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Higgs1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 6, 2009
331
1
New York City
Hello, First I did do a search and not a ton of information on the slingbox and using the new iPhone 4, so I figured I'd start a new thread, sorry if this rubs people the wrong way....

anyways on to my questions.

I'm interested in picking up a slingbox & downloading the slingbox app for my phone. Now am I correct in saying the difference in the Slingbox Solo & Pro HD is that the pro HD allows for multiple inputs while the solo only has one? I only want to hook it up to my Comcast Motorola HD DVR so i'm assuming the solo is good for what i need it for. I plan on hooking it up wired to my Airport Extreme, any issues there?

How is it over 3g on the iphone 4? Amazon has it on sale for $150 + $30 app = $180 for live tv & dvr access? Pretty good IMO

Need some feedback on this subject and how people are liking it / regretting it?

Thanks for all the comments and hope you can help me sort things out!
 

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
3G quality varies depending on area. It's pretty good as long as you can get 1.5mbps or faster but it can get stuttery and blocky from time to time. I have one hooked up to my parents SD DirecTV rec in Atlanta. I mostly use it to watch the Braves and Falcons b/c It's cheaper than MLBTV and its the only way to get the Falcons here. I bought mine at Amazon myself last time it was onsale. Great deal sub $200. I can't wait until the iPad app it ready.
 

sinsin07

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2009
3,606
2,662
I only have an older A/V slingbox so I cannot give comment on the solo or HD hookup. However, that being said I can say SB works over 3G, despite the fact that my box is not officially supported by Sling anymore. Picture quality to me is better than my 3G. I have to try it on the move going to and from work.

I would check Youtube and see if anyone posted video's about SB on I4.
 

Higgs1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 6, 2009
331
1
New York City
Thanks for the feedback guys!

Few other questions: Will this allow me to basically take control of my DVR anywhere? So i can set up recordings if I forget or what not? Also, can I have multiple devices linked to the slingbox? iphone/ipod touch/macbook?

thanks again think I might pull the trigger on this
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Yes u can control your dvr, satellite box, cable box etc.
The sb can only stream to one client at once. So you can't connect and watch with your iPhone and someone else to connect at the same time with a laptop.
But iPod touch, ipads and laptops can all stream from it.
 

Higgs1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 6, 2009
331
1
New York City
understandable that we can't all do it at once since it basically takes over the box...

i'm not really seeing any downside in this, considering i'm paying for the premium package on comcast and get all the channels i might as well get my monies worth & be able to watch whenever and wherever I am

does anyone have any other experience with it? Positives/negatives?

And any benefit to going with the HD Pro if I'm only connecting 1 device & usually only streaming to my iPhone?
 

fishkorp

macrumors 68030
Apr 10, 2006
2,536
650
Ellicott City, MD
We have a Slingbox, great investment. My wife travels out of the country a lot and she uses it to watch the shows that get recorded on our DVR here in the US. Last fall she traveled and a co-worker wanted to watch a live NFL game. He was in a VERY remote part of the world with a big time difference. He was Slinging the NFL game live (luckily for him I was wanted to watch it on that TV anyway). Although it did freak me out a bit when he used the controls to stop and rewind to do his own replay, haha. Thought my TV was possessed for a second ;)

Slingbox is well worth the money if you'll use it. I just hope they make a Universal app with iPad optimization soon.
 

Kenal0

macrumors regular
Sep 15, 2007
161
0
I have a Slingbox Solo hooked up to my Comcast DVR and it works great.
I am using that app on my ipad as well, and waiting for them to come out with a universal version that takes advantage of the higher resolution screen.
My slingbox has been rock solid. I highly recommend getting one.

Kenal0
 

InvalidBassist

macrumors regular
Feb 8, 2008
235
26
Chicago
I have a 922 with Dish Network and haven't had any issues out of the Sling App on the iPad (over wi-fi).

Its integration with Dish Remote Access is pretty nifty.

I can't really use my 3G to watch anything (the screen is botched) but I hope to improve that with an iPhone 4 purchase on Tuesday and can report on it then.
 

Shorties

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2007
582
1
Southern California
I was more impressed with the app on my old iPhone 3G over 3G than I am on the iPhone 4. Thats mostly because the iPhone 4's resolution is so high in comparison. I do hope there is an update raising the max resolution to 640x480 (On the solo, HD would be nice on the Pro), and making the user interface more like the new android app, which keeps the player controls out of the middle of the screen. (My biggest pet peeve right now). But overall its just so nice to be able to access your DVR wherever you are. And there aren't really any other convenient options available.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,362
546
I have a Slingbox Solo hooked up to my Comcast DVR and it works great.
I am using that app on my ipad as well, and waiting for them to come out with a universal version that takes advantage of the higher resolution screen.
My slingbox has been rock solid. I highly recommend getting one.

Kenal0

Have they solved the sling box solo "hdmi" no picture problem. Previously you could only connect your cable/dish via component and than connect your sling solo via component also.

