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echo alert.
My website featuring more slingbox help is at www.butkus.co.uk
The one weakness of the Slingbox is that you need to view its stream on a computer. What the SlingMedia company should do is create a Receiver device - a SlingCatcher - that can plug into a AV system, that can locate a Slingbox on the network, and play the Slingbox stream into the TV that the SlingCatcher is attached to, without the use of a computer.
For example, I set up a Slingbox in my main AV setup in the living room. Upstairs in the den, I hook up the SlingCatcher into my computer network. Now I can use the remote that came with the SlingCatcher to control the Slingbox downstairs and watch my downstairs Tivo on my upstairs TV without involving a computer.
Or, I could be at a friend's house, hook up my SlingCatcher to their TV and to their broadband internet, and control and watch my Tivo from their house - again without using a computer.
I imagine the SlingCatcher would come with a remote, and using the SlingCatcher would be just like using the SlingBox software on a computer - except that you are using the remote that comes with the SlingCatcher, not a computer keyboard, and that you are watching the video and audio on an actual TV, not a computer. No computer would actually be involved.
If the Slingmedia company created this SlingCatcher device, I think they would sell 2 or 3 of them for every Slingbox they sold - and they would sell a TON more Slingboxes.
Please tell me what you think of this - would you consider buying a device that does what I have described, a SlingCatcher?
-Sindyr
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January 16, 2006 11:54 PM
March 2, 2006 6:41 PM
Or even if it could stream to one of the uPnP-compatble streaming media receivers like the Buffalo Air Link Theatre (or whatever it's called) or a Prismiq Media PLayer. the Prismiq runs a version of Debian Linux on it, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to port a version over to it. Of course, I say that not really knowing uch about linux or spent much time using it :)
March 6, 2006 4:19 PM
If I were a gambling man... oh wait I am. I'd bet just such a device (SlingCatcher) is under development. Unless it's possible and more efficient to update the firmware of the current Slingbox to act as both Slinger or Catcher, rather than design a new piece of hardware. It does have AV and coax out...
Sindyr said:
I wonder what slingmedia is planning?
If I were a gambling man... oh wait I am. I'd bet just such a device (SlingCatcher) is under development. Unless it's possible and more efficient to update the firmware of the current Slingbox to act as both Slinger or Catcher, rather than design a new piece of hardware. It does have AV and coax out...
Slingbox SOLO w/ ASUS Wireless Bridge streaming TiVo Series3
Zatz Not Funny!
March 21, 2006 7:48 AM
well, ECHOstar {which threw a bunch of money to Slingmedia has thier pocket dish},,and with them 2 inbed together, you think they want SONY {which has a little lcd that wirelessly work with thier LOCALfree PLAYpak} have a device to itself, would not take much to throw wifi or any other radio signal in the device..its all a moattre or partnerships, who is supplying who, who is buying from who,,license agreements and such..
May 10, 2006 10:03 AM
I agree, it would be great if via firmware the Slingbox could stream the signal from other slingboxes. I would buy a slingbox for all three DVR's in the house.
Dave Zatz said:Sindyr said:
I wonder what slingmedia is planning?
If I were a gambling man... oh wait I am. I'd bet just such a device (SlingCatcher) is under development. Unless it's possible and more efficient to update the firmware of the current Slingbox to act as both Slinger or Catcher, rather than design a new piece of hardware. It does have AV and coax out...
I agree, it would be great if via firmware the Slingbox could stream the signal from other slingboxes. I would buy a slingbox for all three DVR's in the house.
May 10, 2006 11:58 AM
I especially would like to point out the value of having a 'SlingCatcher' that is internet compatible.
To have a Slingbox throwing a video stream from room to room in a house is easy, and not much of a stretch or improvement.
What we really could use is the following:
Say I am at a hotel, a weary salesman travelling the globe. I simply unpack my 'SlingCatcher', plug it into the internet jack (or wireless) and plug it inot the room's TV and BANG, I am watching the things recorded and playing at my house from my hotel room.
Or maybe I am at a friends house and want to watch Battlestar Gallactica - but my friend does not have the SciFi channel. No problem, since I have the SciFi channel at home *and* a 'SlingCatcher'. I just hook up the 'SlingCatcher' to his broadband internet and to his TV and in minutes I am watching Gallactica without having to go home first.
