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Nov 10, 2020 - Technology

Dish ends Slingbox, will shutter servers in 2022

Ina Fried
A small Slingbox and a large Slingbox

The 2011 Slingbox Pro HD Media Player. Photo: Neil Godwin/MacFormat magazine via Getty Images

Dish announced Monday it is officially discontinuing the Slingbox, a once-pioneering device that allowed people to send TV content from their homes to other locations to watch while they traveled.

Why it matters: The move is a bummer for longtime Slingbox owners, but the impact has been limited by the fact that many TV providers now offer other means for subscribers to get content on the road.

What they're saying: Slingbox servers will continue to operate for 24 months, after which the devices will no longer work, Dish said.

  • Even before the servers shut down, Dish said that customers may start to lose access from certain devices as those apps cease to be updated. The SlingPlayer software already doesn't work on Macs running macOS Catalina.
  • "We've had to make room for new innovative products so that we can continue to serve our customers in the best way possible," Dish said in a statement announcing the move.
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