Slingbox encryption upgrade limits functionality

Since its inception, the Slingbox has been a tough pill for some broadcasters to swallow, and while many were screaming injustice, Sling Media declared its flagship product a model of fair use. Apparently some of the accusations have prompted changes, as Sling's latest firmware upgrade adds encryption to the Slingbox's video streams, contrary to its previously encryption-free process. Presumably in reaction to the demands of content owners and the media industry, this encryption should at least appease those who don't want any streamed content to end up being illegally distributed. But the alteration has caused at least one piece of add-on timeshifting software to become defunct. The At-Large Recorder (previously the Replay SlingCorder) from Applian Technologies had allowed users to record their streamed data directly onto a computer, but now cannot function due to the added layer of encryption, causing its CEO to rail against the decision, saying, "They basically added a feature that nobody asked for, for reasons that they're not willing to discuss, and it happens to break our product too." A spokesperson for Sling claimed that encryption had been in the works for awhile, and the timing here is "completely coincidental," despite Sling's previous run-in with Applian, where they obliged the software company change the name of its Replay SlingCorder product. While the upgrade was likely a defensive move to appease an ever-wary content industry, Sling has stifled some extended functionality with the update; exactly how much choice Sling was left regarding the matter when facing the mighty media regulators we may never know, but for the time being there is a number of Applian customers not too stoked by Sling's decision.

[Via Techdirt]

[John Sununu @ Jul 22nd 2006 6:31PM]

In Korea, only old people use Slingbox.

[frank Benvenuto @ Jul 22nd 2006 7:01PM]

huh?

[Shoaib @ Jul 22nd 2006 7:16PM]

Not to be a grammer freak or anything, but shouldn't it be "number of Applian customers" instead of "number Applian customers"

[LTM @ Jul 22nd 2006 7:59PM]

I've got to go with Huh!! as well. Please elaborate John Sununu on these tech savy old people from Korea. In the Western world, my grandfather goes into meltdown trying to figure out the remote for the TV. Knowing that the Korean elderly are on top of the tech curve with slingbox while the younger generation couldn't care less about it boggles the mind!

brought to you by the sarcasm political party :-)

[saboola @ Jul 22nd 2006 8:03PM]

Screw Sling then. They will never get my money.

[VonCheech @ Jul 22nd 2006 8:21PM]

is there encryption sony's "location free" video streams

[sully @ Jul 22nd 2006 9:16PM]

I'm a little amused by Applian Technologies's CEO. Why should a private company have to answer to you about a change in how their product functions? Sheesh.

[Mark @ Jul 22nd 2006 10:11PM]

Agreed, they won't be getting my money. I can't see buying a slingbox and then not being able to record from it to my PC, which is what this update seems to hamper.

[John @ Jul 22nd 2006 10:11PM]

Perhaps Applian should find a workaround or, perish the thought, negotiate with Sling to license the their technology.

[Scoobydoo @ Jul 22nd 2006 10:51PM]

The Sling is an amazing device, adding encryption isn't going to bother me one bit as I use it to watch Tivo content anyway, so why I'd record off it is beyond me. Applian should stop crying, Sling has no obligation to help them sell their product.

[djphatjive @ Jul 22nd 2006 11:45PM]

Just use ORB. Its free, works great, and anyone can write an extention for it I think. Plus it works on anything that has a internet connection.

Thats what I use. Its great.

[Nogami @ Jul 23rd 2006 12:10AM]

Just don't bother upgrading the firmware on your slingbox (I don't know if they prohibit downgrading the firmware, but I wouldn't put it past them).

I have no plans to "upgrade" my firmware to reduce the functionality of MY device.

[TheMan @ Jul 23rd 2006 1:18AM]

The point of SlingBox was to PlaceShift not Timeshift or archive off to disk. The product still rocks and I will continue to be happy with the device. Watching real tv while outside the US is a fantastic service. TV in the rest of the world is just plain horrible!!

