slingbox posts

SlingPlayer Mobile 1.1 to have 16:9 support, 3G streaming in non-U.S. markets

by Casey Johnston (RSS feed) on Aug 10th, 2009

The iTunes App Store has been more than a little embattled in the last couple of months, but at least one app developer is soldiering on: according to Engadget, the maker of Slingbox, Sling Media, has recently submitted SlingPlayer Mobile 1.1 to Apple for approval.

The most significant changes involve true 16:9 widescreen support that utilizes all 3.5 glorious inches of the iPhone or iPod touch screen, and a new browser for Dish Network users that has touch support and is native to iPhone OS, as opposed to pushing through the standard browsing screen used on TVs. There is no mention of other cable providers, so presumably they are not in on the scheme for now.

The browser announcement primarily concerns only U.S. customers, and is dwarfed by one concerning carriers that are not AT&T: the non-U.S. version of SlingPlayer Mobile 1.1 will support streaming video over a 3G connection (the current version requires a Wi-Fi connection).

Again, this is only what Slingbox has put out for approval, and the mighty mercurial temperament of Apple's app approvers still stands in the way. These are changes that Sling Media needs to happen: as of this writing, SlingPlayer Mobile 1.0 (priced at $29.99 and requiring the purchase of a Slingbox unit) is struggling a bit with customer satisfaction, and has an equal number of five star and one star reviews. Ideally, the native browser and 3G support will cross borders in both directions, which will make the application very desirable. Here's hoping Apple lets SlingPlayer take these steps.

Tags: appstore, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, slingbox, slingmedia, slingplayer, slingplayermobile, streaming

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone, App Store

AT&T responds on Google questions, throws Apple under the bus

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Aug 2nd, 2009

It's going to be interesting to watch the next few weeks as AT&T, Apple and Google respond to the FCC questions about which apps get approved for use on the iPhone.

Yesterday, AT&T responded to press questions about this by sending a P.R. email.

"AT&T does not manage or approve applications for the App Store. We have received the letter and will, of course, respond to it."

You betcha. The problem is that AT&T already publicly copped to keeping the Slingbox software off the Apple iPhone, while letting other bandwidth eaters like YouTube and MLB At Bat live video run without interference. And of course the Google Voice app and the Slingbox app are running fine on BlackBerry phones on the AT&T network. Slingbox is also running on Windows Mobile Smartphones. In conversations with one of the Slingbox developers, I was told Apple was fine with the app until AT&T got involved.

Of course, looking at the statement, it is carefully worded. AT&T does not manage or approve applications. Correct enough. In the case of the Slingbox software, they told Apple to knife it. I don't think the FCC will be amused by that particular dodge.

One wonders about the deteriorating state of friendship between Apple and AT&T. Recently, AT&T hinted that they don't expect to be the exclusive iPhone distributor forever, and Apple certainly held them up to a bit of ridicule at the June developer conference on MMS and tethering.

It must be fun on those Apple/AT&T conference calls as they prepare their responses to the FCC.

Tags: Apple, ATT, competition, FCC, Google, Google voice, iPhone, Slingbox

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

As if things aren't bad enough... AT&T terms change targets Sling

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Apr 3rd, 2009

AT&T has quietly changed their TOS (terms of service; it looks like the revision is targeted directly at the Sling software that is due out for the iPhone, and also other Sling apps that are currently running on other mobile phones on the AT&T Network.

Here's the nasty little section:

This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices and/or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices is prohibited.

They also added this language:

On the 5GB DataConnect Plan, once you exceed your 5GB allowance you will be automatically charged $0.00048 per Kb for any data used. On the 200MB Data Connect Plan, once you exceed your 200MB allowance, you will be automatically charged $10 for an additional 100MB. Unused data from either your initial allowance or any overage allowance (e.g., the 100MB) will not be carried over to the next billing period; all data allowances must be used in the billing period in which the allowance is provided. On other plans with a monthly megabyte or gigabyte allowance, once you exceed your allowance you will be automatically charged overage as specified in the applicable rate plan information.

