You Can Soon Stream ESPN on the Web for $20 a Month

[Kel Varnsen]

Sports has been one of the last great hold-outs of cord cutting, but now a little progress is being made in the right direction—soon, you'll be able to get live sports without a cable subscription, too. Dish's new web TV service will let you stream ESPN for 20 bucks a month.

Re/code reports that Dish's new offering, dubbed Sling TV (coming soon), will also give you access to Food Network, CNN, and the Travel channel, among 10 channels for the flat rate of 20 dollars. Sling TV only works for one user at a time, so if you plan on handing out your password to your friends like you do with Netflix, well, that dog just won't hunt. This service is ideal for laptop or tablet watching. Although, you will be able to stream Sling TV to your actual TV, but you'd have to do that via a Web TV box, a la Fire TV or Roku (but not Apple TV, apparently).

http://gizmodo.com/you-can-now-stream-espn-on-the-web-for-20-a-month-1677531245

This sounds like great news. Would be even better if FoxSportsAZ became an option.

 

[BillsCarnage]

This sounds like great news. Would be even better if FoxSportsAZ became an option.

So wait, this is on top of Dish's cost already?? Not quite seeing the benefit.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

So wait, this is on top of Dish's cost already?? Not quite seeing the benefit.

Good question. I thought it meant you could subscribe to the new service as a stand-alone.

Now that I re-read the articles, it doesn't seem to be too clear.

But, yeah, if you already have Dish, not much of a benefit unless you really want to stream to a computer for some reason.

 

[BillsCarnage]

The recode article is better. http://recode.net/2015/01/05/you-can-finally-get-espn-on-the-web-for-20-a-month/

After reading that one, I'm still not sure of the benefit to the consumer.

Sling TV is a “personal subscription service,” which means you’ll only be able to watch it on a single device at a time — if you want to watch football and your roommates want to watch a “Law & Order” rerun, someone’s out of luck.

Just give me a la carte already.

 

[Covert Rain]

You beat me to the post. This is great that the industry is headed in the right direction but don't be fooled. This is a hybrid approach to slow the roll of chord cutters. That's all this really is.

A la carte is coming and you can thank chord cutters and consumers sick of the expensive bundled packages of channels you never watch. This is a step in the right direction but this model won't stick. People will see through this has nothing more than narrowing your bundles. It's not getting rid of the problem which is I will still pay for crap I don't want.

Short of full a la carte pricing...people will continue to cut the chord.

When my DirecTV contract is up, I will be figuring out all this stuff. I can use my XBOX ONE for one TV and the others I will either get a Roku or Google Chrome. I am looking into OTAs to get my locals but I will be cutting the chord by the end of the year.

Good question. I thought it meant you could subscribe to the new service as a stand-alone.

Now that I re-read the articles, it doesn't seem to be too clear.

But, yeah, if you already have Dish, not much of a benefit unless you really want to stream to a computer for some reason.

You can subscribe provided you have a device that supports it such as:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Google Nexus Player
• LG Smart TVs
• Mac / OS X
• Roku set-top boxes
• Roku Streaming Stick
• Roku TV
• Windows PC
• Xbox One

 

[dreamcastrocks]

$20 a month is still too much. If it was $10 a month, I probably would have done it.

 

[BigRedRage]

So wait, this is on top of Dish's cost already?? Not quite seeing the benefit.

Good question. I thought it meant you could subscribe to the new service as a stand-alone.

Now that I re-read the articles, it doesn't seem to be too clear.

But, yeah, if you already have Dish, not much of a benefit unless you really want to stream to a computer for some reason.

you dont need dish. It is a standalone service. They are marketing directly to cord cutters like me and its working.

The only thing I miss from cable is live sports, having TBS, TNT and ESPN would give me all my basketball and MNF. Awesome. Plus the kids could have cartoon network.

I will likely buy into this over time, especially once they make it stream more than one tv at a time.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/sling-tv-announced/

 

[BigRedRage]

$20 a month is still too much. If it was $10 a month, I probably would have done it.

