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Slingbox server shutdown will kill every box in two years
Sling Media launched the Slingbox in 2005, and two years from now, every single Slingbox will stop working.
Echostar Europe launches HDS-600RS SlingLoaded FreeSat+ DVR
It's been a surprisingly long wait for a SlingLoaded box outside of the Dish ViP922, but now European customers can do the all-in-one DVR/Slingbox dance with the new HDS-600RS. As a set-top box it can tune into 150 or more digital channels and VOD depending on provider with its own HD EPG and includes access to BBC iPlayer with plans for access to more services like ITV Net Player in the future, and of course it can Sling TV, live or DVRed on the unit's 500GB hard drive. One unfortunate limitation was revealed during a quick hands-on session by Pocket-Lint, if you're Slinging video somewhere else, despite the box having two tuners, it will only display the same thing the remote user is watching on the TV. Otherwise, they believe the box will cost around £300, although all EchoStar has officially confirmed is that it will launch April 1st, with preorders available on Amazon starting March 23rd. Check out the press release after the break and a few more pictures in the gallery below. %Gallery-119545%
Dish Network launching DishOnline.com this week, streaming 'several cable networks' to subscribers
Dish Network subscribers, get ready to join the 21st century. Your content provider of choice is said to be peeling the "beta" stickers from its DishOnline.com service this week, opening up online and on-demand streaming of content to its subscribers. At least 15 channels will be streaming live over the internets, including all the major networks and extras like Syfy and Comedy Central, though selection appears to be somewhat limited at this time. The site will also provide remote DVR scheduling and let SlingLoaded users stream recorded content straight from their device -- which, of course, they could already do. The service goes live sometime within the next few days, and of course will only be available to Dish subscribers, you lucky people you.
Dish Network to offer live TV streaming on its free mobile apps next month
Now that the SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR is actually available from Dish Network it's ready to offer more features from the Sling Mobile side of the menu, with plans to add free live TV (or recorded DVR program) streaming to its own mobile apps. Right now, the iPhone and recently released iPad app (Android version due in October) just let the devices control the box and view listings information, but after an update in September it will offer similar functionality to the $29.99 SlingPlayer Mobile, minus all the IR blasters and potential compatibility issues. The best part? According to the Associated Press all this comes at no extra cost to Dish subscribers, other than the fee for the new DVR or broadband connected 612, 622, 722 and 722k set-tops hooked up to a Slingbox.
Dish Network's SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR to hit store shelves tomorrow (finally!)
We saw it at CES 2009 -- and then we waited. And waited. And finally last month Dish's SlingLoaded DVR made it to the FCC. And now? We've just received word that the ViP922 should be hitting Dish Network retailers April 7 (like, tomorrow). The long-awaited device carries an MSRP of $649, although existing customers who want to work it into their lease can expect to pay closer to the $200 - $400 range. Unless, of course, you live in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands -- in which case you'll have to do without altogether. That what the Dish Network calls "tough love." We'll let you know if the company changes its mind. PR after the break.
Sling Monitor 150 hits the FCC
We caught our first glimpses of the Sling Monitor 150 placeshifting display at CES 2009, but it only got an official launch at this year's show, and now it looks like it's getting even closer to store shelves with an appearance at the FCC for some RF testing action. We've always been intrigued by the 15-inch 720p display that can stream HD over WiFi, but until a cable or satellite operator actually deploys some of those hot SlingLoaded set-top boxes this thing isn't going to do anyone too much good.
Sling's CES showing gives us a Touch of optimism
CES is officially under way so of course we got our hands all over the Sling Touch Control 100 in person and screwed up the DVR queue mightily over WiFi thanks to simple touch controls, then took control our imaginary Sony Blu-ray player with an overlay that matched the native remote functions. Reps confirmed to Dave Zatz that an Android Sling app is under development -- for owners of other phones, a Flash implementation of the mobile app is your most likely bet. Most tantalizing? SlingCatcher-style software running on plain-jane Broadcom boxes representing future TVs or set-top boxes that could ship with Sling functionality embedded in them. Given Sling's lack of acceptance on non-Dish content distributors so far, we can't help but wish for a Yahoo! or VUDU style invasion of third-party devices to come. Check the gallery for pics of all the hardware announced recently, as well as a video of the remote after the break. %Gallery-82043%
Dish takes Sling's new boxes for its own TV Everywhere in 2010
At least one TV provider is taking advantage of Sling's veritable bounty of new hardware, and rather predictably it is Dish Network. The rebranding (instead of being SlingLoaded, the ViP 922 DVR is now "with TV Everywhere", the Sling Monitor 150 is dubbed the Dish Network WiFi Monitor and the Slingbox 700U has become the TV Everywhere Adapter) is enough to make your head spin, but at least we don't have to miss our stories, thanks to the recently released Dish Remote Access Mobile App for iPhone and iPod Touch with remote scheduling and remote control capabilities for most Dish receivers. All of the hardware is scheduled to arrive in the second quarter, we'll need at least that long to get our Everywhere and Anywhere TV straightened out.
Sling Receiver 300 catches broadcast TV over WiFi
Already have a TV and don't need the Sling Monitor 150? Sling's filling out its roster of potential products for some friendly OEM TV provider to offer with the Sling Receiver 300. This box is, like the monitor, meant as a companion to SlingLoaded hardware like the (still unreleased) 922 or T2200S, picking up streamed broadcast TV over WiFi at up to 1080i and delivering it to a connected TV via HDMI, component or composite, in-home SlingCatcher style. Want to try it out? We figure a call to the local cable/fiber/satellite conglomerate couldn't hurt.
