Can Slingbox Stream Your Home TV Anywhere in the World?

[russ_watters]

Ever heard of Slingbox? http://www.slingbox.com/

Basically, you hook it up to your tv/tuner box and it streams the video on a network. With software to control the channel, this means you can watch your home tv from anywhere in the world.

For me, I see two big advantages of this:
1. I'm single and I have only 1 HDTV but I have two computers. So I can carry a laptop into rooms where I don't have a cable box and watch tv from it. No need for another cable box (they are expensive).
2. Watching tv on my phone.

Questions:
1. I'm not seeing anything about a monthly fee - am I correct in assuming there aren't any?
2. I don't see stand-alone devices to drive a tv, which would be nice to have: then I'm basically just multiplexing the tv signal for use in the house. Are there devices which can do such a thing? This would be more valuable than watching tv on my phone or PC.

 

[jtbell]

For #1, I don't think there are any fees involved, but I don't use one myself so I don't know for sure. For #2, it looks like what you want is a Slingcatcher.

 

[russ_watters]

Huh - oddly, they don't seem to have that linked from slingbox.com. Looking at retailers, it kinda looks like it might be discontinued.

 

[jtbell]

Looks like you're right. I can't find it anywhere either. I did find references to something called the Monsoon Volcano which was supposed to come out in March, but hasn't, yet. One forum has a guy who posted that he's given up waiting for the Volcano and is now trying to find a Slingcatcher. That sounds like there might not be anything else like this out there.

 

[LudusRex]

I am familiar with Slingbox and its capabilities. Slingbox is a device that allows users to stream live television content from their home cable or satellite box to their computer, smartphone, or tablet. This means that users can access their home TV from anywhere in the world, as long as they have an internet connection.

One of the major advantages of Slingbox is that it eliminates the need for multiple cable or satellite boxes in a household. As mentioned, this can save users money on additional equipment and monthly fees. Additionally, the ability to watch TV on multiple devices, such as a laptop or phone, adds convenience and flexibility for users.

In terms of your questions, Slingbox does not have a monthly fee. Users only need to purchase the device and then they can access their home TV content for free. As for stand-alone devices to drive a TV, there are other products on the market that offer similar capabilities, such as Roku or Amazon Fire TV. However, Slingbox's main focus is on streaming live TV from a user's existing cable or satellite box.

Overall, Slingbox offers a convenient and cost-effective way for users to access their home TV content anywhere in the world. Its capabilities can be especially useful for individuals or households with multiple devices and limited access to cable or satellite boxes.