AirTV - 8 GB 4K Streaming Media Player with Adapter - White/blue

dashcam AirTV is headed in the right direction... and a new feature - Firmware for LOCAL DVR / OTA PLAYBACK is coming any day now... PROS: ----------- * Boots up extremly fast * 4K Streamer. Yeah, only a handful of services provide 4K now, but if you have a 4K TV and watch those networks' series, it's a step up. * Access to the Android Play Store. If you want it, you can get it. * Ability to now watch Over-the-Air (OTA) via the device. No more having to switch to RF input. It's built-in to the interface. With an amplified antenna in my attic, I'm able to pull around 33 channels here in the Hoover, AL area. * Remote is sturdy and well-built. It has the ability to turn off all devices after setup completes... Power button turns off the device, my TV, and my receiver. Of course, this can be turned off in settings. However, you can use the remote to turn up/down the volume too. * ETHERNET! It has an ethernet port!! When there's a wired connection available, use it. It is better than wifi in most cases. * No issues with buffering. I use AT&T U-Verse with 24Mb/s DL and 5 Mb/s UL... I have no issues viewing content in HD. I do not have a 4K TV (yet), so I'm unable to see 4K quality. * There is little to no latency when using the remote and the response on the screen. Apps appear to work flawlessly as well. * There is a guide, even for the OTA channels. * Digital audio out via fiber is available * Remote finder button on main unit. Press, and the remote beeps/blinks so you can find it. CONS: ----------- * The interface is a little jacked up at first as you learn how to maneuver around. If you actually subscribe to and use SLING TV, it is setup a bit more for those users, but don't let that discourage you. Just scroll down to the bottom where APPS is located, and you can start up your other streaming services pretty quickly. * The remote is a bit cartoonish being white and light blue, but I guess that does make for finding the remote easily visually. * In order to get a Sling TV account, you MUST sign up for a free trial. There is no "just signing up". * Big flaw... when a program is paused and then you REW or FF, the screen doesn't change as the show goes forwards or backwards. It stays on that paused screen while the timer moves. So you can't resume play at a certain "scene" as it's REW/FF through the show. Perhaps that can be fixed in future software updates. * In addition, I wish there was a quick FF/REW button on the remote or a touch-sensitive pad on the remote that would allow for quick REW/FF... or even a certain amount of time forwards or backwards quickly in case you miss something they say (in those hard-to-understand shows). * There is only 8GB of internal storage - would be nice to have a bit more.... say at least 16-32GB. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: ------------------------------------ *** When you get the device set, you get a code that will give you $50 of SLING TV programming which translates to 2.5 months of Orange TV coverage (their small package). But get this... they have a promo in which you can buy 2 months of service and get a FREE ROKU EXPRESS. So they are basically giving you another streaming device that you can use elsewhere or for travel... or gift it. Great addition of the promo. You can also get other items (promos) for discounted rates... you can find those promos online. * The unit comes with a proprietary power cable with decent length. I would have preferred to have a USB-C power connection, but it still works fine. There are power requirements for the device obviously, and they don't want that compromised, so they have a small brick plug-in. ***************************************** !! HUGE ADD-ON COMING SOON !! ***************************************** Very soon, in the upcoming days, AirTV will be offering LOCAL DVR recording ability via software/firmware update. Hopefully by the end of Feb 2018... no exact release date has been set yet. It will allow the ability to record OTA programming to a USB thumbdrive or external USB drive that you plug into the OUTTERMOST USB port on the back of the unit. So the OTA adapter will go into the USB port that is next to the digital audio (fiber) port. This is an exciting and new addition to the product. This feature is obviously unable to be tested at this time. It is also undetermined how large of a drive you can actually hook up, so stay tuned to AirTV website for more of those details. That's a FREE DVR for network OTA TV! CONCLUSION: ===================== Possibly the best and MOST COMPLETE streamer out there. Others are great... some have their issues. But with a WIRED ETHERNET connection, local DVR OTA capability coming soon, and the fast boot-up, along with 4K streaming, and fiber audio output available, there's not a better device out there with the available features. At the price, definitely worth it. A must-have for those new cable cutters out there.

