If you’re a fan of FYI Network’s unusual combination of survivalist home improvement content, we have good news: you don’t need cable to enjoy it. Read on to learn your options.
In a hurry? FYI isn’t as widely available as some channels but there are a number of choices. These are the best:
- DIRECTV STREAM: Makes it easy to switch from cable to streaming with their 75+ channel Entertainment plan and options for much more. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: The top low-cost streaming service provides a great base channel lineup in both its plans. Save 50% your first month with Sling TV.
- Philo: This service gives you 70+ live TV channel for just $25/mo!
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
Ostensibly offering “enthusiast lifestyle genres,” FYI is a hodge-podge of home improvement and design, cars, outdoor recreation, and survival content.
If you want to cut the cord on your cable company but still stay on top of what’s happening in HOME.MADE.NATION, read on.
What Is FYI
FYI started life in 1998 as The Biography Channel, a spin-off of A&E. It was a place to reliably catch documentaries, including old episodes of A&E’s award-winning, then-flagship series Biography. When A&E started shifting toward more reality programming, The Biography Channel took over Biography and other edutainment shows from its parent.
In 2007, the network was rebranded as simply “Bio,” and programming correspondingly shifted to “true stories about fascinating people” and away from traditional biographies. In 2014, under the leadership of Jana Bennett (the person behind TLC’s successful metamorphosis into a reality channel), the network was rebranded again as “FYI,” a lifestyle channel.
FYI currently features content for home fixer-upper fans, automotive enthusiasts, and reality junkies. The network is owned by A+E Networks, which is also the parent company of A&E, Lifetime, History, Crime + Investigation, and Vice, and is in turn owned by Hearst Communications and Disney.
Other channels with a home improvement focus are HGTV and Magnolia Network (formerly DIY). Channels that feature relationship-themed reality TV shows are TLC and WE tv, and other car-enthusiast channels are MotorTrend and Choppertown.
FYI Programming
Today, the FYI channel is a series of marathons of some of A&E’s top shows of the past. These include Duck Dynasty, Wife Swap, Storage Wars, and Ice Road Truckers. It does have at least a few original shows currently airing:
- Barrett-Jackson Revved Up: The auction company behind the #1 event for car lovers shares highlights from its annual auctions.
- Sell This House!: Tanya Memme helps problem homes get sold.
- Tiny House World: This continuation of Tiny House Hunting and Tiny House Nation follows would-be tiny house-owners from around the globe.
- Man vs Child: Chef Showdown: Professional adult master chefs compete against culinary prodigies.
Unblock Your Favorite Movies and Shows With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
Stream FYI
FYI is available on most live TV streaming services, though notably not on FuboTV or YouTube TV. From the cheapest (Philo) to the most expensive (DIRECTV STREAM), let’s look at the details.
Philo
Smart TV shoppers will love Philo, which provides over 65 channels for $25/mo, plus streaming on up to 3 devices and unlimited DVR storage. What you might not love is that it’s missing a lot of major, popular channels, like Bravo, USA, Disney, local network stations, and pretty much any sports or news channels.
If that didn’t make you blink, then you should know you do get FYI, A&E, Crime + Investigation, HGTV, History, Lifetime, Magnolia Network, MotorTrend, TLC, and WE tv. (Philo review)
Sling TV
Sling TV makes you work a little harder at set-up, but it pays off in providing choice. Choose either the Orange or Blue package for $40.00/mo (or $55.00/mo for both). FYI Network comes with the Lifestyle Extra, a $6/mo add-on that includes FYI plus LMN, Magnolia Network, WE tv, all the Hallmark channels, and more.
Both base packages contain A&E, HGTV, History, Lifetime, and Vice, but you’ll have to choose between Sling Blue with TLC or Sling Orange with MotorTrend. Both plans come with 50 hours of cloud DVR storage. (Sling TV review)
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) is everything you have come to expect from a telecom mega-company — except the long-term commitment. Get 75 to 140+ channels, depending on how much you want to pay. And you can switch plans (or cancel altogether) anytime you want.
Unlimited cloud DVR and devices on your home network plus all your local TV channels are included. To get FYI, you’ll have to get the Ultimate Package, which is $119.99/mo. It also has Magnolia Network, A&E, HGTV, MotorTrend, TLC, and WE tv. (DIRECTV STREAM review)
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV builds on the long-time success of Hulu’s on-demand library by adding over 85 live channels of basic cable goodness. It starts on the pricey side — $76.99/mo — but Disney+ and ESPN+ are included in that subscription price.
