SlingGuide - Problems

[DefDude]

I've had the sling beta for about a week and just got 617 on my 722 last night. So far seems to work good for me. I have over 30 local OTA's scanned into my 722, so far only the ones that have program guide info show up in the sling guide. there is about 20 of them, I get 01's up to 04's as long as they have guide info, the others are mostly church channels with no info or programming. Even the ones that I only get if I turn my antenna to the west show up. The only problems or issues I have is not being able to see all the programs I have on my dvr and not being able to search for programs out more than week or so. Is there a limit on the amount of programs that show up in the slingGuide?

 

[theflavor]

The only problems or issues I have is not being able to see all the programs I have on my dvr and not being able to search for programs out more than week or so. Is there a limit on the amount of programs that show up in the slingGuide?

They just added a FAQ today...

SlingGuide FAQ

How do I search the entire program guide?

Go to LATER and select EVERYTHING as your Filter. Your search query will search across the 9 days of the programming guide.

 

[JDGJr]

I got the invitation and signed up. Works good on my laptop but I can't access the site from my blackberry.

is there a way to use the blackberry?

 

[jdmacor]

is there a way to use the blackberry?

Try going directly to <dish.sling.com/iphone.php>. That is where the iPhone redirects to, and other users have had success this way. You can also visit that site in your regular browser to see what you are missing (obviously it comes out crazy looking, because it was designed for a tiny screen).

 

[sremick]

I was unable to get the iPhone page to work on my BB Curve's built-in web browser or Opera Mini. Both it and the main Dish Sling page are too script-dependent.

I was able to install the mobile app but it appears to be designed for full Slingboxes only and doesn't offer any functionality for the guide-only Dish offering for the 622/722.

So I don't understand what this supposed "Blackberry support" is.

 

[SpenceJT]

Can someone confirm that having a ViP622 or 722 without an external Slingbox, will not allow streaming of content to computers or mobile devices. Perhaps I had incorrectly read the transcripts of the Tech Chat, in that they gave the impression that those models would have some sort of capability to stream.

 

[Mr Zulu]

Can someone confirm that having a ViP622 or 722 without an external Slingbox, will not allow streaming of content to computers or mobile devices. Perhaps I had incorrectly read the transcripts of the Tech Chat, in that they gave the impression that those models would have some sort of capability to stream.

As I understand it, the upcomming vip922 will have the internal streaming ability and that the 622 and 722 will only offer the guide unless you have an external Slingbox.

 

[Widescreen]

As I understand it, the upcomming vip922 will have the internal streaming ability and that the 622 and 722 will only offer the guide unless you have an external Slingbox.

Yes, this is correct.

 

[SpenceJT]

I am considering the purchase of a Slingbox, but see a number of models. What is the consensus on the Slingbox Solo?

 

[Mr Zulu]

I am considering the purchase of a Slingbox, but see a number of models. What is the consensus on the Slingbox Solo?

I think what seperates the Solo from the other units is that there is no on board tuner. If I'm right and you're going to hook it up to your DVR/Sat. Box, then it's all you need. I pretty sure the Slingin' cababilities are the same on the various units except that some can do HD (in a closed network only).

 

[SpenceJT]

I think what seperates the Solo from the other units is that there is no on board tuner. If I'm right and you're going to hook it up to your DVR/Sat. Box, then it's all you need. I pretty sure the Slingin' cababilities are the same on the various units except that some can do HD (in a closed network only).

Thanks Zulu - it sounds as though the Solo will suit my needs. It is just my wife, my six year old daughter and myself, and the only time I would use the Sling is when we are either on vacation, or when I am taking my daughter to swimming lessons. I'll be able to stream live TV if I wish, from my DVR, along with any of the recorded content.

We've got a pair of 622s, so it will be connected to 'mine', and allow me to catch up on some recorded shows, whilst my yard ape practices her butterfly kicks.

 

[Mr Zulu]

Thanks Zulu - it sounds as though the Solo will suit my needs. It is just my wife, my six year old daughter and myself, and the only time I would use the Sling is when we are either on vacation, or when I am taking my daughter to swimming lessons. I'll be able to stream live TV if I wish, from my DVR, along with any of the recorded content.

We've got a pair of 622s, so it will be connected to 'mine', and allow me to catch up on some recorded shows, whilst my yard ape practices her butterfly kicks.

Just want to give up front warning that the remote control on these things are IR only so you can only control TV1 output. I have mine hooked up to the TV1 output our system which goes to the primary TV in the house. Sometimes causes issues because my primary Slingbox use is watching it when I'm on the road by myself.

Also, they don't have a wireless network card on them so you have to have somewhere to put that eithernet cable into. Was not a problem for me, just put our wireless router behind the TV where we had a phone hook-up anyway all computers in the house have a wireless card.

