I agree with xenophod - this is totally worth it just to mess with the kids...

Muwahahahahaha!

BKANE wrote:
There's tons of software to create video files. But you wouldn't want to even try and email a show. The file would be too big. Probably beyond the allowed email file size your recipient's provider allows.
That's why, if you noticed in the video, Slingbox says they use a "go between" server to store the file. You're not actually sending people the clip. You're sending them a link to a page that shows the clip.

I wouldn't be looking to record and e-mail someone an entire show - you're right, the file would be way too big. I'm just looking to e-mail clips, maybe a few minutes in length. And since it says that VCR's and camcorders can be connected to Slingbox, then I'd want to play some old VHS tapes of home family videos, record a few minutes of highlights, and e-mail them to family members. Is there any way for me to do that?

Will this work with the Logitech Play Link wireless deal I bought from Woot a while back?

judyannreed wrote:More info on the end date for analog...

Analog is only ending with over-the-air TV. Cable boxes, DirecTV, Fios, or any other TV provider that gives you a box WILL STILL GIVE YOU A BOX THAT ALSO HAS ANALOG JACKS ON THE BACK... probably for the next 50+ years.

Karen67 wrote:

I wouldn't be looking to record and e-mail someone an entire show - you're right, the file would be way too big. I'm just looking to e-mail clips, maybe a few minutes in length. And since it says that VCR's and camcorders can be connected to Slingbox, then I'd want to play some old VHS tapes of home family videos, record a few minutes of highlights, and e-mail them to family members. Is there any way for me to do that?

You are better off getting a regular card or interface to record to your pc from you vcr if that's you main reason for considering the Slingbox. The quality will be better and the process a lot simpler in the end. The slingbox is designed for folks that want to watch tv, not as a video creating tool.

Karen67 wrote:

I wouldn't be looking to record and e-mail someone an entire show - you're right, the file would be way too big. I'm just looking to e-mail clips, maybe a few minutes in length. And since it says that VCR's and camcorders can be connected to Slingbox, then I'd want to play some old VHS tapes of home family videos, record a few minutes of highlights, and e-mail them to family members. Is there any way for me to do that?

A few minutes is still a BIG FILE. You don't want to even try it.
And you're recipient would see that you clogged their email and locked it up for 10 minutes while it was downloading.
Google "Video File Storage" and find a server to hold the file.

BKANE wrote:
Analog is only ending with over-the-air TV. Cable boxes, DirecTV, Fios, or any other TV provider that gives you a box WILL STILL GIVE YOU A BOX THAT ALSO HAS ANALOG JACKS ON THE BACK... probably for the next 50+ years.

That and a lot of other additional info is in the faq page link I supplied in my post.

Some drawbacks:
You can only use S-Video or RCA video inputs, not both.
Only one computer/Cellphone/PDA can connect to the video stream at a time.
If you're viewing a stream other than COAX, say... a Tivo, Dish or a Digital Cable Box, thought the S-Video or RCA jacks, everyone still at the physical location watching TV will get mad at you if you're changing channels.[/quote]

QUESTION: You say that "everyone at the physical location watching TV will get mad if you change the channels remotely through the Slingbox." Well, I have two roommates and 6 TV's in my house. Everyone is usually in separate rooms watching separate TV's on different channels. So if I'm at work and I log into the Slingbox to watch a show from the office, will it affect what my roommates are watching at home?? And which of the SIX TV's will be affected??

Karen67 wrote:

QUESTION: You say that "everyone at the physical location watching TV will get mad if you change the channels remotely through the Slingbox." Well, I have two roommates and 6 TV's in my house. Everyone is usually in separate rooms watching separate TV's on different channels. So if I'm at work and I log into the Slingbox to watch a show from the office, will it affect what my roommates are watching at home?? And which of the SIX TV's will be affected??

The one that the Slingbox is hooked up to...

Torch wrote:

Umm, no, that's not what it appears to do. If you have a cable box or a SAT tuner that you are watching, it literally controls the channel of that unit, whoever is sitting there has to watch that channel too, unless they want to flip around on the locals.

If you have cable, you can split the coax and feed it to both the SlingBox and the cable box(es). Of course, you won't get channel info or preview, which is only available through the cable box.

BKANE wrote:
A few minutes is still a BIG FILE. You don't want to even try it.
And you're recipient would see that you clogged their email and locked it up for 10 minutes while it was downloading.
Google "Video File Storage" and find a server to hold the file.

