EchoStar to Acquire Sling Media

[GaryPen]

We'll see. If I'm wrong, then great.

For starters, let's see how long the unlimited free player software lasts, and whether they go to a one licensed copy per PC model, like LocationFree.

 

[drdroo]

Can only connect once to the Slingbox anyway.. So multiple software copies really doesn't serve much unless they're all for the single individual..

 

[GaryPen]

Huh? Do you understand how Sling, or LocationFree for that matter, works?

If the PC/Mac SlingPlayer goes with the LocationFree or SlingMobile model, you will need a unique serial key on each device's installation of the player software.

Knowing the way Dish nickels and dimes their customers, I'd say it's a very real posibility this will be happening with the player software.

 

[dmusic1]

Sling is the provider of the NFL Sunday Ticket Online for DirecTV.

does this mean anything to E* being able to aquire NFL Sunduy Ticket

 

[BassBlaster]

It looks like we'll soon be paying a fee to use a $lingPlayer, $lingFinder...as well as one-time $39.99 $lingBox Enabling Fee per Dish Network account.

 

[Tampa8]

As mentioned by some, you don't need their ID finder service,(though it does work well) and even if you do not have a static IP address there are a few ways to get your address very easily. My address rarely changes anyway.

There are many uses for the Slingbox other than the obvious. Just for starters using it with security cameras, and controlling other devices. Watching TV easily most anywhere in the house or outside, the list goes on. Those of you that "have no need for such a device" may of course be right, but without knowing everything it can do I would bet at least some would change their mind.
Then there is the mobile software. Works fantastic. Sports fan? - have no way to see at least some of the big game - you can almost anywhere with your mobil phone. The slingbox won a couple of important awards as best new something or other...

With that said, I have had Dish for many many years, I'm sure longer than most on this board (not all of course) I have posted support for Charlie often and still feel overall Dish gives me the best choice for TV.
I can't however see this as a good thing if keeping the slingbox service free is the goal. Maybe if you are a Dish subscriber you would continue to have free service?

I should also add, I'm sure Charlie knows exactly what the Slingbox does. Perhaps his mission is to NOT change that capability. Read between the lines and think of one of the most posted about topics awhile ago ever here and what Charlie's stand has been about that subject for many years.

 

[drdroo]

Huh? Do you understand how Sling, or LocationFree for that matter, works?

If the PC/Mac SlingPlayer goes with the LocationFree or SlingMobile model, you will need a unique serial key on each device's installation of the player software.

Knowing the way Dish nickels and dimes their customers, I'd say it's a very real posibility this will be happening with the player software.

You missed my point.

They provide software with the device, at this time it has unlimited licenses (for installs) for PC and MAC (but Mobile costs and wasn't even available when I bought my Slingbox).

It's probably likely they'd provide ONE license with the device (even if they went the total licensing method instead of PC/MAC being free and other options (Like the mobile client) costing more).

I can't watch the Slingbox from multiple machines at the same time, because my device can only serve ONE connection. I don't really see the issue with requiring the purchase of additional player licenses because it wouldn't affect me in the least (I always watch from the SAME single device, my field laptop).

If someone REALLY needed Slingplayer available on several different devices to play that ONE concurrent stream, I suspect they would feel a lot different than me. I'd be interested in the numbers, since the people I know with Slingboxes are usually in my boat of having 1 device to play from.

Either way, they can't suddenly decide tomorrow to start charging for the Mac or PC client. You could stay using the SAME VERSION you're using now, forever and ever. Sling doesn't owe you any upgrades, doesn't owe you any additional OS support for free. But, the device will still work as it does today, for quite some time into the future (until it's outmoded, until your OS is outmoded, until lightning strike, etc.).

I don't think I can make this any clearer. People who have the device and use the device today LOSE NOTHING, they may never GAIN ANYTHING (features, etc), but they LOSE NOTHING.

 

[drdroo]

It looks like we'll soon be paying a fee to use a $lingPlayer, $lingFinder...as well as one-time $39.99 $lingBox Enabling Fee per Dish Network account.

Could be true for any sort of future product, but as it sits today, my Slingbox does what it does and will continue to do so until I decide it isn't useful or it ups and croaks, without any additional fees.

I would actually pay a Slingbox Enabling Fee of 40 bucks if it meant I didn't have to buy a Slingbox (if it was just software in the 622/722), beats 130$ for the unit..

As for Slingfinder, Dynamic DNS is free. www.dyndns.org, can install a program to make yourself 'easily found'. It is cheap as free and updates as your IP address changes with your ISP. I have a static IP, but that's how I used to do it in the cable days.

Charging for the player is a whole other situation... But as it sits, I have free players for PC/MAC as long as I own this standalone device..

 

[foghorn2]

:Go for it Charlie. Give a big finger to the ERECTV, NAB and the GOVT and get us our distant locals with seamless sling technology in our Vip boxes.

 

[charper1]

does this mean anything to E* being able to aquire NFL Sunduy Ticket

No

 

[Rlanham]

Slingfinder is for people who can't easily find their unit because they're on a residential service. I'm on a commercial DSL connection with a static IP. This is moot.

