Many people are leaving behind cable and satellite TV subscriptions in favor of online streaming services. There are on-demand streaming solutions that offer original productions, as well as popular TV shows and movies. If you prefer live TV including sports events, TV subscriptions seem like better options but if you wish to cut the cord, without missing out on the benefits of live TV, you can try Sling TV. This online service is ideal for people who want to watch popular TV channels including ESPN, CNN, AMC, Comedy Central, FX, NFL Network and USA. With Sling TV, you have flexibility to choose the package that you prefer so that you get the channels that you are really interested on. The prices of the plans are affordable and you can cancel whenever needed. All this makes it a good alternative to cable and satellite TV subscriptions. However, there is a downside. Currently, Sling TV is only available in the United States so if you try to access the service from another country, you will come across an error message letting you know that the service is not available in your region. We will tell you how to overcome these blocks, but first, lets go through the steps that you can follow to install Sling TV on Apple TV.
How to get Sling TV app on Apple TV
You can install Sling TV on Apple TV 4th generation, but unfortunately previous generations are not supported. Keep in mind that in order to be able to use Sling TV and other apps that are only available in the United States, on your Apple TV 4, a US Apple ID is needed. This can be setup with a US iTunes account without having to use a US credit card. To setup a US iTunes account, you can follow the below steps on your Mac or Windows computer.
- Open the App Store and sign out from your account. To do this, click on Store, then Sign out.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the App Store and select the flag that appears in the bottom-right corner.
- Next, you will see a list where you can select your country or region. Here you need to select United States.
- Find any free app, select Get and Install App.
- Then, from the drop-down menu that appears, you will need to click on Create Apple ID.
- There, you can create a new Apple ID account, choosing the no card option.
- Enter an address from that region and make sure that you select the no card option has been selected. You can search for US addresses using Google.
- In your Apple TV 4, log out from your iTunes account from within settings.
- Now, log in using your new account.
- This should have changed your App Store/iTunes region to the United States.
- Next, you can use the search option in the App Store to look for Sling TV so that you can download it to your Apple TV 4.
How to unblock Sling TV from outside the United States
After downloading the Sling TV app on your Apple TV 4, you can bypass the geographic restrictions that prevent you from accessing Sling TV. For this purpose, you can use a Smart DNS proxy or a VPN. We’ll start by talking about how to use a Smart DNS proxy to defeat the blocks. The advantage of Smart DNS is the fact that it can be set up directly on Apple TV. There is no additional hardware required and Smart DNS is a fast solution to unblock and stream content. However, when you set up Smart DNS, you have to stick to a specific location in the US, which can limit the selection of content that can be accessed. It is important to opt for a Smart DNS proxy service that really works when it comes to unblocking Sling TV on Apple TV from outside the United States. If you use free DNS codes that are found online, you are unlikely to get good results. You can sign up for Smart DNS on Apple TV and enjoy Sling TV from any location. Just keep in mind that Smart DNS doesn’t offer protection for your online traffic.
How to unblock Sling TV on Apple TV outside United States using a VPN
In order to be able to bypass regional blocks on Sling TV and enjoy the great list of channels that are available, including sports channels like Fox Sports, ESPN and NBC Sports, the other option is to use a VPN service. Setting up a VPN on Apple TV is not as simple as setting up Smart DNS proxy, but the benefit of using a VPN is that it allows you to switch between different locations in the United States. You can connect to servers in New York or Los Angeles, which gives you more flexibility to access content in the US.
You need to start by setting up a VPN on a router that supports VPNs. The device should be flashed with DD-WRT, Tomato and other firmware that allows you to run a VPN on it. You can flash your router, or get a router that has been previously configured with firmware that supports VPNs. Then you can set up the VPN on your router. The other option is to get a router that has been pre-configured with a VPN. It is possible to find such devices online. Once your VPN has been configured, you can connect to a VPN server in the United States so that you can unblock Sling TV. The good thing about running the VPN on your router is that all the devices connected to that router will benefit from the security and unlocking functionality of a VPN. All the devices connected, including Apple TV will get a US IP address when you connect to a VPN server in that location.
Now let’s check a list of the VPN services that we recommend for accessing Sling TV from outside the United States.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is ideal for streaming thanks to its vast selection of servers and the fast speeds that it supports. It offers servers in over 90 countries and it has many locations in the United States. ExpressVPN doesn’t keep logs of your online activities.
NordVPN
NordVPN is another good choice for streaming and it offers a high level of security. The service is easy to use and you can connect to servers in over 60 countries, including the United States of course. NordVPN is a zero logs provider.
IPVanish
IPVanish is another solution that is very fast. It manages its own network of servers so you can expect fast speeds and reliable performance. IPVanish has servers in over 60 countries, including the United States where they have servers in multiple cities. IPVanish doesn’t keep logs.
