Hot on the heels of their Facebook Slingbox app, EchoStar has just officially unveiled a SlingPlayer for Connected Devices. While it’s been in beta testing for some time and we expected to see initial support for Google TV, the Boxee Box (~$180) is up first.
The Slingbox (~$150) has always allowed one to view their home television on the go or around the house, yet there’s never been a way to do so in a lean-back fashion… beyond the half-baked SlingCatcher. So this SlingPlayer for Connected Devices effectively turns gadgets we already own into virtual Catchers for TV-to-TV viewing. And, I’m pleasantly surprised to see it’s being offered without a one-time or recurring fee.
Unfortunately, this first iteration is probably Flash-based like the aforementioned Facebook app, limiting it’s distribution and potential – due to the small number of Flash-capable set-top boxes and Adobe’s abandonment of “digital home devices”. An even better solution? Non-Flash Slingbox apps for Roku and Apple TV.
(via TechCrunch)
A few notes… Adobe is giving up on the Flash plugin for television devices, not the embedded platforms that folks like TiVo have implemented. Although, if I were them, I’d be looking for alternatives.
Also, we need to determine what web URLs this app/page is calling. And then test it on Google TV… or, better yet, the PS3. But native apps are really the way to go. Not sure how much EchoStar is willing to invest in the effort though.
Lastly, this only pertains to Slingbox SOLO and PRO-HD owners. Earlier generation Slingboxen are not supported.
I have both boxes (goog/ps3) ready to test with!!
I am keeping my fingers crossed it launches sometime soon on Roku. The cost of Boxxe vs Roku isn’t even close when you purchase the box. I have to wonder if we’ll see Slingbox decide to give up on the Google version since it sounds like Google TV isn’t going to be around long term. I do like the fact they are giving it away for free to begin with like they did with the first launch of Sling Mobile a few years back.
@rob. Well it could be that since it is “beta” that means they’ll get users to work out the bugs and THEN charge for it. There is some precedence for this. :-(
rob, not sure what level of effort it would take or EchoStar’s plans for the Sling division. Frankly, I’m surprised (in a good way) that they’re still cranking away.
tivoboy, it’s out of beta. Here is Sling’s Boxee page:
http://www.slingbox.com/go/boxee-box
Related, looks like Best Buy will be discounting the Slingbox SOLO to $100 on Black Friday (and possibly Saturday) in-store and online. But it looks like another year without new hardware…
This is why I want Google 2.0 on my Revue.
Pretty sure you could do it on Google TV 1.0… as I snapped some action shots way back at CES. Then again, perhaps this is a revised edition requiring more a more current Flash plugin.
On the bright side, they’re not trying to charge a ridiculous fee like, I dunno, $30 for it.
@dave I just figured that the one the sling media rep was showing said BETA meant indeed it was beta.
I might try to grab a SOLO, but bestbuy.com is saying “Store Pickup: Not Available” on the product page. Hopefully i can grab one online.
Well if Tivo isn’t going to enable streaming of protected shows any time soon, I guess I could use this…
Still though, a SOLO at each of two TV’s with Tivo HDs and a Boxee box at each TV. That’s 2 x $100 + 2 x $175 = $550 just so I can watch HBO shows recorded in the other room? Plus I have to switch inputs and remotes and …
Ah well, maybe not. But if I am eventually convinced to pick up a Boxee Box, like they add Amazon Instant and Hulu Plus so I can replace my Roku… well, I’d still have both of these in the main (family) room so I guess I still couldn’t use it…
Im just very happy to see that Slingbox has energy behind it and that my PROHD (and PRO, AV, IRIS and 3 Classics) will continue to serve me in different ways. Even my original classics can serve me for using for Security Cameras and is supported on the Okline WEB Application. But, if you wanna play with the new applications and Cloud Viewing wizardry, its clear that a PRO-HD or SOLO is a must have.n
As to hardware, Im not real sure what else that the Slingbox can do, except maybe shrink it up in size. But I am still surprised that we are not seeing anything new in the hardware dept. But I will say that Sling is CONSTANTLY working on the PRO-HD Firmware and keeping it up to date. In fact I have never seen another product similar get FW attention like the PRO-HD does.
I wish Sling well, they are good people (at least the Slingmedia people I have known over the years)
If that best buy deal works out with the Slingbox for $99 I would love to order the newer SOLO to replace my old Pro one so that I can use the new Facebook app and the iPad app.
I tried this today and, unfortunately, I don’t think it’s usable as any sort of second room cable box replacement (for me at least). Two main issues: (1) it takes even longer to register remote commands than in other sling clients. Annoyingly, for instance, pressing channel up leads to a spinning circle with “channel up” displayed. It takes forever. It makes it unusable unless you know exactly what channel (number) you want to turn to at a given time. (2) while some admirable attempts have been made to create keyboard shortcuts (which are mostly intuitive) the lack of dedicated portrait oriented number keys is painful. Obviously this is more problematic for boxee since the remote uses RF and so a programmable replacement is not really an option.
On another note, even with a moca ethernet setup, I find the pro-hd picture is not particularly smooth. I have the same issue on my laptop and ipad, but tolerate it. On a big screen, it’s harder to ignore.
my 2 cents…
@Dave
do you have instructions on how to get the TiVo client running on 1.0? Or are you just saying it would be possible if…
@jerseyguy
On my laptop and my iPad I think the picture is very good, I have not noticed any obvious flaws. It’s a tad softer, but still very watchable. It will be interesting to see what I think of the image quality when it’s playing on a 50″ plasma. You are right btw because then I am going to be a lot more critical.
You do have to contend with the remote delay but most of the time I watch HBO Show time etc and once the show is playing I don’t touch the remote. So this might not be an issue for me. I wonder why this client has a more significant delay?
The ProHD is connected to Ethernet as is the laptop, the iPad uses WiFi.
The cable and satellite companies will not stop intentionally forcing or pressuring electronics manufacturers (the ones they haven’t already acquired) to cripple or suppress all together new technologies that “easily” provide that “watch TV at home on the couch” experience on a remote television using a TV subscription that might be yours or one that you want to “share” Their goal is to ensure that you pay that $150 or more target subscription cost at each location you (or those you might share with) consume your television. But it seems they missed one combination – The Logitech Revue and Sling Media SlingCatcher – A Match MADE in HEAVEN – it just plain WORKS. Too bad no one wants U 2 know – http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=149342209 Just too bad both devices are now discontinued. Wonder why. Heh heh heh……