Okay, how about this: when I'm physcially home, I connect the VCR to the Slingbox, I play the VHS tape of home movies, then I tell, say, my brother, who lives 2 hours away, to connect to my Slingbox from his home - would he - from his computer at his house two hours away - be able to view the VHS tape I'm playing through Slingbox?

we don't have a TV in the house. haven't had one for 6 years now. but I bought a projector about a year ago that we use for DVD's. It's fantastic. my question is this:

once in a while, I wish I could tune into airwave TV. I know there's a few channels in the air here that I could pick up with rabbit ears or an antenna on the roof. the presidential debates, state of the union, etc.

the problem is that I don't have a TV tuner... one option is to snag an old VCR at the local thrift shop, but I really don't want a janky old VCR in my living room for the infrequent event of catching some important breaking news or something.

i've thought of buying a dedicated little tuner, but they're like sixty bucks, which seems pretty steep for a little piece of junk.

this, on the other hand, has all kinds of capabilities that, while i probably won't use any time soon, i wouldnt' mind paying for if it meant that i could use it as a tuner.

i can used either component, composite, S-Video, or VGA input for the projector.

thanks in advance to anyone who knows first hand, for sure, that this will work (or will not work).

-v

Karen67 wrote:

QUESTION: You say that "everyone at the physical location watching TV will get mad if you change the channels remotely through the Slingbox." Well, I have two roommates and 6 TV's in my house. Everyone is usually in separate rooms watching separate TV's on different channels. So if I'm at work and I log into the Slingbox to watch a show from the office, will it affect what my roommates are watching at home?? And which of the SIX TV's will be affected??

Whatever cable box you have connected to the Slingbox will change channels.
You can order an extra cable box from your cable company and make it your Slingbox cable box. You don't even need to connect a TV to it.
...or you could order 6 cable boxes, 6 Slingboxes, and use alot of splitters to split the cable line and the high speed Internet line
But DSL or cable would be bogged down if 6 people were streaming at once.

rsantos2 wrote:

ah so i'll need a wireless bridge or a power-line adapter to get this to work. both are more expensive than the slingbox itself. bummer.

When having your cable or dish TV installed, it's wise to get an output near your router -- that should be included in the standard (often free) installation.

If you're only hooking a COAX cable to it, it won't effect anyone as it won't be connected to a TV or any devices connected to a TV.

If you're using a Tivo, Direct TV, Digital Cable box which is connected to a TV at the same time it's connected to the Singbox, then YES it will effect only that TV, not every TV in the house (unless every TV in the house is also connected to that very same cable box / Tivo / Satellite receiver.)

I just finished a hack port of the sling player for the iPhone. It's not 100% complete but I might release it to the OpenSource community tomorrow if I'm awake. PSYCH!

Torch wrote:
What I would like to know is if this can be setup to run the web interface on ports OTHER THAN 80 or 8080 since I have additional things running.

As has been mentioned several times, it's not a web interface. And as has been mentioned several times, it uses port 5001.

Karen67 wrote:

Okay, how about this: when I'm physcially home, I connect the VCR to the Slingbox, I play the VHS tape of home movies, then I tell, say, my brother, who lives 2 hours away, to connect to my Slingbox from his home - would he - from his computer at his house two hours away - be able to view the VHS tape I'm playing through Slingbox?

Yes, he'd need to download the free Sling software (and have a high speed connection). And have his Sling software configured to your Home unit's Sling settings.

And only that household could watch it (one stream reception at a time). But, everyone in your family in other locations could do the same, one at a time.

They could also watch what you were watching afterwards, when you don't want them to. That could be embarrasing! But you could change your Sling password after allowing them to watch the video.

truth wrote:

the problem is that I don't have a TV tuner... one option is to snag an old VCR at the local thrift shop...

i can used either component, composite, S-Video, or VGA input for the projector.

Cousin Truth, the Slingbox has a TV Tuner built right in. Just hook up your rabbit ears to it and see if you can get any stations.

What are you hooking up to your projector? Is this projector a Reel to Reel? I don't think Reel to Reel projectors have S-Video outputs.

BKANE wrote:
Whatever cable box you have connected to the Slingbox will change channels.
You can order an extra cable box from your cable company and make it your Slingbox cable box. You don't even need to connect a TV to it.
...or you could order 6 cable boxes, 6 Slingboxes, and use alot of splitters to split the cable line and the high speed Internet line
But DSL or cable would be bogged down if 6 people were streaming at once.

