Slingbox SOLO gets official, includes built-in component jacks

Earlier this month, Sling Media's Slingbox SOLO surfaced courtesy of the FCC, and now the firm's first box to be released with built-in component jacks is finally official. Granted, we already know that this FCC-exposed Slingbox is set to include these coveted ports as well, but this bad boy should be the first of the two to hit store shelves. Furthermore, it'll boast passthrough outputs to save you from scrounging around for a splitter, the ability to control a single set-top-box and support for incoming HD signals. Oh, and while the actual purpose of the built-in USB port has yet to be confirmed, we've all got external storage (and WiFi) on the brain. As for pricing and availability, look for this sucka to ship very soon for $179.99 in the US, $199.99 in Canada and £129.99 in the UK.

[Denver_80203 @ Sep 26th 2007 9:41PM]

So, I'm a gadget guy.. have the Tivo 3 and the plamsa and all the 'stuff' but, what the heck is this thing? Yeah yeah RTFM but can someone just wrap it up in a short summary? Sounds like it gets media from a tivo and plays it somewhere else but, how to I control what I watch and can someone watch something else on the primary TV? what's the deal?

[ryan @ Sep 26th 2007 9:47PM]

In brief: It broadcasts whatever's on your TV (or Tivo or whatever) over the net. You can use an IR blaster to control the Tivo via a cute little virtual remote that it puts on your screen.

[Denver_80203 @ Sep 26th 2007 9:54PM]

Thanks... I actually went to the site and watched their intro stuff. How easy is it to access the slingbox from work? is there much networking fun to fiddle with to make the device accessible?

[Michael La Framboise @ Sep 26th 2007 10:12PM]

@Denver - Its actually very easy; just download the Slingbox Player app, and enter your Slingbox's unique ID - it'll automatically detect all ip's etc -- if you need to go via a proxy you can enter that in the app too, and unless your workplace is specifically blocking these kinda things, it should all work fine.

[Justin @ Sep 27th 2007 11:24AM]

Polar Bear attack and Maple Syrup flood insurance costs and arm and a leg.

[Sneakz @ Sep 26th 2007 9:48PM]

$179.99 USD = $180.854 CAD. See that Sling Media. Then why the hell is it $199.99?

[i luv nose candy @ Sep 26th 2007 9:53PM]

Exactly! If they can't do math, how do we know it's built right? Every Canadian is aware of the fact that the US dollar is at par with the Canadian dollar so you corporations better drop the two price schemes...

[Vizion @ Sep 26th 2007 10:14PM]

Ever think that this pricing was set a while back before the Canadian dollar matched the US dollar? Expect these to be cheaper once they hit retail.

[Ron @ Sep 26th 2007 10:57PM]

$19 to print the french documentation? ;)

[Justin @ Sep 27th 2007 11:24AM]

Polar Bear attack and Maple Syrup flood insurance costs and arm and a leg.

[Chris @ Sep 26th 2007 10:44PM]

Sneakz - i wondered that myself - perhaps its to cover some other expense other than the exchange rate (taxes etc) - either that or Sling predicts the US dollar will rise against the Canadian dollar.

Perhaps they just think they can get $199 for it.

[Chris @ Sep 26th 2007 10:45PM]

I doubt if 1 in 4 americans knows the rate is even.

[Kamokazi @ Sep 26th 2007 10:55PM]

Wow....you must not know Americans very well.


If you actually think 25% of us know that the rate is almost even now, then you obviously don't know that many Americans. I'd say 5%, at best. (And I am serious about that figure, sadly.)

[wolf @ Sep 26th 2007 11:08PM]

I don't believe 1 in 4 Americans care that much about Canadian currency.

[Josh @ Sep 27th 2007 4:05PM]

And why would most americans CARE what the exchange rate is in another country? Unless you have business there or travel there it's all academic.

[Chris @ Sep 27th 2007 4:14PM]

They should care because if our currency falls against the global market - purchasing power declines - and prices will rise. If you have a 401K invested in american securities then even if your portfolio rises by %8 this year - if the currency fell by %10 you're at a net loss.

Most wouldn't care because they don't understand financial markets - which is why we have so much deficit spending in this country and ultimately why we will not be the superpower in the future. China will run us over - they have savings not debt.

[Gaber @ Sep 26th 2007 11:42PM]

WHERE IS THE SLINGCATCHER?????

[Yclif @ Sep 27th 2007 1:39AM]

I have another noop question about Slingbox, I read somewhere that it "monopolizes the attached device during viewing" what does that mean? what device? the tv (if someone is watching) or slingbx content on the PC?

[MegaZone @ Sep 27th 2007 1:43AM]

You have to feed the Slingbox with something - a TiVo, cable box, etc. (Unless you have a Tuner or PRO and are using the built-in analog tuner.) Pretty much all DVRs, cable boxes, satellite receivers, etc, can only output one thing at a time. So if you're using the Slingbox to watch something, that device is tied up and someone sitting at home can't use that device to watch something else.

[Yclif @ Sep 27th 2007 1:52AM]

thanks MegaZone, I think I got what our saying. so If I'm watching recorded content from my PVR via slingbox, my fiancee at home can't be watching her recorded content. (can she interupt me?)

[Andrew Zitnay @ Nov 28th 2007 2:11PM]

You can both watch the same thing at the same time, but not different things... And you can both interrupt one another.