# Slingbox: Still The Best Gadget For Tv-watching Anywhere You Go



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Iâ€™m always surprised at the number of people who have never heard of Slingbox, the mobile technology that lets you watch TV anywhere. Since it's been around for 6 years, I would have thought more people would know about it.

And yet, when I open my smartphone and show people live TV pictures from my home â€” local channels, cable and premium TV, and even recorded shows â€” the immediate answer is invariably, â€œWow, What IS that? I want one of those!

Full article: http://crosscut.com/2010/12/19/technology/20457/Slingbox:-Still-the-best-gadget-for-TV-watching-anywhere-you-go/


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## Carl1367066121 (Feb 16, 2011)

Chris Blount said:


> Iâ€™m always surprised at the number of people who have never heard of Slingbox, the mobile technology that lets you watch TV anywhere. Since it's been around for 6 years, I would have thought more people would know about it.


Love Slingbox. Have 3 of them. Also modulate security cameras and stuff it into the tuner so I can view those via sling.


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

I have 2.. one here at home and one in Chicago, so I can watch Chicago TV. They're great!


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I've got two, and couldn't be happier with them. They do what they are supposed to.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Agree. I have 3 of them as well. The only problem is when I show it to people they call me a geek.


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## Carl1367066121 (Feb 16, 2011)

Chris Blount said:


> The only problem is when I show it to people they call me a geek.


And the problem is ???


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## BMoreRavens (Feb 16, 2011)

I have a Slingbox Pro HD and Slingbox Pro. I use them all of the time. They work well with my Driod X too.


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

ONe of mine is a Slingbox Classic since it's connected to basic cable in Chicago. Problem is that that slingbox won't work with the iPad Slingbox app. I may have to get a new one when I go up there, but none of the others will let me use coax connectors, and I don't want to set up a wifi point for the slingbox since I get great throughput now with a direct connect to the router, and it will turn to trash if I make it wireless.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

I have singbox pro.. mostly use it for around the house stuff.. way less power needed to run it than D2pc.. sometimes use it for nascar on work weekends.


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## Carl1367066121 (Feb 16, 2011)

Hmm. Two of mine are classics, and they seem to work fine with the Android slingbox app. My third one is the original Pro, and it also works fine.


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## rad1367066121 (Feb 17, 2011)

Have a Slingbox Solo connected to a HR24 mainly for the wife to use, she travels for business, when she's stuck in an airport.


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## inkahauts1367066121 (Feb 17, 2011)

MartyS said:


> ONe of mine is a Slingbox Classic since it's connected to basic cable in Chicago. Problem is that that slingbox won't work with the iPad Slingbox app. I may have to get a new one when I go up there, but none of the others will let me use coax connectors, and I don't want to set up a wifi point for the slingbox since I get great throughput now with a direct connect to the router, and it will turn to trash if I make it wireless.


You need to get a vcr as a tuner, then hook up your new sling box that way. Then you can use one of the newer slingboxes...


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## inkahauts1367066121 (Feb 17, 2011)

I only have a classic.. Of course, I've had it since about a month after it came out...


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

Carl said:


> Hmm. Two of mine are classics, and they seem to work fine with the Android slingbox app. My third one is the original Pro, and it also works fine.


Carl, it works fine with the iPhone app... just not the newly updated iPad app, which was disappointing. I kept the iPhone app on the iPad, so at least I still have the capability to view it on the iPad.

I don't know why the classic became "unsupported" on the iPad, but it did.


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

I have a Slingbox Pro that is sitting there unpowered. I need to finish my media closet's new shelving so I can rearrange everything to use it. I would love to start using the Sling Media App for my hTC EVO 4G.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

What kind of upload speeds do you need to make the Slingbox worthwhile?


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

400k is what I see to be minimum usable.. fullscreen will still be fuzzy but I can read the ticker on nacar races..
at home it will run up into 4000k and is noticabley better..