Some useful things I like with it you may not have thought off:

You can make a laptop into a really good TV that can be placed in any place within reach of your wireless router. In-network picture quality is VERY good. This is hand when I need to be outside working on a project and I dont' want to miss the big game for instance.

My job puts me on the road quite a bit which puts me eating out by myself. I've found I really like using my phone to watch a little news or something while I wait for my food to show up. Picture quality via cellular data link on a little phone screen is surprisingly watchable. The player software for the handheld devices isn't free like the computer software is though.

 

[SpenceJT]

Just want to give up front warning that the remote control on these things are IR only so you can only control TV1 output. I have mine hooked up to the TV1 output our system which goes to the primary TV in the house. Sometimes causes issues because my primary Slingbox use is watching it when I'm on the road by myself.

Also, they don't have a wireless network card on them so you have to have somewhere to put that eithernet cable into. Was not a problem for me, just put our wireless router behind the TV where we had a phone hook-up anyway all computers in the house have a wireless card.

Some useful things I like with it you may not have thought off:

You can make a laptop into a really good TV that can be placed in any place within reach of your wireless router. In-network picture quality is VERY good. This is hand when I need to be outside working on a project and I dont' want to miss the big game for instance.

My job puts me on the road quite a bit which puts me eating out by myself. I've found I really like using my phone to watch a little news or something while I wait for my food to show up. Picture quality via cellular data link on a little phone screen is surprisingly watchable. The player software for the handheld devices isn't free like the computer software is though.

Thanks again.

The 622 that I have in my home theater runs in single mode, so the tuners are not split, feeding other televisions, so tuner one should not be an issue.

It is primarily viewed in the early morning while my wife is on the treadmill, so I shouldn't run into any major conflicts where that is concerned.

When we built the house, I wired it with A/V & networking in mind, so even though the Solo probably has a 10/100 LAN port, the entire network is capable of 10/100/1000, and I've got a 5-port switch in my entertainment cabinet for the DVR, and my AV Receiver. Plenty of room to add the Slingbox.

Thanks for the tip on turning my laptop into a television. My wife has a 'no television in the bedroom' rule, however the laptop is okay.

All I am waiting on, is the end of the auction, to see if I'll have a deal on a Solo. If not, it isn't that high of a priority, so I'll be waiting and watching.

Cheers,

Spence

 

[jlhugh]

is this still in beta mode? i never got an email from them telling me i can get in, but i just tried to log in and it let me in and now i can see my DVR. you guys that have not gotten an email might want to try and log in again.

 

[goofus]

I got into the beta, and have the receiver connected to the net; that part works fine, I have an IP address. I then did the web activation. Got the code, entered it, and am now in a perpetual connecting to receiver.

Wondering if I have a router fireall issue I need to deal with. Although since it was able to generate a web activation code, I would think that I don't. Ideas? BTW, my router is a Linksys VPN Firewall Router.

I'm having the same issue. My 622 reports that it is fully connected and configured, yet it cannot be seen during web activation. I, too, am suspecting that the firewall is causing the problem. Does anyone know what ports need to be opened up?

 

[HobbyTalk]

No ports need to be opened. You receiver should be the one that initiates the connection to SlingGuide. The receiver automatically contacts the sling server 3 or 4 times per minute and SlingGuide should answer if you have logged in.

 

[SpenceJT]

No ports need to be opened. You receiver should be the one that initiates the connection to SlingGuide. The receiver automatically contacts the sling server 3 or 4 times per minute and SlingGuide should answer if you have logged in.

I can confirm this - My 622's were activated and I have SlingGuide functionality and never needed to modify my firewall.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I can confirm this - My 622's were activated and I have SlingGuide functionality and never needed to modify my firewall.

Ditto.

 

[jdr01930]

Wondering if I have a router fireall issue I need to deal with. Although since it was able to generate a web activation code, I would think that I don't. Ideas? BTW, my router is a Linksys VPN Firewall Router.

Did you get this working yet? I found with my Linksys WRV200 VPN Router that it's DNS management was causing the problem.
I overrode the router's LAN DHPC settings to hand out my ISP's DNS server addresses directly (instead of it's own, doing relay) and everything started working. Only problem is if Comcast changes their DNS server IP's I'll have to change them in my router - no biggy.

 

[DishSatUser]

I've finally been able to get my Sling Guide to work. I had to use a Windows XP system temporarily with IE7 as I couldn't get the "continue" button to show up on the page you check the box to accept the terms.

Once I'd completed the setup from the XP setup, the system fully is functional from my Windows Vista x64 Home Premium edition. I suspect others may have problems with the account setup at that particular screen.

If they provided themselves more of a boarder for that display, the Continue button would have been able to display for Vista users (viewing the source shows it's there, just word wrapped below the border for some reason).

Now that I can use it, it's really super cool!