Features--- This device is aimed at cord cutters who can receive their local channels (like ABC, CBS, NBC, etc) by antenna. You can purchase the AirTV bundled with a USB dongle that connects to your antenna and allows you to watch your local channels in HD from the AirTV box. Why would you want to do this? This saves you an extra step of changing the input on your TV from "Antenna" to "HDMI 1" (for example) every time you want to switch between local channels and a streaming app. However, while the AirTV does support other streaming apps like Netflix, it's mainly aimed at people who subscribe to Sling TV. Now you can use it without a subscription to Sling TV, however, you must go into the Sling TV app on the box to watch your local stations, then exit the Sling TV app if you want to open Netflix or YouTube, for example. If you're not a Sling TV subscriber, you can expect to see a huge banner ad for the service every time you open the Sling TV app (see the photo attached to this review). The AirTV uses Android TV at its base, so you can install other Android TV-compatible apps (such as Pandora and Pluto TV). It also acts as a Google Chromecast. You can start watching a video on your iPhone or Android phone, then use the "cast" icon to send the video to the AirTV. This feature has always been finicky for me (even with an actual Google Chromecast device) and videos sometimes simply do not play on the TV when I attempt to "cast" them. Therefore, I don't plan to use the feature often, but it's nice to know it's there. One of the main glaring omissions of the AirTV right now is the lack of a DVR feature, but this is supposedly coming in the future. Remote--- The remote is somewhat oversized and a little awkward to hold, but it does have a surprisingly soft back. At the top of the remote is a dedicated Sling TV button that takes you into the Sling TV app (where your local channels are found as well). While watching local TV, you can press the "up" button on the remote to open up a mini-guide along the bottom of the screen. This is one of my favorite features as it allows you to see what else is on locally. You can instead press the "down" button to open up a full screen guide, but I prefer using the mini-guide. The remote also had a dedicated Netflix button which makes switching over to the Netflix app fast and easy. There is also a Google button that opens up the Google Assistant and turns on the microphone (also located on the remote). However, activating the Google Assistant has been hit or miss for me. Sometimes it will open the white Google Assistant screen but it won't be listening, and sometimes it is listening but their is no visual indication to let me know. The remote can also be setup to control your TV power and sound bar volume (the initial setup process will walk you through this). This is convenient as you can power on both your TV and the AirTV box with one button press. Picture Quality--- The AirTV is capable of a 4K resolution, so I tested this out by using the built-in Google Chromecast feature to play a 4K YouTube video. The AirTV did a great job of playing this video and delivered similar quality to my Samsung TV's built-in 4K YouTube app. The picture quality of local TV stations (through the antenna dongle) was also very good and comparable to using the "Antenna" input on my TV. I did notice some occasional picture stuttering when the AirTV seemed to be doing something in the background (for example, if I recently loaded the guide, the picture could stutter for a few seconds afterwards). The signal quality from my antenna seems to be weaker through the AirTV. For example, my local NBC station is far away from my home and occasionally pixelates every 15 minutes or so when the antenna is directly connected to my TV. Attaching the same cable to the AirTV resulted in more frequent pixelations (like every 5 minutes), which leads me to believe that the receiver in the AirTV is not as tolerant to interference as my Samsung TV. Overall--- Many streaming services such as PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV are including local TV stations as part of their channel lineup, making an antenna less and less necessary. However, PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV cost about double of what Sling TV's base plan costs, so you could save yourself some money by combining Sling TV with an antenna if you live in an area with good reception.

