Reviews for Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB300-100

Total reviews: 5 of 17
Average Rating:

• Pricey, works for what it does, but no wireless?! | Rating: | Date: 2008-12-18

  So here's the scenario. You have one cable box, hooked up to your TV. But, you want to watch television on your computer. If there was a way to stream that content from the box to your PC (or even a compatible phone), that would be cool, right? The problem with the Slingbox PRO-HD, however, is that it's missing a crucial feature. It doesn't stream a darn thing wirelessly. You've got to connect the box to your router with an Ethernet cable or you're out of business. And, there's the rub. How many people keep a router near their PC? Or want to spend this kind of dough for a product that overlooks such an obvious and essential feature.
  
  Of course, if you can live with this flaw, the thing works. It'll not only stream to computers in your house (that are on an existing wireless network), but, apparently, to computers wherever Internet access is available.
  

• High-quality streaming, but with some network issues and limitations (4+ stars) | Rating: | Date: 2008-12-17

  The Slingbox HD promises to take your HD and standard video content and "sling" it to computers throughout your house on your home network or anywhere else via the internet. You control your device using a remote skin that looks exactly like, or close to, the real thing. The idea and the technology are awesome, but it has some limitations that may dissuade some buyers.
  
  First, the Slingbox does not have wireless capability. If you have your router and your media devices, including a cable connection, in the same room, and if you have an ethernet port available on your router, you're golden. Set up is a breeze, although you will have to download software from the SlingMedia site. If, however, you have a wireless home network and must set up the SlingBox in a different room, you are going to need additional equipment. Forget the company's SlingLink (Slinglink Turbo 1PORT Enet Connection Bridge (SL 150-100)) which supposedly makes the SlingBox wireless; it works well ONLY on the same circuit. For most people, this means that the router and television must be located in close proximity. Instead, I set mine up with a network bridge (Linksys Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming Adapter) that makes the Slingbox work flawlessly. I get high quality streamed video on both Macs and PCs, both at home and away. However, this took me hours on the phone with SlingMedia to figure out.
  
  The device has several connectors: coaxial (for cable), standard, USB, and HD. Some people may find the HD claim misleading, since it can stream HD 1080i, not 1080p, and the 1080p devices must be changed to a 1080i output. The dimensions are roughly 13" L x 4.5" D x 3.5 " H. The box is surprisingly lightweight and can sit easily on top of a DVD player or other piece of electronic equipment.
  
  Before you buy, you should consider how you are going to use the Slingbox and where you are going to install it. Because the skin remote overrides what is currently being viewed, a remote user can change the channel on those watching at home. You cannot use it to watch different video content. (When testing this, I changed the channel on my sister during a crucial football play; you can imagine the cursing.) If you are buying this to allow someone in a different country to view US television, attach it to a rarely or never used cable outlet. Also, because the Slingbox allows only one computer at a time to view video, you may need to buy more than one Slingbox for multiple users, with each assigned his own.
  
  As long as buyers don't expect a complex media center that slings different media to different parts of the house or the world at the same time, they should be thrilled with the quality of the device.
  
  -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

• A monumental step | Rating: | Date: 2008-12-16

  The Sling Media Slingbox Pro-HD is great. It is best on your home network, but I have found that with the support of HD streaming that its widescreen streaming out of network is much improved. I owned the original slingbox. I always loved it. I have found that viewing with my connection outside of my home network that it is essentially like watching a DVD with this product. The quality is pretty high. If you have a widescreen laptop this product is the ultimate partner for it. It is a big improvement over the original slingbox. I imagine that it will only get better with software updates.
  I don't have very much in terms of negative things to say because most of the issues are caused by poor network connectivity.

• Slingbox Pro-HD | Rating: | Date: 2008-12-16

  Much better than regular slingbox. All connections needed to hook up to Directtv HD receiver were in the box. HD quality picture on my laptop. I do have some sound quality issues, but overall much better than old slingbox. Worth extra price paid.

• Slingbox Pro HD | Rating: | Date: 2008-12-13

  This is truly amazing technology, but that's not to say it doesn't still have a few kinks in the system. It is really tied to your Internet connection and if it's poor, it won't work that well. Also, you really need to purchase the SlingCatcher if you truly want HD.
  My biggest complaint is that NO WHERE in the literature/web site do they tell you that your Cable/DirecTV box as well as the High Speed Internet Router all must be in the same room,on the same circuit in order for the Slingbox to work.
  We tried connecting using a SlingLink, but it too had to be on the same circuit and we were unable to use it.
  Their product support is good and they disclosed this info when we called them.