Grrr No More Sling Desktop Software...

[Scott Greczkowski]

Just got a note on my MAC that an update for my desktop Slingplayer software is now available.

When I click on it I get the following error message.

The desktop version of SlingPlayer for Mac said there was an update. What should I do?
If you are still using the desktop version of SlingPlayer for Mac, you will receive a software update notification for the next few weeks. That application is no longer being developed and, if you are using it with a Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD, you are missing out on the new web-based SlingPlayer and the lastest Slingbox Software updates. These updates are required if you are using SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad.

To get those updates, you will need to use Watch on Slingbox.com. Just click on the button above.

We will be turning off this notification soon. If you have an older Slingbox that requires you to use the desktop version of SlingPlayer for Mac, we're sorry for the inconvenience of that update message. The desktop version of SlingPlayer for Mac has not been updated. We just have a brand new (and better) player option for those with the latest Slingbox models.

This SUCKS. I DONT WANT TO WATCH VIA A WEBSITE! WHY ARE YOU TAKING AWAY MY FUNCTIONALITY THAT I PAID FOR?

 

[mike123abc]

This SUCKS. I DONT WANT TO WATCH VIA A WEBSITE! WHY ARE YOU TAKING AWAY MY FUNCTIONALITY THAT I PAID FOR?

So they can track everything you watch!

 

[Jim S.]

Get tied up with proprietary systems, get screwed at will. (Not YOUR will.)

I for one think that the government ought to be protecting consumers' interests ahead of businesses' interests, and let us plug in a Nagra card into any DVB receiver we want, so we can record whatever we want unencrypted, stream it to other devices unencrypted, etc. If the content owners don't like it, then they can just quit broadcasting altogether. There's nothing stopping anyone from recording analog material, so why should digital material be any different? (And the answer is NOT "because it's a perfect copy". If only perfect copies violated copyright, then lossy-compressed material shouldn't be copyrightable.)

 

[TheKrell]

That is terrible news. Watching via the web is cumbersome at best and precludes local operation for those without a broadband connection. Do you think we can generalize this announcement to any/all new stand-alone apps for all platforms for newer Slingbox products such as the Sling Adapter?

 

[harshness]

Of course this is just the beginning. If Adobe and Apple can't make up, this could mean the end of support for the Mac altogether.

 

[SolApathy]

just find a copy of the version you were using before and install it (if you hit upgrade by accident). When t prompts you to upgrade say no. You have to do it every time the app launches, but you will still have the sling ability. I am disappointed that Sling is taking the same path as Dish and essentially making everyone go online. It sets the system up for failure. Basically you are screwed if the website went down due to heavy traffic or a simple failure.

 

[indychris]

Of course this is just the beginning. If Adobe and Apple can't make up, this could mean the end of support for the Mac altogether.

????

Can you elaborate please? I mean I know that whole flash debacle...but could you explain the latter part of your statement?

 

[indychris]

Get tied up with proprietary systems, get screwed at will. (Not YOUR will.)

I for one think that the government ought to be protecting consumers' interests ahead of businesses' interests, and let us plug in a Nagra card into any DVB receiver we want, so we can record whatever we want unencrypted, stream it to other devices unencrypted, etc. If the content owners don't like it, then they can just quit broadcasting altogether. There's nothing stopping anyone from recording analog material, so why should digital material be any different? (And the answer is NOT "because it's a perfect copy". If only perfect copies violated copyright, then lossy-compressed material shouldn't be copyrightable.)

Personally, the last thing I need is more government action 'for my own good'. What we need is more people actually taking action against the companies that initiate policies they don't like, rather than simply posting blog style how terrible a company policy is, all the while continuing to accept the changes while mumbling under their breath.

It's the whole 'I'm gonna drop Dish this time...I mean I'm REALLY gonna drop Dish this time...!!', then 6 months later their still watching Dish. As soon as companies start losing revenue, or when it becomes obvious to a new start-up that there's a healthy profit to be gained by offering more freedom, then things will change.

Or we can, of course, wait for Uncle Sam to tell us what we can watch...what's healthy for us...what's making society bad...what's hurting our kids...then they can regulate satellite just like they're learning to do salt in our food and what kind of oil we cook our french fries in.

BTW, Scott, I do agree that I don't like the Sling move away from supporting the Desktop Player. I love my SB Pro HD, but I hate the web interface.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I wouldn't have so much of a problem with it, but I am not giving my kids my username and password for my main DISH account.

Thats my biggest complaint about it all.

 

[llzel]

Scott, dish.sling.com website still works and if yours is like mine it's a different login information then my dish account. They do have a message asking to use the account page, but it does work.

 

[TheKrell]

Giving out my account info to family members doesn't bother me that much. But I sure as heck won't give it out to one of my friends even for a demo. That said, my biggest complaint is that it's awfully cumbersome and takes way too long to bring up your first video. The mobile clients are a lot easier to deal with, since they cache your login credentials.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I'm going to DISH Satellite TV - $24.99 & HD Free For Life - Let's Watch TV and logging in there first, and then clicking on Dish Remote Access. I have never been able to log in dirctly to DISH Remote Access Login.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes there is a seperate login for there however my 922 and 722k with Sling Adapter do not show up there.

 

[tomcrown1]

Seems like Charlie has full control of sling.

I guess any of sling past personal is now gone. Not good for sling.

 

[mloebl]

I'm wondering if a big part of it is to cut down on engineering costs. Instead of developing applications specifically for OS, they can come out with something that's Web based that works on any platform. You can see how the meeting goes... "I've got this GREAT cost cutting idea, we'll go web based! People love web apps..." However I suspect this is one of those that just because it seems like a great cost savings measure, doesn't mean consumers want it.

-Mike

 

[David_Levin]

The Dish Web portal frequently can't see one or both of my boxes while the Stand-Alone player is fine. Another plus of the standalone is that (if you know your ip address & setup port forwarding) it can directly access the sling box without relying on the dish server (can the web interface do that) ?

Scott, you mentioned the mac software. The the PC software going away too ?

 

[joelwnelson]

The Mac version of SlingPlayer has always been second-rate. I only used it for convenience for a quick log-in to change the channel or something like that when watching via a long component cable run in another room. While the Windows version was kept current and given HD streaming, etc. the Mac version was always SD-only. Mac users have always had to use the browser plugin for HD so apparently Sling decided it would be simpler to just have HD streamers exclusively use the browser plugin. The stand-alone software still works; it just warns about an update being available that really isn't available.

As to letting others have access to the box, just get the Sling ID of your Sling hardware (should be on the adapter somewhere) and create a new account at watch.slingbox.com for it. This works for me anyway, though I don't actually have the DISH Sling adapter. I had a standalone Slingbox Pro HD from when I had cable so now just use it with my DISH VIP 612 box. Still, it *should* work just the same.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There is no Sling ID on the Sling Adapters.

 

[JTravers]

There is no Sling ID on the Sling Adapters.

Can you use the ID listed on the remote access website for the Sling Adapter?
It can be found under Preferences-->Receiver-->Receiver/Slingbox settings.

 

[JTravers]

Can you use the ID listed on the remote access website for the Sling Adapter?
It can be found under Preferences-->Receiver-->Receiver/Slingbox settings.

Just realized that you need both the ID and the password. Even if the ID works, we don't know what the password is for the Sling Adapter so it won't work.

 

[empiretc]

Picture quality via the website is horrid compared to the desktop app..