15-inch Sling Monitor 150 makes in-home placeshifting look good
Sling Media has brought back the Sling Monitor it first revealed during last year's CES press conference, now dubbed the Sling Monitor 150 and aimed at attracting television service providers to offer the company's suite of hardware. We can think of a few places to fit his 15.6-inch 720p display that picks up HD broadcasts over its WiFi antenna for that in-home placeshifting love. The only difficulty? Getting cable, telco or satellite operators that have so far failed to bring SlingLoaded hardware to market since the original announcement to actually sell us one. Good luck with that.
Echostar might SlingLoad other manufacturer's cable boxes
Even though some cable giants are already trying their hand at placeshifting with TV Anywhere, Echostar may be ready to leverage its technology by licensing the SlingLoaded feature to other set-top box manufacturers like Motorola, Cisco or Pace, according to Cable Digital News. With its tru2way cable box still notable lacking a distribution deal, this could be a way for Sling fans that don't want any additional hardware to get it in the home, but speaking of that T2200S (still not coming to retail channels according to Senior Product Manager P. Margit Tritt) the company's presence at The Independent Show also gave it an opportunity to feel out the needs of smaller cable operators. Either way, there's plenty of time before its planned Q4 2009 launch - go on, admit you're excited, we don't judge here.
Echostar shows off its SlingLoaded T2200S HD DVR for cable
It didn't take long for Echostar to turn its ViP 922 SlingLoaded DVR for DISH into a tru2way powered HD DVR for cable viewers ready to placeshift live and prerecorded TV, and now we've got a glimpse of what it will look like. The specs show off a 1TB hard drive ripped from its still-yet-to-launch predecessor, but new for the T2200S is a backlit capacitive touch control mounted up front, while that no numbers required touch remote the 922 flashed at CES is so far missing from the mix. It'll be at least Q4 before these go into production, but you can believe Echostar is pitching them to all willing to listen at Cable Show '09 this week, while interested customers are being advised to contact their cable provider and let 'em know they want a piece.
Cable customers can get SlingLoaded too with the T2200S tru2way DVR
Want a taste of the SlingLoaded DISH Network 922 DVR (pictured), without switching to satellite? Echostar, as expected, is ready to show off a tru2way compatible version of its latest box, the T2200S, this week at the Cable Show '09. The T2200S contains the 1TB hard drive, expandable storage and of course, Sling Media's placeshifting technology ready to send live or recorded TV to your Internet connected device of choice. Since it's tru2way, it's also capable of running either the SlingGuide software, or whatever middleware is chosen by the provider, and enabling remote video diagnostics, hopefully making many truck rolls unnecessary. Like the 922, we've no price or release date yet but hopefully all that work on tru2way and M-CARD means whether or not our cable company signs up, we'll still have the choice of purchasing one at retail.Update: Looks like the box is planned to start testing June, and go into production in Q4 of 2009, the specs from the PR are after the break. [Thanks, Justin]
DISH's SlingLoaded ViP 922 / 822 DVR hits the FCC
Up for an investigation? We've got a curious case going on with a recent FCC filing, which sees the user manual of the recently unveiled DuoDVR ViP 922 (yeah, the SlingLoaded one) alongside images of a heretofore unseen ViP 822 DVR. Curiously, the actual FCC label corresponds with the "922," through the logo on the pictured Sling DVR definitely shows "822." So, is this just the typical step a device takes before it hits shelves in America, or is this a DVR we've never seen before? Something tells us it's far less exciting than our imaginations are leading us to believe.
Cable companies following DISH's place-shifting lead?
Word from Multichannel News is that -- particularly in light of DISH's SlingLoaded DVR -- Comcast, Time Warner and Cox are all looking to include place-shifting rights in their latest carriage negotiations, promising subscriber access to their TV content even away from home. Unfortunately it appears their idea is to provide the TV feed over the Internet -- think Fancast and Starz Play -- instead of direct (and likely bandwidth consuming) DVR access. No word on which, if any, networks have agreed to such an arrangement but it does raise the question: would streaming access via PC or cellphone be enough to keep you from switching to satellite?
Echostar announces Sling Monitor for in-home placeshifting
That funky angled screen is the just announced Sling Monitor (yes Virginia, it is HD), designed to work with the SlingLoaded ViP 922 DVR to take video anywhere in the house via WiFi. With 922, you can perform the usual Sling-type activities streaming video over the net and as many as three devices in the home, including HD over wireless. The model right now is 14.9-inch, but according to President Charlie Ergen nothing definite has been decided yet before the expected launch this summer.
DISH Network's ViP 922 and SlingGuide unveiled: first "SlingLoaded" HD DVR
We heard way back in May of last year that DISH Network's next major wave of DVRs would have hints of Sling all over. Guess that played out alright, huh? The company has just announced its first SlingLoaded DVR, the ViP 922 HD DuoDVR. For those still scratching their heads, here's the skinny: this is the industry's first high-definition digital video recorder that incorporates placeshifting technology. The device packs five video sources including satellite, broadband and optional OTA tuners, and the 1TB HDD can hold up to 1,000 hours of content before tapping into external drive space. The box comes bundled with an innovative touchpad remote, and it can be controlled using the all new SlingGuide, which enables users to control their TV viewing experience over the web. No word on a price or release date, but boy, it'll be hard to resist regardless. The full release for both the DVR and the SlingGuide are just after the break.%Gallery-40979%
