Slingbox Solo

When you’re waiting to board your plane or killing time between your schedules, you can catch the game on your computer or mobile device with the help of Slingbox SOLO.
The Slingbox SOLO connects to your cable box, DVD player, or DVR and delivers your chosen TV channel straight to your computer, laptop, or mobile phone. It also comes with a virtual remote control. Just download SlingPlayer Mobile which costs $29.99. To save bandwidth, you can switch on the Audio Only mode. This lets you listen to TV without wasting your battery.
With a Slingbox SOLO as your connection to the wider world through the Internet, you can keep yourself occupied at all times. The Slingbox Solo takes your TV inputs  and shoots out IP-ready television via the Ethernet. The Solo controls just one TV, thus giving you total control over which TV you want to connect with. Just make sure that nobody else uses that television or they will be stuck watching whatever it is you’re viewing on your player.
For avid travelers and TV junkies, the Slingbox Solo is a must-have. The installation has been streamlined from past models and you will need component cables to start it. Broadband access is required, and the Solo must be attached directly to a router. If your TV and Solo are in different rooms, just use a SlingLink Turbo to send the signal through your wiring. Set up is simple and straightforward, the software easy to use. It controls almost all cable and satellite boxes and DVRs. Furthermore, it has excellent video quality over LAN and internet.

For Nokia users, they would be happy to know that SlingPlayers work on Nokia Symbian OS S60 platform based mobile devices. Among the list of cell phone models are Nokia N73, Nokia E65, Nokia N95, and Nokia 6120.
Of course, there are system requirements for the player to work well. Minimum technical requirements are the following:
•    Symbian S60 phone (Symbian OS 9.1 S60 3rd edition or above), with 3G (HSDPA or UMTS) wireless service and/or WiFi Internet connection
•    Symbian UIQ phone (Symbian OS 9.1 UIQ 3.0) with WiFi Internet connection
SlingPlayers will also work on BlackBerry devices with the following minimum technical requirements:
•    BlackBerry Bold – minimum 4.6.0.0 and above; optimal at 4.6.0.167 and above
•    BlackBerry 8820 – minimum 4.5.0.0 and above; optimal at 4.5.0.110 and above
•    BlackBerry Curve 8320 – minimum 4.5.0.0 and above; optimal at 4.5.0.81 and above
•    BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 – minimum 4.6.0.0; optimal at 4.6.0.174 and above
•    BlackBerry Pearl 8120 – minimum 4.5.0.0; optimal at 4.5.0.110 and above
On April 2006, Sling Media released a Windows Mobile version of their player. This finally allowed users to stream their video over Pocket PCs and smartphones. Soon, the Palm OS client Beta was also released.
The SlingBox SOLO has also been a hit in television broadcasting. Broadcast engineers have installed them at remote locations to observe traffic and weather conditions. Cable TV providers are also using it to provide proof of performance for companies that run TV ads on their systems. The Slingbox is definitely a good option when you want to stay connected with just your phone.

Because the Apple iPhone seems to be one of the most in-demand phones in the market today, SlingPlayer demonstrated how their products work with the Apple products at Macworld Expo last January 2009. The App Store included the demonstration last March 2009 for those interested.
The announcement of the iPhone application garnered a lot of reactions, especially among owners of older Slingboxes. Sling Media announced that only the Slingbox Solo, Pro and ProHD models will be supported by the iPhone client. The older models such as Classic, Tuner and AV are unofficially supported. They do appear to work with the application nonetheless. Owners of these older models were offered a $50 discount although Sling Media has not offered any public explanation for the cutoff. One theory could be related to the DSP in newer models being programmable at runtime to deliver an H.264 stream. This is the iPhone’s preferred format. Older boxes deliver only a WMV-encoded stream. The details of the upgrade have not yet been disclosed, and customers are still waiting for the latest news.
On May 12, 2009, the SlingPlayer App became available at the Apple App Store. It was only made available for clients who have Apple accounts in the US, the UK, and Canada. It was priced at $29.99. The download will only use wi-fi to stream content. Sling’s promotional email confirmed that the SlingPlayer works only “At Apple’s request.” This was a decision believed to have been made at the request of current iPhone network operators such as AT&T and O2.

The year 2006 was the busiest year for Sling Media. It was then that Applian Technologies released a PC-based recording program for Slingbox. It was called At-Large Recorder 1.0. Following that event, Sling Media also added an encrypted protocol to enhance communication between SlingPlayer and Slingbox. It was then that At-Large Recorder 1.0 was rendered useless. In October 2007, more than a year later, Applian Technologies released At-Large Recorder 2. What this can do that its predecessor couldn’t is capture and record Slingbox streams on a Windows-based computer. The later version also included a circular recording feature to be able to continuously capture feeds from security cameras or media monitoring.
Another software firm called mReplay also provided no-cost rich internet applications that gave Slingbox users the chance to watch, control, record, edit, and share the content of their Slingbox through Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. This can be done without the traditional software installation called mReplay Live. For mobile phone users who want to connect their phones to Slingbox, there is a mobile version called mReplay Mobi. Sling Players are available for various mobile platforms from Nokia Symbian OS, BlackBerry OS, iPhone OS, Windows Mobile, and Palm OS based devices. Those brands, after all, lead the cell phone industry and are also the most popular choices.
Laptops always make great travel companions. However, many prefer to just depend on their cell phone for the simple reason that it can fit in their pockets very easily. For this, Sling Media made certain that the most popular ones in the market work well with their products.

The Slingbox uses the SlingPlayer to display audio and video on Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh running Mac OS X, and selected mobile devices. However, it is also helpful to note that SlingPlayer is not available for Linux, BSD or other open source systems. Older versions of the SlingPlayer can run under old versions of Wine, the latest versions do not work with it. The latest stable version for Windows is version 2.0.0.465. This version is known to be very stable. It includes a live video buffer to pause, fast-forward, and rewind up to 60 minutes of live video, and an integrated channel and program guide. You will also be given a web-based account should you need help in finding and connecting to the Slingbox software via the internet.
On January of 2006, Sling Media announced a Mac OS X port. This announcement was made at the Macworld Conference and Expo. The release finally came through in September of the same year. Sling Media began selling new Slingbox hardware in packages that bore the Mac OS X logo. This means that the device was given support by the people behind Macintosh. It was also in October of that year that Sling Media released the first public beta version of their player. The completed version was released in early 2007. During the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, the company also made an announcement about its Clip+Sling. This software allows users to share clips of their favorite TV shows with each other with the help of a hosted Web service.

Your Slingbox can redirect one of its inputs to a single computer on a local network. This can be done remotely or with the help of a broadband Internet connection. For copyright purposes, only one user is allowed to access the stream. This method of accessing content is known as placeshifting. The Slingbox connects a TV source via a cable to an existing Internet connection. Digital video recorders and cable or satellite set top boxes can be controlled via a separate infrared (IR) cable.
The remote lets users change channels from the remote location. Software on a computer or mobile device connects to the Slingbox and provides the user interface for viewing the video stream and surfing through the variety of channels. Onscreen virtual remote controls are also provided for controlling the devices linked. All control inputs are done in the SlingPlayer window via your mouse. There is no provision for use of hardware IR remote control units while watching through the SlingPlayer, even when the computer or laptop has an IR receiver.
The Slingbox works with almost every type of media gadget. Just connect it to the internet during set-up and you are as good as done. If you are using a separate device for receiving television signals, make sure that this is compatible with your Slingbox. Otherwise, you may have to buy a new one if it does not work. So before you purchase anything, you have to make sure that your gadgets all can work with one another. Makers of various technologies know that this is a big plus, so you can be pretty much assured of the compatibility.