I am waiting to see what happens with it, I am intrigued.

Xbox will get a month free trial, that month will tell me if it is worth my money or not. I think it will be as its not only live tv, its on demand from those channels as well.

 

[BigRedRage]

You beat me to the post. This is great that the industry is headed in the right direction but don't be fooled. This is a hybrid approach to slow the roll of chord cutters. That's all this really is.

A la carte is coming and you can thank chord cutters and consumers sick of the expensive bundled packages of channels you never watch. This is a step in the right direction but this model won't stick. People will see through this has nothing more than narrowing your bundles. It's not getting rid of the problem which is I will still pay for crap I don't want.

Short of full a la carte pricing...people will continue to cut the chord.

When my DirecTV contract is up, I will be figuring out all this stuff. I can use my XBOX ONE for one TV and the others I will either get a Roku or Google Chrome. I am looking into OTAs to get my locals but I will be cutting the chord by the end of the year.



You can subscribe provided you have a device that supports it such as:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Google Nexus Player
• LG Smart TVs
• Mac / OS X
• Roku set-top boxes
• Roku Streaming Stick
• Roku TV
• Windows PC
• Xbox One

I have OTA antennas in every room and either a ROKU or an xbox in every room. Havent had cable in years.

Chromecast is just as good as roku IMO, whatever floats your boat.

When you are ready feel free to ask, ive been testing these waters for years.

Personally right now I have netflix and hulu. This Slingtv will have a free month on xbox. if the free month proves to be more valuable I will get it and rotate hulu and netflix when they have stuff I want. None of them are contracts so you can jump in and out at your leisure.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

you dont need dish. It is a standalone service. They are marketing directly to cord cutters like me and its working.

The only thing I miss from cable is live sports, having TBS, TNT and ESPN would give me all my basketball and MNF. Awesome. Plus the kids could have cartoon network.

I will likely buy into this over time, especially once they make it stream more than one tv at a time.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/05/sling-tv-announced/

That's a much better article. Thanks!

I have a Roku, an Apple TV, Netflix/Hulu, and Amazon Prime, so I'm with you in really only missing live sports on cable channels.

Having TBS and TNT on this package seems like a great deal for the basketball fan.

If I could subscribe to Fox Sports Arizona, that would be great for Coyotes and Diamondback games if the MLB and NHL packages are still going to refuse to allow you to watch local teams.

 

[BigRedRage]

That's a much better article. Thanks!

I have a Roku, an Apple TV, Netflix/Hulu, and Amazon Prime, so I'm with you in really only missing live sports on cable channels.

Having TBS and TNT on this package seems like a great deal for the basketball fan.

If I could subscribe to Fox Sports Arizona, that would be great for Coyotes and Diamondback games if the MLB and NHL packages are still going to refuse to allow you to watch local teams.

FSNAZ for suns games too. We'll see how the free month goes. because of that, if they deliver on a great service, they are very likely to have me as a customer.

 

[BigRedRage]

channels on it:

Sling TV has managed to secure a myriad of big-name channels as part of its over-the-top service, including ESPN, ESPN2, CNN, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Travel Channel, Food Network, ABC Family, HGTV, Disney Channel and Maker -- all of which are going to be part of the basic, $20-per-month package.

at some point in the near future, there will be add-on, content-specific packages, featuring networks like Disney Junior, Disney XD, HLD, DIY, Cooking Channel and Bloomberg -- Sling International channels too,

The Mini Guide displays what's "On Now" on the different networks, letting you pick whether to "Watch Now" or "Start Over," both features being self-explanatory, although "Start Over" does depend on the content rights for each network. You can also do what Sling TV is calling "Network View," which allows you to see all the programming available from the networks, including on-demand content.

 

[Covert Rain]

The one thing about everyone jumping on this bandwagon is that probably in the short term the per channel price will be expensive. Add a few bundle services and some premium subscriptions and the you will be back up to cable/Sat prices.

However, in the long term, if things go truly a la carte, the competition should drive down the channel costs with everyone competing with each other.

