Stephen,

Just to understand what you did, but did you originally install the U.K slingplayer desktop software (1.5.1), pick the virgin V+ box from the software remote options, and then just install the U.S 2.0 slingplayer software over the 1.5.1 software without losing any usability with the virgin remote and without having any other issues? Since 1.5.1 is the current software for U.K customers, I was wondering if 2.0 created any problems with the U.K solo, but it sounds like you're not experiencing any issues worth mentioning.

Just to recap my situation. I will be installing a slingbox solo that will be purchased in the U.K this July using component cables connected to a Virgin V+ Box and will be using the whole setup remotely sending the stream to the U.S connected to a slingcatcher. I just wanted to know if I'd have screwed anything up by installing the 2.0 software over the 1.5.1 U.K software.

Also, this may be a general question to anyone out there, but I'll be taking my laptop with me to the U.K with a dual boot of windows 7 beta and vista. I installed the 1.5.1 software on windows 7 without any issues, but I've kept the dual boot setup in case I need to use Vista if the slingbox software has a problem with windows 7 for some reason. Is anyone using the windows 7 beta and have installed and ran the slingbox software both 1.5.1 and 2.0 without any issues?

It sure does. Thank you sir for all your input. I just wanted to get reassurance from someone that's been there and done that. You learn as you go along and you stumble across info here and there on what you can and can't do. I was originally going to get the slingbox solo here in the states and bring it over with me, but the firmware between the U.K and the U.S models are different, so I wasn't going to take any chances with not having access to the Virgin V+ remote through the slingcatcher. I also originally was going to hookup the V+ Box through HDMI for the LCD TV and composite for the slingbox since it was only going to be used remotely, but finding out that Virgin turns off those connections when hooked up through HDMI pushed me towards the Solo and using the component pass through. Anyway, that takes care of a few answers that I wasn't 100% sure of. Thanks for the fast response and all your help.

Regards
Lee

weesteev said: I have added an update to the main text body with details of the updated UK slingplayer software. Give me a shout if you need any help with setup or config as usual

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Weesteev must have quit monitoring this thread, so since it's been a while I'll answer my own question. After arriving in the U.K and installing the slingbox solo to the virgin V+ box using component cables, the picture on the LCD Sony using the component bypass is fine and not much of a compromise compared to hdmi. The only issue I encountered was with using the older 1.5 Slingplayer software version using remote mode; it wouldn't connect. I liked the easier access to fav channels on 1.5 rather than how slingmedia have set how you access fav channels on ver 2.0. Didn't have a choice using 1.5 now, because after upgrading the slingplayer software, it connected no problem. My only further complaint has nothing to do with sling; just dealing with the fact that virgin media can provide a decent 20MB's download and a pathetic 768kbps upload. ( can't get the 50mb service in my area ). The picture is decent enough on my pc at this upload speed, but heard the picture might suffer using it with a slingcatcher connected to the TV in the U.S. We'll see when I get back.

 Anyway, for those that are going to use a slingbox solo with virgin media broadband and stream it to the U.S, I can say that the component cable bypass works fine for picture quality on a 32 inch sony lcd and the Virgin broadband service is pretty stable for streaming video, so you should have no problem enjoying your U.K tv in the U.S. Anything comes up with the slingcatcher U.S connecting to a U.K slingbox solo, I'll add to the thread.

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 Hi Stephen / Weesteev

Hopefully you are still monitoring this thread. I've been reading a lot about users having picture quality issues on their TV when they use the component bypass. In other words, the quality of the picture is degraded when using component bypass going from the slingbox solo to the TV. I was just wondering how your component picture quality was on your TV using this bypass and if you've compared it with the HDMI connection. I'm heading to the U.K on Thursday, have just ordered my slingbox solo U.K version to be delivered sometime next week, have the V+ box already installed in the U.K and just need to hook it up to a Sony 1080i TV, but after reading about more than a few people unhappy about the picture they seem to be getting from the bypass, I'm a little concerned. I'm actually thinking of how to do a bypass to the bypass. If I went directly from the V+ box using the component cable to the TV that would solve the TV picture issue, but on the back of the Solo are only s-video and composite connections while the V+ box only has a scart connection to work with, so if I wanted to avoid going component as a bypass and it turns out that the picture quality coming from the solo bypass component to the TV stinks, how else would it be possible to setup the slingbox solo to the V+ box?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

LTM

Okay, a bit premature on posting because I've been frantically searching google and came across a website posting from someone that has a U.K solo and saw based on his post that sling supplies a scart adapter plug for the composite connection, therefore if I do encounter a component quality bypass issue, then I can still use the composite from the scart connection. I'll be using the slingbox only in remote mode, so the picture quality using the composite connection, I hope, won't be as crucial with a virgin media broadband upload of 768Kps to the U.S and should still serve my needs. Anything on the above that I might have wrong or anything you could add to the above?

 Thanks!!

Hi, could you send a link to the cables that i will require to connect the V+ box to the slingbox for the picture and all its features to work properley

Thank you

Does it make a difference if i bought the 'Slingbox PRO-HD' over the 'Solo' or would it still be the same set up with a V+ as has been described?

Hi everyone,

My question is exactly the same as Dave13's a few posts up. The TV my Slingbox SOLO is connected to isn't HD so I was wondering whether that would make a difference. Currently, I can watch TV and control everything remotely but cannot see the menus. At the same time, the TV retains full functionality for everybody watching in the room (they can see menus).

Thanks in advance for your help.