content for TV owners to enjoy. 

With The Explorers streaming app, TCL is hoping to change that. Pulling from a community of documentarians and filmmakers, The Explorers offers a mix of 8K and 4K content from around the globe. And not just in the sense that media is made in different countries. We're talking about footage from icy Arctic glaciers to tropical islands of French Polynesia. The Explorers platform is devoted to exploring all of Earth, whether that's nature, culture or human events.

TCL 8K streaming through The Explorers app

(Image credit: TCL)

"8K HDR enhances images with stunning sharpness and depth of field," said Gregory Martoglio, world-renowned nature cinematographer and frequent contributor to The Explorers. "The powerful images of the natural world that we've preserved in 8K video look spectacular on The Explorers Channel through the TCL 6-Series 8K TV."

What that means for TCL TV owners is that there is a library of 8K content available now. And the promise is that there will be new content through the app daily.  Even if it doesn't have the latest movies and TV shows, the idea of a steady drip of 8K content is a major step up from where we've been, giving 8K TV owners something new to watch every single day.

TCL customers can get a free trial subscription for 3 months, and continuing subscriptions cost $2.99 per month. The Explorers Foundation gets a portion of the proceeds from this monthly fee, so a subscription is also a great way to support a good cause.

It's worth noting that The Explorers app is available to all Roku customers, and only the 3-month free trial is exclusive to TCL customers. It will also be available on future 8K Roku models, though only TCL is making those at the moment.

The Explorers 8K app is available through the Roku Channel Store, but sign up will require setting up an account on the Explorers Plus web page. 

Brian Westover
Brian Westover

Brian Westover is currently Lead Analyst, PCs and Hardware at PCMag. Until recently, however, he was Senior Editor at Tom's Guide, where he led the site's TV coverage for several years, reviewing scores of sets and writing about everything from 8K to HDR to HDMI 2.1. He also put his computing knowledge to good use by reviewing many PCs and Mac devices, and also led our router and home networking coverage. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he wrote for TopTenReviews and PCMag.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • 8kassociation
    admin said:
    The Explorers gives TCL 8K TVs a subscription streaming service for 8K video

    TCL 8K TVs to get the first 8K streaming service : Read more

    TCL is addressing the issue of the lack of native 8K content with this announcement. The Explorers Foundation is dedicated to documenting the natural world, but also human heritage. We don't believe this will resolve the issue of the dearth of available content, but it's a great step in the right direction. When showing off your spanking new TV to neighbors and friends, you'll now be able to show them content you haven't seen yourself.
    Reply