It comes with unlimited cloud DVR with 9 months of storage, which can be upgraded. The good news — great news! — is that FYI is also included in the base package, along with A&E, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MotorTrend, and TLC. You should be aware that AMC Networks channels and services (AMC, Sundance TV, IFC, WEtv, Shudder) are not included. (Hulu + Live TV review)
Try Hulu + Live TV for 3 Days Free!
Vidgo
Vidgo is for people who like the idea of Philo but really want their news and sports. For $69.99/mo, you can get over 110 channels, including FYI, A&E, HGTV, History, Lifetime, Magnolia Network, MotorTrend, and TLC. True motorheads can check out Choppertown on the Premium Plan to see if it’s worth the $84.99/mo. (Vidgo review)
Other Ways to Stream FYI
- FrndlyTV: A true skinny bundle, 30+ channels for $7.99/mo, and that includes all the A+E channels, including FYI. Other networks run to documentaries and information (like The Weather Channel), family programming, and outdoor recreation.
- PlutoTV: A free streaming service provided by Paramount Global through a website and app, Pluto has a lot of episodes of a lot of FYI shows, totally free.
FYI Alternatives
Other viewing options depend on your favorite parts of FYI.
- HGTV: More home renovation, design, and selling. Popular shows include Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Home Town, Celebrity IOU, and My Lottery Dream Home.
- Magnolia Network: Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper explore more home improvement, restoration, and food.
- TLC: If you like Married at First Sight, you’ll love 90 Day Fiance and its many spin-offs, Love After Lockup, and Unexpected.
- WE tv: Looking for relationship reality on the next level? Check out Marriage Boot Camp, Braxton Family Values, and the hot mess that is Mama June.
- Bravo: Home of Real Housewives, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and Below Deck, this is the destination for the ultimate in trash-TV guilty pleasures.
Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN
You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
i | See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs. |
TVs and Mobile Devices to Live Stream FYI
All the most popular devices in use today are supported by the live TV streaming services we’ve highlighted:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android mobile devices
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast
- iOS devices (iPhone, iPad)
- Roku
- Samsung Smart TVs
- Web browsers
- Xbox.
There are some exceptions. DIRECTV STREAM does not support Apple TV and Xbox. It does, however, offer its own device that you can purchase directly. Philo and Vidgo do not support Samsung smart TVs and Xbox gaming systems.
See the streaming reviews we linked to above for complete lists. Some services support other devices. For example, Hulu supports the PlayStation.
Today’s FYI Network Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
Tiny House Nation: Back to the Build – The Sound of Music John and Zack give a violinist, songwriter and DJ the tiny homes of their dreams. | |
Tiny House Nation – 325 Sq. Ft. Expandable Tiny Cottage Jay and Jodi were spending all their time working to maintain their dream house. Now their biggest concern is creating a space that is comfortable for the whole family. | |
Tiny House Nation – Tiny Times Two John and Zack head to Texas to help a family rebuild after losing their dream home in a fire; Deanna and her sons are used to living large, so she wants to build two tiny homes. | |
Tiny House Nation – 400 Sq. Ft. Ohana House Carol and Clayton hope to build a unique tiny house that their family can grow into; they're planning on staying connected to their Hawaiin roots with a natural and airy feel. | |
Tiny House Nation: Back to the Build – The Sound of Music John and Zack give a violinist, songwriter and DJ the tiny homes of their dreams. | |
Tiny House Nation – 325 Sq. Ft. Expandable Tiny Cottage Jay and Jodi were spending all their time working to maintain their dream house. Now their biggest concern is creating a space that is comfortable for the whole family. | |
Tiny House Nation – Tiny Times Two John and Zack head to Texas to help a family rebuild after losing their dream home in a fire; Deanna and her sons are used to living large, so she wants to build two tiny homes. | |
Tiny House Nation – Empty Nest, Full House John and Zack are confident that they can build a tiny house with country charm for two empty nesters, until they learn that the couple want room for their kids and grandkids to visit when they're on the road. | |
One Day, One Bathroom: Quality Remodeling With FREE Installation! Trusted brand Jacuzzi and renowned interior designer, Christina Hall, share their secrets on how you can easily and affordably transform your bathroom into a gorgeous custom, safe and stylish space in 1 day! Call now for a FREE quote & installation! | |
