Wednesday, March 27, 2024

How To Get Local Channels On Sling TV

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Sling TV Internet Speed: How Fast Does It Need To Be

Sling TV LOCAL channels – Can You Watch Local News, Weather, & Sports on Sling TV?

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.

MORE: How Much Internet Speed Should You Really Pay For?

What Sling TV Local Channels Are Available

Sling TVs local channel selection leaves a lot to be desired, unfortunately. Through Sling TV, youll only be able to access FOX and NBC. Availability varies by market, as well, so some subscribers may not be able to get one or the other .

Through Sling TV, youll be able to choose between 3 channel packages:

What Input Should My TV Be On

If youre using a coaxial cable, your televisions on-screen input list will usually label it as either TV or ANTENNA. On the back of the television it will usually be labeled ANTENNA or a variant of it, such as ANT. Most televisions will also need to be on either channel 3 or 4 when using a coaxial connection.

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What Equipment Do I Need To Get Started

One of the biggest perks of cutting the cord and using a service like Sling TV is the variety of ways in which you can enjoy the content.

Not only can you move seamlessly from device to device, but you can also take your recorded content with you thanks to the portability of the cloud DVR.

You can watch Sling TV on your phone, tablet or computer. In fact, Sling recently launched a new version of its app that includes some cool new features like browsing whats playing on all other channels while still watching a channel.

Many of us still like to enjoy entertainment on a television from the comfort of our couches. Sling TV has you covered in that area, too. Most of the most popular streaming devices, including Roku and Amazon Fire TV, are compatible.

The streaming services list of supported devices for TV includes:

  • TiVo Stream 4K
  • Xbox One and Xbox Series X

This is probably a good time to mention that Sling likes to run promotions for new customers that sometimes can net you a free streaming device for your television.

For example, heres a limited-time promotion offered recently to new users willing to prepay for two months of service:

One final thing to consider in the equipment arena is how important local channels are to you.

If you need to see all of them as a Sling subscriber, you may also need to invest in an antenna to account for the channels that Sling does not provide. Remember, Sling provides access only to select NBC and FOX affiliates on some of its packages.

Devolucin De Sling TV

How to Get Local Channels using Sling TV
  • Only valid for new Sling TV subscribers to Sling Orange, Blue, or Sling Orange + Blue.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Sling TV website.
  • Youll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase .
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and wont be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

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Sling TV Premium Channels

Sling also allows you to subscribe to premium channels, like Showtime , which includes eight total Showtime channels. The six Starz channels cost $9 per month. EPIX’s 4 channels cost $5 per month.

Other premium extras cost as low as $3 per month, including Lion Mountain TV and Watch It Scream! . You can even add karaoke, with the $7 per month Stingray Karaoke, which claims to have approximately 10,000 songs, in both English and Spanish.

What This Means For Football Fans

One of the benefits of subscribing to Sling TV in one of the markets where the local Fox affiliate is carried is access to football. Fox is the home of the NFLs NFC conference games and many of the markets listed above are home to a franchise that plays in the NFC.

If you subscribe to Sling Blue, and live in an NFC franchise NFL city, you can watch most of your favorite teams games for just $35 per month.

Getting access to Fox also means you can watch Foxs college football coverage, including Big Noon Kickoff.

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Is The Lack Of Local TV Channels Hurting Sling TV

One difference between Sling TV and its competitors is that it doesnt bundle many local TV channels. A lack of locals puts Sling at a disadvantage in some situations. However, its not clear if the lack of bundled local channels or more aggressive marketing by rivals is to blame for the slowdown in Sling TVs growth.

Streaming Local Channels On Sling TV

How to Get Local Channels using Sling TV | Sling TV and AirTV Player Review

Live local programming from FOX and NBC is available for customers located in select cities when subscribed to our Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Sling Blue services. If you have a zip code in a market we have FOX, but not NBC, then you will only see the FOX owned and operated stations.

You can use our Service Optimizer to search for locals available on Sling in your area.

To see a list of Designated Market Areas that offer FOX and/or NBC streaming on Sling TV,

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What Platforms Do Hulu And Sling TV Support

In addition to watching Hulu via a web browser, you can download dedicated apps on mobile platforms , media streaming devices , select smart TVs and TV boxes, and game consoles . Although Hulu supports live TV streams on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 owners do not get this same benefit.

