Which Service Has A Better Channel Lineup
For this section, we only consider the channels that are available without any additional hardware or add-ons. Sling TV can integrate the local channel feeds from an antenna that its OTA lineup does not include, provided you set up an indoor antenna, a TV tuner, and a compatible media streaming device. That extra hardware adds to the cost, however, and is tedious to set up, which partially defeats the purpose of moving to a sleeker OTA live TV setup.
We consider the channel lineup in the New York City market for this article. The available local channels and regional sports networks will vary based on your location. At the time of testing, Hulu + Live TV offers around 75 channels, while Sling TV is limited to about 51 channels.
What Is Sling TV Team Clark Reviews The Live TV Streaming Service
| Sling Orange + Blue | |
|---|---|
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Streamers trying to stay at or below $50 per month |
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| Cloud DVR Hours | |
| Supported Streaming Devices |
Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV and select smart TVs |
If you are looking for a way to both cut the cord and beat the pricing from YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, picking one of Sling TVs packages may be your best cost-saving move.
Sling touts three major packages, and theyre are all cheaper than many of the top players in this space:
- Sling Blue
- Sling Orange
- Sling Orange + Blue
You can purchase either Blue or Orange as a standalone product for $35 per month. If youd like the benefits of both, you can buy the combination package for $50 per month.
That pricing has caught the attention of money expert Clark Howard. Its $15-$30 per month cheaper than its top live TV streaming competitors, which have settled into the $65 per month range.
Sling TV offers a comparative advantage in pricing over YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, Clark says, Particularly if youre good with just the Orange or the Blue package. It would save you quite a bit of money over the course of a year.
Clark is not currently a Sling TV subscriber, but he says he would seriously consider it as a cost-saving measure if not for the other members of his family: They strongly prefer the functionality of YouTube TV.
Ill take a closer look at the differences in the channel menu for each of the Sling TV packages later in this article.
Is Sling TV Worth It
If you like having a lot of channels and enjoy channel surfing, you’re probably better off with cable or satellite TV. But if Sling TV’s basic package or add-on packs have most of the kind of programming you like, it could be a better deal.
You can also supplement Sling’s programming with other online services, such as Amazon Prime , Crackle , Hulu and Netflix .So think about what you like to watch, and add up how much it will cost with Sling TV and other streaming services compared with cable or satellite TV. Sling TV offers a free seven-day trial, so you can find out firsthand how you like it.
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Are Regional Bally Sports Networks On Sling TV
In July 2019, regional FOX Sports networks were dropped from Sling TV and its parent company DISH Network.
A contract dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. led to 21 regional networks being taken off of Sling TV and DISH Networks channel lineup.
FOX Sports re-branded to Bally Sports on March 31, 2021. Dish Network Corp. Chairman Charlie Ergen said earlier this year that his company was open to ending its standoff with Sinclair.
Sling TV Review: Pricing And Availability
Sling TV offers a free, seven-day trial, but there’s a sneaky trick to getting it: You can’t sign up through the web, you have to sign up through a Sling-compatible device . After the trial, Sling offers $10 off the first month for all three of its plans.
The lower tiers, Sling Orange and Blue, are $30 for existing subscribers , but $35 per month for new subscribers. The top-tier plan, Sling Orange & Blue, costs $50 per month for new members and $45 for existing accounts. Pricing for new members rose on .
Current sales include a offer and a Black Friday Sling TV discount where you get one month free with purchase of another.
If you’re interested in watching live local programming from broadcast networks, Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Blue provide access to NBC and Fox in some markets . If you’re not in one of those markets or you also want ABC and CBS, Sling offers packages that include an HD antenna and AirTV , but they require you prepay for three months of Sling service.
In contrast, YouTube TV costs $64.99 per month for access to up to 70-plus channels. Hulu with Live TV costs $64.99 per month for 85-plus channels. Fubo TV costs $64.99 for 110+ channels. All three services offer local networks in most areas as part of their plans. Sling’s pricing and channel lineup is more similar to Philo, which costs $20 for 59 channels .
As far as availability, Sling TV can be played on many devices, besides its own AirTV Mini:
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Sling TVs Performance And Specifications
As far as our streaming experience goes with Sling TV, we couldnt find 1080 HD streams available. Most streams are available in 720p HD, and lower resolutions of 480p when the internet connection is slow.
