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? Today, consumers are faced with the task of choosing between not one, but four different Slingboxes (though one has technically been discontinued even though it can still be found at various retail sites); each uniquely tailored to a specific kind of user. With choice comes confusion, so it’s time to get an answer to the question that will be asked by nearly all newcomers to the Sling experience, “Which Slingbox is right for me?”

At a high level, here’s a quick feature comparison of all the different Slingboxes:

 

Feature	Tuner	AV	SOLO	PRO
Widescreen 16:9 Support	X	X	X	X
High Quality Programmable video compression	X	X	X	X
Watch/control TV from any PC/laptop	X	X	X	X
Watch/control TV from a mobile phone*	X	X	X	X
TV/Analog cable tuner	X			X
Pass-through connections for seemless integration into current setups	X		X	X
Connects to a set-top box (digital cable, DVD, etc.)		X	X	X
Remote control of A/V devices		1	1	3/4**
Total number of inputs	1	1	1	4
Connect HD component devices (with optional adapter)				X
Connect HD component devices (without optional adapter)			X
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price	Disc	$129	$179	$249

*With SlingPlayer Mobile, sold separately
**With optional HD adapter accessory, sold separately.

Looking at the list above, you'll see that Sling Media has taken quality out of the equation. All Slingboxes are based on the same technological core that delivers a quality 640 x 480 stream to any computer located on the same physical network of the Slingbox, and a 320 x 240 (with SlingStream enabled) picture when streaming over the Internet to a remote location. Physical size and styling aside, it really boils down to the type and quantity of devices you want to use with your Slingbox, and the amount of money you’re willing to spend to get into the placeshifting scene.

Basic Cable and Antenna Users

If you’re a basic cable subscriber, or still rely on that broadcast antenna on the roof (you know, the thing you call “ol’ faithful”),then your first stop should be to consider the Slingbox Tuner if you can still find one. It offers a simple RF input that can connect directly to either source, can get you up and slinging in a flash, and costs significantly less than the Slingbox PRO (the only other Slingbox with an integrated tuner).

One distinct advantage you have with the Tuner is that you’re not bound by the physical location of a set-top box or DVR, which means you probably won’t need to factor in the cost of a Wi-Fi bridge or Powerline adapter to get connected to your network. It’s likely you have access to your cable or antenna from the same room as your network router.

One unfortunate aspect to consider is that the terrestrial tuner in both the Slingbox PRO and Slingbox Tuner will ultimately be affected by the US analog to DTV transition next year. If you're using a TV antenna to receive terrestrial broadcasts, the tuner in either option will cease to work on February 17th, 2009. The PRO however allows you to connect a external DTV converter box, which at least gives you an upgrade path if you're looking to pick up a Slingbox today. If you can wait, the upcoming Slingbox PRO HD is expected to ship with a built in ATSC DTV tuner that will be capable of receiving and slinging digital broadcasts. If you subscribe to cable, either should be fine for a while, but you should check with your cable provider for details on how the DTV transition will affect you.

If you’re receiving terrestrial TV or basic cable now but are on the fence about upgrading to digital cable or satellite service, you may want to look at the Slingbox PRO since it allows the flexibility to upgrade to a set-top. If you’re planning on getting one of them snazzy new TiVo DVRs everyone raves about, the Tuner won’t help you there either.

If you want the ability to upgrade to a set-top, but don’t want to swallow the price of Slingbox PRO, a good interim solution is to pick up a Slingbox AV or SOLO. I know, neiter of them have a tuner… but your VCR does. You know, the thing that plays videotapes and probably hasn’t been used since you bought a DVD player years ago. The VCR has AV outputs and an integrated tuner for basic cable and broadcast antennas. Just make sure that the Slingbox has remote codes for it, because you’ll need them in order to change channels.

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