Slingbox Questions

WannaGetFit

Hi,
I just got 2 UPC Digital+ boxes and their 25MB Broadband.
I am thinking of getting a slingbox as I travel a bit for work.

Have tried Currys, PC World, Maplin, but none of them sell them??
Any idea why?

If I do get my hands on one.........is it something that can be connected all the time and just accessed while abroard or do I have to have it disconnected while at home watching TV and connect it when going abroad?

Dont want to have to be connecting/disconnecting cables every time I want to use it.

Is there a simliar product out there that anyone knows about?

Whats the difference between the Solo and the Pro?

Where did YOU get yours and now much?

Thanks in advance

PogMoThoin

What upload does the UPC package have? This will determine how good your slingbox will be. Do a speedtest.
http://speedtest.net/

WannaGetFit

approx 2.5mb

PogMoThoin

WannaGetFit wrote: »

approx 2.5mb

Thats very decent, didn't realise that. what speed do you actually get?

munchkin_utd

WannaGetFit wrote: »

If I do get my hands on one.........is it something that can be connected all the time and just accessed while abroard or do I have to have it disconnected while at home watching TV and connect it when going abroad?

Dont want to have to be connecting/disconnecting cables every time I want to use it.

Is there a simliar product out there that anyone knows about?

Whats the difference between the Solo and the Pro?

Where did YOU get yours and now much?

Thanks in advance

a) I got mine on amazon uk. Free delivery to Ireland.

b) its on standby the whole time, but only "broadcasts" when you are connected. Connected to a sky or upc (or freeview) box, you just connect the scart or hdmi out to the slingbox and hang the little infra red thing off the top of the box. No farting about after once its setup.

c) there are similar products but none (that I know of) as user friendly. Slingbox also has a iphone/ ipad/ android app so also a plus.

d) The slingbox pro has an internal decoder as well as external inputs. The pro and pro hd are different. Pro hd can do Irish mpeg4 digital, pro normal (the red one) cant. Neither can decode upc as its scrambled and you need the proper upc box for deciding.
Then you have the cheaper Slingbox normal which requires a feed from somewhere like a sky box. Thats all you need in combi with a upc box.

e) see a! Prices as per online!

WannaGetFit

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Thats very decent, didn't realise that. what speed do you actually get?

Just did speed test. Got 2.5MB upload, and 22MB download, and thats wirelessly!

WannaGetFit

munchkin_utd wrote: »

a) I got mine on amazon uk. Free delivery to Ireland.

b) its on standby the whole time, but only "broadcasts" when you are connected. Connected to a sky or upc (or freeview) box, you just connect the scart or hdmi out to the slingbox and hang the little infra red thing off the top of the box. No farting about after once its setup.

c) there are similar products but none (that I know of) as user friendly. Slingbox also has a iphone/ ipad/ android app so also a plus.

d) The slingbox pro has an internal decoder as well as external inputs. The pro and pro hd are different. Pro hd can do Irish mpeg4 digital, pro normal (the red one) cant. Neither can decode upc as its scrambled and you need the proper upc box for deciding.
Then you have the cheaper Slingbox normal which requires a feed from somewhere like a sky box. Thats all you need in combi with a upc box.

e) see a! Prices as per online!

Thanks for reply.

So, I have a UPC digital+box, loads of channels, 2.5MB upload speed.
What advantage would a Slingbox Pro/HD be to me? If any. Sorry, dont know what Irish mpeg digital is.

Could my family watch the TV at same time as me (same channel). Ye know, could I watch a program with my son, me being abroad, my son being at home?

munchkin_utd

WannaGetFit wrote: »

Thanks for reply.

So, I have a UPC digital+box, loads of channels, 2.5MB upload speed.
What advantage would a Slingbox Pro/HD be to me? If any. Sorry, dont know what Irish mpeg digital is.

Could my family watch the TV at same time as me (same channel). Ye know, could I watch a program with my son, me being abroad, my son being at home?

You can indeed watch the same channel as they are watching at home on the UPC box.

Theoretically you also have the option that the analogue cable feed could be viewed on the sling box pro or pro hd independently from what your family is watching. I haven't tested it on UPC as I have an aerial connected to my box instead(and crappy eircom broadband!). But it should be possible and that gives you the main Irish and British channels without conflict with the folks at home, and you still have the digibox connected for when the folks at home and yourself can agree on a channel to watch!!

WannaGetFit

well i got the slingbox solo!!!!!

after a few hours of stress trying update the software i called their support line.
got the issue sorted and now it works great.

phew........good buy so far. we'll see how it is when i go abroad.

thanks for replys all.

munchkin_utd

WannaGetFit wrote: »

well i got the slingbox solo!!!!!

after a few hours of stress trying update the software i called their support line.
got the issue sorted and now it works great.

phew........good buy so far. we'll see how it is when i go abroad.

Have you tried it over the Internet at all yet?
If it is ok to another computer in Ireland it will be ok abroad so long as your connection is reasonable.

WannaGetFit

yes, thats the only way I have tried it. don't know any other way??

munchkin_utd

WannaGetFit wrote: »

yes, thats the only way I have tried it. don't know any other way??

what i mean is, have you tried accessing it remotely from outside your home?
(As compared to accessing it directly via an ethernet cable or over your home network which you must do when setting it up. )

Some other UPC users have mentioned on boards that remote access isnt working for them.

WannaGetFit

munchkin_utd wrote: »

what i mean is, have you tried accessing it remotely from outside your home?
(As compared to accessing it directly via an ethernet cable or over your home network which you must do when setting it up. )

Some other UPC users have mentioned on boards that remote access isnt working for them.

oh right, no i haven't, must do before i go away and am disappointed!!

bucks73

I have the original Slingbox and have it connected to my Sky box via S-Video and then to the UPC router.

In the setup you have to select a router from a list but of course UPCs isnt there so you choose the "not listed" option and it wont work. Once I tried selecting a Netgear router it worked fine over the internet on both the Slingplayer program and the Firefox add-on player.

WannaGetFit

munchkin_utd wrote: »

what i mean is, have you tried accessing it remotely from outside your home?
(As compared to accessing it directly via an ethernet cable or over your home network which you must do when setting it up. )

Some other UPC users have mentioned on boards that remote access isnt working for them.

I had my cousin in the US download slingplayer and access my cable box here.
He said it was "watchable". He is a pretty picky guy so I would say it is good.

Will know for sure in 2 weeks when I go abroad.