Official New Slingbox Announcement

[harshness]

HDMI isn't likely to help the DIRECTV subscribers as their boxes are more and more requiring HDCP satisfaction over HDMI. I read where the C31 RVU client won't display an HDMI picture without it (on any channel). HDMI inclusion REQUIRES HDCP but if the content doesn't warrant it, the receiver shouldn't artificially force the issue.

[harshness]

If they would just simplify the process for connecting these things up to the internet...

Making LAN devices available to the Internet proper should not be too easy. The process is straightforward, if not mostly automated with a modern router.

[SkiKing]

If they would just simplify the process for connecting these things up to the internet...

If my work's firewall did not sling....

[ROLLTIDE]

The New 3.0 update is out now for All apps

[jimdandyvi]

Get Rid of this Ad! Register Today!

Having a SlingSolo and having used it for the past several years with no problems I think is it a useful product and it works well with my Dish 211 receiver.

Prior to installing a newer Sling Solo in the USVI I had a SlingBox with an analog tuner installed in Chicago in my son's condo. All the channels in his building were unscrambled so I could watch watch everything he got in the USVI.

The new 350 and 500 appear to be evolutionary products. While the 500 can be used as a media server it does not appear that you can still connect multiple video sources to the box and then remotely switch sources. Secondly the WiFi connectivity built into the 500 seems to be of limited usefulness. Streaming video reliably requires a steady connection so unless the wireless router is in the same room as the SlingBox good luck at maintaining a steady connection particularly if the SlingBox is inside a media cabinet and its WiFi radio subject to interference from all the other nearby electronics.

As for the newer SlingBoxes not including tuners I think this is for most people a non issue. Most CATV channels on larger MSO's systems are encrypted. You can't Sling Satellite without using a receiver as the source. If you want to Sling off airs hook a VCR with a tuner or analog/digital converter to to your antenna and then use that as the video source for your SlingBox.

The ability to stream 1080p is a plus if you want to place shift video locally over your LAN and watch on a TV using a Boxee, other set top box or on a PC you probably have the bandwidth. To stream 1080p over the internet you need according to Sling Media a steady upload speed of 2 Mbps at the sending end and 2Mbps at the receiving end. While many people have good download speeds they don't haves as good of upload speeds. Even if you have a good upload speed, the greater the distance you try to stream the slower the connection. When I'm in Europe and try and stream NFL games they are barely SD quality after traveling 4,000 miles with 23 - 28 hops. Fine for watching on a small laptop, but not enough for a decent picture on a medium size TV.

Just my impression and glad to see that Sling is still hanging in. For those of you with Dish's Sling adapter the actual SlingBoxes work quite well so don't judge of all Sling's hardware based on how Dish has implemented the Sling Adapter.

[SkiKing]

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If my work's firewall did not sling....

I meant to say did not block my slingbox