The minimum recommended internet bandwidth for Sling TV streamers depends on the device and the number of devices used on a single broadband:
- Mobile/Tablet 3.0 + Mbps
- PCs/Mac/Laptop 5.0 + Mbps
- Multi-Device Households 25 + Mbps
Despite the lack of 1080p streams, Sling TV offers a free AirTV device that supports 4K streams with other apps, and some live TV channels are also supported up to 60 frames-per-second.
Sling TV In Action: User Experience
When you sign up and log in to your Sling TV dashboard, you have six main menu options:
- My TV: Rows of categorized TV channels and programs based on the likes of genre and release date. You can also create your own custom row of live TV channels here. The most popular rentals are also shown here, so some of the sub-menu content overlaps.
- On Now: Similar to the My TV tab, this sub-menu shows you categorized programs, but only whats currently on. If you prefer a visual of titles, you may prefer to use this over the Guide tab.
- Guide: The classic TV guide with each channel taking a row where programs are shown by start and finish time. You can scroll through the page to see each channels program plan and change the day for which you want to see the guide. You can also filter channels by clicking on the All Channels filter icon. The Guide tab has a list view and a block view of channels, too. When you pick a channel, you can choose to record a program, start it from the beginning, or watch in live in-time.
- Sports: Again, this page categorizes sports programs by type of sport like baseball, boxing, or football. You can see what sports are on live, categories of sports channels in your Sling TV plan, as well as sports on-demand.
Aside from these main menu options, you can also use the search bar to find titles by name.
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Can You Watch Abc On Sling TV
Sling TV used to carry ABC in its Broadcast Extra add-on package, which was an additional $5 per month. However, Sling ditched the Broadcast Extra bundle after losing Univision and UniMas in a contractual dispute. Upon eliminating the Broadcast Extra package, Sling TV also dropped ABC altogether from its lineup, so no, you cannot watch ABC on Sling TV.
There is a minor exception to this. Sporting events that air on ABC, like NBA games or college football, also simulcast on ESPN3, which Sling TV does carry in its Orange package for $35 per month.
Other services like FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV do let you stream ABC in many markets.
If you want this local channel, check out our guide on how to watch ABC online.
Sling TV Internet Speed: How Fast Does It Need To Be
Sling TV has internet speed recommendations based on the device you’re using to watch programming.
So, if you’re watching Sling TV on a mobile device such as an iPhone or iPad, you’ll need at least 3 Mbps for good-quality video. When you move to a TV, PC or Mac, expect to need 5 Mbps to get the video quality you desire.
Sling recommends getting internet speeds of at least 25 Mbps through your internet service provider in order to get the best-quality streaming.
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Sling TV Cancellation: How Do I Cancel Sling
Sling TV is a month-to-month service and does not require a contract. You can start or stop at any time, and there are no startup fees, cancellation penalties or equipment-rental costs.
If you find that Sling TV isn’t what you had hoped for, you can follow the company’s simple process for canceling your membership. On your account page, you’ll see a Cancel Subscription link. Click on the Cancel Subscription option again, and tell Sling why you’re leaving.
After Sling confirms your cancellation, billing will stop immediately. Because there are no contracts, you can cancel at any time for any reason, and you won’t be penalized.
Can You Watch Pbs On Sling TV
No, you cant watch PBS on Sling TV at this time. As a matter of fact, most of the major live streaming services do not carry PBS. One of the few exceptions is YouTube TV from $64.99 per month.
If you want to watch PBS without an antenna or cable, your best bet is to download the PBS Video App on your device to access their content.
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What Is A Dma
A Designated Market Area or DMA is a region usually centered around a large city that determines the programming you’ll receive. Markets are usually named for the largest city or cities in the market.
For Example: The New York DMA includes not only New York City itself, but areas where New York channels are viewed the most. This includes areas surrounding the city, as well as party of New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
The DMA you are in determines what local and regional content you can receive.
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*Local channel availability varies by geography.
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How To Watch Sling TV In Canada
If you already have a Sling TV account and are travelling to Canada or youre just looking to try out a new streaming platform, youre going need to use a VPN to help you access the service and bypass the geo-restrictions.
To start streaming Sling, you can follow these 3 simple steps:
1) Sign in to your VPN provider of choice and connect to a USA based server.2) Next, login to your Sling TV account.3) Sit back, relax and enjoy all that your new streaming platform has to offer!