The possibilities are endless. We already know they have SlingCatcher *software* that enables my laptop to act as a SlingCatcher when I am out in the world.
All they have to do is make a box that performs the minimum steps that has the software built in - that makes it so I don't have to have a computer with me, and so I don't have to watch it on a computer screen.
This SlingCatcher would be able to be plugged into a broadband internet connection. It should also either have built in wireless, or a USB/PC Card slot for adding a wireless adapter. It should have the SlingMedia software built in. It should have a remoate with it that can configure and control the SlingCatcher and whatever device the SC is controlling. Finally it should have TV output - HDMI, DVI, or just plan red-yellow-white RCA connectors to hook up to a TV or AV system.
Everyone of the above things are not new technology. All that has to be done is to assemble it.
In fact, SlingMedia could take this one step further: Instead of making a SlingCatcher at all, the could build all of the SlingCatcher functionality into the existing SlingBox.
That way, if I have 2 SlingBoxes, I leave one at home hooked up, and take one on the road with me, from hotel to hotel or whatever.
But whether its a SlingBox/SlingCatcher pair, or simply two Enhanced SlingBoxes, I think that SlingMedia's journey will not be complete until they give us a way to watch the SlingBox stuff we have at home while we are away from home *without* having to use a computer to do it - and instead use a specialty Sling product tailored to the function and capable of a/v output to the TV we are at.
That will be the "holy grail".
I hope we see it soon.
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May 10, 2006 2:54 PM
The short of it as I see it is that it would still be a computer, just in the slingcatcher box... It has to have the ability to load software updates, be configurable..
Maybe more basically a mobile device with video out.. It's definitely possible, just possibly more expensive than many would want to spend on something that only has one function..
Actually, isn't that how Sony's LFTV remotes work??
Slinging Tivo HD, DirecTV, and OTA from a Pro HD, Tivo HD from a Pro, Tivo HD from a Solo, and Humax DRT800 from a Classic to Sprint Mogul, Dell Inspiron 8600 and Inspiron 1520 with Sprint EVDO, and a SlingCatcher over Windstream DSL.
May 10, 2006 3:37 PM
I don't know, but it's how my TIVO works. My tivo load updates, is configurable, etc.
My TIVO cost around $250 I think. And the SlingCatcher would not have to have a Hard Drive or be nearly as complex as a TIVO. Essentially all the SlingCatcher has to do is:
1) Get on Internet
2) Find and log into the user's SlingBox
3) Setup communications with that Box.
4) Output to TV.
5) Remote Control.
That's like everything the TIVO does minus 5 things - does not have to maintain a schedule, load or manage data apart from the SlingBox stream, does not have to store or record content, or play stored content - its little more than a network terminal that can hook up to a SlingBox and a TV output stuck together.
Shouldn't be that hard or that expensive, especially for a non HD version.
If they can make the SlingBox, and they can make SlingMedia for PCs, they can surely make a dedicated SlingCatcher device that does not need to be a computer itself anymore than a TIVO is - and probably somewhat *less*.
My $.05
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May 10, 2006 4:54 PM
Tivo is a computer.
For the Slingcatcher to be able to find the Slingbox it would either have to "boot" in some way and be configurable from remote control or still have to connect a computer to it to configure.
Tivo will work with cable, satellite, other sources. Slingcatcher would only work with Sling.
Tivo receives its signal from AV inputs, SC would have to receive internet signal, convert it to AV, and then output to TV.
I agree that it would be a great product but to play the devil's advocate it's hard to say if it would be worth it from a product development/marketing view..
The key that keeps coming to mind for me is versatility. Sling has built the SB on being able to access it from many devices. While the SC would be an additional device, it's hard to develop a client that only works on one server whereas the SB is a server with many clients..
Who knows, maybe they'll be challenged by my negativity and build it to spite me...
Slinging Tivo HD, DirecTV, and OTA from a Pro HD, Tivo HD from a Pro, Tivo HD from a Solo, and Humax DRT800 from a Classic to Sprint Mogul, Dell Inspiron 8600 and Inspiron 1520 with Sprint EVDO, and a SlingCatcher over Windstream DSL.