I even forgot that you could access your slingbox with a static ip, or by using a service. The "average" person that buys a slingbox though, just wants it to work, and the majority will have a dynamic address. My point was that I doubt that E* is going to keep the slingbox "free", knowing echostar's track record. I did choose a less than stellar example however.

 

[drdroo]

I have a feeling some things will cost, likely how they tie in with Dish Network. I think an 'enabling fee' for SlingBox on a DN unit would be acceptable, to a point. I'd even pay it, if it got me out of buying a Slingbox.

I also think it would be a poor idea however to stop making money from Cable/DirecTV/OTA customers though... Bad business sense..

It could end up costing us less overall as a Dish Network customer, compared to the 130$+ up front too. For instance, 40$ for enabling plus 20$ per 'client' would be cheaper for me (60 bucks in my case) than 130$.

I'm of a wait and see idea. But I do appreciate the fact my device will still work for time to come with or without Echostar's help.

 

[GaryPen]

I don't really see the issue with requiring the purchase of additional player licenses because it wouldn't affect me in the least (I always watch from the SAME single device, my field laptop).

Oh well. It doesn't affect you. Then, never mind.

OTOH, I connect via at least 3 PC's. But, again, you only use one. So, it doesn't matter.

 

[drdroo]

If it did, and I needed to pay for multiple licenses to use all the machines, then I'd pay the piper or go without.. No big deal.

However, I already own a Slingbox and I could use the software on 30 machines if I wanted, just could only view it one PC at a time.

In other words, I don't see your problem. They're not going to tell you you can't run your 3 PCs of Slingplayer to access your existing Slingbox. Won't happen.

They could however, offer a new version of Slingplayer that has features you may want, that is pay (pay once, or pay per device).... Or they may offer a better device that has features you want that will require a licensed player. But, that's an entirely different situation.

 

[bolco]

Now I'm gonna have to pay a $5 access fee if I don't subscribe to at least AT100! I can hear it already..."Me no pay Five Dolla access fee!"

 

[skottey]

Seems like a waste of money to me. The Sling Box is a great idea, but how many people actually use it? If I am away on business or vacation, why would I want to watch Green Acres in my room on a tiny computer screen, when I could be at a sports bar watching WWE on a jumbo widescreen!?

It is excellent for watching ones home security cameras while on vacation or checking in on the nanny while working. I watch mine both online and over my pocket pc cell phone. excellent product. i agree with you on watching tv on vacation though. they really need to market it for other things it can do. Dish has the $$$ to throw behind it.

 

[skottey]

I see another monthly fee coming with this. I can't see Charlie just being happy with selling the hardware when he can get recurring fees. Especially when Slingcatcher comes out and you can hook it directly to a TV.

Yeah.... currently I use the Slingfinder but if they start charging a fee I'll have to go direct IP... not a big deal, I am tech savy and have a static IP, but what will the regular guy do when Slingfinder wants him to pony up?

I love Slingboxes but Slingcatcher does nothing for me. I have a media center PC, Xbox360, and other devices that push and shove my PC media to and fro the TV.. but I don't want it there anyway. With hundreds of DVDs and hundreds of channels, I don't need the funny Youtube clips or porno quickfix clips to show up on my TV with Slingcatcher. For some, this may be good, but not for me.

 

[skottey]

Do I hear the 822S Coming maybe Dish will use this "Sling" Technology to produce a Whole House DVR Solution.

That is a great idea. Although I don't want it riding over my ethernet network. I have two slings and I already throttle down the bandwidth in-house because it eats away at my vonage bandwidth and slows the live webserver's connection to the net. I prefer Dish using coax cables such as the 622 and all the cables heading out to the 2nd TV. Otherwise many of us would have to upgrade to gigabit ethernet internal. So much for the wireless bridge joining the bedroom to the rest of the network and slinging slingbox 2, a PC, wii, and xbox360... slinging the dish would hog up the bandwidth and force me to remove the bridge.

 

[Guderian]

It appears they may plan to split the company into two.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2007/tc20070925_717354.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology


"Splitting Up the Company?

Besides beefing up EchoStar's arsenal vs. satellite and cable providers, Sling Media could bring EchoStar to new competitive terrain. EchoStar said on Sept. 25 it's considering splitting its businesses into two separate, publicly traded companies. One would be the consumer-focused subscription-TV operations, while EchoStar would spin off international operations and the division that makes set-top boxes. SlingMedia would likely become part of the new entity, packing its software and features into set-top boxes that would compete against those from Motorola (MOT) and Scientific Atlanta, a unit of Cisco Systems (CSCO). "

 

[TheKrell]

The last time I checked, Slingboxes did an A-to-D, and then encrypted the data stream to the client. Is this still happening?

I would also agree to paying an enabling fee to bring this technology to DN receivers IFF engineers skip the D-to-A-to-D steps and just redirect (and possibly encrypt) the data stream from the satellite. That would be awesome.