Performance

Time to talk about what really counts... performance. All the good looks and features in the world don't matter if the streaming quality doesn't hold up. And there's no worries here, the PRO-HD looks good... damn good.

There is a reason for this more dramatic change. While Sling Media has improved the video streaming quality of previous Slingboxes over time, the fundamental base of the SlingStream experience hasn't changed all that much. Since the original Slingbox, Sling Media has relied on Microsoft's Windows Media Video format to encode the SlingPlayer stream.

With Slingbox PRO-HD diving into the HD streaming realm, it seemed like the right time to move to H.264 format as the streaming video format. The H.264 format (also known as MPEG-4 AVC) offers higher quality video at lower bitrates than WMV. For compatibility reasons, the Slingbox PRO-HD will still stream WMV to existing SlingPlayer Mobile clients.

Video Quality

Slingbox PRO-HD is capable of streaming at a variety of resolutions, from 320x240 all the way up to 1080i. As with any Slingbox, the resolution and video quality you actually see is determined by the amount of available bandwidth between you and the Slingbox. You'll easily be able to stream at the highest resolutions possible when on your home network.

For those of you new to the high definition game, the Slingbox won't auto-magically transform everything from your cable box into crystal-clear high definition video. Many of your channels are still broadcast in standard definition, and they'll look like just that: SD. For those programs you receive in high definition, you'll be blown away by how good it looks through your Slingbox.

The best of Slingbox PRO vs. the best of PRO-HD

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Watching your Slingbox full screen is now highly recommended.

Remote Performance

Any Slingbox owner will tell you, remote performance can be hit or miss. According to Sling Media, the Slingbox PRO-HD requires 1.5 Mbps of upload bandwidth to stream HD video remotely. If you don't have a pipe that big, you'll be treated to lower resolution video. Older Slingboxes can adequately stream good quality video (I know, it's subjective) with as little as 256kbps to work with, and that seems about on par for the Slingbox PRO-HD. Anything less and you can expect even lower quality results.

The Verdict

I've been lucky enough to get a fair amount of hands-on time with the Slingbox PRO-HD, and the experience hasn't been perfect. There are a few glitches that need to be ironed out. As a long-time Sling user, I know there will be a few "software updates" in the near term to knock them out.

The honest truth is Slingbox PRO-HD will have its fair share of naysayers. In many ways, it's ahead of its time. Everyone's been clamoring for HD support, but the stone cold fact is that the typical home doesn't have the upload speed to bring that HD glory out of your network, and even if you do, your average busy hotspot won't always have the bandwidth to give you on the other end.

In-network performance is nothing short of breathtaking, and when paired up with Sling Media's upcoming SlingCatcher product to watch your DVR on your TV upstairs, it'll be nothing short of awesome.

The current Slingbox owner, particularly those who find themselves using it inside the house more than out, will find a lot of reasons to upgrade. If your focus is always using it on the go, you may want to upgrade your Internet connection along with it.

All said, I've followed the place-shifting revolution since day one, and the PRO-HD offers the best visual experience of any place-shifter to date. Period.

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