The Slingbox is a device that using your cable and internet can send you your TV anywhere in the world. So after a week of living in Korea, Shannon has decided that American TV is a must for the next 3 years.
On Friday, I went to Best Buy and purchased the Slingbox.
The Slingbox hooks up to your cablebox (or your coax cable), your internet hub, and power. Then, it has a remote control signal that you attach to the cable box so you can control your cable remotely.
The Slingbox Pro (which does HDTV) is about $300. A one-time payment, no subscription fee needed.
Now with the Slingbox, you can watch your TV on your computer or phone… anywhere you can log into the internet in other words. I don’t know if you can watch it via your Playstation 3 or Xbox yet. We’ll try it and report back when our gaming systems get to Korea. If you want Slingbox to run on your remote TV, you either need to hook up your computer to your TV, or buy a SlingCatcher. A SlingCatcher will run you another $300 approximately.
We plan on hooking up one of our desktops to the TV and stream it there. (Like old-school netflix)
We plan on hooking up one of our desktops to the TV and stream it there. (Like old-school netflix)
To initially set up the program, you need to have a computer in your house hooked up to your network and download the software from the Slingbox site. After that initial setup you can log into your account from any computer and watch your TV. When you log-in there’s a virtual remote you use to change channels, etc.
Here’s a photo of the Slingbox in use (Slingbox on the right. Wireless router to the left):
Here’s a photo of the remote system attached to the cablebox:
Hooray! We’ll get to watch Seinfeld and all the other rerun sitcoms that we’re addicted to. Now, it’s too bad we don’t have a DVR….
I wonder IF DVR would work. It maybe worth the extra money. You'll have to decide when you get here.
ReplyDeleteI think it is VERY important to have a piece of home like this with you when you're abroad for a long time. Yes other countries have good TV too and even though we didn't watch a WHOLE lot back in Pittsburgh, every little thing you can do to make it feel like you're home helps. The only disadvantage so far is the time difference, not much on at 5AM EST. SO yeah that's where DVR might come in.
Ordered DVR today. :D
ReplyDeleteSlingbox Pro DOES work with DVR.
Does this still work? We're in the process of moving to Seoul, and having US channels (ie. non-AFN) is a must for my wife. Not sure if firewalls block access now. Thanks.
ReplyDelete