Slingbox

[60flyer]

Has anyone tried using a slingbox?

From what I've read you can hook it up to a home TV/DVR and hook up the slingbox and then watch tv programs on your computer wherever you are. Just curious how well it worked and if it could be an international thing (US to Japan).

 

[das]

Has anyone tried using a slingbox?

From what I've read you can hook it up to a home TV/DVR and hook up the slingbox and then watch tv programs on your computer wherever you are. Just curious how well it worked and if it could be an international thing (US to Japan).

Yes, that's exactly how it works. It uses an IR transmitter to let you change channels/control a device remotely, and even displays an actual image of the device's remote (for nearly all common devices). It then compresses the video and audio, and sends it out where it can be viewed by a client anywhere with an internet connection.

The limiting factors are:

1. The Slingbox currently needs a wired ethernet connection in your house, so you'd have to get ethernet to it...it doesn't just work over Wi-Fi. Of course at the client end, you can use wireless or whatever you want...it's just that the Slingbox itself needs a wired connection. There is a Sling competitor called HAVA that does have a wireless version; but Sling seems to be the leader in this space.

2. You need sufficient upstream bandwidth to be able to handle the outgoing video/audio. Many broadband providers skimp on the upstream bandwidth. I'd shoot for 1Mbps, but less does in fact work.

3. It will work anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection fast enough to support viewing the stream. The client is very good about adjusting the bandwidth it uses for the capabilities of the connection -- at both ends.

4. Don't bother getting anything like the HD versions of the Slingbox unless you actually have HD, and have sufficient upstream bandwidth (>1Mbps) and routine access to fast connectivity where you'll be watching it.

All in all, it works remarkably well, and you can control the device as if you're sitting in front of it. There are even clients for Blackberry, iPhone, etc. It's a pretty slick little box!

Here's a screenshot of mine at home, viewed from my office:

Incidentally, you can also use a Slingbox to get content from things like your living room DVR to other TVs in the house using a companion product called a "Slingcatcher".

 

[SynixMan]

A friend of mine did similar when he went to England for a bit. Put a slingbox at his parent's house in Columbus so he could watch Bengals/Reds games live. Upload rate of the connection the Slingbox is on is key.

For TV shows, he found other sources that were more reliable.

 

[60flyer]

I'm moving to Japan and would like to use the slingbox from my parents TV. How would it affect their ability to watch tv the same time I want to?

They have an ethernet connection and the internet speed in Japan is supposed to be good.

What do you mean by upstream bandwidth? Is this an upgrade via the cable company?

Have you used a slingcatcher?

 

[das]

I'm moving to Japan and would like to use the slingbox from my parents TV. How would it affect their ability to watch tv the same time I want to?

You will be controlling whatever device you have it associated with. E.g., if you have it associated with the DVR and then you connect to it remotely, you're going to be in complete control of it.

In my case, I have the Slingbox hooked up to both normal cable, and the DVR...if my wife is at home watching TV and I connect to it, I'll take over the DVR. But I could also just watch cable remotely, and not interfere with her at all. So if you always wanted to be able to use it and didn't ever want to interfere, you could even do something like get another DVR (for maybe another $10-15/month?), and have only the Slingbox hooked up to it...it wouldn't even need its own TV.

They have an ethernet connection and the internet speed in Japan is supposed to be good.

What do you mean by upstream bandwidth? Is this an upgrade via the cable company?

Here I just mean the bandwidth that your cable/DSL provider gives you for outbound traffic. Everyone talks about download speeds, but they don't usually talk much about upload speeds because not many people care about it. But upload is exactly how the Slingbox gets the video out of your house, to you wherever you are. Sling says you only need 256Kbps or something like that, but you really want at least 512Kbps for the video to look decent. Your upload speed should show on your bill, or you can use a site like http://www.speedtest.net to test. You're probably going to be fine, but just thought I'd mention this...especially if you wanted to do higher qualities.

Have you used a slingcatcher?

I haven't, but they apparently work well. In my house I actually have another computer attached to a TV and just use the Sling client on it when I occasionally want to watch something recorded on the DVR on another TV.

 

[60flyer]

For TV shows, he found other sources that were more reliable.

Like what??

 

[Jynx]

There are things like Hulu and NBC/FOX/ABC's own websites that do full episodes, but those are only available inside the USA.

Like what??

