Most of us simply accept that when we go on vacation , the goggle box computer programming we observe in our living room is inaccessible . Most of us translate that when we ’re not at home , we ca n’t watch the premium channels we pay for . Apparently , most of us are lacking in imagination .
It ’s not a new concept , but Sling Media has packaged it up real overnice , simplified it and pass on it a name : " Placeshifting " technology grabs yourtelevisionsignal and mail it anywhere in the man . In this clause , we ’ll find out how the Slingbox lets you " take your television receiver with you . "
Slingbox is a set - top box that tie in to your idiot box ( or any other video - production twist ) and rain buckets the signaling to another auto in real - time – there ’s no transcription regard . This auto might be yourcomputerin your home , in which eccentric Slingbox streams the signal via yourhome web . It might be your World Wide Web - connectedlaptoporcell phonelocated anywhere in the humankind , in which case Slingbox rain buckets the data via theWeb . you may see the video that appears on your covert just like you were catch from home . There are several character of Slingboxes , range from the Classic Slingbox ( the original model ) to the Slingbox PRO - HD . Each model has its own gong and whistles , but they all perform the same canonic function : delivering live television from your TV to a networked equipment .
Slingbox Software
Slingbox act in alignment with the SlingPlayer software package you establish on your computer . Together , they " catapult " NTSC or PAL video data point to another location . It works withregular TV , orbiter TV , cable television television , aDVD player , DVRorcamcorder . It also figure out with Apple TV box and iPods that are tail in either an Apple Universal Dock or an Apple iPod Hi - Fi . If it ’s NTSC ( the video broadcast standard in the United States ) or PAL / SECAM ( the predominant standards outside the United States ) , you may sling it . SeeHow Video Formatting Worksto find out about NTSC , PAL and SECAM formats .
The coolest part of the Slingbox setup is that you’re able to amply control the video source from your computer . The SlingPlayer has thousands ofremote - control codesbuilt in , and you’re able to prefer a practical remote that look just like the outback posture on your coffee berry table .
Sitting in your place or in aWiFicoffee shop on the other side of the world , you’re able to vary the channel on your television receiver , fast ahead through programme on your DVR and adjust the line of your telly picture . There are no subscription fees , just a one - meter purchase price for the hardware ( between $ 179 and $ 299 , depending on the model ) and software ( free for PC or Mac – for wandering phones , a one - fourth dimension license fee of $ 29.99 per equipment ) . you could establish the SlingPlayer software package on as many machine as you want , but only one machine can reach the Slingbox at a time .
To sling your video programming , you require the following equipment in summation to the Slingbox :
Slingbox Technology
you may gear up up a Slingbox for every television component in your habitation , but you may only access one Slingbox at a fourth dimension . Depending on your Slingbox model , you may relate up to four element to one Slingbox . If you hook up your digital cable television boxwood and your DVD thespian to a single Slingbox , you’re able to switch between them at the suction stop of a button on your virtual distant control . You should check for the modish firmware updates before using your Slingbox .
The Slingbox is in reality a pretty straightforward car . The main portion involved in slinging your video signaling are :
The basic process look like this :
To get at the flow from your Slingbox via the Internet ( as opposed to your home mesh ) , you enjoin the Sling Mediaserverto find it for you . Every Slingbox has a Finder ID that ’s store on your estimator . When you initiate a removed connexion to your Slingbox , your computer tells Sling Media ’s server what the Finder ID is , and the server matches your boxful ’s ID to its IP destination . When you change the channel using your virtual remote , the command travel to your Slingbox just like any other net command – as upstream data intend for a particular information science speech . Because the telecasting stream is downstream data , and remote commands are upstream information , the video travel quicker than the commands . You may go through a delayed response when you dawn a button on your virtual remote .
Slingbox Setup
Let ’s say we ’re going to Sling our digital cable system signaling to our computer . That mean our video source is the digital cable boxwood . Here ’s what our overall form is proceed to appear like :
Step 1: A/V Connections
set up the Slingbox hardware is easy . have ’s take the Classic Slingbox as an instance . The first footprint is to connect the cable box seat to the Slingbox using an available video output on the cable boxwood . We ’re going to use a Slingbox - supplied line to link the S - video recording , coaxal or composite video output on the cable box ( S - telecasting is the in high spirits quality ) to the corresponding input on the Slingbox . We can only make a composite audio connection , so that determination is elementary .
If we had no usable outturn on our cable box seat , we could use the Slingbox as a draw - through , connect the cable jack to the Slingbox input and the Slingbox output signal to the cable system box .
Step 2: Infrared (IR) Connections
Next , we position the Slingbox IR emitter in front of the cable length box ’s IR receiver . This is how you control the cable boxful from your computer . When you fall into place " channel up " on your practical remote , the SlingPlayer computer software assure the Slingbox to emit the " cannel up " IR code for your transmission line box .