When I used hdmi from cable box to TV, and than piggy back sling solo to component all I get is a black screen with audio only.

This is a well known sling solo issue. I think it has to do with HDMI copy protection. And they don't want you slinging videos piggy backing to HDMI signals from your cable box.

I own two slomgboxes. The AV one works well even if not supported by the iPhone app. The sling solo works only when connected via component.

Sling is well worth the investment.
 

Shorties

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2007
582
1
Southern California
Have they solved the sling box solo "hdmi" no picture problem. Previously you could only connect your cable/dish via component and than connect your sling solo via component also.

When I used hdmi from cable box to TV, and than piggy back sling solo to component all I get is a black screen with audio only.

This is a well known sling solo issue. I think it has to do with HDMI copy protection. And they don't want you slinging videos piggy backing to HDMI signals from your cable box.

I own two slomgboxes. The AV one works well even if not supported by the iPhone app. The sling solo works only when connected via component.

Sling is well worth the investment.


That is an issue with the cable box not the solo. My TiVo works fine when it outputs HDMI and Component at the same time. (Unless your saying that the solo doesn't work when connected to HDMI, but I don't know why you would be because the Solo does not have an HDMI port).
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
understandable that we can't all do it at once since it basically takes over the box...

i'm not really seeing any downside in this, considering i'm paying for the premium package on comcast and get all the channels i might as well get my monies worth & be able to watch whenever and wherever I am

does anyone have any other experience with it? Positives/negatives?

And any benefit to going with the HD Pro if I'm only connecting 1 device & usually only streaming to my iPhone?

No benefit to getting the HD as you can't watch in HD on the iPhone. I also hope they update the app to a Universal version for use on the iPad but considering how customer friendly Sling has been :rolleyes:, I'm guessing they're creating a entirely new version specifically for the iPad so that they can rape...I mean charge us a ridiculous amount of money again. And I also suspect a new version may revert to the wifi only restrictions as a higher resolution stream would likely demand more bandwith and we all know how well AT&T is doing managing their network :rolleyes:. No facts to back it up, just my suspicions.
 

Kenal0

macrumors regular
Sep 15, 2007
161
0
I have my sling Solo hooked up via component from my Comcast DVR and the HDMI out to my tv. Both are active at the same time on my box.

Kenal0
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
Have they solved the sling box solo "hdmi" no picture problem. Previously you could only connect your cable/dish via component and than connect your sling solo via component also.

When I used hdmi from cable box to TV, and than piggy back sling solo to component all I get is a black screen with audio only.

This is a well known sling solo issue. I think it has to do with HDMI copy protection. And they don't want you slinging videos piggy backing to HDMI signals from your cable box.

I own two slomgboxes. The AV one works well even if not supported by the iPhone app. The sling solo works only when connected via component.

Sling is well worth the investment.

That is an issue with the cable box not the solo. My TiVo works fine when it outputs HDMI and Component at the same time. (Unless your saying that the solo doesn't work when connected to HDMI, but I don't know why you would be because the Solo does not have an HDMI port).

Same here...my DirecTV HD DVR is connected to my TV via HDMI and component to my Slingbox--works great.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,362
546
I have my sling Solo hooked up via component from my Comcast DVR and the HDMI out to my tv. Both are active at the same time on my box.

Kenal0

It must be my cable box/provider. I have BrightHouse Cable down in Orlando Florida area, a former subsidiary of Time Warner. It

must be their boxes. I have used 3 different boxes. And none of them allow me to use HDMI from box to tv. Of course the sling solo doesn't have HDMI. I know that. But when the HDMI cable is connected at the same time from box to TV and while on component
slingbox solo to cable box I get no TV signal, only sound.

If you google, "slingbox solo HDMI problems

It will send u to a link to the slingcommunity with this well known problem.

http://support.slingbox.com/get/KB-5000188.html
 

CrAkD

macrumors 68040
Feb 15, 2010
3,180
255
Boston, MA
as far as it working it works pretty good. however im getting a bit tired of how LONG it takes sling to release software. ipad app should have been released already. android app should have been released 6+ months ago. Now that the iphone 4 has a higher resolution screen im sure we'll be waiting for 8 months for this update as well. Plus its already been confirmed that sling is going to CHARGE for the ipad version of the app even if you already own the iphone version. so yes it works but if your waiting on software be prepared to WAIT.
 

Built

macrumors 68020
Oct 3, 2007
2,122
29
Los Angeles
Good to know. I have my Slingbox Pro hooked up to my TIVO but read some negative reviews in the App Store and didn't download it.

I'll have to reconsider.
 

Shorties

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2007
582
1
Southern California
Good to know. I have my Slingbox Pro hooked up to my TIVO but read some negative reviews in the App Store and didn't download it.

I'll have to reconsider.

The app has so much potential, and just fails in many ways, but at the same time, there is nothing else like it. So I would say its worth getting just because it does what it says it does. It just may irritate you at how much better it could be.
 
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