2015: Is slingbox still a viable option?

[Manramsclan]

The way technology moves these days, not to mention the fact that slingbox last appeared in this forum in 2013, I'm not sure if slingbox is still a relevant technology. 
 
I'm looking for something to put in my father-in-law's house so that we can watch baseball in our house without getting cable. 
 
Do people still use this? Does it still work?
 

 

[Just a bit outside]

I have it hooked up in my mom's house and it works for me.

 

[johnmd20]

I use one and it works pretty nicely when I need it. It is definitely still a thing.

 

[teddykgb]

I use mine when i'm out and about and need to watch sports.  I don't know about the business model of not forcing a subscription but I thank God that they don't -- i'd probably have cancelled it years ago but since it costs me nothing I keep it plugged in and use it once or twice a month.
 
When i set it up for my brother in law out of town he had a lot more problems with its reliability.  My model is relatively old and the IR Blasters really sucked at getting the TV turned on, but I think they've licked this in the latest models.

 

[Nick Kaufman]

So hold on. The TV needs to be on, in order for this to work? It can't just get the signal from the cable box?

 

[teddykgb]

No, it gets the signal from the box.  But my Fios box would need to be turned on (press menu to watch tv) and the blaster wasn't reliable at the time.  But the TV itself can remain off, in fact you don't even need it to be connected to a TV.

 

[soxhop411]

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[Harry Hooper]

For reliability's sake, I have mine hooked up to a timer that power cycles the Slingbox once a day. The device can get a little "lost" if you don't reset it periodically.

 

[johnmd20]

The slingbox can turn your box on and off while you're on the road, by the way via the onscreen remote.(this works on the iPad and on a computer, not sure about the phone but I assume it does) So it doesn't matter if the box is off when you want to use the Slingbox.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I know you can watch using slingbox on a computer, but can you watch it on a second tv?  What device do you need to attach to the second tv?

 

[johnmd20]

I know you can watch using slingbox on a computer, but can you watch it on a second tv?  What device do you need to attach to the second tv?

 
There is a Roku app that works through your phone. I tried to use it a few years ago and it wasn't great. But I think the Roku app now doesn't need to go through the phone. I haven't tried that, yet, so I'm not sure. But you could hook a computer or an iPad to a TV via an HDMI. I'm sure that would work. 

 

[derekson]

You could probably also use an iPhone or iPad and use AirPlay via an Apple TV. Haven't tried it but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Harry Hooper]

I know you can watch using slingbox on a computer, but can you watch it on a second tv?  What device do you need to attach to the second tv?

 
Boxee, Roku, WD TV, and other similar devices can be used, see here.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Excellent -- thanks very much.  Seems like a pretty good option to watch tv at work!

 

[Harry Hooper]

Woot.com is selling refurb Slingbox 350 and 500 models.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Best Buy has new Slingbox 350's for $85.
 
TigerDirect has new Slingbox M1's for $120.

 

[ElcaballitoMVP]

Thanks for the link HH. Just bought the M1. 

Hopefully this thing works from MA to CA. 

 

[Scoops Bolling]

Thanks for the link HH. Just bought the M1. 
Hopefully this thing works from MA to CA. 

Distance is not an issue. I've used on in MA everywhere from Key West to Budapest.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Thanks for the link HH. Just bought the M1. 
Hopefully this thing works from MA to CA. 

 
 
Hope you used your $10 off $100 purchase coupon.

 

[ElcaballitoMVP]

Haven't given it a full run yet, but I'm hooked up and can watch tv in CA on a cable box in MA. I've only watched on my computer so far, so not sure how the resolution will look like on my tv, but so far so good. 

 

[Harry Hooper]

TigerDirect's Deal of the Day is a Slingbox 500 Player AND a Google Chromecast bundle for $250. Don't forget your $10 off coupon (see above).

 

[bakahump]

SOooo....
 
If I had a Slingbox (say the 500).  Set up at my house that had sox games.
And I had a Google Chromcast plugged into a TV at my camp.
And I had my Tablet with me with Slingplayer installed
....
 
I could watch Baseball on the TV at my Camp via the Slingplayer on my Tablet, which was going to the slingbox at my home?
 
(Or yea...I could just get cable at the camp...)
 
One other question....
 
Could I watch the game at the camp.....while my brother used the same Slingbox to watch Sox games in California?  IOW can two people access the feed from the same Slingbox at once?

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
Could I watch the game at the camp.....while my brother used the same Slingbox to watch Sox games in California?  IOW can two people access the feed from the same Slingbox at once?

 
Slingbox is specifically designed not to do this, so you'd have to embark on a more involved install. One possibility could be to split the video signal from the cable box to two separate Slingbox devices. Slingbox A would be the master and actually control the cable box. Slingbox B would just be a slave and be available to re-transmit whatever signal the cable box is feeding it. So your brother remotely logs in to Slingbox B's signal while you remotely log in to Slingbox A's signal. The upstream bandwidth available in the house where the Slingboxes reside would be key to making this work.
 
Slingbox B probably needs to only be one of the older models. Refurbs are available for under $80.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Sears is selling apparently new (not refurb) M1's for $69.99 and 500's for $139.99. I think I'd want that confirmed before ordering.
 
M1_LINK
 
500_LINK