Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner get official

Details about all three of these already leaked out over the past couple of weeks, but Sling Media is formally introducing three new Slingboxes, the Slingbox PRO, the Slingbox AV, and the Slingbox Tuner. All three perform the same basic function -- they let you stream TV from your cable box (digital or analog), satellite receiver, or DVR to a computer or mobile device -- it's just that each is aimed at different segments of the market.

• The Slingbox PRO is their new flagship model, with additional inputs and outputs so you can control up to four audio or video sources (sadly, if you want to use high-def component inputs you need to drop an extra fifty bucks on a dongle they're calling the HD Connect -- there is no option for HDMI). The PRO also supports 16:9 widescreen aspect ratios. Retail price will be $249.99
• The Slingbox AV is aimed at users who have a digital cable set-top box, satellite receiver, or DVR, and don't want or need to control any other A/V sources. The AV also supports 16:9 widescreen aspect ratios and will retail for $179.99.
• The Slingbox Tuner is specifically for people who have analog cable and will retail for $179.99.

Click on for pics of the Slingbox AV and Slingbox Tuner.

The Slingbox PRO from the back.



That's the Slingbox AV on the left and the Slingbox Tuner on the right.

[r @ Sep 27th 2006 4:44PM]

Will the HD Connect work on the Slingbox A/V? Specifically will the Slingbox A/V work with the Tivo S3?

[blackout @ Sep 27th 2006 4:45PM]

*wants one*

[Anthony @ Sep 27th 2006 4:59PM]

I wondered why a few places had been selling the 1st version @ "deep discounts". Just picked up one. W/o wifi, I don't feel I made a bad choice (as I'd still need the wall ethernet thing).

[Mitch Greenfield @ Sep 27th 2006 5:04PM]

Can this be the next contest?

[mike @ Sep 27th 2006 5:07PM]

Is it just me, but if they made them vaguely attractive, wouldn't they fly off the shelves? They look too geeky. Make it look like a component and regular guys and gals might buy it, along with people who are concerned about the looks of the thing on top of their other black/silver audio visual hardware.

I consider myself to be a bit of a geek and that PRO look is so putting me off. I was waiting to see what they did as the old chocolate bar one was never getting shelf space. Now I may just start looking for alternatives. The pro looks more exspensive than the AV and Tuner that just look cheap.

[sockatume @ Sep 27th 2006 5:08PM]

I don't want to be down on the Slingbox, but I was pondering the original one in Curry's (we just got them in the UK) and it's the stupidest looking thing I have ever seen in my life.

[Senor Pantalones @ Sep 27th 2006 5:24PM]

Slingbox:

Now in 3 kinds of Ugly!

[K.F. @ Sep 27th 2006 5:27PM]

Why not make better use of their time and come out with software compatible on a Mac? I know it's in development, but just like Tivo, release the @#%@# software already!

[Dignan17 @ Sep 27th 2006 5:30PM]

Oh come on, these are WAY better than the first slingbox, with those horrible perforated-looking fonts. Terrible.

Peter, I'm confused. You say that the PRO doesn't support HDMI. What's the port on the far right?

[porovaara @ Sep 27th 2006 5:31PM]

So... Mac support yet? Haven't they been working on that for 2 years? At least they are closer to Tivo who has basically lied throughout their process.

[Richard @ Sep 27th 2006 5:35PM]

Could be USB, but now you actually look at it...

[Dustin @ Sep 27th 2006 5:46PM]

I mean really, what does this offer that the original slingbox doesn't?

Why even bother with HDTV inputs? Its not like you will stream that quality over the net.

I have the original slingbox, love it. Works great. But these don't really add anything at all.

[glacia00 @ Sep 27th 2006 5:48PM]

sockatume, a friend of mine thought the original slingbox was the box it came in because it was just so....unattractive. This one is a huge improvement over the original.

