So how can Sling TV benefit you? It’s simple. For just $25 a month, Sling TV gives you access to more than 25 of your favorite live TV channels. New channels and entertaining content are added to the service frequently. Sling TV is available on a variety of devices, including laptops, smartphones, game consoles, streaming players, smart TVs and Roku players.
Contents
- 1 What is Sling TV?
- 2 How Does It Work?
- 3 What Is Available on Sling TV?
- 4 How do I use Sling TV?
- 5 Why choose Sling TV?
- 6 How much does Sling TV cost?
- 7 What devices work with Sling TV?
- 8 Pros and Cons of Cutting the Cord with Sling TV
- 9 How can I watch Sling TV for free?
- 10 How do I record shows and movies?
- 11 How do I download the Sling TV app?
- 12 Conclusion: Is Sling TV Worth It?
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV is an Internet television service owned by Dish Network in the United States.
The virtual multichannel video programming distributor was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 5, 2015. The distributor offers a number of popular cable channels that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media devices, and smartphones to complement subscription video-on-demand services.
The service had more than 671,000 customers as of February 2015. Roger Lynch, CEO of Sling TV. He previously worked for Dish Network as senior vice president of advanced technologies.
Other live-streaming TV services, such as PlayStation Vue and Hulu Live TV, are the service’s main competitors, while AT&T Watch TV, an over-the-top IPTV service, will be released later. Fubo and Philo are two OTT IPTV competitors.
During a summer 2019 TCA press tour in Los Angeles in July 2019, Dish Network unveiled new branding for itself and its sibling internet TV provider Sling TV.
How Does It Work?
You can watch live channels as they stream through the service. You can also pause, rewind or fast-forward through your favorite shows. These are just a few of the benefits of switching from cable or satellite to a streaming provider like Sling TV.
What Is Available on Sling TV?
As mentioned above, Sling TV has over 100 channels available for streaming. In addition to local, sports, and premium networks, it also offers channels like:
- Disney Channel (both East and West),
- History Channel,
- ESPN2,
- CNN, and more.
Sling TV is an excellent option for cutting the cord if you prefer to watch popular shows like “Duck Dynasty” or “Project Runway” on Bravo or Lifetime.
It also offers movies on demand through some platforms, including Sundance Now Doc Club and Starz Kids & Family. You can view all on-demand content in one place at a time, or filter by service or genre to find what you’re looking for more quickly.
The ability to watch live TV without a cable or satellite subscription is perhaps Sling TV’s biggest selling point.
This option is ideal if you don’t want to miss any of the excitement, whether you want to watch award shows live or on demand without having to wait for them to be uploaded to Netflix.
Channels on Sling TV
Sling TV’s channel lineup is a mix of local and national channels. Only a few channels are shared between the Sling Blue and Sling Orange bundles, but most are unique to one or the other.
NBC, Fox, ABC and CBS are not yet available on the platform. While this may disappoint some cord-cutters, it should be noted that these networks are also available on other streaming platforms such as FuboTV. Additionally, with an HD antenna, you can watch nearby channels over the air for free.
With the Orange bundle, Sling TV includes a number of sports channels, including ESPN and ESPN2. FOX News Channel and Bravo are included in the Blue plan, which focuses more on general entertainment.
How do I use Sling TV?
Visit sling.com to sign up for a free 7-day trial of Sling TV. Before committing to a single tier of service, we recommend that you try multiple packages over the course of the week to see which one you prefer. Once your account is set up, install the official app on your smartphone and you’re ready to go!
Before choosing between services, keep in mind that some applications have platform restrictions – the PlayStation Vue, for example, is currently only available on consoles and mobile devices.
Will It Work When You Travel?
Anywhere you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection, you can get Sling TV.
Many devices, including computers, tablets, smartphones, and streaming boxes like the Amazon Fire Stick, are compatible with the service. If your smart TV or video game system has the Sling app, you can watch it there, too.
Why choose Sling TV?
For cord cutters who still want access to their favorite shows and want to save money, Sling TV is a fantastic choice. Here’s why:
You can watch it on up to 3 devices at the same time.
You can watch on a variety of devices, including: Roku, Chromecast, AppleTV, FireTV Stick, Xbox One, iPad/iPhone/Android phone/tablet, PC or Mac – they even make their own streaming device called the AirTV.
You can also customize your channel lineup by purchasing add-ons like HBO or Showtime.
You can use their DVR feature to record your favorite shows (a basic feature).
You can watch your favorite shows on the go – you’re not tethered to your TV if you don’t want to be.
Not only that, but you can pause, rewind, and fast-forward in real time – no waiting or buffering required!
How much does Sling TV cost?
The least expensive (and by far the most popular) Sling TV subscription is just $20 per month for about 30 channels. You get access to TBS and TNT for sports and entertainment, as well as ESPN and ESPN2. You can only use one stream at a time, which is the only limitation in this case.
Since you cannot use the same account, no one else in your home will be able to watch anything else on their phone or laptop while you are watching Sling TV. As we said in the post, upgrading will take care of this problem (i.e. roommates) if it exists.
