Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV
by Sling Media
Our Price: $854.95
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $380.00 (click here)
Category: Home Theater
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Sling MediaBrand: Sling Media
Edition: Electronics
Model: SC100-100
Publisher: Sling Media
Studio: Sling Media
Music Label: Sling Media
Product features:
- On-screen interface and remote control provide easy access to digital video from anywhere
- Compatible with all Slingbox generations
- Works with Standard Definition and High Definition TVs
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV
Customer Review: Sling Catcher with the Free Sling Projector Application is Just Right For My Setup
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
With this sling catcher you can connect to any sling box in the world, as long as the sling box owner grants you access, and watch TV with a set of controls enabling you to view your satellite TV or cable etc. as if you were in the room. Are you away at the dorm with a laptop? With a sling box at home, you can enjoy family viewing right in your dorm.
I am not reviewing the sling box and Sling Catcher combination because I only have the Sling Catcher, which has its own set of features that fit my current needs perfectly. So this review is about the Sling Catcher.
With, the free application called Sling Projector; you can watch anything from your PC screen, on your TV. The signal is transported through your home network, via Ethernet from your PC. They have an optional wireless device, if you want to run it that way, but personally, in my opinion, anything that is video signal based, with its large amount of data, deserves a more robust, and a more consistently reliable connection. That is something hard to find with wireless, and I have hands on reviewed, multiple manufacturer's wireless routers, and receiving devices. Wireless is subject to erratic interference from cordless phones etc. Just look at the signal strength variations to see what I mean. I have it hooked up to a wireless router, but it is plugged into one of the routers hard wired connections, therefore, I am getting consistent results.
With Sling Projector application downloaded and installed, I am enjoying full screen video on the TV, and excellent audio out of the TV, or stereo. I was prepared for a poor quality picture after reading some of the reviews, but I was shocked. The picture is great, even when viewing a cropped video window captured from my PC. Without being a video-phile, using terms I have never heard, I have to say for all intents and purposes, I am getting a picture to my eyes that is comparable to the one I used to get out of my satellite TV or am now getting out of a digital converter box, or the Hauppauge dual TV tuner card that receives digital, to convert, or receive high def signals.
My setup. I am running a system that is under the minimum sys requirements suggested. They call for a dual core 1.6, or a single core 3.0, and I am running a single core 2.4 with 2 GB ram. Consequently, the automated setup has me at the lowest quality setting. I can only imagine what the highest quality setting looks like, plus I connected the Sling Catcher (SL) using the composite connection (they supply you with a nice set of gold contact composite cables). The composite connection is the lowest quality option they give you. Moving up to one of the other connections, such as S-Video, component video, or HDMI will give you a much improved picture. I am already using the S Video connection on my TV for my Windows Vista Media Center machine feeding the Linksys Cisco Media Center extender feeding my TV, and all hooked up to my free off the air antennae, giving me FREE, no monthly bill, digital quality, with auto record, pause, skip commercials etc. Look up my other posts to read more about that. I am also pumping this into a circa 1987 35" Mitsubishi TV with 540 lines of resolution.
If I had to get critical of the Sling Projector application, it would be that I cannot adjust the width of the "cropped" window. It is fixed at 400 wide, although you can adjust the total height somewhat. You can position the window anywhere you want on the screen, but when it is in the general area, and you start a new video, it jumps to the proper spot for you. Some adjusting is sometimes necessary. You also have a full screen option, but projecting the full screen from my PC, with it's under minimum system requirements, creates an almost imperceptible amount of stuttering. I chose to use the cropped window on my PC, and project that onto the full screen of my TV. That gives me the same quality video, and completely smooth flow.
Before I say this, let me explain that is captures live videos on your PC. When the video stops playing, it stops projecting. Therefore, after using it for a few days, I notice that there is a noticeable performance difference when capturing the video window based on what news feed you are viewing. On Yahoo, it jumps to the video window and grabs everything flawlessly. On CNN, the jump to another news clip/subject, or should I say entirely different news segment that has a pause, and or advertisement in between, has some anomalies; it snips off the end of the stream, and sometimes freezes when trying to capture the video period. I am using a Beta version, so let's be fair. On MSNBC I also get some transition stuttering.
