New Slingboxes; SlingPlayer Mobile Available in Canada

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://us.slingmedia.com/object/io_1159468208005.html' target='_blank'>http://us.slingmedia.com/object/io_...9468208005.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Sling Media, Inc., a digital lifestyle consumer electronics company, today announced the nationwide availability of three new Slingbox™ models that significantly increase performance, provide the customer with choice depending on their home TV setup and start at as low as $179.99. The new Slingbox family is designed to meet the varied requirements of today’s TV households whether that’s basic analog cable, standard definition cable or satellite or next generation high definition television. The Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox TUNER transform PCs, laptops and Windows-based mobile phones and handheld computers into personal portable TVs. Slingbox owners can now watch and control their home cable, satellite or digital video recorder anywhere they can access the Internet, from their back yard to Beijing and everywhere in between."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20061002-sling.gif" /><br /><br />Well, new Slingboxes and now the release of SlingPlayer Mobile in Canada. I guess Sling Media really wants you to sample some of that Sling action. ;) If you're one of the many who extends the Sling experience to the mobile device, how well has it worked for you?

[Cybrid]

The local London Drugs (large retailer/ Lougheed location) had a demo setup and I wasn't too impressed.

Over an ethernet LAN to a PC far more powerful than mine, the quality was decent, watchable with clear sound reproduction. Smooth FPS. It does get a little fuzzy when played at a resolution higher than 640x480.
The monitor I viewed it on was a monster 24" widescreen and expanded to full screen, no one could say that that was beautiful.

I know that part of that is from the TV signal being low-quality...but...in comparison, my 1Ghz Athlon with 768 RAM. WinTV go plus and 256 Mb Nvidia card produces much clearer picture and sound over ORB. Again this is over LAN conditions. I've seen the quality suffer much greater over the 'net and if that holds true to the slingbox then there are better solutions out there.

If you are capable of plugging in PCI and AGP cards, then skip the slingbox and get out your screwdriver. The pricing would be less or at worst equivalent. The quality significantly better. This assumes you already have a desktop computer.
For simplicity, the Slingbox would work for anyone, there is very little that needs configuration. The sales guy that set it up said plug it in and install some software...not too complicated.

[Kash76]

Sling is great. I use it on my laptop over my Sprint EVDO card, my wife made me take the 13" TV out of the kitchen so now I use my kitchen PC for a TV, and I use it remotely with my Treo 700wx.

It's always on, I never have to worry about leaving my TV on a channel, etc. It's not a perfect picture depending on your speed but the 15" monitor in my kitchen rivals my 13" TV that I replaced.

[Cybrid]

It's not a perfect picture depending on your speed but the 15" monitor in my kitchen rivals my 13" TV that I replaced. Have you tested them side by side? and what resolution is your 15" laptop set on? Also what model of slingbox?

[Kash76]

OK, if you're being picky it isn't as good. my monitor is at 1024x768. My sling is running at 2200k per second. from eight feet away nobody is going to complain. IF I want a great picture I go downstairs to watch on my Sony 50" SXRD set.

[Cybrid]

OK, if you're being picky it isn't as good. my monitor is at 1024x768. My sling is running at 2200k per second. from eight feet away nobody is going to complain. IF I want a great picture I go downstairs to watch on my Sony 50" SXRD set. :oops: I'm sorry.
Please, I did not mean to seem overly critical. My questions were to get a sense of your satisfaction with it. Perhaps I might be wrong and some version other than the one I've seen was significantly better. As you say, IF you'd want to see it in glorious HD you'd go downstairs...For a mobile application it did seem decent but there are better ways to achieve the same result and for a lesser cost :? .

[Kash76]

No harm man. They aren't cheap and I overstated the quality. BTW, I have the original Slingbox, not one of the newer models.