Any of you heard of a slingbox?

Will · 10-11-2006, 18:22

As seen here: http://uk.slingmedia.com/page/home

I set one of these up this week - it's absolutely awesome.

Basically all you need is a broadband connection - you plug your sky/freeview/cable TV into it, then it streams over the net, and you have the receiving end (via a laptop or a PC) on your boat/flat or house abroad/friend's house whatever... and you can pick up and watch your subscribed TV. Obviously most laptops/PCs can be hooked up to a TV for a bigger picture.

This is awesome for the yachts as when they get out of the Sky spot beam (which they shouldn't legally be watching outside of the UK without a special contract

) they can no longer pick up UK tv. etc... So all they need is somone in the UK or the US (for example) to have one of these and they can keep watching their TV.

Obviously as boats go to different parts of the world they use different decoder boxes, DirectTV, Sky+, and others depending on the satellite service they have. However this would keep all these numerous racks of decoder boxes to a minimum. It's fantastic kit.

I'm thinking of getting here for our Freeview box, so we can watch it when we're in Cyprus (you can of course change the channel).

I'm tempted to setup a service at work have a full rack of them lashed up to hotbird (Sky satellite) and stream it for the yachts and make them pay a subscription for it.

We've used a few of them, and on a 60+ inch screen it does pixelate, but on a small 40 and less inch screen it's perfectly acceptable. You can even log onto the stream via your laptop

The clever thing is the encapsulation and modulation systems they use - they really are very clever little boxes - the stream quality is phenomenal.

If any of you have the chance to play one - try it, I'm sure you'll be impressed.

Burble · 10-11-2006, 18:51

It's a gadget - of course I've heard of them! I almost bought one on Tuesday night but decided to order online instead.

How much upstream do they want to use? I assume you can configure that?

Flibster · 10-11-2006, 19:05

They look quite cool.

Streaming to a phone is possible too. Would be great for me at work.

Simon/~Flibster

Will · 10-11-2006, 19:10

Minimum requirement upstream is 256k. But the higher you can go the better the quality of the stream.

And yes it *should* stream to anything that you can install the slingplayer on...

petemc · 10-11-2006, 19:14

They do seem very very cool and they just released a client for OSX. The only issue with them is that only one person can use it at a time, which is a shame.

Will · 10-11-2006, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by petemc

They do seem very very cool and they just released a client for OSX. The only issue with them is that only one person can use it at a time, which is a shame.

Yup that is a shame - but it's sensible if you think about it - most ADSL is quite weak on the upload side of things (hence the "A"

). I'm sure given the call for it they can release multi stream devices ... it's a bandwidth thing though ultimately being limiting factor.

petemc · 10-11-2006, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Le Hoff

Yup that is a shame - but it's sensible if you think about it - most ADSL is quite weak on the upload side of things (hence the "A"

). I'm sure given the call for it they can release multi stream devices ... it's a bandwidth thing though ultimately being limiting factor.

Quite true. I was thinking more of for home use on an internal network. Still, I can't imagine my parents using it that much. I'd definitely buy one if I had the cash.

Mark · 10-11-2006, 19:43

Have I heard it of? Dumb question tbh.

I've seen it and toyed with getting one, but since my freeview box (a.k.a. media PC) has IPTV built in anyway, there wasn't any point.

Will · 10-11-2006, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Indecisive

Have I heard it of? Dumb question tbh.

Not really - I know a lot of techy guys who hadn't.

Desmo · 13-11-2006, 11:01

Heard of it, seen it in a box, never seen it in action. If it is as good as you say then it might be worth getting one when our house is finished as I could then stream TV in to the garden/shed/kitchen on the laptop

10-11-2006, 18:22	#1
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Any of you heard of a slingbox? As seen here: http://uk.slingmedia.com/page/home I set one of these up this week - it's absolutely awesome. Basically all you need is a broadband connection - you plug your sky/freeview/cable TV into it, then it streams over the net, and you have the receiving end (via a laptop or a PC) on your boat/flat or house abroad/friend's house whatever... and you can pick up and watch your subscribed TV. Obviously most laptops/PCs can be hooked up to a TV for a bigger picture. This is awesome for the yachts as when they get out of the Sky spot beam (which they shouldn't legally be watching outside of the UK without a special contract ) they can no longer pick up UK tv. etc... So all they need is somone in the UK or the US (for example) to have one of these and they can keep watching their TV. Obviously as boats go to different parts of the world they use different decoder boxes, DirectTV, Sky+, and others depending on the satellite service they have. However this would keep all these numerous racks of decoder boxes to a minimum. It's fantastic kit. I'm thinking of getting here for our Freeview box, so we can watch it when we're in Cyprus (you can of course change the channel). I'm tempted to setup a service at work have a full rack of them lashed up to hotbird (Sky satellite) and stream it for the yachts and make them pay a subscription for it. We've used a few of them, and on a 60+ inch screen it does pixelate, but on a small 40 and less inch screen it's perfectly acceptable. You can even log onto the stream via your laptop The clever thing is the encapsulation and modulation systems they use - they really are very clever little boxes - the stream quality is phenomenal. If any of you have the chance to play one - try it, I'm sure you'll be impressed. __________________ *No No!*

10-11-2006, 19:05	#3
Flibster Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,388	They look quite cool. Streaming to a phone is possible too. Would be great for me at work. Simon/~Flibster __________________

10-11-2006, 19:10	#4
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Minimum requirement upstream is 256k. But the higher you can go the better the quality of the stream. And yes it should stream to anything that you can install the slingplayer on... __________________ *No No!*

13-11-2006, 11:01	#10
Desmo The Last Airbender Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pigmopad Posts: 11,915	Heard of it, seen it in a box, never seen it in action. If it is as good as you say then it might be worth getting one when our house is finished as I could then stream TV in to the garden/shed/kitchen on the laptop __________________

10-11-2006, 18:51	#2
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	It's a gadget - of course I've heard of them! I almost bought one on Tuesday night but decided to order online instead. How much upstream do they want to use? I assume you can configure that?

10-11-2006, 19:14	#5
petemc Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nr Liverpewl Posts: 4,371	They do seem very very cool and they just released a client for OSX. The only issue with them is that only one person can use it at a time, which is a shame.

10-11-2006, 19:43	#8
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Have I heard it of? Dumb question tbh. I've seen it and toyed with getting one, but since my freeview box (a.k.a. media PC) has IPTV built in anyway, there wasn't any point.