(Please note that I received a review unit in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.) TL;DR review - The AirTV Player is an interesting choice when it comes to cutting the cord. Unlike every other device on the market, it doesn't have to be completely dependent on the internet to provide you with live entertainment choices, as it can directly receive OTA broadcasts. The hardware performs well, all things considered. However, the lack of RAM and storage, no DVR capability with broadcast TV, along with the lack of compatible apps in Google Play that are available on competing Android TV devices limit the appeal of this device at this time. Full Review: The AirTV Player by isn't the first Android TV device I've owned, but it's certainly the most promising to what the platform is capable of when it comes to being a media streamer. It's a very capable playback device, with 4k video output (likely HDR capable after an update). It supports a wide range of apps from the Google Play store, from additional video sources beyond what's included to games and a wide range of things in-between. It also does something no set-top box - and a growing number of TV sets - don't do - it functions as an over-the-air TV tuner, with or without a subscription to Sling's TV service. First, the hardware. Inside the package, you'll find the AirTV Player, the remote, the AC adapter, the USB TV tuner, and a short USB extension cable (which you'll need). You'll also find a credit for $50 toward Sling TV service and instruction manual. Everything is packaged well and, other than a sticker that feels out of place, it has an Apple-like experience to opening the packaging. Some of you may not like the aesthetic of the AirTV - white with light-blue trim and a dimly-glowing orangish light to indicate that it's powered on, I get that. Personally, I'm not a fan and would love to see it in black with a user-selectable color for the LED indicator. On the backside of the box, you'll find power, ethernet, 2 USB ports, HDMI, and optical audio output, the last of which is something that most competitors in the streaming media player space now lack and can be useful for those who either want to use this box as a target for audio playback (Chromecast, Pandora, Spotify, and others are supported either natively or with apps) or that have older home theater setups with receivers that lack HDMI and/or TVs that can't pass through Dolby Digital audio. One thing it's sorely lacking, and I'll get into that later, is a SD card slot; it could also benefit from additional USB ports. I also would like to see the power supply built into this device instead of the choice they went with (which can block outlets on some surge strips). I'm also not a fan of the remote - white it's width and soft, rubbery texture feels good in my hand, the off-center buttons that control the device with a column on the left side for power/standby, volume, mute, and a button marked with a diamond that sends you to Android TV's home screen (not a very intuitive design choice, btw) is something that takes a bit to learn and get used to. It does have one feature that every remote with RF or Bluetooth connectivity should have, however - a remote finder function. In terms of performance, The AirTV gets it in spite of its limitations - it's snappy through through the menu system, boots quickly, loads apps quickly, and doesn't seem to have too many problems streaming media (I tested using Netflix, Crackle, YouTube, and the Chromecast Receiver feature with 2.4GHz wireless N, 5GHz wireless AC, and a wired connection, and all performed very well). The box also has HDMI and two USB ports, one of which you'll lose to the USB-connected TV tuner (which happens to be manufacturer by Hauppauge - probably the best decision made with this entire hardware package). The best part of having a TV tuner that isn't integrated into the AirTV directly will become apparent when ATSC 3.0 starts hitting the airwaves; if Sling TV allows it, you'll be able to upgrade the tuner that comes with this box with a 4k-capable TV tuner as the next switchover occurs. The limitations of the hardware are silly, however, especially for the price of this device - 1GB of RAM, a Cortex A53-based processor at 1.2GHz, and 8GB of internal storage (of which you only get 5GB as user storage). These stats would have been justifiable for the price two years ago, but even with the TV tuner included, this device is now more expensive than it should be. Second, the software. I'm going to give you the perspective of someone who isn't interested in SlingTV, because I'm really not interested in the service. I will say though, that the AirTV Player is HEAVILY SLANTED towards subscribers of Sling TV's service; you could say it's the set-top box they've been waiting for. You can bypass the Sling app, but you'll have to disable it to do so as I haven't found any root exploits for this device yet that would allow you to change what it starts up with. (Maybe an option of starting in Leanback or Sling would be nice.) Sling TV's software handles the TV tuner with the sort of ease that you'd expect it to. As you go through the channels, you'll find that it tunes as quickly as any TV set or digital TV tuner does. It also makes it easy to change through sub-channels; where TV sets and many digital TV tuners require that you punch in which subchannel you want (41.1, 41.2, etc) or they default to the now-defunct analog channel, you just highlight the channel you want and click the OK button. What's very surprising, however, is the lack of DVR functionality - recording, time-shifting (play/pause), and things of that nature. I would happily add an external hard drive to this box in order to pause live TV and make recordings, and if Sling offered upgraded tuners (2 or 4 channel) or compatibility to other USB and network tuners already on the market (Hauppauge and Silicone Dust units among others) along with room-to-room communication for these boxes to share DVR recordings (and possibly allow them to sync to devices or stream OTA away from home) they would have a real alternative to competing services like DirecTV's Genie, Comcast's X1, and other multi-room DVR services that cost far more for the monthly fee. Android TV proves itself to be great once again in my eyes. Though a Nougat update has been promised, this box shipped with Marshmallow. While it doesn't feel as snappy overall as Nougat on my Sony XBR850C, it's still fairly quick and easy to use. Bluetooth pairing is straight-forward and supports most standard Bluetooth devices. I'll add a reply to this review when Nougat finally hits. The disappointing things are the apps that work with my Sony TV but don't work with the AirTV Player, the biggest one being Amazon Video. Also, the aforementioned lack of USB ports and storage options isn't great, especially since the 8GB of built-in storage can be filled very quickly with apps and games (which many of you will undoubtedly add to this box). The current lack of HDR video output is also disappointing; after doing some research, this is a hardware limitation. The Play Store software issues will sort themselves out as more developers test and certify this device runs their apps. All in all, the AirTV player, for me, is a start toward something good. However, it's needing a hardware refresh at this point because for what you're getting, you're paying too much for the hardware. I can only recommend this to friends that use Sling TV service. If you want Android TV as your smart TV platform, either go with a Sony TV set or there is a competing Android TV box from another manufacturer with similar performance and half the cost.

