Sling TV doesn’t have the best selection of channels and cloud DVR or user experience compared with other cable TV replacements.
The service is nevertheless attractive to many cord-cutters due to its affordable price.
Sling TV Review From a Real Customer: Everything to Know Before You Sign Up
Dish Network owns the satellite company that owns Sling TV, which was launched in 2015 as the first live-streaming TV service.
It is now facing lots of competition.
YouTube TV, Hulu Live and FuboTV are the three other online services that offer bundles of cable TV channels similar to Sling TV.
But is Sling TV’s cost-benefit enough to be relevant?
I’ve tried Sling TV as a paying subscriber more than any other service in many years. I’ll review the positives and negatives in this honest review by a customer.
Plans and Pricing
Sling TV plans start at just $40 per month, and other competitors charge at least $65 monthly.
What makes Sling TV cheaper? It has two plans, but with smaller channels.
Sling Orange and Sling Blue are each $40 per month, and you can mix Sling Orange + Blue and pay $55 monthly.
You can change plans or cancel when your habits of watching alter. There aren’t any contracts.
Sling TV doesn’t always offer an initial trial for free. However, I’ve benefited from offers such as three days of the free trial or $10 in the initial month.
Get the latest Sling TV deals here.
Channel Lineup
Comparing the available channels on Sling TV is difficult since the service has two plans instead of just one.
I’ll reduce it as much as I can to the best abilities within this portion.
Sling Blue has a better variety of channels but does not have ESPN. If ESPN is important to you, try Sling Orange and see if it offers everything you need. Consider bundles of Sling Orange with Sling Blue or an add-on plan in case certain channels that you need are not available.
Plan Highlights
The most significant draw of Sling Orange is ESPN and other Disney-owned channels. They are not part of Sling Blue.
Sling Blue is a provider of NFL Network along with FS1. Sling Orange does not, and NFL Network and FS1 do. Sling Orange doesn’t.
CNN, FOX News and MSNBC are all included in Sling Blue, but Sling Orange only has CNN.
Sling Blue is the cheapest method to access Bravo and other NBC-owned channels.
There are no local stations included in Sling Orange. FOX, as well as NBC, is available for selected cities that have Sling Blue.
Some channels, like A&E, AMC, HGTV, Food Network, History, Lifetime, Comedy Central, TBS and TNT, are available in each of Sling Orange and Sling Blue.
Sling TV has introduced a Service Optimizer tool that will assist you in choosing the right plan for you, which includes options like Sports Plus with NFL RedZone.
Type in your favourite channels to get a suggestion.
How to Watch Locals With Sling TV
There’s no way to receive the locally-owned channels (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) through Sling TV.
But Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue users might receive local numbers.
Sling TV only carries FOX and NBC in certain areas where these two networks own and operate the local station. ABC will be added to eight markets from March 1st 2023.
You can find a complete list of these markets by clicking here.
If local broadcasts are important, think about an outdoor or indoor antenna. AntennaWeb.org is an excellent source for researching the choices.
Key Takeaway
My YouTube videos have inquired about why Sling TV has two base plans and doesn’t provide local channels.
Answers to each of these questions are the same price.
Should Sling TV move to one base plan and add ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC stations in each market, it would have increased its prices by $10 to $15.
To top it off, this isn’t any different from YouTube TV or Hulu Live.
The fact that it is a low-cost alternative to rival services is the biggest strength. I don’t think they’ll ever be adding locals.
Cloud DVR
While Sling TV is a live streaming service for TV, however, you can stream your content on your terms using its cloud-based DVR.
Fast Facts
- Storage for 50 hours on a cloud-based DVR is included for free
- Fast-forward to the advertisements of recorded video
- Record multiple shows and even programs that air simultaneously
- Record new episodes, or brand new episodes, as well as Reruns
- Recordings do not expire
If 50 minutes of DVR storage doesn’t suffice for you, the option to upgrade to 200 hours of storage is for an additional fee of $5 per month.
The upgrade also offers the option of securing your recordings. If you have the base DVR plan, your most recent recording will be immediately deleted once you have reached the storage limit.
Equipment
Sling TV lets you stream live TV and your recordings to your smartphone, computer, tablet, or even a television with an appropriate device.
Some of the devices that are supported that stream to a TV are:
- AirTV
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- Roku
Select LG and Samsung TVs
At home, I typically watch Sling TV and other live services with the Roku Express 4K+. It’s among my top options for streaming under $50.
