I've had mine about a week now. First impressions: Set up was easy. I had to download a new client first thing, so I guess the CD that cam in the box was stale. It is a LARGE download.
Quality on the network is excellent for streaming video. It goes into a lower quality mode when you change channels so the lag as it syncs back up isn't as painful as I thought it would be. When you decide on a channel it settles down and improves the picture quality. Nice feature.
Closed Captioning should be on the short list of things to add.
A TiVo like playback of the stream should be possible with the client. Maybe even launch, connect and record the stream based on a schedule. At least a playback and live pause feature. All this should be possible in the client without a lot of changes in the box.
The XM Radio PCR device could be a good model for Sling Media. XM released the specs so everyone could create their own client for the blackbox receiver. And a lot of better ones for lots of platforms came out quickly.
While I know it wouldn't adjust the streaming rate so well, but we really need the option to watch it with degraded quality on Windows Media Player. I agree with others that it's just too much to install to show it off or use it somewhere else.
One thing they don't make clear: This is a 1:1 device. If someone else is watching your SlingBox you get a busy message. 1:many would challenge the DSL uplink speed, but it would be enough for LAN and one WAN connection maybe.
An A/B RF switch could switch between Cable TV and a TV antenna. This wouldn't add much to the parts cost and would add functionality.
As for the 'it doesn't have HD' comments, it shouldn't. You'll be disappointed if you're buying this to watch on your media center. It doesn't have surround sound either. The client is a tuned to support a window on a laptop, not a large 16:9 monitor. If you want HDTV, you need an HDTV. Since there's very little local HD content anyway, you wouldn't miss much. You'll see the same stuff on satellite or the local cable feed. Your local news is in SD, Jay Leno is in HD. At 11:35 you don't need to see your home town cable.
For such an early release, the software is quite smooth.
Cost point: From what I know about electronics, this box could sell for $50. It has fewer parts than a basic cable TV converter. It's now to $200 in the stores now. As soon as another device like it comes out watch for a price drop down to the sub $100 range.
If you gotta have the latest toy, get it. If you want to save money, wait a few months.
There's more to PC games than computer towers and input devices... Enter the CM Storm Sirus, the outfit's first foray into the world of gaming headsets.
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I've had mine about a week now. First impressions: Set up was easy. I had to download a new client first thing, so I guess the CD that cam in the box was stale. It is a LARGE download.
Quality on the network is excellent for streaming video. It goes into a lower quality mode when you change channels so the lag as it syncs back up isn't as painful as I thought it would be. When you decide on a channel it settles down and improves the picture quality. Nice feature.
Closed Captioning should be on the short list of things to add.
A TiVo like playback of the stream should be possible with the client. Maybe even launch, connect and record the stream based on a schedule. At least a playback and live pause feature. All this should be possible in the client without a lot of changes in the box.
The XM Radio PCR device could be a good model for Sling Media. XM released the specs so everyone could create their own client for the blackbox receiver. And a lot of better ones for lots of platforms came out quickly.
While I know it wouldn't adjust the streaming rate so well, but we really need the option to watch it with degraded quality on Windows Media Player. I agree with others that it's just too much to install to show it off or use it somewhere else.
One thing they don't make clear: This is a 1:1 device. If someone else is watching your SlingBox you get a busy message. 1:many would challenge the DSL uplink speed, but it would be enough for LAN and one WAN connection maybe.
An A/B RF switch could switch between Cable TV and a TV antenna. This wouldn't add much to the parts cost and would add functionality.
As for the 'it doesn't have HD' comments, it shouldn't. You'll be disappointed if you're buying this to watch on your media center. It doesn't have surround sound either. The client is a tuned to support a window on a laptop, not a large 16:9 monitor. If you want HDTV, you need an HDTV. Since there's very little local HD content anyway, you wouldn't miss much. You'll see the same stuff on satellite or the local cable feed. Your local news is in SD, Jay Leno is in HD. At 11:35 you don't need to see your home town cable.
For such an early release, the software is quite smooth.
Cost point: From what I know about electronics, this box could sell for $50. It has fewer parts than a basic cable TV converter. It's now to $200 in the stores now. As soon as another device like it comes out watch for a price drop down to the sub $100 range.
If you gotta have the latest toy, get it. If you want to save money, wait a few months.