Sling Media has built the infrared codes for thousands of equipment into the SlingPlayer software package – you ca n’t easily input your own IR codes , but even if your specific gimmick is n’t listed in the software frame-up , you ’ll be able to select a comparable unit . ( See Sling Community : How to Add New Remote Control Codes to Your Slingbox to learn how you could learn your Slingbox new computer code , if you ’re up to it . )
Step 3: Ethernet Connection
If we happen to have an Ethernet jack or router in our living room , we ’re golden . We just use the supplied Ethernet cable to plug into the Slingbox Ethernet interface to the Ethernet seaman on the bulwark or router . Otherwise , we ’ll grease one’s palms a couplet of powerline - to - Ethernet bulwark adaptor and make the connexion that way ( Sling Media sell their own version , called SlingLinks ) . The wall adapters ferment a even force sales outlet into an Ethernet manual laborer , using a menage ’s powerlines to transport data point from one Ethernet - enable gadget to another ( see HomePlug 1.0 Technology White Paper to learn about powerline networking ) . We just put one on an outlet near the Slingbox and another on an vent near our router .
If you have a wireless router , you’re able to either use a distich of SlingLinks or a WiFi - to - Ethernet bridge to make the mesh connection . Slingbox does n’t have WiFi built in .
Step 4: Power Up
The last whole step in ironware apparatus is to plug the Slingbox into a bulwark exit .
Next , we move on to the software frame-up . depend on the type of router you have and the video source you choose , you might run into a couple of tear .
Step 5: Configure the Software
The SlingPlayer package has a setup adept that walks you through the whole process on your reckoner . We tell SlingPlayer what the Slingbox is connected to – in this case , a digital cable box – and the software program spit out a leaning of makes and models . Hopefully , our digital cable box is on the list , in which suit the computer software automatically configures Slingbox for our gadget . If it is n’t , the software system will guide us to a like machine with similar options and remote codes .
The place where some people run into fuss is the router conformation . If our router is Universal Plug ' n Play ( UPnP ) , there ’s nothing to it but a couple of black eye clicks . If our router is not UPnP , there ’s run to be some effort involved in configure it for the Slingbox . Again , the package will take the air us through the process and enjoin us which options to vary . If manually configuring a router scares you , you may not be happy , but it ’s emphatically doable .
We ’ll immediately know if we ’ve configured everything aright , because our digital transmission line computer programming will pop up on the computer screen . We may have to back up a couple of time to reach the watercourse , or it may happen on the first gibe . Once we ’ve successfully enter the flow from home , watching TV from a remote location should be a snap . The video timber from a WiFi hot spot may be choppy than it is at home , though , because meshwork connection speeds vary . The neat the useable bandwidth , the better the picture looks .
For complete setup instruction , see Sling Community : set up Your Slingbox .
Slingbox is not your only alternative when it come to watch your telly remotely . In the next department , we ’ll search at some other uncommitted engineering science and get out what Sling Media has in store for its flagship product .
The Future of Remote TV
Sling Media struck it fully grown by simplify a process that has been around for a while , but mostly in gamy - technical school lap . There are liberal downloads available , like VideoLAN , that let you stream any picture signal ( as well as pictures and music ) from your home personal computer over the Internet , but these software program typically postulate a host microcomputer along with a deep level of technical expertness than the general populace is comfortable with . The Slingbox offer placeshifting functionality in a twist that ’s about as complicated to set up as a cable box and does n’t require a host compter . Slingbox is flying off the shelves because it make distant regard approachable to the masses .
Sony ’s LocationFree TVis a comparable product – it ’s $ 200 and it has very alike functionality . In addition to computer , LocationFree TV also directs a video signal to aPSP . TiVo Desktop allow you watch your pre - recorded TiVo programs on your PC , Internet - connected laptop computer or a broad selection of hand-held media instrumentalist . If you have a TiVo Series 2 box or a TiVo HD DVR and you do n’t need to watch a show in veridical - time , this could be a good way to go – there ’s no extra ironware or service fees involved .
There are also some free downloads out there , such as Orb and VideoLAN , that let you watch your TV programming from a figurer . VideoLAN is combination media player / server that brook both Linux and Mac operating system in addition to Windows machines , and Orb can stream content to Web - enabledsmartphonesandPDAsin addition to computers .
To stay ahead of the competition , Sling Media is in constant upgrade style . Sling Media offers an HD version of Slingbox . The Solo and PRO models can acceptHDcontent , but they both down - convince the signal into a standard definition format before streaming it to your gimmick . Only the Slingbox PRO - HD can swarm HD contentedness to other equipment .
The big return right now surrounding " placeshifting " TV is about copyright and digital right issues . Like the music and apparent motion - motion picture industries , the TV industry is concerned that masses are going to be able-bodied to get at their product for free . In the showcase of Slingbox , it ’s not just a concern about one person support to HBO and establish their friends their Slingbox access codes so they can watch " Rome " without paying for it . The spatial nature of boob tube licensing add another dimension to the risk . telly Stations of the Cross typically purchase program right field for a specific region , so " placeshifting " the TV signal run afoul on regional access rights for certain shows . Sling Media says it ’s observe copyright and digital media laws because the Slingbox is a one - to - one contagion equipment . Slingbox owners ca n’t broadcast a show to everyone they do it . Only one person can get at a Slingbox at a clock time , and if the equipment is used properly , only the someone who pays for the programming can watch it . Only time will tell whether the TV industry will go for placeshifting engineering like it ultimately accept the " timeshifting " capacity of TiVo and other DVRs .
For more information on Slingbox and related topics , check out the links on the next varlet .
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