PLDT Home StreamTV+ Experience - Upgrade w/ soundbar for old monitors or TVs

PLDT Home recently launched the StreamTV+, an Android-powered streaming box that combines "high-end" audio, 4K video support, and smart home controls.

Meet the PLDT Home StreamTV+ device

According to PLDT Home, this device is designed to transform extra monitors, old TVs, or even slow Android TVs into a smarter and faster entertainment hub with access to streaming apps like Netflix, HBO Max, Cignal, and even games.

The device is priced at PHP 10,990 for a one-time payment or PHP 399 per month, locked in for 36 months with your plan. Note that you can only avail of this if you have a PLDT Home account.

The company sent us a unit to try, and here's our experience.

PLDT Home StreamTV+ Experience - Smart upgrade w/ soundbar for old monitors or TVs

After unboxing, the first thing I noticed was the build. It is mostly made with plastic parts with a wraparound mesh for the speakers. The device is compact for what it is and not that heavy, making it a portable enough streaming box.

The ports at the back

Aside from the DC input port, you will find the Ethernet, HDMI ARC/eARC, and USB-A ports at the back. It also has a Bluetooth button. On top, it has the Standby, Privacy (mics off), and microphones, and LED indicators.

Front and top view of the Android box

Other stuff included in the package includes the power supply, Remote Control, 2x AAA batteries, Quick Start Guide, and a 1.5m HDMI Cable.

Setup is easy. After unboxing the device, plug the HDMI cable into the port below and connect it to the monitor or TV.

After that, simply set up the device like any other Android Smart TV.

Then, connect to your home internet and simply log in to your preferred Google account. This supports dual-band WiFi 6 connection.

Better than expected speed

New life for my rarely used monitor

I used it on one of my monitors, the Samsung Odyssey 3D, which has been lying around with no real purpose for months in our office.

This device basically breathes new life into a monitor with no real purpose for me (we only used the monitor for testing, and I'm not a gamer).

The speed is not bad!

The speed is surprising, considering that this does not run on the newer Google TV yet. In particular, it still runs on Android 12. 

It is snappy and responsive. It can handle multiple apps in the background as well. Basically, it is not laggy on the streaming apps I use.

From memory, this is WAY faster than my old iFFALCON 4K TV from 2022. The speed is comparable to my 2025 TCL 4K Google TV in our studio.

That's not bad since this device itself, manufactured by Sagemcom, was first introduced in 2021.

This is probably because this comes with a "decent" chipset for a TV box (Broadcom BCM72178 quad-core processor) and ample 3GB LPDDR4 RAM.

Audio-video experience

2160p or 4K on YouTube

Picture quality is generally great since it has Dolby Vision HDR support and supports up to 4K of resolution. Details are generally crisp, and colors are punchy if the content you are viewing supports HDR.

But note that this also depends on the quality of the monitor or TV you are using.

On 1080p old smart TVs, don't expect to enjoy 4K resolution and nice picture quality.

On the high-end Samsung monitor I have and my 2025 TVs, the viewing experience is mostly immersive.

Some of the OTT platforms I tried

The good news. All of the OTT platforms I'm using, from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and even Viu, are working. Cignal Play is also pre-installed in case you need one. YouTube on this hardware is also a nice experience.

It works better on OTT platforms that support Dolby Vision, like Netflix and Disney+.

Basic "ball" game with its remote control

Since this is running on Android TV, you can install many other apps for music, entertainment, and even games.

One of the key highlights of the PLDT Home StreamTV+ is that it has a total of 3 speakers with "Sound by Bang & Olufsen" and Dolby Atmos. This acts like a built-in soundbar capable of delivering very loud sound.

We recommend using the stock HDMI cable or a higher-end gold-plated HDMI cable for better sound. I tried the freebie HDMI cable from my monitor, and it ruined the audio experience.

Most TV boxes are just TV boxes, this comes with a built-in loudspeaker

While the sound improved when I used better HDMI cables, it is still far from the usual neutral, balanced, and rich yet well-controlled audio signature of B&O speakers I've heard from their showrooms.

Sure, it can go loud with a wide soundstage and has some sub-bass going on that can provide a fairly immersive audio experience when watching action-packed movies.

However, for music listening, I'm craving for more. There are some audio tracks where the speaker sounds hollow and muddy. This is not the B&O I know. Hopefully, PLDT Home will improve this in its future releases.

Despite my comment, this is still an upgrade over some old TVs with bad speakers. Or if you only have a monitor, at least you don't need to buy a speaker or soundbar anymore.

The device also has Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, so you can connect your wireless headphones for private listening, among others.

Smart functions

The TV supports Hey Google to control the TV almost effortlessly.

Yes, Hey Google works

As long as you are connected to a reliable fiber internet, it rarely misses the voice commands I use. This is probably thanks to its use of WiFi 6 and decent-quality microphones.

I even use the Hey Google functionality to control our Smart Home appliances and devices, like to turn on and off our smart switches, play music, run the robot vacuum, and more, all hands-free.

Of course, you can do the classic commands such as telling the weather, setting an alarm, and asking Google for facts.

The remote control

By the way, the remote control of this device is familiar to use and comes with useful shortcuts to access the Google Assistant, Netflix, Lionsgate Play, and YouTube.

Our thoughts

The PLDT Home StreamTV+ is an upgrade for old monitors and TVs capable of delivering fast enough performance and nice up to 4K HDR visuals.

While the sound quality falls short of Bang & Olufsen standards, I'm familiar with, it's still a step up from basic TV or old PC speakers.

Moreover, it is easy to set up, portable to bring anywhere, comes with wide app support, and has smart home integration, making it a versatile entertainment hub.

If you're on a PLDT Home Fiber plan and don't mind the PHP 10,990 tag or the PHP 399/month add‑on, the StreamTV+ is a decent Android box with built‑in speakers that can give life to old monitors or TVs.

Otherwise, 

What do you guys think?