Sling TV Introduces Unlimited DVR Service to Maintain Competitive Edge
Sling TV, a popular live TV streaming service, has announced the launch of a new Unlimited DVR storage option for its customers. This upgrade comes at an additional cost of $5 per month.
With the new Unlimited DVR storage, Sling TV users can record as much content as they like, and their recordings will be saved for up to nine months. This is a significant upgrade from the free tier's 50 hours of storage, which is available for up to 30 days.
Seth Van Sickel, Sling TV's senior vice president of product and operations at Dish Video Services, stated that the addition of Unlimited DVR redefines value and convenience for streaming customers.
In comparison, many competing live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV include unlimited DVR as a standard feature with their base plans, usually storing recordings for about nine months without extra charges.
Here's a comparison of DVR storage options among popular live TV streaming services:
| Service | DVR Storage | Additional Cost for Unlimited DVR | Retention Period | Notes | |----------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------| | Sling TV | 50 hours free; unlimited with $5/month add-on | $5/month for unlimited DVR | Up to 9 months | Unlimited DVR is optional, not standard[1][2] | | YouTube TV | Unlimited included | None | Typically 9 months | Unlimited DVR included as standard[1] | | Hulu + Live TV | Unlimited included | None | Typically 9 months | Unlimited DVR included as standard[1] | | FuboTV | Unlimited included | None | Typically 9 months | Unlimited DVR included as standard[1] | | Philo | Unlimited included | None | Up to 1 year | More channels than Sling TV, unlimited DVR standard[5] |
It's worth noting that the mandatory $5 monthly upgrade for Sling TV’s unlimited DVR is unique, as competitors generally include unlimited DVR without extra fees. All these services allow recordings to be viewed up to about nine months (Philo offers up to one year).
Sling TV's channel lineup and pricing are competitive, but the DVR limitation (without the upgrade) and the extra cost for unlimited DVR are potential drawbacks.
Meanwhile, DirecTV and EchoStar, Sling's parent company, have criticized the recent merger of Disney's Hulu + Live TV with live sports streamer FuboTV and are considering litigation against the transaction.
In other news, YouTube TV has announced a $10 price hike, making its monthly subscription rates range from $80-85. Hulu added unlimited DVR to Hulu + Live TV in 2022. If Venu, a potential live sports streamer joint venture, had survived, "MySports," a streaming service announced by DirecTV, would have been a direct competitor to it.
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- With the new Unlimited DVR storage option, Sling TV users can now record an extensive library of video content and enjoy the recordings for up to nine months.
- The additional cost of $5 per month for Sling TV's Unlimited DVR storage is unique compared to competitors like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV, which offer unlimited DVR as a standard feature without extra charges.
- Sling TV's competitor, Philo, also offers unlimited DVR, but it stores recordings for up to one year, longer than Sling TV.
- The unlimited DVR feature, although optional on Sling TV, can be seen as a potential drawback due to the mandatory $5 monthly upgrade.
- In contrast, streaming services such as YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have lowered their prices and increased their offerings, making them more attractive to customers.
- Technology and media broadcasters continue to engage in financial battles, as DirecTV and EchoStar, Sling's parent company, are considering litigation against the recent merger of Disney's Hulu + Live TV with live sports streamer FuboTV.
