The Slingbox PRO Review (Page 6 of 6)
Performance
The Slingbox PRO streams over LAN at 640x480, capturing every nuance of the original source while streaming over your home network. That's a pretty significant increase over the original Slingbox, whose resolution maxed at 640x240 in network and 320x240 remotely. When connecting from a remote location, the streaming resolution of the PRO falls back to a more conservative 320 x 240 (in SlingStream mode), which requires less upstream bandwidth. You can stream remotely at 640x480 if you configure it manually, but you'll need to disable SlingStream to do it.
Remote performance in SlingStream mode really isn’t that much different than the original Slingbox. For most, the performance bottle neck hasn’t really been the hardware, but the upload bandwidth of your internet connection, and current network conditions to your location. If you’re slinging from a busy hotspot, or you only have 256K of upstream bandwidth at home, the video quality from any Slingbox (old or new) won't really rock your world.
In-network performance is where the new Slingboxes really shine. The increase in resolution certainly makes for a better quality experience. Considering most PRO owners will be connecting a digital cable or satellite box, the image quality will impress even the pickiest consumers. In the PROs case, the HD adapter can provide an even better streaming experience by accepting HDTV signals in their raw form.
Read "Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV, & Slingbox Tuner Performance Review" for more about performance.
Read "First Look: Slingbox PRO HD Performance" for a first look at HD performance.
Final Thoughts
If anything, the sheer flexibility of the Slingbox PRO will overshadow it's AV and Tuner counterparts. At suggested retail prices the PRO is only $70 more, and it's like buying a Tuner and two A/Vs at the same time... with only one real catch. Even though it can manage three separate devices, only one person can connect at a time. The appeal of having a Tuner or separate AV Slingbox for each device becomes immediately apparent when you can't watch your recorded TiVo programs in the office because your other half is streaming basic cable to a laptop in the backyard.
I honestly expected to see Wi-Fi support on their flagship model, and was a little surprised to see it absent. In some ways, I'm glad. Integrating Wi-Fi would add additional cost to those consumers who don't need it, and would ultimately make installation more confusing. However, a small part of me was hoping for a package that had everything necessary to get connected to your sources and home network with a single price tag. I can live without Wi-Fi, but where's the SKU that comes with a set of discounted SlingLinks in the box?
Though the Slingbox PRO isn't as revolutionary as the original, Sling Media has improved and refined this product into a worthy successor. The option to add support for HD boxes is a welcome feature that will make many owners of quirky HD set-top boxes very, very happy. Toss in the vastly improved video quality, better styling, and ability to seemlessly handle four different video sources for under $300, the Slingbox PRO has a very bright future indeed.
More Slingbox Family Articles
The Slingbox Family - Slingbox Tuner, Slingbox AV, & Slingbox PRO - The new Slingboxes are here, and SlingCommunity's got them all! Join SlingCommunity Editor Matt Whitlock as he takes an in-depth look at Sling Media's newest line of Slingbox products.
The Slingbox Tuner Review - An in-depth look at Sling Media's newest little Slingbox for those who have the most "basic" needs.
The Slingbox AV Review - It's small, fast, controls just about any external source, and will get you Slinging in no time.
Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner Performance Review - Just exactly how does the new family of Slingboxes stack up to the original. Are they really better? Find out here.
First Look: Slingbox PRO HD Performance Review - Come get a sneak peak at the PRO's HD performance when used with Sling Media's upcoming HD adapter!
Which Slingbox is Right For Me?- In days past, picking out a Slingbox was easy. Did you want the Slingbox behind door number 1, door number 1, or door number 1? Now there's choice... come see which Slingbox is right for you!
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