slingbox- Comcast to Directv customer?

[crazymomof4]

Hello! New here! Just looking for some info.

Due to the cost, we are leaving Comcast and going to Directv at the end of this month. The major drawback to this decision was the loss of comcast sportsnet (Phila). We are big Phillies fans and will be sick over missing many of the games. A friend mentioned to me the possibility of using a slingbox on my parents (who have comcast & live nextdoor) to view the games in our home.
Questions:
1. Is this legal?
2. Is it possible given that we will be w/ Directv and my parents will be w/ Comcast?
3. Will the slingbox make changing channels or anything else complicated for my parents or will they be able to use their comcast remote exactly as they are now? My parents are in their 70's and are technologically challenged (to put it mildly) If they have to use a different remote, etc it will confuse them and I don't want to do that to them.

TIA for any info!

PS- hoping the FCC forces comcast to STOP their stalling and move on wl the process to allow satellite access to comcast sportsnet, Phila. sooooooon!......... like before MLB season 2011 begins --

 

[vvovv]

I live in Florida and watch comcast only for the sport news after the games, 5 pm everyday, and watch some of the sixers. I have MLB extra innings, NFL Sunday Ticket, and Center ice for my sports.

As far as I know it is legal not 100% sure. I have my slingbox classic at my parents house. Bought on ebay 50 dollars over a year go

Note as of right now comcast is analog so you can use the classic for a turner just plug in a splitter coax 1 going to slingbox and the other to you parents tv easy 1.2.3. and your parents will never be bothered about channel changing.

I think comcast is going to change to all digital very soon so you will need a set top box and that would be a different set up

Don't bother with HD I had no success

Also hook it up to your tv I bought a HTPC for that or you can run a long cable to your tv from your pc

My setup for just comcast channel 34 cost me 300.00 LOL but it is worth it

I looked all over for someone that broadcast that channel over the internet never found it but if you do let me know

 

[crazymomof4]

thanks vvovv

The problem w/ MLB is that the Phillies games will be blacked out for me bc I live in the Phila area. Same for games on espn. At least that is what I'm reading. No one around me has satellite so I really don't know what to expect regarding the Phillies games and DTV.

My parents tv is an analog and they have a set top box that converts the digital signal from comcast to their analog set. Would slingbox classic work with that? We don't necessarily care about picture quality and even watching on the PC monitor would not be a problem-- just want to see the games live is all.

Stinks that watching our home team play is so complicated thanks to comcast's death-grip on CSN. FIOS not available in our area yet, so it really feels like we are held captive by comcast if we want to see all the games.

 

[vvovv]

The Philly area maybe already digital see if you can get another set top box one from comcast and use a splitter so your parents wont be bothered to watch what you want to watch. Any slingbox will work with that setup even the Hava Planitum boxes I have one of those in my house and like that better then sling but it doesn't have a turner.
Mine is in New Jersey

 

[crazymomof4]

Thanks
another set top box would add a charge to their bill as they've maxed out their free ones. I'd rather not do that bc my dad is of the grumpy sort and that will aggitate him even if I hand him the $2 a month that the 3rd converter box will cost.
That's why I really need to know how a slingbox will affect his usage of his tv- if it doesn't affect him in any way but just kinda sits there behind the set, then it's a "go". If it causes him any grief, I'd rather not do it bc I don't want to "get into it" with him over this. We butt heads enough as it is. lol

 

[vvovv]

if there is only one set top box you will have to watch what ever he is watching or visa versa.

YOu can give him 24 dollars a yr or look into mlb.tv

 

[crazymomof4]

OK- so am I understing this correctly?
w/ slingbox-- whatever cable box/TV it's hooked up to has to be watching what you are watching?
Is that all the time that slingbox is hooked up to that set or only when you are "streaming" from it (like during a game)?

But it's only for THAT cable box, right? If I get a seperate cable box and hook it up w/ a splitter (like you suggested earlier).....say in dad's basement..........that would not affect their tv's (2) at all, correct?

Looked into mlb.tv but the phil's games will def be blacked out bc we are in the phila. area. Would only be able to watch them archived 90 mins after the end of the game.


