The SlingBox Solo, like the original SlingBox, allows you to play your home A/V sources, such as a cable box or DVD player, over a broadband-connected PC anywhere, not just in another room, I mean anywhere. The system actually consists of two inseparable parts: the SlingBox device itself and the SlingPlayer which is an application you install on your PC or Mac. You plug whatever source device you want into the box and it “slings” the content over the Internet to your computer. You then view the stream via the player software in much the same way you’d play a DVD with Windows Media Player. Where this Solo model differs from the original is in its ability to work with high definition sources.
Setup is quite simple. On the back of the SlingBox are the analog inputs, including high def-compatible component plus one set of audio jacks. There are also pass-through outputs so you can essentially wire the SlingBox in between your cable box and HDTV without losing any inputs. Then connect up an Ethernet cable to the SlingBox so it can become part of your network and reach out to your PC.
The software must be downloaded from the company’s Website. Once installed it walks you through the setup process to register with your router and network. It was only a few minutes until I was ready to watch TV on my PC.
Once properly configured, you can watch whatever comes through your home cable box or the contents of your DVR (including TiVo), over your PC wherever you go. The SlingPlayer software displays an image of your real remote with all the buttons. If you’re in a hotel in Bali you can still watch local baseball as long as you’ve got a broadband connection. You can even schedule your DVR to record something in case you forgot before you left the house.
Though overall I really like the SlingBox, I did run into a few issues. First, it didn’t play well with my Verizon-provided Actiontec router. I needed to go into the router’s setting to fix that. Second, the SlingBox doesn’t support Wi-Fi. You either need a long Ethernet cable or a powerline network system, which Sling happens to also offer just in case. Since there’s only one set of audio inputs on the device, you’re basically limited to one source (which is why it’s called Solo). During setup the SlingPlayer didn’t have my Motorola DVR in its database so the on-screen remote wasn’t quite accurate and omitted a few important buttons. There is a slight delay when changing channels or pausing and forwarding DVR functions, so you need a little patience when watching. Also, when you change channels remotely from Bali you also change the channels at home, which may disturb the person watching the actual TV.
The picture quality looked mostly good on my widescreen laptop, and I didn’t notice any performance difference when watching high definition or standard definition. The channel guide, which looks fine on my 50-inch TV at home, was almost impossible to read on my 15-inch laptop though. The image did have a few hiccups, breaking up into blocks or not syncing with the audio a few times, mostly when I was fast forwarding a DVR recording.
Another cool thing about Sling is that it works not only on your computer, but also on Windows Mobile, Palm OS or Symbian cell phones and PDAs. Of course those devices have to be connected to the Internet to access your box and you need to download the SlingPlayer mobile application which costs $30. That price seems odd since the PC application is free. Using the service is free though, which is nice since you’re already paying for your cable TV. yy
SlingBox Solo
$179
HDTV compatible
A/V pass-through outputs
Smaller than original Slingbox
Easy hardware and software setup
www.slingmedia.com
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