I think he means certain internet sites that post rips of the tv show to internationally viewable sites.
I'd list a few of the other sources, but I imagine I'd get Mod Squaded to Hades and back.

I can second the slingbox being a great product. As das said, check your upload speed before buying. If you're ~512kb, you should be golden to watch most anything in acceptable quality for a laptop/desktop screen. I wouldn't hook the image up to a projector and shine it on a wall regularly though.

 

[lowflier03]

A buddy of mine in Japan used Slingbox and loved it. He just bought high speed internet for his parents and hooked the slingbox up in the basement to an extra cable outlet. He also added a DVR so he could record certain shows and watch them via slingbox. Internet on base in Japan is fast enough to work with it, though if you live out in town you may or may not have enough bandwith (depending on where you live) Some places have fiber optic, some you're stuck with paying for satellite internet. Overall it's a great product. My wife and I also used Apple TV while we were over there for purchasing/watching TV shows and movies.

 

[Godspeed]

Speaking of cool tv boxes, saw this bad boy in an issue of Maxim. (not work friendly)www.fyretv.com Any takers?

 

[PropAddict]

My wife and I also used Apple TV while we were over there for purchasing/watching TV shows and movies.

What did you think of Apple TV?

We want to get rid of all our DVDs (and VHS. . .) and go digital, so we're between Apple TV and the Western Digital TV. Leaning toward the WD more (more storage space, cheaper, can still download shows from iTunes and play through the iPod), but curios what you thought of Apple TV.

 

[das]

What did you think of Apple TV?

We want to get rid of all our DVDs (and VHS. . .) and go digital, so we're between Apple TV and the Western Digital TV. Leaning toward the WD more (more storage space, cheaper, can still download shows from iTunes and play through the iPod), but curios what you thought of Apple TV.

I have an AppleTV, and it is very cool. It's especially great if the content you want is already available via iTunes, and that's easy enough to check out by simply reviewing what's available in iTunes. It allows easy syncing of all other media on the computers in your house, as well as directly acquiring content on the AppleTV itself.

There is also a vibrant hobbyist community surrounding the AppleTV, which let's you do a lot more with the AppleTV, like running Boxee. Here's a good article on what you're trying to do.

Apple just dropped the price of the 160GB AppleTV to $229 today, too.

 

[SynixMan]

What did you think of Apple TV?

We want to get rid of all our DVDs (and VHS. . .) and go digital, so we're between Apple TV and the Western Digital TV. Leaning toward the WD more (more storage space, cheaper, can still download shows from iTunes and play through the iPod), but curios what you thought of Apple TV.

Have owned both, AppleTV is a bit underpowered in the CPU/GPU department (Hardware has gone 2+ years without a refresh). The "HD" downloads from iTunes are very compressed to get them to work with AppleTV. Result is their "720p" looks nowhere near as good as a BluRay or even HD Cable.

WDTV can handle videos better, but lacks network capability built in. You're stuck either hooking it up to a big external hard drive, or hacking it to work with a USB network adapter. WDTV Ver2 is inbound, complete with ethernet networking (See here: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/wd-tv-2-spruces-up-western-digitals-already-attractive-media-pl/ ).

You will need to do a bit more work for the content though (Rip your DVDs to files, get shows on your own, etc). AppleTV is cool that you can buy TV shows/movies while sitting on your butt. Unless Apple refreshes the hardware in aTV soon, I'd go with the WDTV V2.

 

[Brett327]

My Samsung blueray player connects wirelessly to my network and i can stream just about any media from my PC to the TV. Works pretty well and there are lots of devices that are doing this kind of thing now. Not really applicable to the OP, but neat-o nonetheless.

Brett

 

[SynixMan]

In addition to das's good posts, the Slingbox ProHD has a built in tuner that doesn't require a cable box/DVR. You can tune free HD local channels and stream them out. If you're only looking to get live sporting events and not DVR, save yourself the monthly charge from the cable company for the cable box.

 

[das]

You will need to do a bit more work for the content though (Rip your DVDs to files, get shows on your own, etc). AppleTV is cool that you can buy TV shows/movies while sitting on your butt. Unless Apple refreshes the hardware in aTV soon, I'd go with the WDTV V2.

For what it's worth, the AppleTV is also due for a refresh, and analysts expect one soon -- probably alongside a major software update. Latest info.