[khoi nguyen @ Sep 27th 2006 5:49PM]

what's the advantage over the old one?

[Mystic @ Sep 27th 2006 6:09PM]

Ya these are completely unnecessary new units (unless they support more than WMV). They should be working on more client software.

[Jeff @ Sep 27th 2006 6:26PM]

Personally, I could give a rat's you know what how it looks given how useful and cool the functionality is. If the look is really a problem, SlingBoxes aren't too big to be hidden behind other equipment.

As for Mac client compatability, see Engadget's recent story on it here:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/15/sling-ceo-sez-mac-client-poised-to-launch/

Also notice the box shot from the recent "Slingbox AV spotted in the wild!" article:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/slingbox-av-spotted-in-the-wild/"

Check out the 3rd picture with the closeup of the comparison matrix. The 3rd line says "Watch/control from any PC/Mac/laptop". I'd be willing to bet the Mac client goes public shortly or along with the "official" launch of the units.

The benefit of the new units is clearly to price cut for those who only need one tuner or composite input while the Pro offers 4 inputs for more advanced users (composite, S-Video, coax and HD).

[Andrew Ng @ Sep 27th 2006 6:28PM]

blah, still no mac support, not even beta...

[matthew @ Sep 27th 2006 6:37PM]

the HD port that looks like an HDMI port is for the hd connect cable most likely.... very odd that they shaped it like an HDMI port though... maybe HDMI is supported out of the box but you only need the adapter for analog HD ( ie compontent inputs)?

[lozaccio @ Sep 27th 2006 6:44PM]

Why buy any of these?
I understand this is to watch the contents you would watch at home on your TV while you are away.
TV sucks in the first place. Why bother spending money on something that enable the streaming of crappy TV content anyway?

[EdZ @ Sep 27th 2006 8:19PM]

My guess is the HDMI is only for OUTPUT, not input, with HD input only via Component (via the adaptor).

[Will @ Sep 27th 2006 9:32PM]

First off, using a slingbox with live Tv, is good, but not ideal. The real magic is using a Tivo, and a Slingbox. You can control your Tivo just like you were at home. Also don't forget that you can stream video to a Wifi enabled Windows PDA or Phone. So if you still think this is retarded after being able to do all of that well then, there is no hope for you.

I agree that the case is ugly as sin, but who the hell cares, the Slingbox is awesome. It doesn't have to suck you in with fancy packaging, unlike some other products.

Don't knock it 'till you tried it. Sling rules......well except for the Mac support.......

[Dan @ Sep 27th 2006 10:03PM]

I'll be waiting for the iTV as there's a high possiblity that it'll have the basic functions of both Slingbox and EyeTV.

[Sergie @ Sep 27th 2006 10:50PM]

Khoi - Shouldn't you be busy cutting teeth and all!@@$!%%!^

[repking @ Sep 27th 2006 11:50PM]

This should clear up the HD confusion, from http://www.slingcommunity.com/article/15265/

"One of the exciting new features on the Slingbox Pro is a high-definition capable input, though it requires a separate accessory to take advantage of it. For $49.99, you can grab a component video dongle that allows you to throw 480p, 720p, and 1080i signals into your Slingbox...

...You can�t plug HDMI devices into the HD Input on the Slingbox PRO. It will only work with Sling�s HD dongle. "

[Bigg Ben @ Sep 28th 2006 12:20AM]

Will the Sling Box Tuner be able to control an external AV Source (i.e. analog Tivo), in addition to analog cable?

[Marc Smulders @ Sep 28th 2006 9:11AM]

WTF...does everybody REALLY hate the looks of these things!?

Guess I am the only one who really LIKES the designs... :-/
Really amazes me to see that most people would prefer more of the same boring silver/black boxes like most DVD-players and stuff.
But, to be honest, coming from The Netherlands myself, if I look at the interiors I see in American TV-shows, I shouldn't be amazed I guess ;-)
I could NOT live in one of those!

