Sling TV just released the first streaming media player that it backs. The new AirTV comes from its parent company, Dish, and takes the best of over-the-air TV and Sling TV and puts them in one device.
I played with the new AirTV at CES last week. It offers a smooth, easy streaming experience, and it always loads straight into Sling TV, making that your home page. Along with Sling TV you can plug an antenna into the box thanks to a USB tuner. When you plug in an antenna it puts your local channels directly into the Sling TV guide.
You will be able to see upcoming shows just like you would with TNT or ESPN. Switching between OTA channels and channels streamed from Sling TV is indistinguishable. This makes the AirTV box one of the best ways to combine OTA and Sling TV.
That is not even the best part of AirTV as it takes Netflix and puts it right into your Sling TV app. When you login to Netflix your list of shows and movies you want to see will be right in your Sling TV app. If you select a Netflix movie or show it will launch over to the Netflix app and start streaming.
The AirTV runs Android TV the same as the Nvidia Shield or Mi Box. This allows you full access to all that the Google Play store has to offer. You can easily add more apps to the AirTV for services such as Hulu.
Update: The demo shown here includes some features that will soon be included in free a update.
Pros
- Simple to setup and use
- OTA integration
- Netflix integration
- Perfect for anyone who uses Netflix and Sling as their main streaming service
- Easy-to-use remote perfect for anyone who is new to streaming
Cons
- $129 for the AirTV and USB tuner is a bit pricey
Final Thoughts
This is a great box to buy someone who is not technically inclined. This box makes using Sling TV, OTA, and Netflix easy. Power users may find less expensive boxes just fine for them, but the AirTV makes being a cord cutter super easy.
In the end the AirTV is the box I would buy my parents or grandparents to help them break free from high monthly bills. The super-easy user interface removes any potential learning curve for new cord cutters.
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