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

SMOKE said:


> 400k is what I see to be minimum usable.. fullscreen will still be fuzzy but I can read the ticker on nacar races..
> at home it will run up into 4000k and is noticabley better..


I'm somewhere in the 600 +/- range for upload with my DSL.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

oh and one other thing: slingbox is very good at not hogging bandwidth.. at work I can run it and still do other things (lookup parts) and slingplayer will back off and not bother the stuff I actualy get paid for doing


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## Carl1367066121 (Feb 16, 2011)

SMOKE said:


> 400k is what I see to be minimum usable.. fullscreen will still be fuzzy but I can read the ticker on nacar races..
> at home it will run up into 4000k and is noticabley better..


With SD, I agree that 350-400K is about the minimum, however I have watched with lower speed connections having some pauses and interruptions.  Right now I'm checking my Sling - upload is via cable modem with plenty of bandwidth, download is via Clear, and my bitrate is fluctuating between 400 and 700 Kbps, mostly holding around 600.


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## Game Fan (Sep 8, 2007)

I have the Slingbox ProHD. It works flawlessly on my iPhone 4 and my pc. Needless to say "I Love It!"


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

I have the Classic and it works great on my IPhone and IPad. I don't really see the need to upgrade unless Sling kills it off.


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## Larry Kenney (Aug 19, 2005)

I've owned a Slingbox for about two years. I use it occasionally when traveling on vacation, but use it mostly around the house. 

We have our Dish Network DVR wired into it, and can watch any channel we get from Dish, all of the local OTA channels, and any shows or movies we've recorded anywhere. I have the software on the two home computers... one I-Mac and one PC... and on the laptop. Works great!

I do not have the capability to see it on my phone yet. I have a Palm Pre... no Sling app for that yet.

Larry
SF

Edit: I now have an HTC EVO 4G and have the Slingbox app on the phone now too. Works great!


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## inkahauts1367066121 (Feb 17, 2011)

Phil T said:


> I have the Classic and it works great on my IPhone and IPad. I don't really see the need to upgrade unless Sling kills it off.


Are you using the ipad app or the ipphone app on the ipad? I was under the impression the actual ipad app won't work with the classic...


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> Are you using the ipad app or the ipphone app on the ipad? I was under the impression the actual ipad app won't work with the classic...


The updated iPad app definitely WILL NOT work with the Slingbox Classic. Only the iPhone app will work with it.


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## marlen (Sep 2, 2006)

Carl said:


> Hmm. Two of mine are classics, and they seem to work fine with the Android slingbox app. My third one is the original Pro, and it also works fine.


The Sling website says that "Classics" aren't "fully supported". Can anyone post their experience as to what functionality they have using the Classic? I have the "Sling AV" and was wondering if the android app on my Droid X would work?

marlen


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## MartyS (Dec 29, 2006)

The phone apps (android and iPhone) work fine with the Classic. It's the iPAD app update that no longer works with the Classic.


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

I am using the IPhone app on the I pad. I did not want to pay another $29 for the IPad app.


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## sheureka1367066123 (Mar 20, 2011)

I currently have a SlingBox Classic (had it for years!) and DirecTV. I also have a couple of Roku boxes and a PS3, with two HDTV's. I currently have the SlingBox hooked to my DirecTV receiver, but I'm seriously thinking of dropping the DirecTV service and going with only IPTV. I'm in an "economizing" mode and just don't watch enough TV to justify the cost. Is there any way my SlingBox could be hooked up to one of the Roku's? I mostly use the Slingbox with my phone (Windows Mobile) and occasionally on a portable computer when I'm sitting out in the yard. TIA - sheureka


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## inkahauts1367066121 (Feb 17, 2011)

Not sure if it will control it. You'd have to look at the code base and see if roku was in there. I would think ti would be, but I don't know for sure.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

from the sling website:


Slingbox Input Configuration Help
Roku Roku



If you are using SlingPlayer for Windows: 
1.Open SlingPlayer for Windows software. 
Donâ€™t have it installed? Get it here - http://downloads.slingmedia.com/.
2.Connect to your Slingbox.
3.Choose Settings > Setup Assistant.
4.In the Setup Assistant, from the left panel, click "Configure Video Sources."
5.Click the Slingbox input that your device is connected to.
6.On the Configure Video Sources page, select Other%20Controllable%20Device.
7.Enter your zip code.
8.Select your service provider, if applicable.
9.On the next page, select Roku in the first dropdown, and Roku on the second.
10.Follow the directions on the next several screens, and click APPLY.