[Brian @ Sep 28th 2006 9:47AM]

I agree, wish you could get it in other colors beside red.

[Gamey McGee @ Sep 28th 2006 11:01AM]

Holy sh*t these are ugly. If Slingbox could make these look even pedestrian they'd sell. As is, anyone with EYES would be driven away in a sudden and uncontrollable fear of nastiness.

[Gadget Guy @ Sep 28th 2006 12:34PM]

The HDMI port is used for its density - it's keyed to not accept a traditional HDMI cable - don't plug yours into it kids...

You can setup and control two video inputs with the AV (I put a security camera without audio on my second input) as they share one audio input. With the PRO, you can control 3 audio/video sources - Two TiVo's, a Media Center PC and the RF tuner for your cable or rabit ears.

[Acelefty @ Sep 28th 2006 5:07PM]

Why are there so many comments about the look of the Slingbox? Who cares what it looks like? If you don't like the look of it, just put it behind your A/V cabinet out of sight. The only part of the Slingbox that you need to remain visible is the IR eye in front of your Tivo.

[Biju Varghese @ Sep 29th 2006 4:23AM]

Why is Sony so 'laxed about this? They need to get with the program AND bump up their locationfree to compete with the slingbox.

[Jake @ Sep 29th 2006 4:16PM]

I think it looks cool. The complaints are probably from people who think everything should have the "amazing design features" of being white and rectangular.

[Paul Yang @ Oct 5th 2006 5:14PM]

my friends tell me the slingbox is great, i'd love to have one.

[Jerry Lipscomb @ Oct 5th 2006 6:49PM]

Currently using Comcast 2 HD DVR

[JonnyCakesO @ Oct 5th 2006 8:17PM]

Why

[Marc Tobolski @ Oct 5th 2006 9:12PM]

Dual-tuner Motorola digital receiver

[Nick @ Oct 5th 2006 9:13PM]

I really would like to talk to the guy who thought that these designs were a good idea. Not only are they unattractive, they also just look pretty cheap. Like many have said, I think this would fly off the shelves if they just made it look a bit more generic. A brushed metalic finish, or heck, even Jet Black. I just can't imagine putting one of these next to my TV. although I did enter the contest to win one heh!

[Bill @ Oct 5th 2006 9:28PM]

Does this work with my Tivo or do I have to build a PVR?

[Mark @ Oct 5th 2006 9:50PM]

I'd connect mine to a new HD TV of course..!

[Steve Taylor @ Oct 5th 2006 9:53PM]

I intend to use it against a Dish Network SD feed for the moment. I will be able to rip up a bunch of fugly extraneous cable that runs downstairs to my livingroom if I get this thing. Which would be simply awesome.

[patmcf @ Oct 5th 2006 10:23PM]

I want to play with this and a MCE DVR.

[BHill @ Oct 5th 2006 11:40PM]

I just did away with the Tivo so I'll be using it with a cable HD DVR with MOXI software from Motorola. I hate the MOXI service... it runs so slow it takes forever to load.

[Corey @ Oct 6th 2006 9:18AM]

That HD connector looks an awful like HDMI

[Tom @ Oct 6th 2006 12:11PM]

give me this plz.

[Xing Luo @ Oct 6th 2006 2:13PM]

why not intergrate with USB support and the disign is too bulky.

[ktlaverty @ Oct 6th 2006 8:58PM]

Great Idea just not Mac compatible, yet

[ten-seven @ Oct 6th 2006 9:33PM]

I'd use it, but probably just in my house.

[Oliver @ Oct 7th 2006 11:43PM]

Sadly, a Comcast digital cable box.

[Jeff Lanka @ Oct 9th 2006 9:27PM]

I'm currently using a Gen 2 Tivo. This would sure look purty sittin in top of that...

[Leslie Wilson @ Oct 11th 2006 4:44PM]

Dont know much about sling box