This can't be good news for those using Sling or Orb software, or those who were expecting the iPhone app. Other carriers do have similar language, but in my old days on Verizon I was able to use the SlingPlayer software on a Windows Mobile phone without hassle or threats.

After everyone already got pretty mad at Sling for making older SlingPlayers obsolete for use with the iPhone app, AT&T can now be added to the roster of offenders.

A Sling spokesperson, Jay Tannenbaum, told me today via email: "The most cost effective way to enjoy streaming content on any phone is by taking advantage of an unlimited data plan, something that we suggest to all our users. If there is no data cap, there's no problem. That said, we try to have good relations with all the carriers and try to deliver the best quality experience within the constraints of bandwidth and technology."

This quote doesn't specifically address the TOS changes, but at least it's dialogue.

Here's a link to the new TOS from AT&T Wireless. It will be interesting to see how this all sorts itself out.

Thanks to Jason and others who pointed this out.

Tags: ATT Wireless, bandwidth, iPhone, iPod touch, sling, slingbox, streaming, television, terms of service, video

Filed under: Multimedia, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Sling rains on its own parade

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Apr 2nd, 2009

Last week we were pretty excited that the new Slingplayer app for iPhone had been submitted to Apple for approval. Now it seems, the folks at SlingMedia are determined to really get a large percentage of their customers angry about forcing them to have the latest Slingbox hardware in order to be compatible with the iPhone/ iPod touch app.

A page on the SlingMedia website suggests owners of older Sling hardware get an upgrade because the new iPhone software "and future services yet to be announced will only be supported for customers using Slingbox SOLO, Slingbox PRO and Slingbox PRO-HD products or forthcoming SlingLoaded products." That still leaves a lot of the older hardware a no-go, and that older hardware worked well with the SlingPlayer Mobile app on other cellphones, including those running on Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm and the Symbian OS.

Our sister site, Engadget, reports that they've been told that previous builds of the app worked just fine with the older hardware, so this may just be runaway greed and avarice at SlingMedia.

In my post last week I said that Sling users would be circling Apple HQ with torches and pitchforks if Apple did not approve the SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone app. Now those people might want to gather in Foster City, California to let the execs at Sling know that they don't want to be forced into an upgrade that is likely not needed.

Our thanks to various readers who sent this in.

Tags: iPhone, iPhone apps, iPod touch, Slingbox, SlingMedia

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Odds and ends, Internet, Developer

Livestation iPhone app promises live TV over wifi

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Dec 4th, 2008

We'll believe it when we see it, of course. Livestation is a service that claims to be "Slingbox without the box." Once subscribed, you can watch television streamed to your computer, via peer-to-peer, from anywhere. And now they're apparently set to announce an iPhone app that will do the same thing. Like we said, it seems like a great idea -- who wouldn't want to watch some TV while waiting for the train or sitting the doctor's office -- but investment money and promises do not a working iPhone app make.

Even the Livestation rep says it's still in development right now, and he won't give a date other than "soon." I have no doubt that we'll soon see streaming TV on the iPhone -- with the growing popularity of sites like Hulu and Netflix's own streaming video service, and a similar promise of streaming shows from i.TV, it definitely seems like that's where media is headed, even portable media. But this isn't something to hold your breath for quite yet -- I'm happy with Weatherbug's already-working video weather reports.

Tags: announcement, iphone, livestation, p2p, preview, slingbox, streaming-tv, video, wifi

Filed under: Software, Video, Internet Tools, Apple TV

SlingPlayer for Mac 1.0 with Apple TV support

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on May 1st, 2007

We've mentioned the SlingPlayer for Mac client several times since it was first publicly revealed back at Macworld and now Sling Media has officially released it after several months in beta. This version includes support for the Apple TV (as we mentioned before) and word on the web is that it is considerably more Mac-like than the early betas, supposedly sporting a revamped interface compliant with Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.

So if you've been interested in a Slingbox for "placeshifting" video content across the internet, now might be a good time to pull the trigger. SlingPlayer for Mac is a free download from Sling Media.

Thanks, Lee!