House Stealing - The Latest Cyberthreat and How To Protect Your Home Home Title Lock - Title Theft is Real and Your Equity is at Risk. Protect the Title to Your Home Today with America's Leader in Home Title Monitoring, Change Alerts and Title Restoration. | |
Joseph Prince – Live With a Heavenly Perspective Living victoriously and rising above every trial by adopting a heavenly perspective. | |
Elevation with Steven Furtick Featuring inspirational messages from Pastor Steven Furtick at Elevation Church in North Carolina. | |
Joni: Table Talk Joni and guests tackle a wide range of relevant issues, controversial subjects and hard-hitting news topics with candor and wit. | |
David Jeremiah Dr. David Jeremiah's goal is to deliver the unchanging Word of God to an ever-changing world. | |
Mountain Men – The Wasteland Morgan's land fails to provide for him, and he is locked in a life-or-death battle with hunger; Tom's bad luck continues into a new season; Rich takes a bruising fall. | |
Mountain Men – Fallout Rich deals with the aftermath of his accident; Morgan searches for food; Eustace gets a golden opportunity that may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth. | |
Mountain Men – All Work and No Pay Morgan makes a surprising discovery that could finally put food on his table; Tom puts in work but gets no payoff; Marty chases the winter into the Revelation Mountains. | |
Mountain Men – No Man Is an Island Tom calls in reinforcements to bail him out; Morgan fights for survival in the deep freeze, and a father gambles everything for his family's future. | |
Mountain Men – Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Tom and Nancy divide and conquer to get ahead; Eustace makes a breakthrough with his lumber business; Morgan's luck turns around. | |
Mountain Men – Gone Faced with a hard truth, Tom does the unthinkable; Morgan embarks on a do-or-die hunt in the high peaks; Marty finds competition on the line. | |
Mountain Men – Freeze Out A jackpot slips from Tom's grasp; Morgan treks to the treacherous peaks in a last-ditch effort to find food; Marty is driven off his line. | |
Mountain Men – Killer Instinct Rich hunts a dog killer on unfamiliar ground; Morgan goes to great heights to protect his food supply; Tom harnesses the power of a bird of prey. | |
Mountain Men – Crash and Burn Tom takes on the Snake; Marty's new opportunity goes up in smoke; Eustace takes a hard fall that puts him out of commission. | |
Mountain Men – Concussion Eustace struggles to accept the reality of his injuries; Marty scrambles to recover from a costly blow; Tom makes a breakthrough. | |
48 Hours to Buy – Hainesport, NJ to Miami, FL After 30 years in their New Jersey home, Kris and Curt are ready to retire to their favorite spot -- sunny South Florida; after accepting an offer on their house, rest and relaxation can only come after they find a place to live. | |
48 Hours to Buy – Grafton, WI to Orlando, FL Aiming to leave the Wisconsin winters in their rearview mirror, Alex and Matt rush to find a house in Orlando, Fla., in time for their children to change schools. | |
48 Hours to Buy – Monument, CO to Charlotte, NC To start a new job in two weeks, Mike and Amy need to move from Monument, Colo., to Charlotte, N.C.; amping up the pressure, they have just one weekend to find their dream house that meets all the needs of their blended families. | |
48 Hours to Buy – Ludowici, GA to Tacoma, WA Derek and Tiffany have a full household in Ludowici, Ga., with four-year-old twins and three lively dogs; when Sergaent First Class Snyder receives a permanent change of office to Tacoma, Wash., this Army family must rise to the challenge. |
Wrapping Up
So whether you came for the matchmaker drama and stayed for the house flipping or vice versa, you don’t need your cable company to keep up with what’s going on with Rachel Ray’s Italian Dream Home.
Sign up for one of the streaming services listed above, and prepare to demolish that cable bill. A good choice is Philo for just $25/mo (Try Philo free for 7 days.).
FAQs
What happened to the Canadian FYI?
FYI in Canada was distributed by Corus Entertainment. In 2019, Canadian service providers started notifying customers that three specialty TV channels would be removed from service: IFC Canada, CosmoTV, and FYI. It is widely speculated that Corus was simply weeding out niche channels with lower viewership.
Why doesn’t YouTube TV have FYI?
Because you don’t want to pay $100+ a month for your TV, or you may as well just go back to cable, streaming services pick and choice what channels they offer. Media companies — NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, etc — charge TV providers to carry their channels. Typically, carriage fees are on a per-channel, per-subscriber basis. And more valuable channels command higher fees.
In order to keep subscription rates down, YouTube TV — and FuboTV as well — decided to pass on A+E channels. It’s the same reason why Hulu + Live TV doesn’t carry AMC, Fubo doesn’t carry Warner channels, and Philo doesn’t have anything more expensive than Discovery.
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