Sling TV offers apps and experiences on most of the same experiences, but is notably missing support for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles. However, Sling does offer an app for the Oculus Go and Quest, whereas Hulu dropped support for VR headsets.

Winner: Tie

Best Live TV Streaming Services For Local Channels

Service
View plans

*Availability varies by area. Data effective as of post date.

As you can see, YouTube TV has the most local channels of any live TV streaming service. Its also worth noting that YouTube TV is the only live TV streaming service that will allow you to stream your local PBS station.

Pro tip: Some local affiliate stations have their own streaming apps that allow you to watch local news, weather, and sports for free. Likewise, if you have a cable TV subscription, you can stream local channels using your providers app on your phone or tablet.

Also, Sling TV might seem like a bad idea if you want to stream local channels, but you can pair the service with an HD antenna and youll be in business in no time flat.

In fact, Sling TV sometimes offers free HD antennas as a sign-up promotion, so check out our Sling TV Deals page for the latest offers.

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How Do I Get Local Channels On Sling

Customers can stream local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC in the Sling app with AirTV. For more details on our local bundles, visit sling.com/locals.

While AirTV Player is optimized for Sling, you dont need a Sling subscription to use it. If you do decide to try Sling, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial at any time through the AirTV Player interface.

How To Watch Local Channels On Sling TV

Sling TV Channel List

With affordability on its side, Sling TV appeals to many cord-cutters because the service has a solid channel lineup as well. Sling TV offers a diverse range of programming from drama and entertainment to news and sports. Besides the default channels you get with your subscription, Sling even offers plenty of add-ons to customize your plan to your liking.

But as noted in our Sling TV review, the biggest drawback is its lack of local programming. Thats not to say that it doesnt have any local channels at all. You can still get local channels on Sling TV in select markets through networks like FOX and NBC. Even for the local channels not automatically available with your Sling TV subscription, you can still find a workaround to access them.

This post gives you a rundown of how to get local channels on Sling, which plans you need to access them, which regional sports networks are available, and more.

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Im Not In One Of These Markets What Now

Although they represent some of the biggest cities in the country, most of us dont live in one of Sling TVs select local markets for Fox and NBC affiliates. For example, I am based in Wyoming, and have no option through my Sling TV subscription for any local channels. The same is true for those who live in major markets nearby, such as Bozeman, Denver, and Salt Lake City.

What can we do to get local channels through Sling?

Well, the good news for cord cutters, is that Sling has a solution. The bad news is that it costs $199, and requires buying a new device that isnt compatible with Samsung Smart TVs.

AirTV Anywhere is an HD antenna, that connects to your home WiFi network, and that integrates directly with the Sling TV app and Sling DVR.

Installing AirTV Anywhere allows Sling users to stream their local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates directly through the Sling app alongside their other content. When Air TV Anywhere is installed, your local channels will appear as part of the Sling TV guide, as a seamless part of the interface.

As you can see from the Sling video below, the hardware does integrate seamlessly with Sling TV and has the potential to save some users money, especially as the cost of streaming services continues to steadily increase.

What Channels Come With A Sling TV Package

Were going to need your full attention for a moment, because Sling TVs packages are pretty confusing.

As mentioned earlier in the story, Sling TV has three basic live TV streaming packages: Sling Orange, Sling Blue and Sling Orange + Blue.

Sling Blue and Sling Orange are each $35 per month packages, but they offer different selections of channels.

The line in the sand appears to be the ESPN family of networks. Sling Orange has them, and Sling Blue does not. Since ESPN channels are expensive for the streaming providers, the Orange package has an otherwise stripped-down menu.

Sling Blue doesnt offer ESPN channels, but it offers more channel options for the same price. Instead of ESPN, youre able to get channels such as FOX News, MSNBC, Discovery, Bravo and your local NBC or FOX affiliates.

For an additional $15 per month, you can skip the comparison between Orange and Blue. Sling Orange + Blue is $50 per month and offers all of the channels of both $35 packages.