If you are using the Web-based SlingPlayer on Slingbox.com:
1.Visit the Slingbox Setup website - http://setup.slingbox.com/.
2.Click the Get Started button.
3.Log in with your Sling Account.
4.If needed, go through the browser plugin installation process. (It will only take a minute.)
5.If prompted, select the Slingbox that you wish to configure with your new device.
6.Click the Configure Inputs button.
7.Select the Slingbox Input that you wish to configure.
8.On the next page, start typing Rokuin the search box.
9.When your device comes up in the list, select it and click the Next button.
10.Follow the directions on the next several screens to finish configuring your Slingbox.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

I have the SOLO...and have actually found myself using it less and less over the past year.

It's been a reliable unit, but I moved it over to an HD DVR, and mostly use it for local network remote access/viewing.

For us travelers, most locations simply have crappy Internet bandwidth (hotels, airports, etc.)....so the quality of the transmission via Slingbox is often poor.

I've used it with a high-bandwidth aircard, and it gets much better, but is still a sub-par viewing experience.

The unit itself has been solid.


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## thewamp (Aug 17, 2011)

Chris Blount said:


> Iâ€™m always surprised at the number of people who have never heard of Slingbox, the mobile technology that lets you watch TV anywhere. Since it's been around for 6 years, I would have thought more people would know about it.
> 
> And yet, when I open my smartphone and show people live TV pictures from my home â€" local channels, cable and premium TV, and even recorded shows â€" the immediate answer is invariably, â€œWow, What IS that? I want one of those!
> 
> Full article: http://crosscut.com/...nywhere-you-go/


Is there a separate Forum for the Dish Network Sling Adapter that can be integrated with the VIP 722 or VIP 722K Dish DVR Receiver? I recently purchased one and got my full purchase cost back in the form of a gift card.

Then, I went on vacation to our timeshare Condo in FL. All TVs had an HDMI input. So, I set up the Notebook next to the TV and connected the Notebook to the TV.

Then, we were able to watch "back home local station's" TV news and recordings on our DVR while in the far away Condo. Wow, we love it!


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## JJJBBB (May 26, 2007)

Chris Blount said:


> Agree. I have 3 of them as well. The only problem is when I show it to people they call me a geek.


Badge of honor.


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## keeponrockin (Mar 16, 2011)

seen a couple today at the pawns shops not sure which models is which one for $80 another place had it for $100 what parts comes with the units in case I jump remote controls ? installation cd ? will it say it on the unit which one is it ? solo/classic ? got high speed internet here from time warner cable with a rokus box,apple tv box


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## Michael H.. (May 31, 2007)

Have a Sling as well as a Monsoon Vulkano.
Found them to be comparable in features and performance... and limitations.
The similarly equipped Vulkano is a bit cheaper... or the similarly priced Vulkano has more features.
Just mentioning so that folks are aware that there is an alternative to Sling.
The demonstration units (for either) at Fry's, etc. are operating on LAN, not place-shifting to a remote location, so the quality/performance in-store is mis-leading (actual mileage may vary).
If you're only using to watch in another room in your house, then you will get this optimum performance.
For HD or DVD-resolution remote place-shifting you will need ~2MB/sec *UPLOAD* speed for adequate streaming.
Check with your ISP, or better yet, run a speed test, to determine that your upload speed meets this requirement.
The upload speeds quoted by the ISP's typically are best-case, and the actual throughput is normally A LOT slower.


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