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Sling adds Spanish TV to its multi-stream beta
Sling TV's service is great for cord-cutters, but not ideal for families who like to watch different stuff at the same time. It recently launched a multi-stream option (in beta) that allows viewing on up to three Sling-TV supported devices at once, but so far content has been limited to Fox and a few other channels. However, Spanish viewers now have a bunch of new options thanks to the company's Best of Spanish TV-Beta that brings multi-stream viewing of channels like Azteca, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Cinelatino, CineSony, De Pelicula, Pasiones, Teleromántica, UniMás and Univision.
Sling TV tests a multi-stream service with catches
As helpful as Sling TV might be for cutting the cord, its one-stream-at-a-time model has its limits. It rules out your family watching across multiple TVs, for instance, or (gasp) sharing with friends. Thankfully, the Dish-owned service isn't deaf to your requests: it's beta testing a $20 per month multi-stream option that lets up to three people watch at once. Besides giving you more freedom, the move also brings Fox channels that aren't available with a single stream, such as Fox Locals, Fox Sports and FX. You'll also get a few other channels that were either previously unavailable or limited to add-on packages, like Univision (normally an extra).
Tips for those on a quest for a multi-stream CableCARD
There's nothing easy about getting a CableCARD from your cable co' and if you're hoping to save a few bucks by using a multi-stream (aka M-Card) CableCARD in your TiVo HD -- does any other 3rd party host device even support M-Cards? -- then you have an even harder road ahead than most. Recently good 'ol S&V Mag braved the trail and came away semi-scathed. Lucky for us, they documented the journey and have written up a pretty comprehensive list of pitfalls to watch out for. Some are pretty obvious, like the need to be persistent when you meet the cable co's resistance to all things CableCARD, but it's a must read nonetheless. Oh, and one more thing, make sure the card actually says Multi-Stream on it before you even bother inserting it, as many cable co' employees think M-Card means Motorola card!
CableLabs approves Motorola's multi-stream CableCARD
It's not really clear why the old CableCARD hasn't taken off as expected -- consumers blame their cable providers, who blame the card manufacturers, who blame device makers -- but nonetheless, the technology is far from dead, and now it looks like those long-awaited multi-stream CARDS could be available before the end of the year. CableLabs recently announced that Motorola's "M-Card" has joined Scientific Atlanta's offering in finally earning the organization's coveted "qualified" status, paving the way for such great functionality as picture-in-picture on compatible TVs and multi-channel recording for properly-equipped DVRs. Although the M-Card does improve upon current-gen CableCARDs by delivering access to more than one channel at a time, it is still classified as a version 1.0 device, and therefore won't allow the bi-directional communication necessary for on-demand or pay-per-view goodness. Still, this development is good news for consumers, as it should lead to increased demand for the cards, which will hopefully serve as a kick in the pants for the weak link in the CableCARD chain, whoever it is.[Via HDBeat]