Wow, a lot to think about there! We actually have four cable boxes in the house - only two of the TV's don't have a cable box. Problem is that the internet connection and Linksys router are in my ROOMMATE'S bedroom, which is on the second floor, and my bedroom is above hers on the third floor. My computer is hard-wired downstairs through the floor (I had it professionally hard-wired). So does that mean I'd have to connect the Slingbox in my roommate's bedroom since that's where the router is and the cable connection originates? And wouldn't I need the box to be physically near ME - in my bedroom - so that I could connect my VCR or camcorder to it?

Karen67 wrote:

Wow, a lot to think about there! We actually have four cable boxes in the house - only two of the TV's don't have a cable box. Problem is that the internet connection and Linksys router are in my ROOMMATE'S bedroom, which is on the second floor, and my bedroom is above hers on the third floor. My computer is hard-wired downstairs through the floor (I had it professionally hard-wired). So does that mean I'd have to connect the Slingbox in my roommate's bedroom since that's where the router is and the cable connection originates? And wouldn't I need the box to be physically near ME - in my bedroom - so that I could connect my VCR or camcorder to it?

yes

robush4 wrote:So, since i have a cable modem, can i set up the slingbox just in front of the modem (by in front, i mean i have the cable line going in the slingbox and then out to the modem) and just use the ATSC tuner to watch TV? obviously, I would hook the box up to the router as well, but im just talking as far as screwing up cable "down the line" from the slingbox. Or, another situation, could i just put the slingbox "in front" of my digital cable box and the go to the router? and yes, i know this will be obselete soon...anyone know exactly when ATSC will go the way of the dinosaurs?

Use a splitter; and you may need a filter on either the cablemodem or TV side.

And no, you don't know that this will be obsolete soon, because it won't. The requirement for dropping analog over the air broadcast has no effect whatsoever on this box, or any other of the vast number of consumer devices that take coax feeds. It only affects devices with analog antennas.

xenophod wrote:

Cousin Truth, the Slingbox has a TV Tuner built right in. Just hook up your rabbit ears to it and see if you can get any stations.

What are you hooking up to your projector? Is this projector a Reel to Reel? I don't think Reel to Reel projectors have S-Video outputs.

well that's good news...

no, no reel. digital. optima DV10, built in DVD player. WVGA. DLP. one of the best toys I've ever splurged on. i've only gone to the movie theater once since we bought it. use the optical out to a 5.1 DTS/Dolby system. "movie theater" in the living room!

thanks for the clarification on the tuner bit. i think i'll give it a try.

judyannreed wrote:More info on the end date for analog...
Clipped from http://www.atsc.org/faq/faq_general.html#Will%20I%20still%20be%20able%20to%20watch%20my%20favorite%20TV%20programs

When will the DTV transition be complete?
TV stations serving all markets in the United States are airing digital television programming today, although most will continue to provide analog programming through February 17, 2009. At that point, full-power TV stations will cease broadcasting on their current analog channels, and the spectrum they use for analog broadcasting will be reclaimed and put to other uses.

This is only relevant to people getting their signal through an antenna -- it has no effect on cable or satellite customers. And for those getting their signal through an antenna, there's a government subsidy to cover (part of) the cost for a converter. Those who talk about devices like this becoming obsolete or "bricks" are without a clue.

truth wrote:

well that's good news...

no, no reel. digital. optima DV10, built in DVD player. WVGA. DLP. one of the best toys I've ever splurged on. i've only gone to the movie theater once since we bought it. use the optical out to a 5.1 DTS/Dolby system. "movie theater" in the living room!

thanks for the clarification on the tuner bit. i think i'll give it a try.

The Projector with built in DVD should would just fine. If the sling box people have a "software remote" for the projector, you can use the IR emitter on the sling box to control the DVD Player remotely as well. Play, Pause, Skip, Root Menu... Sling box is neat.

xenophod wrote:


yes

Yes to BOTH questions? I WOULD have to hook up the Slingbox in my roommate's bedroom? And I WOULD need to have the Slingbox physically near me - in MY bedroom - to hook up my VCR or camcorder? Well, I obviously couldn't have it BOTH ways, could I? Since you're saying that I'd have to hook it up in my roommate's bedroom, is there any way to get some kind of extension cord or something so I could have it connected in my roommate's bedroom, but bring it upstairs to MY bedroom?

jibal wrote:
Those who talk about devices like this becoming obsolete or "bricks" are without a clue.

