Does the quality of the image that comes thru the slingbox over the internet improve with the connection type (s-video vs. coaxial) or is it just to improve the quality of the programming on the existing connection from the slingbox to the tv?
Slingbox Connection Overview
Categories: Classic Cable / Satellite Boxes DVD and Other A/V Devices Cameras / Security
Here is a little more explanation about the cables and connections you'll use to get your Slingbox up and running.
Power
This connector is pretty self-explanatory. Connect the power adapter to a nearby electrical outlet to provide power to the Slingbox.IR
IR stands for infrared radiation. No, not that kind of radiation! IR is a way for components, such as a cable/satellite box, DVR, DVD player, or television to receive commands from a remote control. When you press a button on a device's remote control, the command (change channel on your TV, for example) is received by the device and executed.Even though the Slingbox does not have a remote control, it can still control the device you connect to it (a cable/satellite box or DVR, for example). In fact, it has to if you want to change channels and control your DVR, including watching your recorded programs, from anywhere.
That's what the included IR Emitter cable is used for. It plugs into the IR connector on the Slingbox. The emitter ends of the cable are then placed in front of the device you want to control, close enough for your Slingbox to send signals that tell your device to change channels, or display a list of your recorded programs...even pause your programs!
Think of the IR Emitter as an extra long remote control. If you don't have it you have to get off the couch to change the channel!
Network
The Network connector is used to connect the Slingbox to your router, either wired using an Ethernet cable, or wireless using a bridge or powerline adapters.Reset
The Reset button is used in case your Slingbox fails to function. Pressing it will reset your Slingbox.Cables Used to Connect Audio and Video
The cable you use to connect to your Slingbox depends on the types of outputs coming from your television source (antenna, cable/satellite box, DVR).Inputs and Outputs
Connectors or INPUTS labeled "In" are labeled as such because they receive incoming audio and/or video signals. OUTPUTS are labeled "Out" because they connect outgoing audio/video to another device.It's easy to remember: a cable coming from an OUTPUT must connect to an INPUT on another device. Think of it as a chain that connects devices or signals together. For example, to connect your digital cable television signal to your TV, the output from the cable coming into your home connects to the input on your cable box. Then the cable connected to your cable box output connects to the inputs on your TV.
The cables below are listed in order from good quality to best quality. All are included with your Slingbox. The inputs and outputs to which they connect are noted.
Coaxial Cable: Good
(Connects to Antenna/Cable In)
This cable is also referred to as RF. Many older TVs have just one compatible input labeled VHF/UHF. Some cable/satellite boxes even have these connectors to accommodate a single cable going to your television.
Audio/Video Cable: Better
(Connects to Audio/Video In and Out)
Often called RCA, an Audio/Video cable is the combined red and white (audio), and yellow (video) cable commonly used for connecting electronic devices.
S-Video Cable: Best
(Connects to S-Video In and Out)
S-Video supplies only the video signal and is the best video available from the supplied cables. If the device that you connect to your Slingbox has an S-Video Out connector, you should take advantage of its superior video quality.
Remember that if you use this cable you also need to use the red and white audio plugs from the A/V cable. You will also need to select S-Video when you complete the Slingbox setup wizard.
Read more in: Classic Cable / Satellite Boxes DVD and Other A/V Devices Cameras / Security
About the Author
March 14, 2006 7:31 PM
I live in Washington DC and have two Slingboxes, one in Virginia Beach and one in Austin, Texas. My problem is that the box in Austin is VERY VERY SLOW. even though the connect is HIGH SPEED. I did a test of the ISP speed and found that my speed is: Transfer rate of 135658 KBPS IN .0422 SEC, the speed in Virginia Beach is 135658 KBPS IN .0600 SEC and the one in Austin is 135658 KBPS IN .0722 SEC. So I thought that the reason for the slow speed was distance. Does someone know what else I should be checking to get my speed up. Thanks
April 19, 2006 10:45 PM
I am a newby to this forum having just bought a Slingbox today. I do not have it yet, but I am getting ready to connect it to my HDTivo.
