We've been hearing about the upcoming "Clip+Sling" feature for quite some time now, though relatively few additional details have been released since the CES show in January. The basics have been covered pretty well (read Clip+Sling Video Demonstration with Brian Jaquet and Matt Whitlock's Interview with Jason Hirschhorn to get up to speed), but what we haven't known is how it's going to really work.

Today some of those "finer" details about Clip+Sling are starting to come to light thanks to a bit of one-on-one time with the patent application information on the program. I've learned a ton of information, and who better to share it with than a site filled with crazed Slingbox fans? In this article we are going to address some of your questions and give details on how the Clip+Sling program will work. We will first go through a simplified version and then get into everything in detail.

What does Clip+Sling Do? How does it work?

First, the basic rundown. Clip + Sling is an upcoming SlingPlayer feature designed to give Slingbox viewers the ability to send a clip of whatever you're watching on your SlingPlayer to someone else, including the ability to post it to a public website where anyone can watch and enjoy.

Everyone has been wondering how it is going to work, like is there any special software you will need, what's in it for Sling Media and the creators of the video content, etc.

The simple version of how it works:

1. The Clip+Sling program should work with any model of Slingbox you own. The program is built into the player, not the box. You will basically just have to install the latest SlingPlayer program.
   
   
2. You can use any media device (TV, DVD, etc input) to view media content, record media clips, edit the clips, associate the clips with relevant meta data (descriptions), and share the media clips with others, all using the SlingPlayer program.
   
   
3. The player will upload the clip to a special Sling Media website where others can view it, rate it and make comments.
   
   
4. The content creators, like Sony Television, HBO, NHL, etc, can and probably will restrict the sharing of the videos based on the rules that they come up with. Not what Sling Media says or any other third party.
   
   For example they can tell Sling Media what can be shared, including the duration, the quality (e.g., resolution, frame rate of a video content, bit rate of an audio content), and the number of people allowed to access the content.
   
   
5. Sling Media can and probably will put advertisements on the shared video, at the beginning, pertaining to the subject of the video.
   
   
6. Then other users can go to the SlingClips website and watch your video clip.

Here's another example. Let’s say you want to send the video to a friend:

1. When watching a video you see something you would like to share with your friend.
   
   
2. You would press the record button on the SlingPlayer. This launches a media editing window within the player itself.
   
   
3. Within the media editing window, you have access to the last five minutes (The duration is still being determined) of the video viewed. The video was cached on the hard drive of your computer.
   
   
4. You then set the start point and end point, add a title to the clip, and press the recipient button.
   
   
5. This brings up a list of your friends.
   
   
6. You then select the intended friends. A description or other information can be entered about the clip.
   
   
7. Then you click an upload button on the player.
   
   
8. The player then uploads the video clip to the community website, and sends a notification email with a pointer reference to the uploaded video clip to your selected friends.
   
   
9. After receiving the notification email, your friend(s) can click the pointer and view the video clip in the community website.

What's in it for them?

That is the simplified version of the program. We'll get into it in more detail, but what’s in it for Sling Media and content owners?

• They can generate advertising revenue by distributing advertisements with the media content that you upload.
  
  
• They can charge the advertisers for putting in their ads.
  
  
• They can put banner ads on the video sharing website.
  
  
• Sling Media can pay the content creators a portion of the revenue and keep the rest for themselves.
  
  
• They can even decide to share revenue with the cable companies or even you, the one who uploaded the video. It will be interesting to see what business model they decide on.

Page 2: Uploading and viewing clips - what exactly happens? >>

Page 1 2 3 Next »