Slingbox

[Kirobaito]

(or any of the other names for placeshifting devices)

So, in preparation for my semester in Scotland, I had to start thinking about what the heck I was going to do about Cowboys games, Rangers games, Mavs games, Heroes, etc. So my roommate's family gave me their Sony LocationFree base for use with my DirecTV, and after several hours I finally just got it hooked up and completely working. I can now control my parents' satellite TV from another country, and the video and audio are both great. No more missed... ANYTHING. I can watch whatever I want - well, kinda. My parents can also change the channel from home, and can move the infrared "blaster" to keep me from changing it when they want.

Anyone else used one of these nifty devices? If you often travel, I must say, they're pretty dang cool. I have to give it back when I'm done, unfortunately, but if they retain their legality, I'll look into investing in one myself.

[DirkFTW]

I need to set mine up, although I'd probably just be watching during work. =p

[MavsX]

sounds pretty cool. good work

[Flacolaco]

My father has a slingbox at his house so he can watch Stars games on the road while business traveling. He seems to like it.

It's pretty tempting to get one because it's only a one time fee, but I really have no use for it.

Unless there is a slingbox app for smart phones. That would be pretty interesting.

[jthig32]

There is a slingbox app for Windows Mobile. Not sure about iPhones.

[MavsX]

can someone tell me how this works?

you plug in the slingbox to your home dvr and ethernet port on router.

the box contacts its home office a.k.a a third party company

while away in a different country/business trip you contact a website a.k.a. the client side of the third party..you then watch via a built in web browser or what? to the third party which is streaming from the slingbox at home?

is that right?

+1 rep for the first good detailed explanation..and no copy and pasting!.....this means you .horse!

[jthig32]

I've never used it, but my understanding is there is a client you install on whatever you want to stream to. So you don't hit a website, you just install the client on whatever, your work computer, your laptop. etc.

Then from there you have full control over your tv/video source.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I've never used it, but my understanding is there is a client you install on whatever you want to stream to. So you don't hit a website, you just install the client on whatever, your work computer, your laptop. etc.

Then from there you have full control over your tv/video source.

so the client is a program you install. that client must phone home to the company which then relays to your at home slingbox

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by MavsX

so the client is a program you install. that client must phone home to the company which then relays to your at home slingbox

Why do you think the "company" as anything to do with it? As far as I know it's a direct stream between the box and the client.

[Flacolaco]

That is my understanding as well...straight to your house from the client.

[MavsX]

does the slingbox upload content from your homes box? how much bandwidth does that require.??. jeez because having asymmetric bandwidth can cause some issues.

[Flacolaco]

We with Verizon FIOS internet have no such concerns

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Why do you think the "company" as anything to do with it? As far as I know it's a direct stream between the box and the client.

the reason i mention the "company" is because i assumed that someone in the middle would be uploading the content or steaming it. Because i couldn't see how houses these days with asymmetric DSL lines could have enough upload to push the video AND audio.

i just assumed...

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

We with Verizon FIOS internet have no such concerns

well yeah..lucky you...you son of a b*tch!

although i can only get comcast...they have matched verizon for the most part.....

i get 16 down..and i think 2 up.. i'm sure its less than 2..but whatever.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by MavsX

does the slingbox upload content from your homes box? how much bandwidth does that require.??. jeez because having asymmetric bandwidth can cause some issues.

Having asymmetric bandwidth????

Yes, obviously it has to upload whatever you're streaming to the client. I'm confused by your question.


Edit: Aaah, you meaning having an asymmetric connection. Yes, if you have DSL you're probably not going to be real happy with Slingbox performance I wouldn't think.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

We with Verizon FIOS internet have no such concerns

and i believe it is FiOS

[u2sarajevo]

It's not being uploaded bit for bit. Think of it as streaming your TV to another location.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Having asymmetric bandwidth????

Yes, obviously it has to upload whatever you're streaming to the client. I'm confused by your question.

im just saying, how can the pipe be fat enough to upload the content.

i guess i just am assuming that to upload tv and audio would require a lot. am i wrong?

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

It's not being uploaded bit for bit. Think of it as streaming your TV to another location.

so it loads a little bit at a time..like youtube

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Having asymmetric bandwidth????

Yes, obviously it has to upload whatever you're streaming to the client. I'm confused by your question.


Edit: Aaah, you meaning having an asymmetric connection. Yes, if you have DSL you're probably not going to be real happy with Slingbox performance I wouldn't think.

yeah, and from what i've read most of the homes in the USA don't have big pipes, up and down......so....

[u2sarajevo]

My father has DSL, and uses his slingbox while traveling. He has never complained about it.

I am certain someone somewhere has stats on the average bandwidth a connection would use. But I don't care so I'm not going to look into it.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by MavsX

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yeah, and from what i've read most of the homes in the USA don't have big pipes, up and down......so....

Well, I'm sure it still works, but it might be somewhat choppy. Maybe it has quality options.

[jthig32]

Found this in a CNet review:

The SlingPlayer software automatically optimizes viewing quality to available bandwidth via an algorithm called SlingStream. The Slingbox Pro and its second-gen siblings all utilize the same chip, a new Texas Instruments DSP that offers the potential for much better video quality than that of the original Slingbox model. Of course, the quality is largely dependent on the available network bandwidth; you'll want at least 300Kbps on both upstream and downstream connections, with 400Kbps to 500Kbps--and beyond--offering a noticeably better picture.

[DirkFTW]

big pipes... load... *snicker*

From what I understand, the program can downgrade the video quality to compensate for smaller pipes. And I don't think the quality or image size ever approach HD levels. But obviously, if you get too small a pipe, ie dial-up, then you are probably not going to see good results.

[u2sarajevo]

What is standard for DSL upload these days? I think I had 768 when I had DSL.

[jthig32]

Verizon offer 3m/768 and 768/128

[MavsX]

768/128

i would kill myself

[u2sarajevo]

128? That's ISDN speed BABY!!!!!!

Anyone still use ISDN?

[Flacolaco]

I found a US Robotics 56k modem in my office closet last week. I'm thinking of donating it to a museum.

[MavsX]

haha

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I found a US Robotics 56k modem in my office closet last week. I'm thinking of donating it to a museum.

How the heck did that survive your move? In a box already?

[MavsX]

maybe he meant at work..office closet

[Flacolaco]

Yeah at work, this office was inhabited by someone else previously and they left a lot of old junk in here.

[jthig32]

Aaaah. I wonder what it's like to have an office with a closet at work....or an office at all.....or walls of any kind around my desk.....

[sike]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Aaaah. I wonder what it's like to have an office with a closet at work....or an office at all.....or walls of any kind around my desk.....

and then he jumped.

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by sike

and then he jumped.

Dang...if I had a slingbox I could watch the news coverage here at my desk.

[jthig32]

I'm definitely up high enough to have a nice thrill before it all ended.......

I miss my cube.

[MavsX]

looks like this is the beginning of the end for jthig32

[Kirobaito]

Everything that I had read said 300kbps up and down. I haven't yet tested it outside the home, so I'll see how that goes. But I just have DSL. No, it's not in HD, but considering my other options that's fine. It's not connected to an HD source anyway. If I plugged it into the HD box I'd have to configure it to wirelessly communicate with the router, which I hear takes a long time, and it wouldn't transmit in HD anyway. I might get 16x9 screen size, though.

[MavsX]

thanks for the screenshot man, visuals always help. +1