As Google modernizes their Chrome web browser, Sling has alerted customers that they’re unprepared to continue streaming support at this time.
As part of their 64-bit upgrade process, Google is discontinuing the support of 32-bit browser extensions for Mac OS X and Windows computers. Since the current version of Watch on Slingbox.com for Mac and PC uses a 32-bit browser extension, it is therefore no longer supported by the latest version of the Chrome browser. You won’t be able to stream from your Slingbox using the latest version of the Chrome browser. We are in the process of addressing this issue and are expecting a temporary interruption of the free, web-based Slingplayer service for Chrome browsers version 39 and above.
While Sling has once again released a desktop client (yes!), it’s incomplete and support hasn’t been extended to most models (not to mention the software is next to impossible to find) — so that’s not an option for most impacted by this news. Indeed, in speaking with Sling last June, I got the sense that their player intentions were somewhat in flux… so it’ll be interesting to see where we ultimately land. For the interim, I guess us Slingbox owners have one more reason to keep Yahoo’s Firefox around.
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Here's the Mac desktop software download. It's either just for M1 or M1 and SlingTV/500:
http://download.slingmedia.com/SlingplayerDesktop/Mac/5.0.38/SlingplayerDesktop-5.0.38.dmg
As for my placeshifting needs, with TiVo's new-found Android support, I'm thinking of picking up a Stream - especially since the company indicates they'll ultimately enable Android downloads, in addition to streaming. Then again, I do occasionally enjoy accessing my Slingbox via Chromecast. Maybe TiVo needs to release that Fire TV app...
I would think that they would want to modernize their plugin structure as Chrome isn't the only 64bit browser around. I imaging the others will eventually make their way to 64bit as well. I've been using it on Chrome mostly because I typically use Firefox for my main browser so use Chrome for high-CPU usage tabs.
"I would think that they would want to modernize their plugin structure as Chrome isn’t the only 64bit browser around."
Well that note does speak of a "temporary interruption", so, the elasticity of that phrase aside, one would assume they will indeed do as you wish...