Sling TV has launched a new ‘Auto Record’ feature that’s designed to ensure subscribers never miss a game from their favorite sports league. While similar to a DVR feature, that’s not exactly what’s on offer here, as Auto Record is more of a temporary buffer than a permanent recording.
Basically, Auto Record stores recordings for a maximum of three days. After which, they are automatically deleted again. At launch, Auto Record supports a number of leagues, including NCAA Football, NFL, NBA, NCAA Men’s Basketball, MLB, NHL, Premier League, NCAAW, WNBA, Bundesliga and La Liga Santander.
As this is not technically a DVR feature in the traditional sense, saved Auto Record titles don’t count towards the subscriber’s DVR cap. If a subscriber does want to keep a specific recording for longer, they are able able to transfer it to their DVR, at which point, it will count towards their recording limit.
Speaking of which, Auto Record is only available to those subscribed to Sling’s DVR Plus add-on. DVR Plus costs an additional $5 a month and upgrades the number of recording hours from 50 to 200. Auto Record also requires the user to opt-in before it can be used, and this can be done through the DVR Plus account settings section.
“We understand the passion our viewers have for sports, and with the introduction of Auto Record, we’re enhancing their streaming experience like never before,” says Gary Schanman, group president, Dish Video Services. “With Auto Record, fans can catch the dunks, three pointers, and upsets offered on Sling.”
In reality, Auto Record is very similar to the ‘lookback’ feature offered by services like DirecTV and Frndly TV. The major difference is Sling’s Auto Record seems specifically aimed at sports content while traditional lookback features typically allow subscribers to watch anything that has aired live within the past 72 hours.
Still, for those that prefer to take advantage of more of a ‘set it and forget it’ approach to live sports, Auto Record may prove useful, and especially as recording a tournament won’t impact a subscriber’s DVR storage limit.
With Sling having launched the new Auto Record feature in time for March Madness, subscribers can give it a try during the upcoming tournament.
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