Tags: Sling Media, Slingbox, SlingMedia, SlingPlayer

Filed under: Video, Internet Tools, iPhone

Sling Media wants to stream to iPhone

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Apr 19th, 2007

We mentioned a while back that Sling Media was working hard to add support for the Apple TV to their Sling Box placeshifting device. Now the company's CEO Blake Krikorian revealed at NAB that the company is courting Apple to allow Sling to offer their client software on the iPhone. This would effectively allow iPhone users access to their entire home media collection as connected to a Slingbox. Presumably, this would have to be over WiFi since the the iPhone's EDGE connection would be too slow for video. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Apple is not commenting on this.

For my own part, I think this would be an absolutely killer feature for the iPhone, though I would not be surprised if Apple had in mind developing something in house rather than letting Sling offer their client (which already runs on Mac, PC, Windows Mobile, and Palm).

[Via MacNN]

Tags: iPhone, Sling Media, SlingBox, SlingMedia, streaming

Filed under: Multimedia, Video, Apple TV

Sling Media working on compatibility with Apple TV

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Apr 11th, 2007

Dave Zatz, an employee at Sling Media, is confirming reports that they're busily bringing compatibility with the Apple TV to their cool Slingbox placeshifting device. The Slingbox connects to your home AV sources (cablebox, Tivo, DVD player, etc.) and your router, and allows you (via the SlingPlayer client) to watch that video stream anywhere in the world over the internet. It even includes an IR blaster that lets you control your source as if you were in your living room with your standard remote (which appears on your screen, like the Apple Remote to the right). Now the Slingbox Pro will apparently connect to your Apple TV (via the component outputs) giving you access across the internets, not only to your video, but to your entire iTunes library (via audio only mode) on your Mac, PC, Palm or Windows Mobile device. Nifty!

[Via Engadget]

Tags: Apple TV, AppleTv, Sling Media, SlingBox, SlingMedia

Filed under: Hardware, Video

SlingCatcher to tread on iTV vapor trail?

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Jan 8th, 2007

In the first of what will probably be several moments of Macworld/CES friction, there are reports from Engadget, among other sources, of the latest Sling Media product: the SlingCatcher, a remote receiver for Slingbox streams that will work as a set top box for TVs. With wireless networking and an internal hard drive for storing hypothetical purchased content, this begins to sound very much like a preannounced product we've heard about.

It was too much to wish that everyone else would stay out of Apple's way while the iTV finished baking; perhaps the shadow of SlingCatcher and similar devices on the horizon caused the atypical ~~WWDC~~ "It's Showtime" preview of unreleased hardware. If you knew that the simplicity of the iPod/iTunes combo was on the way for your video streaming, would it be worth waiting for? Or would you go Sling instead?

Tags: ces, itv, macworld07, sling, slingbox, slingcatcher

Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Universal Binary

SageTV releases Placeshifter for Mac

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Dec 20th, 2006

SageTV has released their Placeshifter client for OS X. SageTV is a two piece solution for making a PC centered PVR. A Windows or Linux PC (with video capture hardware) runs the SageTV Media Center software which offers standard PVR type functions (scheduled recordings, pause live TV, etc.). The Placeshifter client allows you to access this recorded content over the internet. In this respect it's similar to Slingbox and LocationFree (both of which also have Mac clients), but instead of a hardware box at home you run a Media Center PC.

Unfortunately, the Media Center software itself is still only Windows or Linux, but they expect a Mac version early next year. Thus, while the Placeshifter client allows Mac users to access recorded content on the road, you still have to have a Windows or Linux box at home to do the actual recording.

Tags: locationfree, placeshifter, sagetv, slingbox

Filed under: Hardware, Software, Internet Tools

SlingPlayer for Mac OS X (beta) lands 10/31

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Oct 25th, 2006

We've seen screenshots, and we've even seen it in action, but now Sharon R., in her first corporate blog post for Sling Media, has laid down the law by announcing a Tuesday, October 31st release date (yea, All Hallows' Eve) of their much-anticipated SlingPlayer for Mac OS X public beta. She even went so far as to 'guarantee' it, so that's gotta be worth something. We'll see whether they get hung up by a little too much partying over the weekend soon enough. Stay tuned (hah!).