So I don't forget to tell you, one of the most useful features is the ability to locate the remote control by pressing a button on the base and it beeps the remote. Once found, it says so on the screen of the TV. The remote is one of the best setups I've seen, an active remote that really works great, is laid out well, and frankly just amazing. As for the box, the advantage of this over other media streaming devices is the ability to watch local live TV channels with the included live tv adapter and your supplied antenna and/or cable tv input. I tried an antenna and it worked great. I also tried it with FIOS and it got many local channels (without a FIOS box) but some channels it recognized and even new what was playing would not display - not sure why yet, but a disappointment. My plan had to been ditch the FIOS rental box in the kitchen so I could just watch live local TV channels. Anyway, I digress. A new beta feature is the ability to use a thumb drive, format it, and be able to record local live TV like a DVR. And that is awesome! The box works FAST, not slow and not frustrating to use. I'm pleased to say that this makes using this thing really nice. There is much you can do with this, from Youtube, to Google apps, Google shows, Netflix, and even games. It is a full service box with lots of features I am sure I haven't even discovered yet. Youtube has so many things to watch and/or listen to, you probably don't need anything else. But if you add the live antenna TV stuff, Netflix, and then the ability to watch other stuff too, you would probably have a hard time getting bored or running out of things to watch. I find the discovery of new stuff you didn't even know was out there is fun and exciting, restoring a new level of satisfaction instead of watching the same old shows at the same old times. You'll want to make sure you consider the foundation of this box's entertainment (and cord cutting) is Sling TV. For a subscription amount that varies, you can watch a bunch of shows you'd have to normally have a cable subscription for. You can get a free account to simply view your antenna local channels. Of if you do buy a subscription you can get all kinds of channels and you can play them on different devices - different plans have different simultaneous streaming limits, however, to even be able to do this is amazing. Imagine being on travel, having your phone or tablet and being able to sign in and watch your shows as if you were at home. Or if you want, you can watch in different places within your home without having to run new cable wires to different TV's. Once you understand what this box can do, and then consider your individual situation and preferences, you'll see value in this I'm sure. As I've had a couple of days to really get to know this unit, I know it has opened up possibilities I never considered. Those rooms that don't have cables could still watch TV using Sling. Or if I'm on travel I could take the box with me and hook it up to a hotel TV. Maybe I have a Sling subscription and watch on my tablet while I'm sitting in my car waiting for my next appointment. I think you too will realize this has a lot of value for the price. Much more than other media streamers, and don't forget about being able to view and record local live TV with the use of the included adapter and an antenna. The package comes with a voucher for Sling TV service, and that will allow you time to get to know if the service is right for you. Remember, Best Buy has a great return policy, so if you try it, and realize this doesn't work for you, you can simply return the box and move on. Chances are though, as I've found, it offers something I never considered, live local TV through a media streaming box.

