Watch TV on your computer or phone with the Sling Media Slingbox Pro
Entertainment on the move is undoubtedly a factor when buying a new laptop or PDA. The success of the iPhone has to be aided by the fact that you can watch movies, YouTube or web based television whilst travelling. So it seems only natural to want to improve the options available.
Slingbox was the first real player on the market and as such was picked up by early adopters but only recently has the concept of ‘place-shifting’ [accessing your media whilst away from home] become a desirable addition for the man on the street.
So what does it do? In simple terms it sends your existing home entertainment to any chosen computer via the Internet meaning you can watch and control your favorite TV shows live whilst away from home and your precious TV subscription. Slingbox Pro separates itself from the past models* by offering a wider variety of in-puts. You can connect one high definition video source and up to three standard definition video devices such as home TV, DVR, basic cable, digital cable box, or satellite receiver. With the optional SlingPlayer Mobile software you can access your Slingbox on a Smartphone. No Support as yet for the iPhone.
*Other models include: Sling Media Slingbox SOLO, Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD and Sling Media Slingbox AV.
The Pro also includes dual outputs so you can wire the Slingbox between your receiver(s) and the TV, plus with it’s built in digital TV tuner so you can expand your selection of home television if you don’t have a cable or satellite package.
Once you have plugged in all your devices you then need to program your various remotes, this is done by simply pointing Slingbox’s control eye at the IR receivers on your different devices. With support for 5,000 components you won’t be disappointed. Plug the Slingbox into your Internet connection and run the installation CD on your PC and you are ready to experience over-the-air entertainment anywhere in the world.
To watch TV on your computer, turn on the SlingPlayer and select your chosen TV source. This will bring up an image of the relevant remote on the left hand side of the screen allowing you to control the channels, play buttons etc. The best bit is your TV doesn’t even need to be on to watch it whilst abroad!
Once set up the experience is amazing, the stereo audio is outstanding and the video signal is great [max resolution of 640x480]. Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs but this does require a decent Internet connection and you may want to be selective about what channels you watch as the quality of the video is dependant on the upload speed, anything served at below 500kb/sec may break up a little [this tends to be sports shows as the signal is frequently updated] but anything else looks perfect.
Only downsides are the lack of wireless support and no built in DVR to record programs but these are minor drawbacks given that the device works so well under its intended purpose.
Read more about the Sling Media SlingBox Pro (sb200-100)
Average customer reviews 4/5 stars.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment