Sunday, July 3, 2011

Sling Media Slingbox AV (SB240-100) Review

Sling Media Slingbox AV (SB240-100)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)

I have been considering the Slingbox for quite some time. I decided to go ahead and buy one when Sling Media came out with this new model.

Installation was an absolute breeze. It was so easy I was shocked! I was watching DirecTV/TIVO on my PC within 5 minutes of opening the box. I have broadband internet which is quite fast. Full screen viewing on my 20" 16:10 screen is somewhat grainy and blurry, but definitely viewable. I prefer to use about 1/3 of my screen for the viewer (SplingPlayer) and the other 2/3 for other applications. Nice sharp picture quality with this set-up! Surfing the web while watching TV is no problem. Web pages still load quickly and video is still sharp/smooth. Haven't tried to download a large file while viewing yet.

SlingPlayer is great! Choose full screen, left/right side, or adjust as you see fit. When you choose left or right side your internet browser (or whatever application you are running) will snap into place to cover the rest of your screen automatically. Very nice user interface and many skins to choose from.

No matter where you are, as long as you have an internet connection, you can watch your TV. I have Tivo which makes this device shine! I can watch my directv, watch anything that is recorded on TIVO, order pay-per-view, set up a program to record. Basically you can do anything that you can normally do with your DVR. The on screen remote control even looks identical to the real remote.

How is it different from the original Slingbox? I can't speak from actual experience since I don't own the original, but as far as the specs go there are some pros and cons.

The original Slingbox had a coax input. So you can hook up directly to analog cable or antennae. You can't do this with the SlingBox AV, but you can with the new SlingBox Tuner. The SlingBox Pro will do both analog and digital (and component HDTV).

The pros... The new SlingBox AV claims to have:

* SlingStream technology delivers up to a 400 percent video quality improvement over the original Slingbox

And the new SlingPlayer v1.4 for the Slingbox Tuner/AV/Pro provides:

* Improved video quality on the LAN: up to 4x the resolution of the previous SlingPlayer and over 200% speed improvement.*
* Adjust the SlingStream LAN video quality to match your particular computer and network conditions.
* Improved Setup Wizard: new screens are streamlined and easier to use.
* Improved Setup Wizard: direct access to customer support via real time chat. Relax and let our tech supports set up your router for you!
* AutoUpdate feature added to the Setup process ensuring users always install the latest software for their Slingbox.
* Users can rapidly cycle between Fullscreen (4:3), Widescreen (16:9), Letterbox, Windowbox and Pillarbox window modes to find the best fit for their video content.
* Full-screen improvements: If you put SlingPlayer in maximized mode it will stay there.
* Show/Hide player controls with one-click toggle. Just click once on the main player window to remove the controls when you aren't using them.
* Audio Visualizations added to Audio-Only mode. WinAmp AVS support means that users can add their own visualizations.
* Physical remote controls: SlingPlayer now works with remotes that support Microsoft Application keys. Now you can sit back and click on a real remote control to control SlingPlayer.
* SlingPlayer has a whole new look with the RedLine skin--just one more way to change the SlingPlayer to suit your tastes. With SlingCentral and other user contributed skins there are over 30 different skins available and more coming every month.

I won't miss the analog coax connection, I don't need it. If you need analog coax only then buy the SlingBox tuner. If you need both coax and digital devices then buy the SlingBox Pro (which will also give you component HDTV, but no HDMI).

On a final note, this unit is tiny. Much smaller than the original. It's about 1.5"(H) x 3.5"(D) x6.5 (W). Your gonna here some people call this thing ugly in appearance. It's not really that bad and it's so small that it can easily be hidden behind your other components or just pushed toward the back.

I'm a gadget freak and this is the coolest thing I've purchased in a long time!! Just buy one! This would make an awesome gift for anyone interested in computers and TV.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sling Media Slingbox AV (SB240-100)

Product Description

Slingbox AV gives customers with digital cable, satellite receiver, or DVR the ability to watch and control their home TV using any Internet-enabled Windows or Mac-based desktop or laptop computer or Windows Mobile handheld or mobile phone.


Product Details

  • Brand: Sling Media
  • Model: SB220-100
  • Dimensions: 3.20 pounds

Features

  • Redirects the TV signal to the computer of your choice--providing high quality video, no matter the distance
  • SlingStream technology delivers up to a 400 percent video quality improvement over the original Slingbox
  • Connects to digital cable box, DVR, satellite receiver, DVD players, video/security camera, or any NTSC S-video or composite video source
  • Includes free Slingbox Finder service to locate a Slingbox from any network location
  • Watch and control your home TV, DVR, digital cable box, or satellite receiver anywhere around your home or around the globe


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sling Media Slingbox AV (SB240-100)

No comments:

Post a Comment