Sling TV hits Xbox One, with a free month of live-TV service
Starting Tuesday, Xbox One owners will be able to stream live TV to their consoles using Sling TV. The streaming service is looking to 'cut the cord to cable companies,' but there are a few drawbacks.
Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch demonstrates Sling TV, a live television streaming service. The Sling TV option, an online alternative with fewer channels and a lower price tag than Dish Network's regular service, is aimed at people who have dropped their cable or satellite packages or never had either.
Jae C. Hong/AP/File
Beginning , the Xbox One will officially offer Sling TV. In a deal back in January, the Microsoft gaming hardware will be the first and (currently) only console to stream live, 鈥溾�� television.
wants subscribers to cut the cord with cable providers. Instead of forcing consumers to sign expensive contracts, Sling TV is looking to be a customizable cable supplier for anyone tired of dealing with bloated bundle packages. The streaming application from DISH Network was unveiled at this year鈥檚 Consumer Electronics Show to .
Current Xbox One owners who pay for Xbox Live will be treated to one month of free service after downloading the app, and the to buy a new Xbox One console between Tuesday and March 22 will receive three months free.
While Sling TV wants customers to 鈥淭ake Back TV," users are not in complete control. Subscribers are required to choose from smaller, more focused .
The basic 鈥淏est of Live TV鈥� package is $20 a month and features 17 channels, including ESPN, TNT, TBS, AMC, Adult Swim, and Disney Channel. , the standard package will be bumped up to 20 channels and include A&E, History, H2, and Lifetime.
All add-on packages cost an additional $5 per month. Customers may choose from bundles such as 鈥淪ports Extra,鈥� 鈥淜ids Extra,鈥� 鈥淗ollywood Extra,鈥� 鈥淲orld News Extra,鈥� and 鈥淟ifestyle Extra.鈥澛�
pointed out a few restrictions to the streaming service that could become annoying. Though certain channels offer video-on-demand content and DVR features such as pause or rewind, many channels forgo these luxuries and left some reviewers feeling as if they were stuck in the 2000s.
Licensing agreements also can be disruptive. For example, when attempted to watch the Pro Bowl on his smart phone in January, he found his service blocked. While the Pro Bowl could be streamed on a tablet or TV with no problem, the NFL has exclusive mobile contracts that Sling TV cannot get around.
Sling TV to be available on Android TV soon, but there is no word on if it is developing an app for Apple TV or Chromecast.