I want Slingbox, please help

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 07:58

After reading various posts re: Slingbox, etc, I would like to know what I need to get it.



I've looked on: http://www.slingmedia.com/ It looks interesting, but I need to let whoever can help, my personal situation, so that they can recommend the best solution.



I have an ADSL internet connection, with wireless router, so to upgrade to a faster speed is pretty cheap. I may need to change my ISP (eXtend) as they're CRAP.



I have an HD TV.



My brother in the UK, has the full all-singing, all-dancing Sky HD package. He has broadband internet.



I think I need a Slingbox Pro HD, cost $299. Do I need two, one for me and one for my brother?



I also think I need a Slingcathcer, so I can watch TV on TV, as opposed to a PC. Cost $199. Again, do I need two?



Do I also need a SlingLink TURBO-1 Port, in case my brothers TV is in a different room to his router? If so, another $79. I think I've got it right, this is for my brothers "end" in the UK, not my end in TRNC?



Thanks

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 08:40

MM is probably your best man to ask about this but in the mean time some thoughts from me.



Your brother will need to have a Broadband internet connection that can maintain sustained UPSTREAM bandwidth. MM says around 1-2Mbs upstream capacity. For HD content you will quite possibly need even more than this. Very few Home broadband connections in the UK support this kind of bandwidth upstream and some may have usage caps as well on volume of data sent.



The slingbox website claims the following re sending internet connection.



"256 Kbps upstream network speed for standard definition

1.5 Mbps upstream network speed for high definition

Higher upstream network speeds yield higher quality video "



Watch the last line there. I will work with 256kbps (though they dont say if they mean bits or bytes per second normaly a capital K would imply bytes but I think they mean bits), but in low res that may be so low you dont want to watch it.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 08:46

I would say trust MM on this more than you trust the website.



In terms of what you would need.



At your brothers



Slingbox. Internet connection capable of sustained upstream througput (see above). A means of connecting the slingbox to the internet connection. This could be a simple cat5 cable that runs from your borthers router or hub to the slinbox (max length 100 meters). Slingbox claims you can connect with wireless as well but this creates its own bandwidth issues. Wired would be better. If you can not or do not want to run a wire from the router to the sling box then you can use an 'ethernet over powerline solution' of which the 'slinglink' is one option , though you could use any number of third party devices to do this.



In addition you will need to connect the slingbox to whatever the video 'source' is. If this is the sky box of your brothers you should understand that you can then only view what he is currently watching via this box.



[cont]

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 08:53

If you want to be able to watch one thing on sky via slingbox at the same time as your brother watches something else then you will need two sky boxes at your brothers and a suitable subsciption. The same is true with any other 'sources', like freeview source.



At the other end to watch the content on a PC you just need the software installed on your PC. To watch it on a TV without a PC you will need a sling catcher.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 08:58

You should also not that the sling catcher does not currently support HD content sent from HD Sling Box Pro, so if this was how you intend to view content sent from sling box hd pro there is not much point. The HD pro will send HD , but the catcher will only display non HD regardless. To watch HD content (and that is provided you brothers Internet connection can support such content bandwidth wise) currently you would have to use a PC and then link the output of that to your HD TV.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
23/03/2009 09:24

Dear ErolZ, re your replies to PC



Nothing I can add to your advice, other than we have TRIED to connect a sling box to a SKY 2Mbit and BT 8Mibt ADSL service in the UK ( upload 220-360Kps) to a connection in "TRNC" and a ADSL 2 Mbit service in Limas(s)ol and the results back up:



""The slingbox website claims the following re sending internet connection.







"256 Kbps upstream network speed for standard definition



1.5 Mbps upstream network speed for high definition



Higher upstream network speeds yield higher quality video "







Watch the last line there. I will work with 256kbps (though they dont say if they mean bits or bytes per second normaly a capital K would imply bytes but I think they mean bits), but in low res that may be so low you dont want to watch it. ""



I HAVE tested a slingbox from Copenhagen to Limas(s)sol with MUCH better results.. but it was Danish TV ! ;)