How Can I Watch Crackle on My TV?
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There used to be a time when one would have been quick to ridicule the questioner citing Crackle’s unpopularity. But, that is not the case anymore given Sony Crackle’s now refreshed catalog of movies, TV shows, and original series.
And most importantly, this is perhaps the most cited reason as to why Crackle is a default go-to place of millions of content lovers, is the fact that Crackle comes absolutely free. Yes, you read that right.
Unlike other video streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu etcetera which are considered to be the current behemoths of this industry, Sony Crackle doesn’t charge a penny to its customers.
Crackle debuted in 2004. Given its pedigree, it is quite understandable that the majority of Crackle content comes from Sony Pictures. But since Sony Pictures itself has multiple subsidiaries tied to it, Crackle’s catalog is much more versatile than what apparently looks like.
Viewers here can enjoy content from Sony subsidiaries like Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions etcetera.
1. What to Stream on Crackle?
1.1 Crackle Originals
Apart from studio productions, Crackle features original content as well. Some of Crackle’s popular original series are StartUp, On the Ropes, Snatch, Going from Broke, Insomnia, Hidden Heroes, Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy, The Oath etcetera.
The ‘Crackle Original’ section also includes films such as Office Uprising, The Throwaways, In the Cloud, Backwash, Cagefighter etcetera.
1.2 TV Shows on Crackle
Interestingly, with Crackle, one gets to unearth forgotten materials that became talking points during their heydays.
Action, The Critic, NewsRadio, Mr. Sunshine, Rake, My Two Dads, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, The Dana Carvey Show are some of these timeless gems from the last couple or so decades.
You can also watch classics such as Barney Miller, The Saint, Charlie’s Angels, Car 54, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Where Are You?, Starsky & Hutch, and The Partridge Family.
1.3 Movies on Crackle
Whereas it is an undeniable fact that Crackle still has a lot to do to spice up their movie library, there are some titles nonetheless that can tickle your curiosity.
For example, movies such as Eddie Murphy Raw, The Ghost, and The Darkness, The Proposition, The Terminal, Big Top Pee-Wee, Bridget Jones’s Baby, Aeon Flux, and Monster.
Odd movies which are especially the forte of B-lovers come thick in numbers here. Take note of films such as Ouija Shark, The VelociPastor, and Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer while you are at it.
You must look up the documentary section as well because there are a number of good entries here. Man on Wire, Super Size Me, I am Big Bird, The Wolfpack, Life Itself would undeniably make some good viewing experiences.
With such a prolific and ever-extending library, it is evident therefore that Crackle can really give you an immersive TV time. To those who are just on the verge of asking how to watch Crackle on TV let me tell you that before taking up that issue there is one last important thing that you should know.
Crackle doesn’t feature an in-built parental control. This is one of the places where Crackle also separates itself from OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount Plus, HBO Max etcetera.
You can nonetheless take solace from the fact Sony Crackle features one dedicated corner for kids’ content. Here you will get motion pictures such as Spy Kids franchise, The Hero of Colour City, Kikoriki: Team Invincible, Blinky Bill: The Movie, Paulie, and many more.
2. How Can I Watch Crackle on My TV?
Okay, so here we are delving into the question, how can I watch Crackle on my TV? You see, Crackle supports a whole host of smart devices and software. Just take a look at them:
2.1 Compatible Devices
Among the compatible devices are Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, VIZIO Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, Sony Smart TV, Google Cast, Xbox, PlayStation, Roku, Android TV, Android Phone, Android Tablet, iPhone and iPad.
2.2 Compatible Software
Quite clearly then, Crackle lends support to all the three major software: Mac, Windows, and Android along with smart TV software like Tizen and WebOS.
On February 14th, 2022, Statista.com published an article titled ‘Share of Smart TVs in U.S. households during April 2017-2020, by OEM.’ The survey says, among other things, that in 2020, Samsung, with a whopping 32% market share, remained ‘the most popular Smart TV brand among US households.’
Another similar survey held in India found that in 2021, Samsung held the top position in overall TV shipments to the country with a solid 16% share in the Smart TV segment. Let’s take a concrete example of Samsung Smart TVs then to understand how to watch Crackle on Samsung Smart TV.
3. How to Watch Crackle on Samsung Smart TV?
Note that there are two different ways you can stream Crackle on smart TVs made by Samsung. One is the native solution, the other is via Apple AirPlay (2018 and later models).
The naive solution is the easiest one and is most sought after. One has to simply launch the app store on the device, find Crackle and install it by selecting the ‘Add to Home’ button.
In case this doesn’t work you can bank on Apple AirPlay feature for a way out. You have to first install the app on your iPhone or iPad. Then you have to connect the device and the TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
Stream Crackle on your iPhone/iPad and select the AirPlay icon. Find your smart TV from the list of available devices and select it. The video will get cast on your TV screen.
Note that you have to use the up-to-date Samsung Smart TV firmware to use this feature. So now that you know how to watch Crackle on Samsung Smart TV, get cozy, and start streaming. In the meantime, how about the rest of us get to know how to watch Crackle on Apple TV?