AirTV is a genus smart Android TV player that does keep up with the best of them. Most of the integration is done with Sling TV in mind but it does function well. With that said it is heavy focused on sling TV itself (Think of it like a Sling TV cable box with apps/Sling’s Fire TV.) it’s strange and different using compared to others. I’ll like to talk about the main home interface first because this is where you mainly be. Soon as you start you are greeted with Slings UI here immediately trying to get you used to the navigation. It feels convoluted at times but the functionality is fine. The recommend content is the row of apps where you will see Hulu, Netflix, and others at the bottom. It feels like it’s out of the way and it’s not as easy to get the apps you want. I feel like the UI is fictional just not very good. They will be rolling updates as time goes on so it’s expected to get better but still it’s a task just getting to the store with apps. As a Sling user though you will have a blast with this thing as it tailor made for your experience. I been a Sling user for a while and the app is the same basically across the board. I never had issues with the service. The channels are clear and crisp on the HDTV. AirTV can handle 4K programming but no HDR here. The performance can keep up with Amazon Fire TV, the Google Chromecast Ultra, Shield TV, and Newer Roku boxes. Navigation isn't as fast but it generally didn't take too long for me to load apps from the play store. The design is a nice change of pace from the same black designs all the rest of the TV set-top boxes out there. On the top of the Air TV is a button Incase you lose the remote that comes with it. I happen to like how it’s different setting under the TV but it’s also the color white which is a big no-no to me. The remote is toy-like but it’s comfortable and large enough in the hand, More comfortable then using a Roku remote. There is a questionable diamond button on the remote that kinda take you to get the apps but other then that it’s a good remote. Air TV’s USB Antenna adapter is the star of the show here. I used a Mohu Supreme paired up with the Air TV and it worked wonderfully. Having internet supported cable and local channels was amazing! Once you set up the box and scan the channels it’s was 100% working. Even though the Air TV have its share of problems this fact alone was enough to own the product. P.S: Air TV USB antenna only works for the Air TV. It will not work with PC, Xbox One, or Shield TV. So don’t expect it to work on everything when you buy it.) Anyway if you are going to get the AirTV for this functionality alone then it’s hands down the best way to use an local antenna. The AirTV was made with video in mind not gaming or anything else. You can play games but in the end you’ll end up with just about 6GB of space. There are no microSD card slots and you can't use USB storage as expandable memory. (But an update maybe on the way for DVR support with USB.) none of this I’m guessing should be an issue for the basic consumer but this is clearly not a Shield TV so take it for what it’s worth. Overall to me it’s a nice set-top box but clearly would only recommend to people who want to take their local TV to the next level without playing a huge price. It hit all the check notes you maybe looking for when you become a “cord cutter.” It’s perfect for videos and music (not games) so it’s perfect for those who just want something simple under their TV. But I severely recommend you being a sling TV subscriber or using the Awesome $50 sling code provided with the player.

BEWARE, currently this is an android type of device and is compatible with android phones and tablets BUT there is a remote for setup and to navigate around. Opening the box you get the device, an HDMI cord, a usb extender, a wall plug, an AirTV adaptor, a remote and a $50 credit for SlingTV. On the back side of the device is a power plug, optical cord plug, ethernet, HDMI and two USB plugs if needed. BEWARE! This device also asks for you to have an HD/Digital Antenna so that you can load your local channels as well. First impression for me is that I can't wait to see what this product will bring in the future. I love that the device has SlingTV preloaded and I can also load my local channels. I no longer have to switch back and forth on my television from HDMI to TV. Another great feature is the easy setup and the Google Play store, music, and movies/tv apps. Make sure you set aside 30 minutes for setup and updating. During the initial setup, if you have an android phone or tablet then you can use your device instead of the remote. I used the remote to setup and it was fine. It fit perfectly in my hand and I was able to navigate through the on screen keyboard with ease. Also in the initial setup, you can set the volume buttons to work with the TV. The remote has a dedicated sling, netflix and google button as well as a mic to speak your requests. If you are a Sling subscriber there is a heart button to favorite your channels and shows. This will allow you to see your favorites on the main home screen. My only negative about this product is the SlingTV user interface. I have used Sling in the past and discontinued because of the constant buffering and error messages and it still has not changed much. The layout of the interface is really good but keep in mind that the playback may not be as good. Overall, would I buy this product again, YES and I hope that SlingTV continues to make progress on their interface to make this product one of the best on the market. Would I recommend to friends or family? Maybe, if the SlingTV portion gets better. Please keep in mind that this is a great product and there maybe flaws with the SlingTV but the overall concept is great! SlingTV does offer a 7 day trial. If you like or love the app, you will really enjoy this product.