The other problem is when using the system. You need to start it in sequence. Turn on the tv, fire up the slingcatcher, and let it boot. Then fire up Sling Projector in your PC, let it boot, when it has found the sling catcher, click on connect in the Sling Projector app in your PC (Not on your TV) and let it connect. Then start up your video site, as in do not be in the site running the video, and try to start your sling set up. That can cause freezing. Do it exactly like I said, for a flawless boot up and running. It works.
I understand that with satellite TV, or cable, etc. there is a ton of content that is tough to beat, but for me I get all of my TV shows, from 33 channels right off of my free air antennae fed into Vista Media Center. What I missed, when I disconnected my Direct TV are the news stations like CNN, and MSNBC. So guess what, they publish CNN Live online, as well as CNN video capturing the top news stories of the day, as well as an ever increasing number of other stations, who do not want to miss out on the rapidly growing numbers of web based viewers. Now with the SC, I can enjoy those news channels in full screen view on the TV, as well as any other "videos" you download from the internet, with full audio going through your TV, or stereo system, instead of having to watch them on a scrunched monitor. Bigger is better. Sling Projector captures any video window on your PC, Windows Media Player, Real Player, You Tube, etc.
A few quick setup tips. When you install the Sling Catcher, which is easy to do. With the Sling Catcher already plugged into your Ethernet based network, it connects itself online, and downloads the latest updates. Once it is done you can go online through SC and join the Sling Media community. That enables you to go to SlingMedia.com and download the Sling Player if you have a Sling Box setup, or in my case the Sling Projector, so I can capture video on my PC. Once again, once you download the latest version, you also will automatically receive several updates. There is no CD included with it, it is all done online, that way they are sure everyone is getting the latest updated versions.
Maybe it's the new prices, or the latest application software eliminating the bugs, but I love it. It makes a perfect accompaniment to my Windows Vista Media Center setup, recording all of my favorite shows, skip commercials etc. and wanting to enjoy the major streaming news networks. Now I've got it all, and no monthly cable TV, or satellite bill, and combining that with the totally free, no monthly phone bill Ooma system, I am saving way over $100 per month, for dare I say, superior service. So with all of that, my hat is off to Sling Media for filling an important niche in the now totally free digital media entertainment world. Highly recommended.
Helpful links to related products. Buy the hardware and skip the monthly nut.
Sling Media Slingbox SOLO (SB260-100) Check out their Pro models as well.
Totally free superior phone service. Say goodbye to your phone bill. Buy the hardware, quit renting your phone line. ooma Core VoIP Phone System with No Monthly Phone Service Bills
Get the TV tuner manufacturer that is the top rated for Vista Media Center compatibility by Microsoft. Here is their dual TV tuner version. Hauppauge 1229 WinTV-HVR-2250 White Box for System Builders Dual Hybrid PCI-E TV Tuner Board
Linksys Media Center Extender with DVD The extender brings your Media Center PC into the forefront of the highest quality, latest and greatest video, and audio output, right at your TV and Stereo. It's almost like another stand alone PC with a separate Media Center built in. Zenith DTT901 Digital TV Tuner Converter Box Get satellite quality picture and CD quality audio from a pair of inexpensive rabbit ears, plus approx 30+ channels, and it all is for free. Go bigger with roof top antennaes, or a high def antennae for not that much more. The timing of discovering all of these free alternatives couldn't be better. Study them, and see what most people are still totally unaware of. Of course high def TV's are great, additional programming of cable and satellite are desirable as well, but if you want the best picture and sound, and the highest quality high def available, check out the new DTV off air signal broadcasts. Hope this all helps.
Description of Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV
The Slingbox lets you put your TV shows onto the Internet so you can watch them anywhere. The Slingcatcher does the opposite: it hooks up to your TV and lets you watch digital content from your Slingbox, your computer, or from the Internet.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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