Thanks again for all this info. I've posted this on like 4 forums and you are the only reply I've gotten.

 

[Ronnie-]

OK- so am I understing this correctly?
w/ slingbox-- whatever cable box/TV it's hooked up to has to be watching what you are watching?
Is that all the time that slingbox is hooked up to that set or only when you are "streaming" from it (like during a game)?

But it's only for THAT cable box, right? If I get a seperate cable box and hook it up w/ a splitter (like you suggested earlier).....say in dad's basement..........that would not affect their tv's (2) at all, correct?

Looked into mlb.tv but the phil's games will def be blacked out bc we are in the phila. area. Would only be able to watch them archived 90 mins after the end of the game.


Thanks again for all this info. I've posted this on like 4 forums and you are the only reply I've gotten.

The box will only have to stay on that channel while you are streaming, and yes, if you get a second box, the one that your parents watch will be uneffected.

Plus, it is legal

 

[harshness]

When you're watching, the cable box will be showing whatever you select. The rest of the time, the Slingbox just sits there taking up an output.

On that cable box, they can mess with you and you can mess with them. You'll both have complete control over the box but neither can stop the other from sending commands.

The big question is whether your respective network connections up to the task.

 

[Ronnie-]

The big question is whether your respective network connections up to the task.

That is true, although most DSL and up connections should at least handle SD. Dial up is a no go, not sure about sat.

 

[crazymomof4]

Plus, it is legal

Thanks for that. I was feeling a bit uneasy even posting this question. As much as I hate comcast, I do still have a conscience.

 

[crazymomof4]

The big question is whether your respective network connections up to the task.

Even tho we're switching TV providers, we will be sticking with the Comcast internet, which is pretty fast. My teen sons don't want to part w/ that bc of the speed of gaming and downloading.
Should work, huh?

 

[Ronnie-]

Depends on your parents internet capability. That is the main issue you may have.
Yours will be up to the task.

 

[This1]

If you keep comcast for internet Keep this is mind call them up and see the deals.

Comcast internet only 69.95
Comcast internet with limited basic 59.95
Comcast internet with basic cable ????

I am not 100% sure on those prices but if you have internet only the prices is higher then having comcast with limited basic "don't know if limited basic has ch 34"

I would call and ask

 

[crazymomof4]

Depends on your parents internet capability. That is the main issue you may have.
Yours will be up to the task.

uh oh!
parents have no internet-- no computer, in fact.
I thought I only needed them for the TV cable connection and my wireless router here in my home would pick up the transmission from the slingbox.
glad you mentioned that.

 

[crazymomof4]

I am not 100% sure on those prices but if you have internet only the prices is higher then having comcast with limited basic "don't know if limited basic has ch 34"

I would call and ask

Good point!
I will check the comcast site to see if I can find this info.

My experience w/ asking comcast phone reps about details is that you get as many different answers as reps that you speak to. No kidding.......one morning I called comcast w/ the same question. Called 5x, spoke w/ 5 diff reps, got 5 different price quotes!

 

[Ronnie-]

uh oh!
parents have no internet-- no computer, in fact.
I thought I only needed them for the TV cable connection and my wireless router here in my home would pick up the transmission from the slingbox.
glad you mentioned that.

Well, glad to help, but sorry that the help is not what you wanted to hear.

 

[crazymomof4]

Thank you everyone, anyway, for taking the time to reply to me, a complete stranger.
You've been more than helpful and I appreciate it very much!

Still going to look into bundling my comcast phone/internet w/ their "Limited Basic" package (which DOES carry CSN!) I emailed them and posted on their Cust Serv forum to request pricing. So that's a good Plan B!

 

[Jimbo]

Thank you everyone, anyway, for taking the time to reply to me, a complete stranger.
You've been more than helpful and I appreciate it very much!

Still going to look into bundling my comcast phone/internet w/ their "Limited Basic" package (which DOES carry CSN!) I emailed them and posted on their Cust Serv forum to request pricing. So that's a good Plan B!

WELCOME to the SITE !

Keep us updated on how it works out ...

Btw, Look around, Stay awhile !

 

[crazymomof4]

Thank you. And I will.
I found this to be an exceptionally friendly site. Not all are!