The Sling AirTV is an outstanding product and I have thoroughly enjoyed just getting used to how well it is designed and the quality of the product. The system I got included the control box, an AirTV USB thumb drive and the remote. Each item is very solid. In fact they include an extra USB extension cable as this cable may be useful for your setup to facilitate adding a USB thumb drive to the control box to enable the future recording of local channels feature. I tested the thumb drive and it is recognized and you can configure it easily for internal storage. You are best advised to create a SlingTV account and my package included a $50 certificate toward the cost. The system works best of course if you have an active account. There are various levels of membership but the simplest is Orange at $19.99 per month. You would have to pay just $5 more per month for DVR capability. I found the installation of the product simple; I tested it on an HDTV, a computer monitor and also on an old analog TV (it did not work on the old TV as I expected even though I tried with an HDMI to RCA jack converter cable). Once you are enrolled, you can connect SlingTV to any PC Laptop, Desktop, or use the cell phone app. I have to tip my cap to SlingTV: you have a package that integrates use on all these platforms with the ability to include local ‘free-over-the-air’ channels. If you did not want to pay for a SlingTV account, you could simply use this product as an over-air converter box and you have a great channel guide feature which is not on the old-style converter boxes (which I also tried for comparison). The over the air channels were crystal clear video and audio, you do need a good over-the-air TV antenna of course. One feature that was annoying was an audible announcement of every button you pressed, good thing you can just configure this voice off. Another feature I liked is that you can pair the device with any Bluetooth speaker which in my case was necessary as I had a 32 inch monitor which had no speakers but did have an HDMI input. Initially the audio was a little off, but then everything worked fine once I turned the SlingTV box off then on – that may have just been me. You will love the ability to create you own custom list of MyTV channels which gives you easy access to your favorite channels no matter where they are sourced from. The provided ‘install and use guide’ is very brief but you can easily discover how to do things because the device is intuitive and well thought out. I did have to call support because my promotional key (for the $50 did not work. Support was excellent and even after fixing the problem they made sure I could go back and log into my account and view channels on the monitor (by the way the problem was a temporary glitch where Chrome would not work right with SlingTV but IE did; later all browsers worked but the support person fixed me up fine. Finally, someone is putting out a product that pulls all the sources together without having to switch your source connection. I would highly recommend this product for it’s design and quality and also because it is a factor of 10 times less that a cable contract but with more capability. Wonderful. I love it.

Saving $75-100 a month off cable? Yes please! Took about 20-30 mins to unhook my cable box and hook this up in it's place. Very easy to install - plug it in, connect HDMI to TV, connect an OTA antenna (sold separately) for local channels. Probably spent another 15-20 minutes playing with the OTA antenna that I was also hooking up at the same time, but that was just trying it out in multiple locations to get the most stations (we can pick up 26 locals!) The OTA antenna integration is great as it makes viewing both local HD local stations (FOR FREE!) right in the same interface as Sling TV. Saving a ton over cable with this and Sling TV (got the Blue package for $25 and added the Cloud DVR for $5 - so $30 a month). Couple that with local HD free channels and will save hundreds a year. They also include a $50 off code for Sling TV so you can try it for basically 2 months for free. Picture quality and sound is great over our WiFi (we average about 40-50 mpbs internet speeds.) Only 2 minor improvements I'd like to see: 1) It doesn't currently have the capability to pause live TV (local or internet Sling TV). They claim that USB hard drive add on for local DVR functionality is coming soon, but not yet released as of now (Feb 2018.) 2) Even with the optional cloud DVR $5 feature with Sling TV you can't pause "live" Sling TV which is a bummer, but you can work around this by just recording what you are watching and then you can pause it, rewind, fast forward etc. Hopefully they update this as well, but ok work around for now. Overall very please and this is a solid option if you are looking to cut the cord and save a ton!