[mshaw1515]

Slingbox is set to hit stores (BestBuy) July 1. They claim it will broadcast any livingroom media (pvr, cable box, dvd, etc) anywhere in the world over a broadband connection...

The FAQ says that they will debut with Windows Media 9 - but they will be developing other codecs over time. How soon can we get codec's to make this work on the 650?


http://www.slingmedia.com/_files/faq.html

[Katway]

See http://discussion.treocentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=86048

Even if we could get the codec to make it work, it would require broadband. Most 650 internet connections with the exception of wifi are too slow.

[Rawson819]

Thought this was interesting:

The Engadget Interview: Blake Krikorian, CEO of Sling Media

When will a Windows Mobile and Palm version come out?

"We’re looking to have Windows Mobile in the next few months. It’ll clearly be there by the end of the year. Palm is an interesting one, I’ll be getting together with members of their executive team later this month. The first Treo sucked in terms of video performance, but the new 650 has actually got a lot more horsepower and it’s pretty sweet. No date on that yet, but it’s looking like we’ll support the Palm sooner rather than later."

[mshaw1515]

Thanks Rawson - great news. My Slingbox arrives on Friday...

[darnell]

I may also pick up a Slingbox this week. I'm still reading up on it though. Forbes found some potential issues that I want to be sure are not different from issues mentioned in other reviews. So I still need to read up on that before I make my final decision. Although the only issues I've read about so far would be things considered issues to a non-tech in initial setup. Nothing the average tech would consider an issue at all. Since most of us know how to do a little home networking.

I don't like that outlook for Palm support. Much too vague for me. I'm planning for the Slingbox to be a big part of my home entertainment setup and want some more definite answers on Palm support before I get another Treo.

[Rawson819]

Darnell, there's a thread over at the TiVo Community Forum you might check out if you haven't already. Some of the Slingbox staff have replied to member questions/concerns:

Better than TiVoToGo? - SlingBox Available Today!

[g550guy]

i used slingbox on a 10 day I'ntl trip to India and it was AWESOME. I love this thing. It is on my laptop.

[chuckc192000]

See http://discussion.treocentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=86048

Even if we could get the codec to make it work, it would require broadband. Most 650 internet connections with the exception of wifi are too slow.

I've been running VLC on my Linux PC to stream videos and live TV to my Treo 650 using Bluetooth. VLC give you complete control over the codecs and bandwidth you use so I was able to find a combination that gives acceptable video quality when viewed on the Treo using MMPlayer. It sorta works using the regular Sprint PCS connection too but sometimes there are delays on the net that are too big to compensate for using cache.

[darnell]

Thanks Rawson819, I'll check that out too.

Other methods while nice to me can't compare to the Slingbox, because none of the others can control my home DVR. And I don't care to use my PC as the DVR although I've done that in the past. I prefer my seperate DVR unit.

[modma]

Isn't this similar to Orb? I've successfully used Orb on a PocketPC over a GPRS connection (not even EDGE) and it didn't buffer out once, albeit the quality was bad; but when used on WiFi the quality automatically adjusts. No availability for the Treo yet, but in their FAQ, they also said they're developing Palm software.

http://www.orb.com/

-M-

[darnell]

Finished my review of the Forbes article about the Slingbox which also includes information about Orb. Basically I've been looking at Slingbox, Windows Media Center Edition and even took a look at Orb. (And I've tried other PC based DVR tools before.)

For me the Slingbox is the only one to suit all my needs. The folks at Palm will have to work with the folks at Sling Media or I'll have to decide what non-Palm device I want to run with in the future.

Orb like other PC based tools uses the PC and can't control a home video entertainment center like Slingbox. None but Slingbox can control my DVR. And I'm done with using the PC as a video media center when my DVR does it better with my TV services.

For anyone that likes Orb, from what I've read and heard from others I think Windows Media Center Edition might suit you even better although it's not free.

But my #1 issue with the PC based tools like Orb and Windows Media Center Edition is that they require a tie-in to the software vendor's web site for some services. Which in time I'm sure will become fee based once they build up enough users. With the Slingbox it's pay up front once and you're done. No need to go to the vendor for anything else unless they offer some future enhancements you want. But you can walk away with what you have and be happy without wondering when you might get hit with a fee. Because the Slingbox uses the channel guide that already comes with your Cable/Sat service via your DVR or converter box.

If you're getting the Slingbox from what I've read it is much easier if you can use a direct wired network connection from your router to the Slingbox. Having to get a wireless connection to it takes more work and more money. Although for most of us techs that addional work is no worry, I would be concerned about a potential loss in quality.

[darnell]

I am now of the opinion that we will not see a Slingbox client in the near future for any future Treo. If it ever happens at all. Unless a Treo runs a MS OS.

Why do I think this:
Sling Media :: Our Partners

...
It features a live TV streaming system that leverages Microsoft’s latest Windows Media Technologies.
...
About Our Partners
The Microsoft Windows Media Team (Microsoft.com) develops a rich set of technologies that partners can use to enable the distribution of high-quality audio and video content over the Internet, throughout the home, and onto consumer electronic devices. Their latest Windows Media Player 10 gives you more music and more choices, and for the first time makes it possible to sync high-quality music, video, and photos to the latest portable devices. Windows Media Technologies 9 provides the foundation for building multimedia-rich applications that can provide news and entertainment, deliver corporate communications or sell goods and services.

This company is too deep in bed with MS and I doubt they will make a client that works on a non-MS OS any time soon.

Palm did get a deal to support ActiveSync, but that took a number of years to happen. PTunes does now support WMA files, but that also took years to happen. Plus the folks that make PTunes and Palm do not consider themselves to be "partners" with MS.

Call me a pessimist, but I'm not seeing much hope of the Slingbox working with any non-MS devices. At least not in the near future. While things like ActiveSync works with non-MS devices it is very seldom that MS technologies work with a non-MS OS. And we still can't stream Windows Media audio, never mind video!

And the Slingbox is just great!!! I mean it is really great!

I'm still waiting to see what happens, but I've got a sinking feeling I've got a PPC in my future ... Cause for me the Slingbox is a real kind of "killer app" that I'd take the lumps of owning a PPC over.