[Parbz]

Just recently got a new Media Center laptop, and had a look on the Media Centre welcome video.

I can recall it showing Sling Box as something you can watch.

Searched long and hard on the net, but cannot find a thing about it!

Anyone here know if I can watch Sling through Media Centre?

[bwoodhouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parbz

Searched long and hard on the net, but cannot find a thing about it!

really? Search on 'slingbox' on Google and follow the first result

[jibberjabber2b]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwoodhouse

really? Search on 'slingbox' on Google and follow the first result

Yes. LOL

EIther the OP is a very poor searcher, or being slightly economical with the truth.

(Tried to say that in a way that won't get me banned!) LMAO!

[Brush Master]

OP didn't ask for details about slingbox, but about watching "slung" material through Windows Media Center.

bwoodhouse and jibberjabber2b must stand in the corner and be ashamed.

It is true, though, that the first google hit brings you to the sling home page. I didn't find an explicit statement about the Sling Player on Windows Media Center, but would assume the answer is Yes as they boast all kinds of Windows logos. You can always try, or ask sling's technical support.

[jibberjabber2b]

<stands in corner facing the wall>

CAN I COME BACK NOW? I'm sorry!

[Brush Master]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jibberjabber2b

<stands in corner facing the wall>

CAN I COME BACK NOW? I'm sorry!

Sit down and be quiet, or I shall speak to your mum next Wednesday.

[Inge Jones]

Can a slingbox be used just to distribute the video sources on a LAN? If would be handy to watch TV on my computer in another room from my freesat box. Does the slingbox rely on positioning an infrared signaller in front of the set top boxes?

[Brush Master]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inge Jones

Can a slingbox be used just to distribute the video sources on a LAN? If would be handy to watch TV on my computer in another room from my freesat box.

I understand this is exactly what the slingbox does. Take AV inputs (one to four, depending on model), and make that available to a Sling Player software. This allows viewing "slung" stuff from PCs and MACs, possibly also some pocket-sized devices. Subject to firewall configuration, you might even be able to sit in a hotel room in Paris and watch your TV at home. If that is the best thing you can think of while being in Paris, that is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inge Jones

Does the slingbox rely on positioning an infrared signaller in front of the set top boxes?

I don't know how the IR link works. I imagine their web site should tell you. They certainly have entertaining videos to watch, but some of the FAQs also contain actual information. (I found the videos entertaining but not very informative)

[Inge Jones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brush Master

you might even be able to sit in a hotel room in Paris and watch your TV at home. If that is the best thing you can think of while being in Paris, that is.

Ok the reason I was asking is that in all the literature I have read about it, the example is given of watching while away from home. I didn't know if the packets had to go through some Slingbox service provider or something - you know like IM services, so even if you're in the same house the broadcast has still been uploaded onto the WAN first - and therefore eating into my ISP's "fair usage" transfer allowance.

[Brush Master]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inge Jones

Ok the reason I was asking... I didn't know if the packets had to go through some Slingbox service provider or something..

Oh, I see. A fair point. I don't have the answer to that. I have the impression that local streaming is supported, but you might want to double-check with their support folk.

[bwoodhouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brush Master

bwoodhouse and jibberjabber2b must stand in the corner and be ashamed.

No - I won't!



And yes - local streaming is supported. It doesn't need to pass through some kind of 'Slingbox server'

If local streaming is the primary reason then you'd be better off looking into Orb which can stream content over either a LAN or a WAN. If you have (or get) a TV Tuner card then Orb will stream this to wherever you are. This is a much cheaper solution if you will primarily be using it on a LAN.

[Inge Jones]

Thanks for the suggestion bwoodhouse

[Brush Master]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwoodhouse

...If local streaming is the primary reason then you'd be better off looking into Orb which can stream content over either a LAN or a WAN.

Orb. Interesting. What makes you think sling was the better solution for use across the WAN?

Unless I misunderstand Orb vs Sling, Orb is a server software that stream whatever available to that server, whereas sling uses physical AV inputs to be fed from set-top boxes and the like, no?

[bwoodhouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brush Master

Unless I misunderstand Orb vs Sling, Orb is a server software that stream whatever available to that server, whereas sling uses physical AV inputs to be fed from set-top boxes and the like, no?

Pretty much! Orb will stream any content that is on your PC plus, if you happen to have a TV card, it can also stream that.

A Slingbox (pro) can connect up to 4 devices and stream these to any device you like, plus you have the ability to remotely swap between devices, change channels etc etc.

I wasn't necessarily saying that Orb is better for use on a WAN, it was more a case of you want to use if mainly on a LAN connection then Orb is free (or at least cheaper than a Slingbox if you need to buy a TV card). Of course if you want to choose between streaming from your Freeview tuner, satellite box, cable box and DVD (for example) then that's the sort of functionality that requires a Slingbox rather than just Orb.

[BankFodder]

I've been using a Slingbox for almost 18 months. It is really great. I live outside UK most of the time and I have access to all 30 or so Freeview channels from my set top box in London.
It doesn't go through any server. It comes direct . Quality is not great but very adequate. You can only watch it from one place at a time and I don't think that there is a way to record programmes. The system so far has been completely trouble free. It just sits there and does what it is meant to do.

I understand that there is now freesat and so that might displace the slingbox as that will be recordable and of course excellent quality/

[WGG1848]

Had mine installed recently, our daughter who lives in California can operate our Sky+ box from over there just as we do here, record etc. Magic bit of equipment.