Thanks Mr. Zatz

Tags: beta, internet, mac, os x, OsX, sling, sling box, sling media, SlingBox, SlingMedia, stream, streaming, tv

Filed under: Software, Video

Screenshots of SlingPlayer for the Mac

by Scott McNulty (RSS feed) on Oct 18th, 2006

We've mentioned that Sling Media, the makers of the TV streaming Slingbox, are planning on a late October/early November release for the OS X version of SlingPlayer. SlingPlayer is the client that allows you to watch TV streamed from the SlingBox on a variety of devices (soon to include Macs running OS X).

At the moment Sling is running a Beta, and no one has been able to get good screenshots of the client. We linked to a video yesterday that showed off some of the features, but that just wasn't good enough. One of my contacts called me up and arranged for a meeting in a remote underground garage. Once there he handed me a titanium briefcase and whispered in my ear, 'They call it a beta, but it runs like production software' before he ran off. I opened the case to find a small USB thumbdrive. 'Rather dramatic,' I thought as I went home to discover what was waiting on that drive.

Read on to see the screencaps of the SlingPlayer that my source (who is shrouded in a fog of mystery so deep even I do not know what they look like) handed over to me.

Continue reading “Screenshots of SlingPlayer for the Mac”

Tags: sling media, slingbox, SlingMedia, slingplayer

Filed under: Hardware, Software, Video, Internet Tools

New Slingbox supports Mac OS X, Symbian - but where's the software?

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Sep 28th, 2006

It's time to check in again on the Slingbox's journey to Mac OS X, as Dave Zatz pinged us with some more details and a purty picture he took off one of the new Slingbox AV models at Best Buy. Turns out there are going to be three new models - Tuner, AV and Pro. Tuner ($150) goes the bare bones route for regular cable or antenna, AV ($180)can interact with a set top box, and Pro ($250) is the One to Rule Them All™ with support for multiple feeds and that hot new 'HD' thing the internets keep talking about.

The interesting thing, as you can see, is that these new models list support for Mac OS X (as well as Symbian) right on the box, but as we learned a couple weeks ago, the company is still in the middle of a private beta of their SlingPlayer software for the Mac - nothing is public yet. So for now, it sounds like they're cranking out these boxes without actually having any way for John Doe Mac user to work with them, though after an update over on Dave Zatz's original story, we might have a public beta of the software very soon.

If any of you rush out to grab one of these, feel free to let us know if there are some wires mixed here and Mac OS X software actually is shipping in the box.

Tags: box, cable, ing, mac, os x, OsX, pvr, record, set top, SetTop, slingbox, slingmedia, stream, streaming, support, tv

Filed under: Software, Video, Internet Tools

Slingbox beta client coming for Mac OS X

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Sep 15th, 2006

If you're primarily a Mac user, you probably haven't heard much about Slingbox, largely in part because it's never had a Mac OS X client. Slingbox, for those interested, is a device that attaches to your home TV/cable/DVR setup and allows you to stream your TV programming over the internet, typically to a Windows PC or even some mobile phones - but soon, a Mac as well. Blake Krikorian, Sling Media's CEO, confirmed yesterday in an interview with the The Guardian that a beta Mac client was coming "this week" for Slingbox, though since it's already Friday even in the U.S., maybe Blake includes 'the weekend' when defining 'a week'.

All joking aside, this is great news for Mac users, as the Slingbox has typically been in the ranks of those gadgets reserved for the elite Windows nerds who just gotta have their TV (don't forget, 'nerd' is technically preferred over 'geek' as a positive adjective). We'll keep you posted when an actual Slingbox client is launched.

Thanks Dave Zatz

Update: Dave Zatz just informed me that Sling Media's VP dropped him a line to say that Blake was misquoted by The Guardian. As it turns out, the private beta is live and well, but the public beta is still a month or so out.

Tags: internet, media, share, sling, sling media, slingbox, SlingMedia, stream, tv

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