sling.com
Sling TV is a live streaming service that was introduced to the world some time ago. It has gained a large following because of its affordable plans and its vast content library. Users can watch content from anywhere and on any device, making it one of the most popular live TV streaming services in the USA.
Since Sling TV was introduced in 2014, it has proven to be a great alternative for viewers who want to cut the cord. With this service, you can have a compact TV viewing experience comprising of channels that matter. As a result of this, you don't have to pay expensive bills or rack up expensive equipment that clutters the space under your TV. You can live stream from any device and at an affordable price.
Live TV streaming platforms are proliferating, with DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, and YouTubeTV all launching in the past few months. However, Sling TV is the cheapest option among these services by a considerable margin.
Is Sling TV and Slingbox the same?
There's no doubt that Sling TV has evolved from its predecessor, the Slingbox. But, when it comes to cord-cutting alternatives, Sling TV is in its own league. Through this service, the brand is catering to the entire US audience, allowing them to watch the majority of the basic channels without the need for pesky equipment in the living room or on the roof.
Sling TV isn't rigid in its operation. Apart from the basic channels available in the package, you can add additional content for an extra fee. For instance, you can pay $4.99 and add six channels of your choice. If you're looking for premium content, you can also add HBO, EPIX, and STARZ for just a few additional bucks a month.
Sling TV is similar to Prime Video and Netflix in that it uses the internet connection to function. You just need a compatible player, such as Xbox One, Roku, or Android device, and you're good to go.
History
Sling TV was unveiled on January 5, 2015. It is a television service owned by Dish Network. Ever since its launch, it has been seen as a virtual multichannel video programming distributor. Today, you can access content on Sling TV through digital media players, smart TVs, and apps from anywhere you want.
Design
I had a little trouble getting the hang of Sling TV's interface, but it worked fine. I liked that it didn't have the most intuitive interface. The standard color tone used across most of the well-known streaming service websites is grey, black, and white.
In my opinion, I like the fact that Sling TV allows you to save shows and channels as well as mark your favorite one. This is pretty standard across all major streaming networks.
The little orange lines under the videos indicate how much progress you have made watching that video. In Hotstar, there is a green line that shows how far you have progressed. These little details help you to keep track of your progress and continue from where you left off.
Although Sling's interface may not be extremely appealing or intuitive, it does get the job done. If you're used to flipping channels, you won't be pleased as there is no surfing option in Sling. The homepage is set up in a horizontal mosaic window format which starts with your favorite channels. The display is optimized on most of the devices and thus you can see anywhere between three to five channels on your screen at a time. But you will need to side scroll a lot.
In 2019, viewers prefer back and forth toggle as compared to searching, sorting, and horizontal scrolling.
Content
Sling TV offers a great content package with a lot of add-on options. Though the content library isn't as expansive as many leading streaming services, it's still impressive. As far as the content goes, there are two plans - Orange and Blue Plan. Both of these plans have similar base channels.
Since there are so many channels to choose from, you can find something to watch on almost any occasion.
Both the Sling Blue and the DirecTV Now packages have the same channels. The only difference between them is that Sling Blue doesn't have Disney-owned channels.
On-Demand content is a USP
Apart from the Live TV channels mentioned above, you can also choose from an extensive on-demand content library that you would only find on Sling. I was thrilled to find some of the titles of Sling, including the entire collection of ?Billions?, ?Real Housewives?, ?Good Eats? and the latest season of ?It?s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?.
If the basic package does not have what you need, you can add additional channels for just $5/month. These add-ons can range from kids' channels to movie channels to sports channels - whatever you want them to be.
Desktop/Mobile experience
Slingbox is a little different in that you canât pause and rewind live TV, but it does have a built-in DVR so you can record shows and then watch them later. You can also watch shows on different devices at the same time. If your internet speed is 3Mbps or greater, youâll be able to watch quality streams without any problems.
With Sling TV, you can pause, rewind and even fast-forward Live TV on channels. It also allows you to watch shows just a few days after they have premiered. Sling TV can be streamed from numerous devices which include mobile devices as well. If your internet speed is 1.5Mbps, you?d be able to achieve decent quality streams. Slingbox is a little different in that you can't pause and rewind live TV, but it does have a built-in DVR so you can record shows and then watch them later. You can also watch shows on different devices at the same time. If your internet speed is 3Mbps or greater, you'll be able to watch quality streams without any problems.
One of the things I don't like about Sling TV is that when you cast your streams from a smaller screen to the bigger ones, the experience can be quite different. Sometimes it works great on some devices and very poorly on others. For instance, when I used my iPhone SE, the stream was clear and crisp. However, when I cast it via Chromecast, the quality dipped down and everything went awry. There's an instant drop in video and audio quality.
The search experience is poor. Regardless of your device, if you do a search query, you won't get results that make much sense. For instance, try searching "Game of Thrones?", and you'd find random results featuring the GOT segment, behind the scenes, etc. The only thing you won't find is the show itself - which is very frustrating.
Compatibility is not a problem
To access Sling TV, you can create an account on the Dish website. You can use that information to log in to the Sling TV app. You can access the content via an app on Android, Apple TV, iOS, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Chromecast, Roku, Android TV System and Xbox One. Thanks to a partnership between LG and Dish, you can stream live on Korean devices such as LGâs webOS smart TVs, Vizio SmartCast TVs and Samsung Smart TVs.
Plans & Pricing
If you're new to cord-cutting, you might find Sling TV's packages confusing. So, let's clarify that first. There are two packages - Sling Orange and Sling Blue. If you're looking for an individual plan which caters to your needs, then you should go for the Sling Orange Plan. If you want to share it with your family, then you should pick Blue.
Each plan costs $25/month. For the first month, you are required to pay just $15/month as an introductory discount. Both of these channels will have a difference in a few areas. If you want an all-inclusive package, you can combine the two packages and get a multiservice discount. If you opt for that option, you will get two-months of viewing at just $25/month. After two months, it will cost $40 per month.
Suggestions I have for Sling TV
I've been using Sling TV for over two years and it's always been improving. I started with the Orange package and later switched to Sling Blue because I thought the Orange package wasn't meeting my needs.
Conclusion
Sling TV has really revolutionized the live streaming service. Though it's not the best user interface out there, it still offers great value for money. It's one of the most affordable ways to watch live television and on-demand content, so I would definitely suggest you check it out for a couple of months and see if you like it. If you decide that it's worth it, then you can go ahead and commit to a full subscription.
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