Sports Channels On Sling TV
In its basic channel lineups, Sling TVs sports coverage doesnt have much gameespecially when it comes to college sports. Sling Orange will get you ESPN and ESPN2, Sling Blue delivers FS1 and NFL Network, and Sling Orange + Blue has all four. Still, pretty slim.
But, with Sling TVs Sports Extra add-on, you can get up to 20 more sports channels, including college sports and channels like NFL RedZone and NHL Network. Well dive into Sling TVs add-on options in a minuteas mentioned before, add-ons are Sling TVs thing.
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The 2 Main Packages Sling Orange And Sling Blue Offer 30+ Channels For $35 A Month Or $50 Combined
Sling’s two main offerings are Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Each plan is available to stream for $35 a month. You can also combine the two packages for $50 a month, giving you access to all 50+ channels Sling offers. For a limited time, new customers can get their first month of the Orange or Blue plan for $25 off. For the combined package, new customers receive $30 off their first month.
Channels largely overlap between Blue and Orange, but there are a few differences that might push you to choose one over the other. The channels that overlap include standouts like Food Network, Lifetime, AMC, CNN, and more. Meanwhile, Disney and ESPN are only included with Sling Orange. In their place, Sling Blue offers networks like the Discovery Channel and a slate of Fox-owned and NBC-owned channels.
Blue also comes with local NBC and Fox networks, but only in select markets. Sling Orange doesn’t offer any local channels, so if you’re hoping to catch your local nightly news, Sling Blue is the way to go.
Which Cell Phone Plan Should I Get
Not only do you need a good internet connection, but youll also need enough data to support your streaming needs if youre a cell phone streamer.
And who isnt a mobile streamer when it comes to passing the time during your lunch break, riding the train to work, or distracting your little ones while youre grocery shopping?
We recommend an unlimited data plan for the family, so you never have to worry about limiting your binge-watching time on Hulu. And we all know it could lead to a family crisis if someone uses more data than they were allowed.
What are the best unlimited cell phone plans?
Sling TV actualy is the BEST!!! No offense, but paying the cable company $150+ versus paying Sling TV is a no brainer.
Well our internet is 85.00 a month just for internet alone. The 50 scam I got with sling with the AIR TV I was told did Cloud DVR combined with all the problems makes it A POOR CHOICE. Service sucks. They told me I COULD NOT RETURN my Air TV. After what Brian said glad they said that since he returned his and got nothing for it! It works to play youtube for my bird. Switching today to PSVUE.
No big Ten Network ??
I thought this would be an inexpensive option to watch my
Sling TV is crap youre getting what you pay for
i called them , and they give this response . so i wanted other to know how bad is there services
Can sling TV stream in 4K?
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Sling Orange Full Channel List
Sling Orange includes A& E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, Bloomberg TV, Cartoon Network, Cheddar, Cheddar Big News, Chiller, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet TV, Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Flama, Food Network, Freeform, Fuse, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, Maker, MotorTrend Network, Polaris, Stadium, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, and Vice TV.
Should You Cut The Cord For Sling TV
Sling TV is a great option for anyone thinking about cutting the cable TV cord the cord on cable tv. With a variety of plans and features, you can customize a package that meets your specific needs. The service offers local coverage in some areas, which is a must for serious sports fans and newshounds. If you dont live in an area where you can get live local access through Sling TV, we recommend bundling your Sling subscription with CBS All Access and an HD antenna for the most comprehensive experience.
With YouTube and Hulu with Live both priced at $64.99/month, check out Sling TV Blue and Orange packages, which start at $35/month!
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Which Service Has Better Prices
Hulu + Live TV is $64.99 per month and a subscription includes access to both Hulus live TV channels and its on-demand library of cable shows, originals, and movies. With this plan, you will need to deal with commercials when you stream on-demand content. You can upgrade to the $70.99-per-month Hulu + Live TV plan to watch Hulus on-demand content without ad interruptions .
Slings Blue and Orange plans each cost $30 per month. You can get both plans for a combined $45 per month, a price that is still significantly cheaper than Hulu + Live TV. Sling often bundles streaming hardware, such as the AirTV mini, AirTV 2, and indoor HD tuners, at a discounted price so long as you prepay for a few months. For example, if you prepay for three months of Sling, you can currently get all three of these devices for an additional $99. If you prepay for two months, you can get the AirTV mini for free.
Winner: Sling TV