Hey now.... I don't have a clue and I STILL know that the transition to DTV is only for terrestrial broadcasting signals, not cable tv signlas delivered via COAX.

Don't try to lump all of us non-clue having people into the 'tard category.

judyannreed wrote:

The one that the Slingbox is hooked up to...

Uh, no ... the SlingBox is not hooked up to a TV, it's hooked up to a video source. That video source might be a set top box feeding one of her 6 TVs, but it doesn't have to be.

xenophod wrote:

Hey now.... I don't have a clue and I STILL know that the transition to DTV is only for terrestrial broadcasting signals, not cable tv signlas delivered via COAX.

Don't try to lump all of us non-clue having people into the 'tard category.

Fallacy of affirmation of the consequent. Poodles are dogs, and pit bulls are dogs, but that doesn't imply that poodles are pit bulls.

Karen67 wrote:

Yes to BOTH questions? I WOULD have to hook up the Slingbox in my roommate's bedroom? And I WOULD need to have the Slingbox physically near me - in MY bedroom - to hook up my VCR or camcorder? Well, I obviously couldn't have it BOTH ways, could I? Since you're saying that I'd have to hook it up in my roommate's bedroom, is there any way to get some kind of extension cord or something so I could have it connected in my roommate's bedroom, but bring it upstairs to MY bedroom?

If you have a computer in your room with an ethernet cable, you could buy a $30 network Switch (maybe $20 ? Linksys or netgear make 'em that cheap right guys?) and place that in your room too. Connect the sling box, the computer and the ethernet cable coming from downstairs to the switch. Then connect the sling box to your TV's AV output or COAX or VCR or Video camera. (anything you want really). Install the sling player to your computer and setup the sling box via the wizard... It's really really easy.

BKANE wrote:

Yes, he'd need to download the free Sling software (and have a high speed connection). And have his Sling software configured to your Home unit's Sling settings.

And only that household could watch it (one stream reception at a time). But, everyone in your family in other locations could do the same, one at a time.

They could also watch what you were watching afterwards, when you don't want them to. That could be embarrasing! But you could change your Sling password after allowing them to watch the video.

Wow, that's ribs! So all the person on the other end would have to do is download the free Sling software, and have a high-speed connection (who DOESN'T these days!). That's easy enough. But how would my brother "configure the Sling software to my home unit's settings?"

It didn't even dawn on me that the person on the other end could CONTINUE viewing from my home Sling unit and watch what I'm watching! So I'd have to give the person on the other end - say my brother - the password just long enoug to watch a videotape, or whatever I want him to watch, then right afterwards, I just change the password so no one has access anymore? Is it easy to change the password?

2005vette wrote:I have had this for about 1.5 years now. ANd I love it. The quality is great. The only problem I have with the unit is it will not eaisly work with Linux. There are sites that say they have gotten it work work with Ubuntu and wine. But quality was not great. And yes it does now work with MAC.....

It works with MAC? but does it have to be an Intel mac?

jibal wrote:

Fallacy of affirmation of the consequent. Poodles are dogs, and pit bulls are dogs. but that doesn't imply that poodles are pit bulls.

wait, is this like Schroedinger's Cat?

If I'm clueless I'm a dog? And 'tards are dogs too.... which means all dogs are Clueless 'tards?

Karen67 wrote:

Yes to BOTH questions? I WOULD have to hook up the Slingbox in my roommate's bedroom? And I WOULD need to have the Slingbox physically near me - in MY bedroom - to hook up my VCR or camcorder? Well, I obviously couldn't have it BOTH ways, could I? Since you're saying that I'd have to hook it up in my roommate's bedroom, is there any way to get some kind of extension cord or something so I could have it connected in my roommate's bedroom, but bring it upstairs to MY bedroom?

You can get the High-Speed Internet Room-To-Room wirelessly with a powerline adapter. Google "HP Powerline" and buy one set (essentially a transmitter and receiver). You'll see in one of the top listings that another deal site recently had them for $19.95 a set. Connect it to the router in your friend's room.
You could wirelessly send the Video with an X-10.com video transmitter/receiver set. But that might not be good video.
Better to wirelessly get the high speed Internet into your room and have the Slingbox and video unit in YOUR ROOM.

Someone just wrote, "The SlingBox is not hooked up to a TV, it's hooked up to a VIDEO SOURCE."

