How would you change the Slingbox Pro HD?

Sling Media's Slingbox Pro HD arrived with lofty expectations, and while the box handled its core tasks reasonably well, we found it to have some issues on the software side. The good news there is that software is modifiable, which means Sling could definitely improve matters in the near future. To that end, we're interested to see how you'd change the high-def-capable placeshifter. Any bugs you want knocked out? Any particular hardware traits you aren't fond of? Is it simply too difficult for your mother-in-law to get working? Sound off below! You never know -- someone important may be listening.

[FreeRange Posted Dec 6th 2008 2:44PM]

mr2kx, there's a reason the tag "how would you change" exists. http://www.engadget.com/tag/how+would+you+change/

Let's have a look, shall we, and see just how many companies are apparently "f%$@ed" by your assessment: Guitar Hero, Apple, Canon, the Voodoo Envy, Microsoft, Sony, ZeeVee, Nikon, Apple again, Dell, OpenMoko, Sprint, Acer, etc..

Next time, check your "common sense" at the door and do a little investigation. Which, if Sling is paying for this, is what they are doing. You should learn a lesson from them, if that's the case.

[killface Posted Dec 6th 2008 3:38PM]

I would love to buy one, but I won't until they have iPhone support.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2008 5:29PM]

I am satisfied with my Slingbox PRO HD overall, a big step up in Picture Quality over my old Slingbox PRO. This is almost as good as it gets when watching streamed video on the LAN.

However, the new SlingPlayer 2.0 software is a pig especially when streaming HD quality video over the LAN. I have no problems when watching the streamed HD video on my Quad Core powered desktop but I do have to lower the resolution/bitstream rates when streaming video to my Core 2 Duo powered laptops. SlingPlayer 2.0 is also characterized by high CPU utilization. I also wish the future revisions to the SlingPlayer 2.0 will bring back the Favorites shortcuts without the need to logon online to access them.

Hopefully the next revision to SlingPlayer 2.0 software will address these issues.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2008 10:17PM]

As a Slingbox original owner, there is one hardware change that would get me to upgrade to a newer model: integrated WiFi. This really should have been a part of the design already. I frequently don't have a cable outlet near my router, and I'm not willing to run cat5 cables everywhere in my home. Add WiFi...please

Mac support is another area that could be improved. I was an early beta tester back in 2006, and while the software has come a long way, it's a lightyear behind the PC client. Sad.

As a G1 owner, I would love to see an Android client in the future as well.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 7th 2008 2:01AM]

It shouls be cheaper, have built in WIFI and finally, be able to stream to iphones.

[CanyonCarver Posted Dec 7th 2008 11:38AM]

Why the hell didn't engadget ask for input on ways to improve that pile of crap we waited two years for, the Slingcatcher?

[warshme Posted Dec 7th 2008 3:47AM]

I have had the sling box pro for a year and it has not worked. Their customer service was and is horrible. The only solution they gave me was new blasters. They refuse to think that the box is defective and the problem is on my end(my direct tv hd box). Spent well over 8 hours, 4 of which was with their customer service, and they could not fix it. Money down the drain. I bought a lemon and they refuse to do anything about it. Sling if you want to make a difference, send me a new box and take back the old one.

[Talon Trax Posted Dec 7th 2008 10:38AM]

How about being able to save the 1 hour buffer of streamed audio/video that you've been watching? And maybe the option of being able to increase the buffer to as much as your hard drive will allow?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 11:09AM]

iphone support

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 12:06PM]

Want support for the Homeplug devices we already have (Devolo in my case), which is lacking in current releases according to:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2A84EYAAB37CW/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 12:29PM]

1) HDMI support for both the SlingBox HD and the SlingCatcher
2) HD support for the SlingCatcher
3) Lower price would be nice :-)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 1:36PM]

The best idea is not in software, but in hardware. What Sling needs to develop next is a way around the data limitations in today's high-speed internet connection. You can't squeeze full HD (or even very good SD) through a DSL line or 1.5 Mps cable-modem connection. If we wait for 20Mps connections to be everywhere, remote access to real time streaming of HD content is years and years away. The only way around this is to offer users the option of a higher-quality transmission but not in real time.

