Grover C. Magnus 
At this year’s CES, Dish showcased a 4K-capable streaming media player called Air TV, designed to combine Sling TV’s internet TV service with live channels pulled through your digital antenna, as well as Netflix. So the box’s promise is that of an integrated experience – where all of your favorite Sling cable channels are accessible as well as those from major broadcasters, like ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS and more.
At CES, the company showed off how it all would play out through the new Sling TV software that included live TV channels in the Sling TV programming guide.
But as early Air TV customers have now discovered, the software shown at CES isn’t what actually ships on the device. Instead, users need to tap the live icon in the Sling TV channel guide to view local stations. This will launch Android TV’s Live Channels app, customers found.
Complaints from Air TV users were first spotted by Dave zatz, Who round many examples of those who are unhappy with their purchase. One of them went so far as to say that it “looks like a bait and a switch”, referring to how the CES unit did not function the same as the one they received. .
Sling TV Roger Lynch responded to the complaints, explaining that the software shown at CES was “beta” and that the feature would be rolled out “soon” to Air TV customers. However, the company has yet to offer an ETA on this version, or any other details.
We’ve reached out to Sling TV for comment as well, and the company has confirmed that it doesn’t offer the fully integrated OTA experience it demonstrated at CES.
“AirTV’s next software update, which is currently under testing, will place available OTA channels directly in the Sling TV channel guide and in a separate Locals ribbon on the My TV tab,” a spokesperson said. . “We expect this software to be automatically rolled out to all AirTV boxes in February.”
Sling TV also noted that it is happy to reimburse customers who are not happy with their purchase.
In response to the complaints, the Air TV website was update to communicate about the next software update and the improvements it will bring.