4. How to Watch Crackle on Apple TV?
For those who don’t know, Apple TV comes in the shape of a small console box that gets connected to display devices via HDMI cables. One gets to control the console using Apple or Siri remote controls which make use of Bluetooth technology.
Since Apple TV allows native installation of the Crackle app, the steps involved here are just identical to those on Samsung Smart TV. Visit Sony Crackle’s official site and create an account there.
The next step is connecting the console to your smart TV, installing the app from the store, and logging into it using your user credentials.
That’s all about how to watch Crackle on Apple TV. Pretty straightforward, don’t you think? Well, not quite. Owing to a couple of factors that are characteristic of Crackle, users do find themselves in troubled water using the platform. Here we are going to take a quick look at them:
- Ads
One of the most annoying aspects of using Crackle’s free-of-cost streaming service is probably this. When it comes to reruns, the ad breaks are exactly the same as when those shows first hit the air. Watching movies appears to be an uphill journey as well on account of the initial 60 seconds ad break and the following ones that recur every 15 minutes.
- Location Restriction
Surprisingly, in all these years, Crackle has never sought to leave its footprint outside of the US and Canada. People outside of these locations get stonewalled therefore while trying to access their services. Many users find a solution in VPNs but then one parallel exposes oneself to potential legal crossfires.
- No Download Option
Crackle also doesn’t let users download content for offline viewing. This alienates a lot of users, especially the ones who have to deal with poor internet connection very often.
Owing to these reasons mainly a growing trend has now emerged of people opting for third-party downloading software to save Crackle content offline. This option also has efficacy since activating Crackle on each of the devices mentioned before entails different steps.
This prompts users to just download stuff from the streaming platform and play them across devices. Let’s turn our attention to StreamFab Crackle Downloader, the best in the segment if you ask me, and see how it works.
5. StreamFab Crackle Downloader
Those who have had some acquaintance with third-party PC software must have heard the name DVDFab before. StreamFab is a sub-brand of DVDFab software where the former works as a one-stop downloading solution for PC users no matter whether they are on Windows or Mac.
StreamFab Crackle Downloader let's one download Crackle content in MP4 format and in up to 1080p quality. The software already has more than 80 million global users with a registered 100+ million downloads. Take a look below where we have itemized its features:
- Quality downloads with 720p and 1080p resolutions. Videos are downloaded with advanced AAC 2.0 audio tracks as well so that no matter what device you use, you ensure a great audio-visual experience.
- Remember how we mentioned earlier how streaming on Crackle gets riddled with annoying ads. With StreamFab Crackle Downloader you can say goodbye to ads because once saved offline, the videos don’t feature any such interruptions.
- StreamFab Crackle Downloader can be extra beneficial for non-English speaking audiences as the software lets one download subtitles as well. People who have hearing disabilities will also benefit from the option. One can save the subtitle files separately as SRTs or remix them into the videos.
- To make sure that downloaded movies and shows play on all playable devices the Crackle downloader downloads stuff in mp4 format. Additionally of course one can save them in MKV format as well if one is looking to save storage space.
- Binge-watching takes on an extra dimension with StreamFab Crackle Downloader as the latter comes with a batch download option. Downloading more than one episode or show season or movie title at once is a cakewalk here. With a robust download manager, you can rest assured that downloads will complete way quicker no matter how many files you are downloading at a go.
- If you have a booming media library and use media players or servers such as PlayerFab 7 or Plex, you know how important it is to keep the library in order. StreamFab Crackle Downloader allows you to download file metadata to help you with that.
- Last but not the least; if you have installed DVDFab 12 too you can use its DVDFab Blu-ray Creator module to convert downloaded videos into standard Blu-ray discs. StreamFab Crackle Downloader bridges the process by directly transferring the downloaded files to the DVDFab Blu-ray Creator module.
6. How Does StreamFab Crackle Downloader Work?
Note that the downloader comes with a native browser using which you are supposed to log in to your Crackle account and start streaming.
A ‘Download Now’ button will show up immediately after you start streaming, pressing which you can start downloading the file.
So if you are still wondering how can I watch Crackle on my TV, how about giving StreamFab Crackle Downloader ago?
Conclusion
Sony Crackle is a far cry from the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and such and that is a given. But there are, on the other hand, certain quality factors about the platform.
It doesn’t require premium membership for one thing. It supports almost all the major devices that can connect to the internet. Users who are concerned about compatibility and are quick to shoot questions like how can I watch Crackle on my TV are in capable hands, therefore.
Then there is the multitasking option which lets users play multiple videos at a single time. Also, keep in mind that the platform sees two assured releases each Friday.
However, with StreamFab Crackle Downloader, one need not ask how can I watch Crackle on my TV anymore. The software in both its premium and free versions offers easy downloading from Crackle.
With minimum system requirements, a 30-day money-back guarantee, 50+ updates per year, and a bunch of other benefits, this is probably the most convenient way to personalize one’s media consumption habits.
