Sling Media Slingbox PRO (SB200-100)
by Sling Media
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List Price: Our Price: $135.00 You Save: $94.99 (41%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sling Media Slingbox PRO (SB200-100)
Customer Review: Not a solution for turning laptop into HDTV
Summary: 3 Stars
Great idea, but... I purchased the PRO because I needed to receive a cable signal in a room without cabling and I thought I could use it as a TV tuner for my laptop to get an HDTV affect without purchasing a new TV. In addition, it indicated that it had HD support - no reason to go back in time when buying something new. I did not need the extra HD cable because I was going straight from the cable not from/into another HD device. The support of HD would imply that it could receive digital or HD over cable (ie ATSC and/or QAM tuner included) but it does not and there was no clarification to this functionality on their website. You can only receive an analog signal over cable (mediocre picture) and who knows what will happen when that goes away after 2008!!! I decided to stick with my onair HDTVGT and get a cable routed to the extra room so I can also get free HD in that room just like in my living room. It may not have the remote viewing option, but the HD on the GT is excellent and I think even the analog is better with the GT. Slingbox also needs a record to PC option (like the GT making it a PVR), I will say however that the Slingbox does have better sound quality, just get the tuner straightened out and this would be a truly superior product. If you are looking to turn your laptop into an HDTV, this is not the solution.Customer Review: Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
OK This is the coolest thing since Tivo. I have a Comcast dual tuner HD DVR and a Tivo series one box. For a network I'm using Comcast internet with a Netgear wireless router (wpn824). My wife and I both have Hp nx7400 laptops. The Netgear is connected to the Slingbox via a standard Ethernet cable.
First thing, the Pro does have an internal tuner, so I ran the cable into it, then to my Tivo. The Tivo is hooked to the sling box via composite video. The Comcast DVR is connected via S-video. We have one TV in our living room but now my wife or I can watch TV from anywhere in our house, full screen with fantastic quality. When I tried it from work the quality is very very good in a window and even ok full screen. My boss travels all over the world and his first question was where can I get one?
PROS: Fantastic wonderful incredibly cool way to turn a wireless laptop into a wireless portable TV that works from anywhere you have a broadband internet connection. If my wife is watching the cable box in the living room I can control and watch the Tivo in the bedroom and vice versa. I can watch all our analog cable channels anytime from anywhere without affecting our home setup.
CONS: Only one computer can connect to the Slingbox at a time. This makes sense when you think about it.
Customer Review: Well done....
Summary: 4 Stars
Been using the Slingbox PRO for about a month now. Setup of the unit was very easy. I have to admit I was a bit surprised, but it literally was a plug-in, hook it up on the network, install software and up and running.
I use the box primarily to view video on any PC system in the house. It's much easier than to setup televisions every where. I've been able to watch video on wired network as well as an 802.11(g) network as well. Quality of video and audio on both networks within the house is excellent.
I ocassionally use it outside the home. Finding the system and accessing the slingbox through my router was pretty easy. The quality though is a bit weak, as my upstream performance with Verizon DSL is pretty poor. But despite the performance, I'm able to maintain 20-30 fps with average video quality. Good enough to watch CNBC stock ticker remotely and be able to read the stock ticker.
My main complaint of the units are, first, the size. I wish the box was a bit smaller, so it fits better and easier in my entertainment center. Secondly, I wish we were able to watch videos on multiple systems. I know there are lots of reasons, some technical and many, I'm sure legal, that may prevent this, but still, surely would be nice.
Customer Review: Great Solution to My Dilemma
Summary: 5 Stars
I will be attending weekend grad school classes in Chicago this fall and couldn't bear the thought of going full Saturdays without college football (Go Horns!). My girlfriend gave me a Slingbox Pro for my recent birthday and I set it up this past weekend using a Slinglink Turbo powerline ethernet bridge. Thanks to the wi-fi at school, I'll be able to keep tabs on the games throughout the day (and class).
Side note: While I wasn't thrilled to pay another $129 for the Slinglink Turbo, I don't fault Sling for this as some previous commenters have done. I couldn't physically locate the Slingbox near my router and knew I needed some solution (wired or wireless).
Hardware installation was a snap, including the slick IR emitters for remote control of the Slingbox. The software install on a windows laptop was equally easy and I was slinging over the home network in no time and shortly thereafter via the internet.
Video quality is great in a small window on your computer's desktop, and good (but not great) in full screen on my 19" LCD monitor. The commenter who was dissatisfied with the video on his 32" TV or monitor has unrealistic expectations IMHO.
I'm very happy with this product and think it's going to serve my needs well.
Customer Review: Good quality but can't set static IP for the device.. Problem!
Summary: 3 Stars
I have been using the slingbox pro for about two months now and it had been great. The software is excellence and the quality of the video is very good if you have good internet connection.
The Biggest Problem with the SlingBox is that you can't give it a static IP, it only take a DHCP address from your router. That is a BIG problem because that address can change from time to time. Every time you reset your router or your sling box you will run into the possibility of your slingbox getting a different IP address. Because you have to set port forwarding for a specific IP address on your router in order for you to see your slingbox when you are away from home. So every time the IP address of your Slingbox get change you will not be able to connect to it when you are a way. I don't understand by SlingMedia didn't see this problem when they design the box. So the last two months I have been using the Slingbox I have to change the router settings three times. I got so sick of it I don't even use it anymore because of that. That is why I gave it a three star rating instead. I called their support line and the tech know exactly what I'm talking about and he said other customer has the same complaint as well.