Still Using a Slingbox? It'll Stop Working in 2022

Remember Slingbox? Add it to your "tech that died in 2020" list.

The company announced today that it will discontinue all products and services. If you happen to still be using a Slingbox, it will become inoperable two years from now, on Nov. 9, 2022. But you might want to explore other options now because while most models will work normally, they'll gradually lose their range of functionality as SlingPlayer apps are phased out and the number of supported viewing devices decreases.  

“We’ve had to make room for new innovative products so that we can continue to serve our customers in the best way possible,” Slingbox says in an FAQ on its website. But the next question on its site is "Will Slingbox be releasing any new products?" The answer? No.

Slingboxes connect video from your cable or satellite box to your computer, mobile device, or streaming device through the internet. PCMag gave Editors' Choice awards to several Slingboxes through the years (SOLO, M1, and M2). But it's been five years since we've had a new one in PC Labs, and Slingbox acknowledges on its website that "most authorized resellers have been out of stock for a couple years."

In the last five years, many TV viewers have moved to live TV streaming services or live TV/DVR apps from their pay TV providers, making Slingbox-type hardware less necessary.

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Slingbox notes that "outdated or legacy versions of the SlingPlayer apps may be removed from the app stores without notice." Right now, the following apps are still available:

• SlingPlayer in-browser viewer

• SlingPlayer (paid) for Apple iPhone & iPad

• SlingPlayer (free) for Apple iPad

• SlingPlayer (free) for Android smartphones

• SlingPlayer for Amazon Fire TV

• SlingPlayer for Amazon Tablets

• SlingPlayer for Apple MacOS (.dmg) *Not compatible with MacOS 10.15 Catalina

• SlingPlayer for Windows PC (.exe)

• Chromecast support (view details)

The SlingPlayer (Free) for Android tablets, SlingPlayer (Paid) for Android smartphones, SlingPlayer for Roku, and SlingPlayer for Windows Phone are no longer available.