When looking at the channel menu below, you may notice that only NBC and FOX affiliates are offered with the Blue and Orange + Blue packages. That means youre completely out of luck if you want to watch your local ABC and CBS channels with Sling. If youre looking for access to local channels, we have some ideas that wont break the bank.

  • IFC Films Unlimited

What About Local Channels?

As I previously mentioned, only select NBC and FOX affiliates are included with your Sling TV subscription.

Service Optimizer

Also Check: Does My Lg TV Have Airplay

Stream Directly From Networks For Free

If you have internet access at home, you may not need to buy anything to get local channels for free.

Local stations such as ABC, CBS, and NBC have websites from which you can stream their content live over the internet. However, access to these websites isnt consistent throughout the USsome of these networks may not be available depending on a variety of factors.

For instance, if you live in Houston, you can live stream programming from the ABC network for free using your computer. However, if you live in California, the live stream wont be accessible.

Some networks also consider factors other than geographical location and restrict access to their live stream.

Other networks offer online live streaming plans. For example, CBS offers CBS All Access for $5.99 a month, giving you full access to their content. However, this service is also restricted depending on location.

Which Service Has A Better Channel Lineup

Does Sling TV have local channels? What does Sling include (and not include)?

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.

Read Also: Xfinity App Apple TV

Why Is My Antenna Not Picking Up Channels

Your cables may be loose. If you have loose cables, youll most likely get no signal or a spotty signal. So make sure your connections are tight at your TV and your antenna. While youre checking your connections, also take a look at your cables to make sure they arent bent, looped, or otherwise broken.

Can I Watch Sling TV On Multiple Devices At The Same Time

This is an area in which Sling TVs varying packages can be confusing.

The number of screens you can stream on simultaneously depends upon which Sling TV package you have.

Sling Orange customers can stream on just one device at a time. Sling Blue customers can stream on three devices simultaneously.

If you pay up for the Sling Orange + Blue package, youll get four concurrent streams. Thats one of the best options for larger households on the market.

Heres how that stacks up against some of the top live TV streaming competitors.

Frequent promotional deals with free streaming devices Need add-on packages for channels that are in basic packages of other services

If youre looking to cut the cord, Sling TV is one of the best value options on the live TV streaming market.

Thats especially true if you can get what you need from a $35 per month subscription through Sling Orange or Sling Blue.

Even if you need to pay up for Sling Orange + Blue to get your desired channel mix, theres still some value to saving $15 per month versus a subscription to Slings top competitors.

Sling TV isnt going to be a great fit for everyone, though. Many users may see the expanded channel library, unlimited cloud DVR and superior access to sports, news and local channels as reasons to pay up for YouTube TV instead.

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Whose Streaming Experience And Dvr Is Better

Hulu + Live TV supports 1080p streaming at 60 frames per second on the Apple TV , Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, select Samsung TV models, and the Xbox One. I reached out to my Sling TV representative for clarification on the streaming resolution of live content and will update this section with the company’s response.

Hulus live TV content supports 2.0 stereo audio, but select on-demand programming is available in 5.1 Surround Sound. Sling TVs support for higher-end audio is similar. Live TV streams are available in standard stereo audio, but some on-demand content supports 5.1 Surround Sound audio.

Hulu + Live TV supports two simultaneous streams, which falls short of Sling TVs support for a category-leading four simultaneous streams. If you opt for Hulus $9.99-per-month Unlimited Screens add-ons, you can stream on an unlimited number of devices at home simultaneously and from up to three devices at the same time everywhere else.

Winner: Hulu + Live TV

Best Value For Disney Plus Subscribers

Sling Blue channels

With a series of price hikes has come a number of additional channels, including access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus included in the new $70 price. But despite all that, Hulu Plus Live TV is still second banana to our top live TV streaming premium pick, YouTube TV. Its channel selection still isn’t as robust as YouTube TV and FuboTV, yet it’s Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content which sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building give it a content advantage no other service can match. Its DVR lags behind competitors, however, and you’ll still have to pay another $10 a month to skip commercials on Hulu’s cloud DVR . In short YouTube TV is a better TV streaming service choice than Hulu Live TV and costs $5 less to boot.

Top channels not available: AMC, BBC America, MLB Network, NBA TV.

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