Believe it or not, I’ve read each of the 22,896 comments (plus countless spam) left here on ZNF. And yesterday we got a great tip in response to the forthcoming iPad Slingplayer… that requires owners of earlier generation Slingbox placeshifters upgrade to the SOLO or PRO-HD. But wait, it’s not just the new iPad Slingbox client that requires newer hardware. It turns out I overlooked that same upgrade tidbit in relation to the new Windows Phone 7 software.
As we’ve previously discussed, I suspect this new line in the sand is both a technological and business decision. Regardless of how we got here, there’s probably a large number of disgruntled Slingbox owners exploring their upgrade options. So this $80 Slingbox SOLO deal from OfficeMax, with free shipping, is probably the best your going to get. In fact, I can’t recall seeing ever seeing new SOLO hardware listed under $110. For comparison purposes, Sling’s own upgrade program prices the SOLO at $130 and Gazelle.com will buy a brand new one from you for $82.
(Thanks, ScaryMike!)
As to WHY OfficeMax is offering the SOLO so inexpensively, there are three possibilities.
1) A new model is coming and they’re clearing inventory
2) They’re done with Slingbox and clearing inventory
3) It’s a pricing mistake
My money is on #2 and this is a hard deal to pass up for anyone interested in getting their first Slingbox or upgrading. SOLO streaming resolution maxes out at 640×480, but that’s sufficient for all mobile applications and many computer or television applications. Going high def with a PRO-HD requires a steep premium and some serious bandwidth at home…
Thanks for the heads up… Just bought one. I’m still using an ancient slingbox that I got from the TiVo Rewards program.
Dave, It’s available from Office Max not Office Depot as you show in your linked post.
But this has to be the best price I have ever seen on the Solo!
Like I said, I read every comment… ;) So thanks for the correction. At least, I had the links and picture right!
Day late for me! I was a frustrated Windows Phone user who had to upgrade one of my boxes to a Solo. I went to Amazon so I could get it quick with free shipping:). I still think the Pro should work…….but hey I guess this is what Echostar has decided to do with Sling.
Got one. Thanks Dave!
Slingbox Adapter is replacing Solo functionality. Price point $99.00.
I can’t find much information via google on the Slingbox Adapter, and what I can find only seems to relate to Dish. If this is something that’s going to replace the Solo, does that mean it’ll also integrate with Tivo for us cable users? Given the current state of affairs between Tivo and Echostar, I doubt it. If the Solo’s still going to be the best option for folks like me, then I might want to get in on this deal before they sell out at this price…
The Slingbox Adapter, as described to me at CES, was for DISH Network and potentially other EchoStar cable or satellite customers — versus the current retail-based and agnostic Slingbox products. Hopefully they’ve rethought that approach and opened it up… but the prototypes I saw came with a single USB connection designed to solely “talk” to EchoStar hardware…
That is a great deal. After Hava kept dragging their feet on an Android player I switched to a Solo back in the summer. At this price I am tempted to pick up another one just to have a spare.
I wouldn’t want to buy anything that didn’t do HD anymore. Granted 80$ is nice, but I think we’ve seen the ProHD for about 100$ more in the past. Should be a sale coming, EOY.
Typo mate : “that requires owners of earlier generation Slingbox placeshifters upgrade to the SOLO of PRO-HD.”
‘of’ should be ‘or’, right?
It was a heck of a read until i figured that out. ;)
That’s what happens when I blog at 11PM from a hotel pedestal. Then again, I probably make these mistakes on a daily basis. Good thing I’ve got an excellent crew of editors. :)
The Slingbox SOLO is now listed as “discontinued” at OfficeMax. The status changed while I was in mid-purchase :(
Office Max is telling me i will get my order by December 15th. WTF.
My pleasure! I stumbled on it because you’re iPad post reminded me I wanted to upgrade my old soundbox.
Dave – any insight to new Sling products? It seems like the Pro-HD has been out for a while. Do you think they’ll be revising it or releasing a new HD-capable product anytime soon?
Got mine today. Thanks Dave
The technical reason for the upgrade requirement is H.264 encoding – the original Slingboxes did WMV9, the SOLO and PRO-HD HW got H.264 capabilities. Since H.264 has become widely adopted, newer phone HW tends to have H.264 HW decoding – but not WMV9. The older phone clients would do SW decoding, but that limits resolution and frame rate. By using H.264 they can use the HW decoding support – which means a simpler client, and higher resolutions and framerates.
Did anyone who ordered one of these actually get it? OfficeMax originally emailed me to say it was delayed and it were delayed another 7 days, they would update me. No updates came so I emailed and they said it ships directly from the manufacturer and they have no status. This seemed like a good deal to update my Slingbox A/V, but I have a sinking feeling it will never arrive.