Here are more frequently asked questions regarding the Slingbox SOLO:
1. How long does the reboot process take? It will take 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you do this, however, you may reset the Slingbox to an earlier firmware version. All you need to do is reinstall any upgrades.
2. How do I update the Slingbox’s SOLO firmware? Go to your home network. Then select “Edit Properties” found in the directory. Click the “Slingbox Configuration” tab, and select “Update Slingbox Firmware” found at the bottom of the menu. Follow the directions given after that. For SlingPlayer 2.0 users, you have to launch the Setup Assistant before selecting “Software Update” found on the left side of the menu screen.
3. How much is the Slingbox SOLO? Prices may vary, but average cost is US$179.
4. How will the analog to digital transition in the United States affect my Slingbox SOLO? The Slingbox SOLO does not include a built-in tuner. This means that it is unaffected by the digital TV transition. If you rely on a separate device for receiving over the air television signals, you may have to buy one that is compatible with your gadget to make it work.
5. How do I set up my new Slingbox player? It’s fairly easy really. Just connect it to the Ethernet, power, audio, and video sources. It works with basically every type of media, just as long as it receives a TV signal. You can also link it with your DVD player or recorder.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Slingbox SOLO:
1. How do I get the latest software from my Slingbox? You can obtain the latest firmware for your Slingbox SOLO by downloading the latest version of the SlingPlayer software found online.
2. Can I use a different IR control with the Slingbox? Yes, you can. You may need to buy a 1/8″ to 3/32″ adapter to fit in the IR port.
3. Does the Slingbox SOLO work with high definition sources? Yes, the Slingbox SOLO is capable of receiving 480p, 720p, or 1080i sources. You just have to insert it through the component video input. Some HD devices will not simultaneously output high definition signals and 480i signals to the composite, S-video, or RF connection. Just consult your manual for further help.
4. What do the lights on the Slingbox SOLO mean? The far right LEDs indicate network and power status. The center LED indicates if the Slingbox is streaming video.
5. What video signals can I input into the Slingbox SOLO? You can use NTSC 480i signals through composite, S-Video, and RF connections, and 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i formats via the component video connection.
6. Why is the Slingbox SOLO not controlling my device? You have to make sure that the IR cable is plugged all the way in to the IR port on the back and that the IR emitter is properly located above the IR receiver.
7. How do I factory reset my Slingbox SOLO? Just press the reset button found at the back of the Slingbox for five seconds.

As high as the streaming quality is inside and outside the LAN, the Slingbox SOLO provides a resolution of only up to 640 x 480 pixels. Even if you have a Gigabit network at home, you cannot raise the quality any higher than this. It would be nice to see an increased support with future firmware updates, especially because the Slingbox SOLO also accepts HD input. What is just does right now is render the quality down.
The Slingbox SOLO is available in the US for US$ 179.99, in Canada for CAD$ 199.99 and the UK for £ 129.99. If you happen to go on business and leisure trips often, the box is worth every penny because it gives you mobility even while being connected to a TV.
You can obtain the latest firmware for your Slingbox SOLO by downloading the latest version of the SlingPlayer software found online. The versions prior to 2.0 include the firmware as part of the download. The ones above 2.0 check for firmware updates over the web automatically. You can also use a different IR control cable with the Slingbox. You may just need to buy a 1/8″ to 3/32″ adapter to fit in the IR port. Just make sure that the cables are properly placed or you could just get one audio channel. Also make sure that your computer is set to output sound to both the left and the right speakers so that you get the best quality once the gadget is running.

When you compare this device to the other similar gadgets out there, Slingbox SOLO wins hands down. It is the perfect device for everybody who’s trying to tighten their budget. It is the cheapest Slingbox out there now. Unlike the PRO or CLASSIC counterparts, the SOLO needs an external input device. If you have a set-top box or a DVR and the missing DVB-T/analogue tuner, then you’re pretty much set. It reduces the TV signal so that you get HD once it passes through the connection. However, the limited input might be the major drawback if you share only one input device with your home TV and Slingbox. Because as soon as someone watches TV at home and switches through the channels, your remote connection switches as it provides a mirrored view of the home TV. If you don’t want this to happen, you can use an alternative such as the DVB-T or analogue cable. Otherwise, you better call at home before you want to watch something abroad or while commuting. Alternatively, you could also buy a second, cheap set-top box made exclusively for the Slingbox SOLO.
Rest assured, the Slingbox SOLO setup and configuration will go smoothly. Since there is no channel search required, it shouldn’t take more than several minutes to get the box up and running. Just to make sure you get everything right, the package includes a Quick-Start-Guide that is easy to understand and use. Your only major drawback would be is if your home equipment is in itself a very complicated tool. Otherwise, you should be able to configure your Slingbox SOLO.