JioCinema’s ‘free’ IPL offer: How to watch it for free on any TV

If you happen to have an old TV or a non-smart TV at home, you must be watching the ongoing IPL 2024 season on Star Sports TV channel on your DTH which costs Rs 22.42 per month. In comparison, the IPL 2024 streaming is completely free on JioCinema and users can stream the matches directly even without logging into the JioCinema app
The good thing is that you can convert any TV into a smart TV with apps, Wi-Fi and remote control to download the JioCinema app as well as other OTT apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Zee5, etc and enjoy the content and you don’t even have to invest a fortune into buying an entirely new TV.
Solution 1: Smart TV dongle
All you need is a smart TV dongle. There are plenty of them available in the market like Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Mi TV Stick, Realme Smart TV stick, Apple TV, etc. These dongles are available starting at Rs 1,500. You can opt for more expensive ones if you want, but the basic one will do the job just fine.
Solution 2: Smart Set-top box
DTH service providers also offer Google TV or Android TV-powered set-top box to their DTH customers. These set-top boxes not only show TV channels but also run a full-fledged Android TV operating system with Google Play Store and all the OTT app support, including Jio Cinema. For instance, Airtel has Airtel Xstream, Tata Play has Tata Play Binge box and so on.
Do note that JioFiber also offers a JioTV box. Although it’s not Google-baked, it comes with JioCinema and other OTT app support and will also get the job done.
The added cost in a one-time
Now, you may be wondering that Rs 1,500 is more than Rs 22.42. But, it’s a time investment and comes with several added benefits like support for all the OTT apps, smart features and more. You can use this to convert your regular TV into a smart TV and take all the benefits that a modern smart TV offers.
Limitations
Everything seems to be pretty simple till now. However, there can be some challenges. For instance, if your TV has no HDMI port, this solution won’t work. Also, if your TV has just one HDMI port, you’ll have to get a converter or extender to accommodate other external accessories.
How to get the Jio Cinema app