I thought I was going to connect the S-Video and the Left Right AV connection outputs from my HDTivo to the Slingbox but just noticed that my Left/Right connections go to the TV since I am using the HDMI to DVI cable to the TV which does not have audio connections.
Now after reading the manual that I downloaded from the website, I see that I need to use the Left/Right Out connections from the Slingbox to go to the TV and I need the HDTivo Left/Right outputs to go to the Slingbox Left/Right inputs.
Is that correct? Are there any drawbacks to doing this?
Thanks for your help.
April 26, 2006 5:16 PM
I'm not sure how you're running a speed test, but I don't think you're going to transfer 135 megabytes over the internet in .6-.7 seconds inbound or outbound, even if it was on your local area network unless you have some sort of super connection that I'm unaware of, considering those are speeds of well over 10 gigabit ethernet. Try running a speedtest with dslreports.com.
June 1, 2006 11:10 PM
question: I can use svideo between my cable box and the slingbox. But the cable box audio out connections are being used (they go direct to the tv). So how do I get audio? Right now I'm feeding audio straight from my tv to the slingbox but that means when I watch it remotely, I need to leave the tv on. Can anyone help? Thanks!
June 2, 2006 9:16 AM
zlinger said: question: I can use svideo between my cable box and the slingbox. But the cable box audio out connections are being used (they go direct to the tv). So how do I get audio? Right now I'm feeding audio straight from my tv to the slingbox but that means when I watch it remotely, I need to leave the tv on. Can anyone help? Thanks!
You need to hook up the cable box audio outputs to the Sling using the enclosed AV input cable. Then again using another enclosed cable, hook up the AV output from your Sling to the TV.
June 5, 2006 6:50 PM
Transylvania said:You need to hook up the cable box audio outputs to the Sling using the enclosed AV input cable. Then again using another enclosed cable, hook up the AV output from your Sling to the TV.Thanks Transylvania. I'm assuming when I do that, I need to use the s-video from sling to tv and the same from sling to cable box? This, I presume, means I cannot use my component cables anymore? Sounds like that will affect my HD broadcast.
Thanks again - I appreciate your help.
June 5, 2006 10:16 PM
The S-Video output from your cable box goes only to the Sling along with the previously mentioned Audio cables. You keep using the component cables from your cable box to the TV.
The idea is that Sling will not affect your home HD viewing capability.
June 7, 2006 12:02 PM
Transylvania said: The S-Video output from your cable box goes only to the Sling along with the previously mentioned Audio cables. You keep using the component cables from your cable box to the TV.The idea is that Sling will not affect your home HD viewing capability._______________________Thanks for your help - let me be a bit more specific. There is only one set of audio outputs on my cable box, and they are currently connected to the TV along with the bundle of component cables. I took out those two audio cables, and in their place I used the included red/white cables from the Sling to connect the cable to the sling, leaving the other 3 component cables connected between the cable box and the tv. I then took the other included av red/white cables and connected the sling to the tv where the other component audio cables used to be. Still no audio, and no audio coming from my tv either. In neither case (obviously) did I use the yellow video input from the cables included in the slingbox, just the red/white audio cables.
June 7, 2006 7:13 PM
zlinger said:Transylvania said: The S-Video output from your cable box goes only to the Sling along with the previously mentioned Audio cables. You keep using the component cables from your cable box to the TV.ÂThe idea is that Sling will not affect your home HD viewing capability.Â_______________________Thanks for your help - let me be a bit more specific. There is only one set of audio outputs on my cable box, and they are currently connected to the TV along with the bundle of component cables. I took out those two audio cables, and in their place I used the included red/white cables from the Sling to connect the cable to the sling, leaving the other 3 component cables connected between the cable box and the tv. I then took the other included av red/white cables and connected the sling to the tv where the other component audio cables used to be. Still no audio, and no audio coming from my tv either. In neither case (obviously) did I use the yellow video input from the cables included in the slingbox, just the red/white audio cables.