If you don’t want to spend $40 per month but still want to have more than one Sling TV stream playing in your home at the same time, there are two options: Orange + Blue ($25/mo) and Orange + Blue + Sports Extra ($50/mo). These bundles each have more than 45 channels, but they don’t include HBO or Cinemax, so if you want those premium networks, you’ll have to pay an additional $15 per month.
Major Disadvantages
Price: At $20 a month, Sling TV is a great deal. However, if you want more channels and the ability to use a DVR, it’s going to cost you. It’s still a cheaper option than cable, but it can add up.
Lack of DVR: You can watch shows on demand with Sling TV, but that doesn’t work so well for live events and other sports. Without a DVR option (yet), you are stuck watching things in real time or not at all.
Limited channels: Some people like this because they don’t have to pay for dozens of channels they never watch. However, many cord cutters miss certain channels and may really want them on their Sling TV subscriptions – like AMC or Disney Junior – without spending extra money on additional channel packages.
Inadequate channels: For others, including myself, I tried cutting the cable cord and using Sling TV as my only source of entertainment. The channel options on Sling weren’t enough to keep me from getting bored with the content available through Sling TV alone.
What devices work with Sling TV?
Surprisingly, many devices are compatible with Sling TV. If you want to watch on a TV, you can use Sling TV with the following streaming devices: Apple TV, Roku, Apple Fire Stick, Google Chromecast, Air TV, and Xbox One. You can also watch it on Android TVs, Hisense, LG, Samsung and other smart TVs.
Sling TV is compatible with iOS and Android phones and tablets for on-the-go viewing. On Macs or Windows PCs (Chrome), you can watch directly in a browser (Safari). Finally, Amazon Fire tablets are Sling-compatible.
Pros and Cons of Cutting the Cord with Sling TV
The Pros
Sling TV is worth a try if you’re considering it because you can’t afford the $80+ per month that cable providers charge. Not only does it cost less each month, but it offers an excellent experience for the money (e.g., $20 for more than 30 channels). There are also workarounds for accessing local broadcast channels, such as in Los Angeles and New York City, if you’re willing to spend some time fiddling with Sling TV’s settings.
The Cons
Switching to Sling TV (or one of its add-on bundles) may not be the smartest move if your favorite shows and channels aren’t included. For example, joining Sling TV will undoubtedly leave you unhappy if your favorite entertainment channels include AMC (The Walking Dead), FX, Comedy Central, or any of the other 80+ channels that are not offered.
Also keep in mind that many sports networks, such as ESPN and NFL Network, do not currently offer live streaming through their mobile apps. They may well have in 2016, but not at this time. So don’t plan on immediately switching from cable to CBS All Access or HBO Now when the football season ends this weekend.
How can I watch Sling TV for free?
You can check it out by signing up for a free 7-day trial of Sling TV. During the trial, you can watch on-demand shows and movies, as well as live TV. Plus, you won’t be charged if you decide to cancel before the trial ends.
For about $25 a month, Sling TV offers a reliable streaming service with a ton of channels and DVR storage. Considering how easy it is to sign up for a free trial, there’s no excuse not to check it out before spending any money. Keep in mind that if you decide to continue using Sling TV after the first seven days, your credit card will be automatically charged $25 per month until you cancel the subscription.
Does Sling TV offer a free trial?
Only Sling TV offers a generous 7-day trial, giving you plenty of time to decide if it’s the best option for your household. You can cancel at any time for a full refund with no contracts or commitments.
I’m sure you’re wondering what happens if I forget to cancel. Don’t worry, the company won’t charge your credit card until your free trial is up. That means you have plenty of time to explore Sling TV’s features before you commit.
How do I record shows and movies?
The maximum amount of time that recordings can be stored is twenty-four hours, after which they are immediately deleted. Keep an eye on your recordings before they expire! You can record to multiple devices, but only if each device has its own Sling TV account, in case you were wondering.
You can skip commercials when watching recordings, but only after the recording has ended. Sorry! It is impossible to record or schedule from a mobile device, but why would anyone want to do that? Finally, unfortunately, you cannot watch and record your live feed at the same time (like a real DVR).
How do I download the Sling TV app?
- To download the Sling TV app, first go to the App Store.
- In the App Store, type “Sling TV” and a search icon should appear after you type this request in the search bar.
- Once the Sling TV app appears on your screen, click on it to bring up a page.
- This page gives you an overview of what the Sling app is all about.
- If you scroll down on the same page, you can click “Reviews” and see what other users have to say about this particular streaming application.
- To download the application to your device, click “Get” followed by “Install” next to where it says “free”.
- Once installed, open the Sling TV application and you will be presented with two options: “Sign In” or “Sign Up Now!”
- Click the blue button that says “Sign Up Now” and enter your email address (make sure you use an active email address so they can send you a confirmation).
- Next, choose a password for your account and click Continue!
Conclusion: Is Sling TV Worth It?
Sling TV is available for a 7-day no obligation trial. It’s a great way to try it out before using it with your family. After the trial period, you can cancel at any time without incurring any charges if you decide you do not want to continue using the service. Just be sure to cancel before your 7-day trial expires.