So does that mean that I DON'T have to bother hooking it up to my cable box if I JUST want to use it for sharing/watching VCR tapes from a remote location? I mean, could I JUST connect the SlingBox to my VCR and then to my computer? Would THAT work, or do I still need to connect it to my cable box and/or router? Doing that would be a pain since they're located in my roommate's bedroom, not mine.

Karen67 wrote:

Wow, that's ribs! So all the person on the other end would have to do is download the free Sling software, and have a high-speed connection (who DOESN'T these days!). That's easy enough. But how would my brother "configure the Sling software to my home unit's settings?"

Much the way you "configure" a browser to look at a particular web page.

It didn't even dawn on me that the person on the other end could CONTINUE viewing from my home Sling unit and watch what I'm watching! So I'd have to give the person on the other end - say my brother - the password just long enoug to watch a videotape, or whatever I want him to watch, then right afterwards, I just change the password so no one has access anymore? Is it easy to change the password?

Um, it would be easier just to turn off or yank the cable from the SlingBox.

xenophod wrote:

wait, is this like Schroedinger's Cat?

If I'm clueless I'm a dog? And 'tards are dogs too.... which means all dogs are Clueless 'tards?

I see what you mean about being clueless.

BKANE wrote:
You can get the High-Speed Internet Room-To-Room wirelessly with a powerline adapter. Google "HP Powerline" and buy one set (essentially a transmitter and receiver). You'll see in one of the top listings that another deal site recently had them for $19.95 a set. Connect it to the router in your friend's room.
You could wirelessly send the Video with an X-10.com video transmitter/receiver set. But that might not be good video.
Better to wirelessly get the high speed Internet into your room and have the Slingbox and video unit in YOUR ROOM.

Well, I DO have my own CABLE BOX in my bedroom, and I have broadband high-speed internet in my bedroom, but the ROUTER is in my ROOMMATE'S bedroom since that's where everything originates. The router is both wired and wireless, but I'm hard-wire connected to everything.

Karen67 wrote:

Wow, that's ribs! So all the person on the other end would have to do is download the free Sling software, and have a high-speed connection (who DOESN'T these days!). That's easy enough. But how would my brother "configure the Sling software to my home unit's settings?"

It didn't even dawn on me that the person on the other end could CONTINUE viewing from my home Sling unit and watch what I'm watching! So I'd have to give the person on the other end - say my brother - the password just long enoug to watch a videotape, or whatever I want him to watch, then right afterwards, I just change the password so no one has access anymore? Is it easy to change the password?

He'd configure it the same way you would. READ THE MANUAL.
No, changing password inside the Sling receiver software is not tough.

But you're doing alot of work to get family to see the video. It's still better to encode the video (software $50 or less) and upload it one one of the many sites that store family video for free. (And make a copy on your DVD burner to store forever).

That way people can watch when they want.

Actually, blank DVD's are so cheap. You could just mail them movies on DVD. They may be interesting movies to you, but you'd be surprised to know that relatives will want to "fast-forward" through alot of it.

xenophod wrote:

If you have a computer in your room with an ethernet cable, you could buy a $30 network Switch (maybe $20 ? Linksys or netgear make 'em that cheap right guys?) and place that in your room too. Connect the sling box, the computer and the ethernet cable coming from downstairs to the switch. Then connect the sling box to your TV's AV output or COAX or VCR or Video camera. (anything you want really). Install the sling player to your computer and setup the sling box via the wizard... It's really really easy.

Wow, th at sounds promising! I DO have a computer in my bedroom (a Mac running OS 10.4), and it IS connected via hardwire ethernet cable to my roommate's bedroom where the Comcast cable modem and Linksys router are located. So I need to buy some 30 dollar switch that you're talking about, which I would place in my bedroom, and hook the ethernet cord into, as well as the Slingbox?

Karen67 wrote:Someone just wrote, "The SlingBox is not hooked up to a TV, it's hooked up to a VIDEO SOURCE."

So does that mean that I DON'T have to bother hooking it up to my cable box if I JUST want to use it for sharing/watching VCR tapes from a remote location? I mean, could I JUST connect the SlingBox to my VCR and then to my computer? Would THAT work, or do I still need to connect it to my cable box and/or router? Doing that would be a pain since they're located in my roommate's bedroom, not mine.

It doesn't need to be connected to a cable box, or to a computer. It needs to be connected to any video source (via coax, s-video, or composite) and to a router. If the video source isn't where the router is, you'll need some remote ethernet solution; google ethernet+bridge