The way you do that is to basically have the Slingbox and Slingplayer work together as a DVR. You tell the local Slingbox the shows you want and it records them, in real time, to a local drive. You connect your laptop (or Slingcatcher) from a remote location, and it gives you the option of watching a live feed as always, or using that same bandwidth to start sending you a copy of whatever it is you recorded. The files are locked down and encrypted so they can't be used for piracy purposes etc.

Imagine this - you get into your hotel room, fire up the laptop and tell it to start fetching your shows, while you go have dinner. Come back in an hour and you have something to watch while the connection continues to spool additional content to you in the background. Let it run while you sleep and you wake up with a fully synched copy of your home DVR, ready to watch anything you want, in real HD.

Hell, Sling is owned by Echostar, it isn't like they don't already have access to DVR technology.

Until they figure this out, I don't see any point to the HD Slingbox. To save the cost of extra cable boxes? An HD Slingbox with a SlingCatcher costs more than rental of a cable box for years. Or watch HD on your computer monitor? Again, what exactly is the point of that? I use my slingplayer locally to throw the football game in the corner of my monitor while I am working, but if I want the HD experience, I will do that in front of the HD TV, not my computer.

I have an original Slingbox and I love it, but these new versions don't offer any meaningful difference over the original Slingbox when it comes to remote viewing over the web, which is the primary value of the Slingbox.

In the meantime - where is that iPhone player?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 8:14PM]

Blackberry Slingplayer!! This device is great...no complaints.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 8th 2008 3:58PM]

Tru2way support would be nice...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 9th 2008 5:41PM]

All he was saying was to listen to your customers. Even Branon's saying it in this video....
http://www.openforum.com/innovation/video_bransonclip_industryofthefuture.html

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 10th 2008 9:48AM]

I think the Pro-HD is an excellent piece of hardware. When you have the bandwidth, the video can't be beat.

Wireless at this time would cause more problems then it cures. 802.11g can stream the video, but the slingbox should be the soul source of wireless activity. To place a slingbox on a busy 802.11g network is only asking for trouble. 802.11n will probably be the answer but it is still in draft and IMHO should not even be sold at this time.

My single complaint about the Pro-HD. It does not stream 5.1 audio, even though Sling Media provides a digital audio input. They also do not tell you this, on their web site.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2008 10:41AM]

Not specific to the SBPHD, but to SB hardware in general:

1) UHF blasters. I have a Bell ExpressVu 9200 DVR (Dish/Echostar hardware) which has two built in receivers. The second receiver is controlled by UHF, not IR. If I connect the second receiver to my SBPRO, I cannot control it. Given that Echostar builds both pieces of hardware I would hope they could address this, even as an optional accessory?

2) +1 for Blackberry and iPhone/iTouch mobile software. I realize the BB client is likely beta by year end from posts on other boards, and as mentioned I would hazard to guess Apple is blocking the iPhone client as a "bandwidth hog"

Overall, I am happy with my SB support. Had to return my SBPRO due to a failed firmware update that bricked it and they turned around updated hardware in less than 48 hours so thumbs up!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2008 7:53PM]

Apples just stupid for not supporting the Sling Media Player for iPhone... not that everyone will be using Edge to stream from iPhone... we could use WiFi, so what is the problem...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2008 7:48PM]

I would buy it the day they have support for iPhone streaming...
Until then i'll just wait and see what they are doing...
if not then that's there lost...

[shornby Posted Dec 14th 2008 2:04PM]

Wifi would be nice. Still, the number of support calls they would receive from people expecting HD over their wireless G (or B!) network probably makes it a tough call.

Yes, Internet connections are almost always slower than wireless, but still not guaranteed. Just use your microwave oven or cordless phone and suddenly the connection dies!

iFone support would be sweet. Lower price would be nice, but I expect to see that happen within six months or so. Even at 300 dollars, you get a LOT of techno-bling for the money.

Jim

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 8:09PM]

1) Lower price
2) Support streaming to iPhone
3) HD support for Mac
4) HDMI

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:49PM]

There is a growing community of expats who would love to have access to HDTV from the U.S. But many of these people, including me, use Macs. I'll go HD when it comes out for the Mac. So will several other people I know.

Taos Turner
Argentina
www.argentinepost.com

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2009 11:24PM]

Fix the DirecTiVo remote to work correctly, like the Classic, or Pro. Multiple buttons don't work or work incorrectly (live acts like jump to end of buffer ->|). Did Dish have Sling break this on purpose or was this poor testing? Curious minds want to know...