Slingbox

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The Slingbox Classic

The Slingbox is a TV streaming device that enables consumers to remotely view their cable, satellite, or personal video recorder (PVR) programming from an Internet-enabled computer with a broadband Internet connection. It is produced by Sling Media of San Mateo, California.

1 How the Slingbox works
2 Sling Player software
3 Customer Problems
4 Versions
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] How the Slingbox works

The Slingbox can redirect up to four live Audio/Video signals from a cable box, satellite receiver, DVR, or other Audio/Video source to the viewer's PC located anywhere in the home or, when using a broadband Internet connection, anywhere in the world. For copyright reasons, only one user can access the stream from a Slingbox at a time. This way of accessing content is known as placeshifting.

The Slingbox connects a standard-definition TV source (via coaxial cable, S-video, or composite cabling) to an existing Internet connection (Slingbox Pro supports high definition TV). Digital video recorders and cable or satellite set top boxes can be controlled through a separate infrared (IR) cable that lets users change channels from the remote location. Software on a user's PC connects to the Slingbox and provides the user interface for viewing the video stream and changing channels.

[edit] Sling Player software

The Slingbox will not stream video to generic video players, but requires the use of Sling Media's proprietary Sling Player. The latest Sling Player version for Windows was released on December 22, 2006. Version 1.4 (technically 1.4.0.206) included a new theme to go with the other three previously included themes. This theme still works on the first generation "candy bar" Slingbox despite being designed for the new generation boxes.

Sling Media released a Windows Mobile version of their player on April 26, 2006 which allows users to stream their video over Pocket PCs and smartphones. A high-definition-compatible version of the Slingbox was announced in September 2006^[1].

Sling Media announced a Mac OS X port of the SlingPlayer at the January 2006 Macworld Conference and Expo with a promised release date of Q2 2006. The release was later delayed to Q3 2006, and then again to Q4 2006, leading to allegations that Sling Media was promoting vaporware. In September 2006, Sling Media began selling new Slingbox hardware in packages that had the official Mac OS X logo on the outside, indicating support for the Macintosh platform even though the Mac OS X port of the player software was still not available. Sling Media released the first public beta of their player for Mac OS X on October 31, 2006.

A Palm OS client has also been announced and is expected to be available on Q1 ‘07^[2].

Players for Nokia N73 and, in the future, Sony Ericsson W950, and unlimited (up to 10GB per month), free access are available as part of the X-Series from 3 in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Austria, Australia and Hong Kong.

During the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show the company announced a future feature known as Clip+Sling that allows users to share clips of their favorite TV shows with each other through a hosted Web service. The announcement was made during Les Moonves' keynote.^[3]^[4]

[edit] Customer Problems

Slingbox customers have reported numerous problem with configuring their Slingbox's on the company's community web site^[5]. Many consumers have reported problems with network configuration, especially in configuring the Slingbox to be remotely viewable from the internet, when their SlingBox is behind a firewall on their home network. Even when the Slingbox is reachable from the internet, the company's configuration software refuses to update Slingbox settings to allow remote viewing unless the user's PC is running on the local (home) network.