 

[BigRedRage]

more info on sling tv:

Sling TV doesn't quite have the robust network lineup as Comcast, Time Warner and others, but big names like ESPN, CNN, TNT, TBS, Food Network and many more have signed on (around 200 total, actually).

Interface video in the link: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/07/dish-sling-tv-hands-on/

 

[dreamcastrocks]

more info on sling tv:



Interface video in the link: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/07/dish-sling-tv-hands-on/

Show me the 200 channels Dish.

 

[BigRedRage]

sling tv ran away with the most awards for best new product and etc from CES by engadget.

 

[BigRedRage]

Base package content: For $20, Sling TV will get you access to live feeds from ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ABC Family and CNN.
Kids’ package content: An optional $5 kids’ package gets you access to live feeds from Disney Junior, Disney XD, Boomerang, Baby TV and Duck TV.
News package content: Sling TV’s optional $5 news and information package includes access to live feeds from HLN, Cooking Channel, DIY and Bloomberg TV.
Sports package content: There will eventually be a sports add-on package as well, but details are still scarce. Said Lynch: “We’re not ready to announce specific channels for the ‘Sports Extra’ add-on pack, but you can expect to see more great channels from ESPN, as well as other popular sports networks.”
WatchESPN: Access to WatchESPN is included, said Lynch. But the devil is in the details: Sling TV base package subscribers only have access to ESPN1, ESPN2 and ESPN3 via WatchESPN, according to an ESPN spokesperson.

more info at: https://gigaom.com/2015/01/15/sling-tv-details-price-devices-networks-resolution-bandwidth/

"watch espn" is what I use now. Its not ideal. It lags, pauses, is choppy and behind the actual broadcast.

$5 extra for a news package that doesnt have news channels?

Adult swim AND cartoon network? When I had cable adult swim was on cartoon network at night. Has this changed?

 

[devilalum]

I would go for this in a second but the main reason I pay $88 a month for Dish is to get all the Suns and Dbacks games. There should be a law that requires all local sports to be free over the air. If I lived in Idaho I could get all these games with a league pass but sadly I am slave to either satellite or cable in AZ.

And no I don't want to watch a low res stream of the games on some bootleg website.

 

[BillsCarnage]

There should be a law that requires all local sports to be free over the air.

They used to be... Thank ESPN and Fox for todays sports TV market

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'm getting a lot closer to giving this a shot. It has the Food Network Linda wants. If they come out with another sports package, (NBC or Fox) I'll probably pick this up.

 

[BigRedRage]

I'm getting a lot closer to giving this a shot. It has the Food Network Linda wants. If they come out with another sports package, (NBC or Fox) I'll probably pick this up.

its on xbone right now for a free 1 month trial, I am waiting to activate the trial until I am done with some shows I already am watching on other services.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

its on xbone right now for a free 1 month trial, I am waiting to activate the trial until I am done with some shows I already am watching on other services.

Let me know what you think of the trial. I'm saving mine for a while.

Can you DVR on the Xbox One? If so, how much HDD do you need?

How is the interface?

 

[BigRedRage]

Let me know what you think of the trial. I'm saving mine for a while.

Can you DVR on the Xbox One? If so, how much HDD do you need?

How is the interface?

I know sling doesnt offer DVR as its all on demand anyway. I am not aware of the ability to DVR. I will probably try sling in the next few months and will update when I do.

who knows, im alone with the baby tomorrow night and might try it then out of boredom.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I know sling doesnt offer DVR as its all on demand anyway. I am not aware of the ability to DVR. I will probably try sling in the next few months and will update when I do.

who knows, im alone with the baby tomorrow night and might try it then out of boredom.

If every show, sporting event etc is on demand, there is no need for a DVR I suppose. Hmm.

 

[Linderbee]

I'm getting a lot closer to giving this a shot. It has the Food Network Linda wants. If they come out with another sports package, (NBC or Fox) I'll probably pick this up.

Goodiegoodiegoodiegoodiegoodie