June 7, 2006 7:14 PM
You did the right thing. You may have a bad Sling audio output or a bad A/V Out cable. I would call Sling for help.
July 13, 2006 11:23 PM
Dt said: I live in Washington DC and have two Slingboxes, one in Virginia Beach and one in Austin, Texas. My problem is that the box in Austin is VERY VERY SLOW. even though the connect is HIGH SPEED. I did a test of the ISP speed and found that my speed is: Transfer rate of 135658 KBPS IN .0422 SEC, the speed in Virginia Beach is 135658 KBPS IN .0600 SEC and the one in Austin is 135658 KBPS IN .0722 SEC. So I thought that the reason for the slow speed was distance. Does someone know what else I should be checking to get my speed up. Thanks
what's important for sb is the upload speed, not download. your conection at home UPLOADS the video to you. as we all know, all ISP's give you decent / good download speed, but not much of upload . you need to run a speed test using dslreports.com. they measure the down and up speeds.
if the up is slow (less than 250kbps) than you should contact your isp and try to increase it (more money?) I have 480kbps, which is good.
December 9, 2006 2:29 AM
I purchased Slingbox 3 months ago and it was working perfect until two weeks ago when I started having a very bad picture quality (pixelated) and it keeps freezing every few seconds. I've been having a hard time following any show on TV. I've done a speed test of my connection at home and found that the upload speed is 800 kbps which is high enough to give me a good picture quality. Does anyone know what else I should do?. Thank you
December 22, 2006 1:37 PM
I just want to know if someone can help me with the steps to watch my slingplayer from a computer other than the one I put the slingplayer disk into?
December 31, 2006 6:49 AM
I am attempting to set up a slingbox which was a present from the states. I am using a couple of ethernet wireless bridges, 1 connected to my router and 1 to my sky+ satillite box and both have the 3 blue lights on. On the slingbox AV, the network light is flashing 1 per second and I can't reset it. Also the CD-ROM for installing the software would install the US/Canada version but that is what I need to do isn't it? I live in the UK.
February 19, 2007 6:21 PM
I have a Slingbox in NY and I access my NY cable via my laptop when I'm in PA. I'd like to have the video fed to a TV in PA. I have hooked an S-Video cable from my laptop's S-Video out connection to the free S-Video in connection on my TV. No luck.
Anything else I need to do to have this work?
Thanks!
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February 19, 2007 7:10 PM
rbruning said: I have a Slingbox in NY and I access my NY cable via my laptop when I'm in PA. I'd like to have the video fed to a TV in PA. I have hooked an S-Video cable from my laptop's S-Video out connection to the free S-Video in connection on my TV. No luck. Anything else I need to do to have this work? Thanks!
Hi rbruning,
Thanks for checking out the SlingCommunity!
You have a great question here, and no doubt getting a computer working on a TV set can be challenging. You should check out TechLore.com (the other site I manage), where you'll find lots of information on how to get this working.
Start with the article "How To Connect a Computer To Your TV", which will give you a good rundown on how to get started. If you need more help, there's also lots of threads on this topic in the TechLore forums.
Good luck!
Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.
March 14, 2007 9:31 PM
I'm having problems getting my original Slingbox to work with my new TiVo series 3 with cablecards. Here's some background. I've got the AV Out on my TiVo connected to the AV In on my slingbox. TiVo is then connnected to TV. The problem is if my TV is not turned on, I get a a blank screen and a TiVo error message, "Viewing is not permitted using the DVR's HDMI output. Try another TV input." If the TV is on, everything works great. I didn't think the TV had to be on for Slingbox to work. Am I missing something here? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
March 26, 2007 1:10 PM
i have a direct TV receiver. my remote operates on RF because it is located in a romm behind where to flat screen is mounted. is there anyway to operate this system on RF?
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