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Sling TV is testing cloud DVR functionality.
Amid growing competition in the TV streaming market, Dish’s Sling TV has announced that it currently is beta testing the cloud DVR functionality. The feature is already available on Sony’s PlayStation Vue streaming service.
The testing of the DVR feature seems to be a preemptive measure against the recently announced and soon to be launched AT&T streaming service, DirecTV Now. The new service comes with a promotion that makes it considerably cheaper than its competitors, but it still does not have the cloud DVR functionality as of yet.
The Sling TV DVR seems to be a standard service, comparable to those already available for other similar services. Users will be able to record simultaneously as many shows as they want, as well as schedule recording at various times so you don’t have to miss an episode of your favorite show.
If you have a limited amount of cloud storage capacity, then Sling TV will automatically delete your oldest recordings in order to free space for your new ones. This a cool feature as most people can forget to manage their cloud storage and they wouldn’t be able to record the show they don’t want to miss. However, it won’t delete any recordings no matter how old they are if you haven’t run out of space yet.
Unfortunately, the current beta test is not available to everybody as of yet. The feature will see a wide testing period next month. To make matters worse, only owners of Roku TV will be able to enjoy the new feature, with more platforms to be supported gradually.
To be considered for the beta test, those interested will have to register and if selected you will receive 100 hours of cloud DVR storage capacity for free. This may be an indication of the fact that the DVR feature will only available as an upsell at an additional cost for subscribers rather than a core feature for all users.
Additionally, the cloud DVR function won’t be available for all Sling TV channels, at least at first. The feature will only work on the following channels: HBO, NBC, AMC, Comedy Central, Bravo, Spike, and Cartoon Network.
What TV streaming service do you use? Are you hoping to test the DVR function on Sling TV?
Image credit: Sling TV