May 10, 2006 7:13 PM
I certainly hope so. ;)
If the SlingBox sells, I think the Sling Catcher would as well. I just hope the SB is selling well.
Personally, I have not yet purchased a SlingBox. As soon as they make a SlingCatcher, I *will* buy one of each. :)
May 11, 2006 7:45 PM
Cool, eh? :)
I dug up three Slingbox patent applications... they leave room for the posibility of a SlingCatcher device:
The local clients can be any number of device types, including but not limited to desktop and notebook PCs, Web tablets, PDAs, embedded clients built expressly for the purposes of decoding the streams of the personal broadcaster, and other devices capable of receiving and/or playing a media stream over a network.
As with the local clients, the remote clients may include any number of device types, but not limited to desktop and notebook PCs, Web tablets, PDAs, embedded clients built expressly for the purposes of decoding the streams of the personal broadcaster, and other devices capable of receiving and/or playing a media stream over a network.
Cool, eh? :)
Slingbox SOLO w/ ASUS Wireless Bridge streaming TiVo Series3
Zatz Not Funny!
July 2, 2006 10:06 PM
Why not get a PDA with WIFI and video-out capabilities? 1/8" jack to RCA cable for sound. Slingplayer Mobile should do the trick. Granted an all-in-one unit deisgned for this would be prettier but serve the same function.
Slinging to my PPC6700 is the coolest.
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July 26, 2006 3:16 PM
kahootz said: Why not get a PDA with WIFI and video-out capabilities? 1/8" jack to RCA cable for sound. Slingplayer Mobile should do the trick. Granted an all-in-one unit deisgned for this would be prettier but serve the same function.
------------------------------------
Thats the problem.....finding the pda that has video out capablites for standard tvs. (I'd like one for Dell X51v)
e
January 6, 2007 9:38 AM
Hi guys,
I also would like to have such receiver, so you could connect it to the TV without needing a LapTop/ PC (noisy and big), ah! It also should provide a IR for the remote control. But I couldn't find anything like that, so as I work for a company where they create embedded devices I was wondering how such a item would be "received" by the market, nevertheless I think its cost would be around $200 (usd). It would be like a cable box. So if you watch your channels from one country to another, it would be much comfortable to seat in your TV room and by using the remote control be able to watch the same channels you would watch if you were at home ("oversea home").
I wold like to measure the interest for a device like that, so if you would buy a item like that tell me, because thus I could persuade my company to work in that project.
ah! What features would be essential?
Thanks
January 7, 2007 5:30 AM
It appears that the new Slingcatcher requires a Computer to operate and is not a standalone device like the Sony Tv Box due out early Feb. If this is the case then there still is a need for a TV player that will work without a PC running.
jfbaro...... Our local ISP is intending offering a service to their clients and are waiting for a suitable "set top box" to arrive on the market,they have indicated they would buy 2000+ units pa if a sub 200USD unit was available.
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January 7, 2007 8:47 AM
What makes you say it still requires a computer?
Slinging Tivo HD, DirecTV, and OTA from a Pro HD, Tivo HD from a Pro, Tivo HD from a Solo, and Humax DRT800 from a Classic to Sprint Mogul, Dell Inspiron 8600 and Inspiron 1520 with Sprint EVDO, and a SlingCatcher over Windstream DSL.
January 7, 2007 8:57 AM
according to Jamie Odell, Sling’s VP of product marketing, the SlingCatcher is different from other digital media servers because it just relays whatever is on your PC screen to your TV, without file conversions.
I would say the above quote indicates that a PC has to be used,or am I missing something ?
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January 7, 2007 9:05 AM
I saw that and wondered what he meant but it really doesn't make sense.. The main feature is to be able to receive a stream from a slingbox instead of a computer..
What will be interesting is if it needs a computer to setup at all or if it's all done from the remote which is how I would think it would be..
Slinging Tivo HD, DirecTV, and OTA from a Pro HD, Tivo HD from a Pro, Tivo HD from a Solo, and Humax DRT800 from a Classic to Sprint Mogul, Dell Inspiron 8600 and Inspiron 1520 with Sprint EVDO, and a SlingCatcher over Windstream DSL.
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