Tag Archives: Sling

On ‘Roku’ The ‘Willow TV’ APP Is The Best Way To Watch Cricket — Not ‘Willow’ Via ‘Sling’.

by Anura Guruge
on August 16, 2021

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On a Roku you can get ‘Willow TV‘ cricket in one of two ways: as a channel on ‘Sling’ or directly via the Willow APP.

As of now the Willow APP is NOT just the best way to access cricket being shown on Willow — one could argue that it is the ONLY meaningful way to access Willow.

Sling, with its new user interface, has crippled Willow TV! I warned you about that a week ago.

But luckily the Willow APP is now world class. The Willow APP is a joy to use (though, I will admit, the REW & FF feature could be improved).

Yes, a few years back, the Willow APP on Roku was extremely primitive & limited. All you could do was watch live matches. That is it. This was specific to Roku. It was the Roku-version of the Willow APP.

Well, that was then & this is now.

The current APP is full-featured as my images above will show.

You have live, archives as well as selected videos. All of it is logically laid out with graphical headers & GOOD descriptions. You can see exactly what is available & easily decide on what you want to watch.

Yes, when it comes to highlights they, like ‘Hotstar’, are now catering for the limited-attention span of most Indian viewers. So, a la Hotstar, they offer numerous short highlights in addition to the proper (& main) highlight package. Well, you kind of have to get used to skipping over those that do not interest you — without reading too much of the narrative — focusing on finding the highlights. I have kind of got good at this. I can quickly find the main highlight packages — skipping over the rest.

Bottom line. Willow on Sling is no longer an option. Do NOT subscribe to Sling. Get the Willow APP directly. You will be happy & thank me for giving you this heads up.

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The New, Supposedly Improved ‘SLING’ APP. On ‘Roku’ Cripples The ‘Willow’ Cricket Channel.

by Anura Guruge
on August 8, 2021

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The ‘Sling’ APP. on Roku now has a new, & supposedly much-improved, user interface. This was as of the last couple of days, i.e., as of say August 7, 2021.

This new, highly-graphical user-interface might be fine for the main channels on Sling — BUT it definitely cripples ‘Willow’ (as in ‘Willow TV’ that is the dedicated 24×7 cricket channel). Why?

Because the new interface doesn’t allow you to GO BACK, i.e., you can only view channels LIVE or record shows that are scheduled for later. You can’t go back, e.g., select a show that was shown yesterday. Past show are supposed to be available in the ‘On Demand’ section or in your DVR (if you had scheduled any recording). This new set-up totally & utterly CRIPPLES Willow.

Central to Willow was the ability to go back a FULL-WEEK in terms of the matches shown. So, you could go back & pick highlight episodes you wanted to watch. NO MORE. The ‘On Demand‘ section is bare. Yes, I am trying to record some future episodes. It is a MESS. It is so bad that I cancelled BOTH Willow & Sling!

I am going to try the Willow APP on Roku, directly, without subscribing through Sling. I will let you know — but it might take me a month or more. I am in no hurry.

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