However, Sling TV integrates best with AirTV, which is a different owned by Dish.
When you utilize an antenna, AirTV and a streaming device, it is possible to view local channels on Sling TV’s Guide. Sling television guide.
A high-speed internet connection is needed for streaming Sling TV without buffering. Sling TV recommends an upload speed of 25 Mbps for most households.
Family Sharing
Sling TV lets you stream to multiple devices with the same account. However, some limitations are dependent on the plan you select.
Sling Orange allows only one stream at a given time.
Sling Blue permits three 3 streams at once.
If you’re a Sling Orange + Blue subscriber, you can stream as many screens simultaneously. However, only one of those streams will be from Sling Orange. Sling Orange plan.
Here’s an example of Sling Orange + Blue:
In my previous post, I said that ESPN is available only as part of the Sling Orange bundle, a single-stream plan.
Using ESPN on two TVs in separate areas of your house is impossible.
However, you could watch ESPN on one TV, and you have three additional devices (TVs phones, computers or TVs) playing CNN, NFL Network and Bravo.
These networks are part of the Sling Blue plan with three streams.
These limitations are not an issue for families of just one or two members; however, they could be problems for larger families, especially when using Sling Orange.
Another problem for families is that they can only create one profile using Sling TV.
Users can enable parental controls on their account’s settings that lock content according to ratings. Creating a PIN that allows access to restricted content is possible.
User Experience
Sling TV rolled out a new user interface and app in 2021. Sling TV called that”the “most comprehensive update” in the channel’s history.
The main navigational area is located on the left side of the screen. It’s divided into five main sections: Search, Home, Guide, DVR, and on Demand.
You can also access the settings icon that can be accessed from a television set, but the majority of changes to your account must be done through Sling.com.
Home Screen
The new home screen for Sling TV has multiple sizes of thumbnails. It provides recommendations based on current content and viewing past.
It also gives you easy access to your most watched channels and DVR.
Sling TV told me that these updates were designed to allow users to access content quickly and without opening Live Guide.
Based on my experience, this is what I have observed. I rely less on the manual using the app.
Live Guide
Updates in the current Guide’s layout have only sometimes been well accepted by all users.
The new live Guide gives an excellent first impression compared to the previous Guide. Selecting your most-loved channels and recording straight from your Guide is simpler.
However, you are still trying to change your live view of the Guide to a new date.
After the app was launched, Sling TV responded to complaints from users and reinstated the mini-guide, which allowed to browse channels while watching live TV.
Sling TV later added the full Guide to its channel following repeated requests from viewers.
Cloud DVR
The DVR section on Sling TV is familiar, but there wasn’t a DVR shortcut on the main navigation before the launch of the new app.
The DVR has three tabs: Recordings, Scheduled, and Trash.
The Recordings tab will be displayed by default. This screen records the contents of your DVR storage and displays thumbnails of the recordings you have made.
You can also access and manage recordings through your Scheduled tab.
When you delete an audio recording, it’ll be visible in the Trash tab for 48 hours until it is deleted permanently.
Playback Controls
Sling TV has added the ability to pause, reverse and fast-forward when watching live TV.
Press the button on your remote when you are watching live TV to get access to this feature. Other options include playing from the beginning, skipping to Live, and Record.
In the controls below the playback buttons, you will find mini-guides shortcuts for current and all channels.
Pros and Cons Summary
I get calls from many people who claim they watch only a few cable TV channels, and an annual subscription of $65 for a live-streaming service for TV isn’t worth the cost.
If you sign up for Sling TV, you can access those essential channels for just $40 monthly.
There are compromises to Sling TV. I’ve spent most of this article discussing the issues to help you determine reasonable expectations.
Pros
- Starting price low
- A mix of sports, news and entertainment networks
- Many devices are supported
- Improved user experience
- ConsLearning curve: Confusing channel bundles
- Local channels are limited.
- Sling Orange is limited to one stream.
- There is no profile option.
Typically, I sign up for Sling TV for around half the year. You purchase one of the base plans, which include Sling Orange and Sling Blue.
If one of the base plans is a good fit for your needs, then you’ll save money compared to satellite or cable.
If you subscribe to an expensive service such as YouTube TV, consider switching to Sling TV if you watch less TV during certain seasons.
