Slingbox About to get Blasted by Lawsuits?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060427-6691.html' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060427-6691.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Hollywood is not happy about the SlingBox, and that displeasure is becoming increasingly visible. The SlingBox is a device that "place-shifts" your television programming by streaming it across the Internet for remote viewing on a laptop or portable device, but the ability to watch your TV anywhere in the world is making some broadcasters nervous. HBO's Bob Zitter was the latest in a long line of television executives to make ominous rumbling noises about the legality of the new technology. No one has yet come out of the litigation closet to announce plans to sue the new company, but plenty of people are willing to question Sling's business model. Is this just FUD on the part of content owners, or does it have some basis in law? Sling, after all, has claimed repeatedly that it believes its system to be legal because it simply allows a consumer to watch their existing television channels on the road. A SlingBox does not broadcast to multiple users, and it does not record or archive video for later use."</i><br /><br />I can't say this surprises me, but it's pretty sad to see nonetheless - the Slingbox is probably one of the <i>least</i> objectionable technologies of this type from the broadcasters point of view because it doesn't allow recording (or commercial skipping), but in typical fashion their response is to sue. You may want to <a href="http://thoughtsmedia.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=9814732&search=slingbox&op[">=page,1891,1"]buy your Slingbox now</a>. ;-)

[Mike Temporale]

Oh come on Hollywood. This just shows that you don't have a clue about the digital world. :roll:

If anything the Slingbox helps out cable companies and advertisers. When you're stuck in a hotel in another part of the world, watching TV filled with commercials for stuff you'll never buy. You can fire up the Slingbox and watch your home TV with commercials and product placements from your home town. So the broadcaster still gets to sell to your eyeballs even when you're not around. Would they rather have us watch a channel full of commercials for stuff we would never buy or visit?

Wake up Hollywood, you guys are being just plain silly.

[ctmagnus]

Dell Canada had these for $200 the last three days.

You should have posted 10 hours earlier. ;)

[Chris Gohlke]

CompUSA has them for $199 this week.

[Mike Temporale]

Do you guys already have one? I'm really enjoying mine. :mrgreen:

[Chris Gohlke]

Yep and loving it. I have the other inputs connected to my security cameras in the house. I don't know what is more fun having live cable TV in an office building with no cable jacks or spying on my cats when I am not at home.

[Mike Temporale]

That's a great idea. I haven't even looked at using the other inputs. I don't have any cats and it's at the wrong end of the house to watch out the front. But I'll have to think about how else I can use them. This could be fun!

[ctmagnus]

I don't know what is more fun having live cable TV in an office building with no cable jacks or spying on my cats when I am not at home.

Now you need to rig something up so you can yell at the cats when you're not there. ;)

[Jeremy Charette]

:lol:

That was hilarious. Mostly because it's a good idea.