Having returned from vacation, I was geared up to revisit a few sidelined projects — including the new Roku Slingbox channel. Unfortunately, it’s vanished from my Roku without a trace. According to Sling support:
With the Roku and the iPhone we are having an issue with the units connecting. We are working on this issue and should have it solved in a timely manner. If you look at your Roku you will see that Roku has removed the App so that it can be corrected and work perfectly with Android and Apple phones. If you keep looking at the forums we will keep everyone updated when the fix come out.
Now I’d heard of some connectivity issues, but had assumed they were localized. However, given the channel’s current status, the problem is clearly larger than first thought. Sling’s new DIAL-like approach, versus their previous and more traditional set-top apps, seems more simplistic on one hand… yet given the potential number of smartphones, Slingboxes (4), and Roku devices (12) at play there’s clearly additional communication complexity that Sling needs to work out. And hopefully in short order.
Update: SlingPlayer has returned to the Channel Store! Despite the support agent’s note above, I’ve heard unofficially that this was a technical glitch on Roku’s end. Although it’s not one I’ve seen before… as I had to reinstall the channel onto my Roku. The version listed remains 1.0, so Sling’s still got work to do.
(Thanks Tres!)
I went to use the app today and noticed it was no longer on my app page. At least now I know what happened. Very disappointed….
Yeah, I was a little confused as I thought I’d previously installed it…
the whole concept is terrible. they shouldnt of bothered even trying to support the roku. first, you need to have your device on with the sling app in the foreground, it takes over your phone. you get a text message? forget about answering because it will kill your stream on the roku. never mind that they didnt choose to go the chromecast route, not building multitasking is stupid.
Now, if you are lucky enough to get it to work, the app not properly identifying the roku names is beyond frustrating. i have 3 roku’s named living room, bedroom, kitchen, you would think that the sling app name them that! no!!! it says roku 1, roku 2, roku 3. its a crap shoot in picking the one that you are sitting in front of. but wait, after you decipher which one is which, tomorrow you can pick that one again? think again!! it changes!
stupid sling, stupid echostar, stupid dish. you are stupid.
its incredible I was using the sling app in roku and function excellent with my galaxy s4 I dont know what happens and suddenly roku retire the app.
maybe businbess decision to charge for the app
maybe apple its crying beacause this app didnt function well in the iphone 5 I dont know what happens its complete stupid decision from slingbox co …….hope they include again the app…..
That sucks, hopefully they get the issues worked out soon. Roku and Slingbox should think about teaming up for a special sling box + roku type device, they compliment each other very well.
Too bad they shut it down because of lCrap products. Many apps appear for iCrap before Android gets them, so who cares if it did not work with the Crapple junk.
I’ve been notified that SlingPlayer is once again listed in Roku’s Channel Store… and I had to reinstall it to my R3. Strange.
I do a test today and slingplayer from roku its available again in roku channel ,miracle I was buy a roku 2 five weeks ago for an experiment with plex other app and didnt know it was going to function with slingbox and its the best gift i receive this chritsmas,the best app by far to the slingbox users………
Im already has the roku 2 and also i got the roku 3……….(got the slingbox 500)
Glad to hear it’s back, disappointed the lack of the app yesterday ruined my plans to stream the RedZone channel for the early games.
Just had a chance to check out the updated streaming and overall I am very impressed. I am watching a Cal Basketball game on Pac12 Networks and it’s very clear. Since DirecTV hasn’t/won’t add Pac12 I find myself streaming the network a lot. Video quality is better than using NeoTv much more stable and watchable.
Well just tried to use my Note 3 with SlingPlayer and Roku 3100X. Note says its playing on the Roku but the Roku auto launches SlingPlayer App and just sits there with a SlingPlayer Logo full screen. Like its crashed or something? :-/
How do you use the SLingplayer app on the ROku? I installed it but it gives me no options to log into my Slingbox account. All it does is play a video on what the Slingplayer app can do.
The Roku Sling channel is not a standalone app – you control it via the SlingPlayer Mobile app.
Thanks. I thought it would be like the Slingplayer app on my Boxee Boxes which is a stand alone app.
The Slingplayer channel is installed on my roku device I cant get it to stream from my I phone5 or my android phone which bold have the slingplayer app. It seems to be a roku issue due to the fact it attempt to load but them fails within a second of loading slingplayer from the stream on either phone and sends you back to the commercial screen for slingplayer on roku. Anyone have any problems like this and fix it both of my phones show roku 1 and roku 2 but have the classic problem symbol a yellow triangle with a black ! point in it. Everything else works with the slingplayer kindles phones laptop desktop except my roku devices. My upload speed is 15 and download is 35 it was very weak before but this did not make a difference. If anyone can help please let me know I think it is just a roku issue…. I love my roku this is the first problem but that happens a lot with partnership they need a team C.S. team from both companies working together to solve this issue or just change the format entirely to like Netflix where you just log in with user and password much more simple then you can use the roku remote on your smart phone not some stupid $16 rip off app….Who wants to watch TV on a phone not very many people the only reason most people buy this is to stream it elsewhere I would think. I think I am done ranting with my run on sentences…
Same problem. Need some advice. It used to work but not reliably. Now no connect . It recognizes the roku but when i tries to stream it shows triangle. As if it does not see the roku. It comes back with an error message which says download slingplayer for mobile devices which i have and reinstalled. At a total loss
Upgraded to new roku 2 and problem went away. Do not know if it was a hardware problem but perhaps a factory reset would have done it as installing new one had same effect. Go figure