[Mark @ Jul 23rd 2006 2:56AM]

Funny, I thought TV outside the US was actually rockin' good. I wished I could set a Sling up somewhere in France or Italy and just stream TV from there!

[Mike @ Jul 23rd 2006 6:36AM]

More encryption/more DRM = more incentive to pirate

[slyecho @ Jul 23rd 2006 7:24AM]

If you don't know what the old people in korea joke means:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recurring_jokes_on_Slashdot

[Christopher Phillips @ Jul 23rd 2006 11:14AM]

I've been using Beyond TV and a Software Encoder card to watch my TV stream from anywhere I have an Internet connection.

With 4 Hardware cards, and 1 Software card, I can pretty much record, watch, convert, and stream TV in any way I want to, wherever I want to.

Screw Slingbox!

[Dave Zatz @ Jul 23rd 2006 2:03PM]

The Slingbox continues to do what it was advertised in place shifting - no functionality is changed with this optional BETA firmware upgrade other than the additional of new features (Conflict Manager, Skins) and improved throughput. Applian will not disclose how many customers they have, but I may have more toes and fingers. Applian's CEO shot himself in the foot with his abrasive and public outbursts, instead of focusing his energies on collaboration. You reap what you sow...

[AC @ Jul 23rd 2006 9:51PM]

The quality from the slingbox was never that good enough to record with.. i'd much rather get a dvr like device that connects directly to the output and get much better quality video...

[Bill Dettering - Applian CEO @ Jul 24th 2006 1:31AM]

From Applian's CEO - For the record:

We made every effort to work with Sling on this. We even offered to PAY them for a license to use their name and sell our product. Sling refused.

Sling is welcome to work with us to come up with a recording solution that satisfies whatever their need to encrypt was. It makes sense for Sling, their customers, and ourselves to produce a solution.

More details on the Sling/Applian relationship are found on the Applian blog at http://www.applian.com.

Bill Dettering
CEO
Applian Technologies Inc.
http://www.applian.com

[Gr1zz @ Jul 24th 2006 8:09AM]

If you make a product that is an add-on to a larger product, and it stops working, that is your problem alone.

A parasite for example has to adapt or die when its host develops a immunity, in our natural world.

[PeteC @ Jul 24th 2006 9:32AM]

The Man, I'm suprised you can spell Sling if you think American TV is the business! So many inane commercials and poor TV interspersed with some classic TV shows and a few new quality productions. Paramount Comedy in the UK takes all the funniest US shows and puts them on over here so I only need to watch one channel for everything I could possibly want to watch from the USA. If you really want to know what happening in the rest of the world too, I'd try streaming a decent news service from another country!

[Dan @ Jul 24th 2006 1:56PM]

It really ticks me off that they did this when they still haven't implemented closed captions. My fiance is hearing impared and so finds the slingbox to be frustrating.

[the_game_master @ Aug 14th 2006 11:12AM]

Whoa, I didn't even know that there were 3rd party companies making software for the Slingbox, I had this device since December and now there's software out there that will let me record the stream content, cool. Will be trying out the At-Larger Recorder today, and avoid that firmware beta update.

[astrobuf @ Oct 12th 2006 9:05PM]

Bill,

I share your attitude. I just purchased and installed a Slingbox AV based upon my expectation that I would be able to record the stream for my later use. I fly to Asia 6-10 times/year and want to be able to watch my TV programs as I spend 200+ hours/year stuck in a coach seat in a big aluminum death trap.

I was introduced to the Slingbox at CES last year. I met the CTO of the company and discussed my desire to record. BAsed upon his comment that this woudl be no problem, I bought the device. I only now have learned that their stealthy firmware upgrade just killed the feature that I bought the thing for.

I am a mightlily pissed off customer!

If Sling seems unwilling to make clear disclosure and correction, I'd suggest a customer service enhancement tactic. If a few thousand of us purchased new Slingbox's and then returned them due to the defective software, sooner or later Sling would get the message, either from us or from their distributors!

My 2 cents!

Astrobuf