Hadn't really paid attention to the Sling Catcher. Wish they had included wireless capability as it would be perfect for putting a TV in a room without easy wiring. Don't feel like messing with a wireless bridge right now, but will definitely keep my eyes peeled.

I never found wireless to be reliable enough for a steady Slingstream. Which would explain why Sling opted for Powerline instead of wireless. Even Wireless-N is not reliable enough to keep a sling signal going for hours.

I just want to add though that if you have a decent HDTV and you hook up your computer (VGA/DVI/HDMI) you will get a rather good picture assuming you correct the resolution. My guess is that you computer will be able to output in 1080p (1920x1080). The picture from the sling box will look decent assuming you get about 1.5mbps connection from the home box though you will have to be seated appropriately. ie If you have a 50 inch TV you can't sit right under it like you would your computer screen.

It would save you a lot of money probably if you only need the Sling Catcher a few times.

Here is what I am thinking, and several of the immediately preceding posts have been very helpful, thank you.

I would have to use a wireless bridge for the main TV given the config of my apartment. I could go direct to the one in my office. Scott says wireless is not ideal for a good stream over a longer period and that pretty much defines my usage. So wireless is getting a frown from me.

The Sling Community pretty well rakes the Catcher over the coals on a variety of points. Yet the posts remain positive on many issues as well. It sees that many early adopters are thinking that while it is good now it will be great in the next iteration.

As I will initially want to test the Slingbox on any TV due to my having used it solely on my monitor to date, after careful consideration a smallish flatscreen to sit astride my desk and be ported to from my PC will be a good way to get my feet wet with Slinging via to a TV remotely.

Any thought on the best size TV for a person sitting only a few feet from the TV given what the resolution may be from the Sling to the TV. Have not seen it myself so cannot judge effectively.

Thanks for all the advice gang, keep it coming.

Mike

In that case you just need a dual band Wireless Game adapter and a dual band Wireless N router and run them in the 5Ghz band. I use the Linksys WGA600N and WRT600 and reguarly get actual throughput of 45-65 Mbps symmetrical throughput from my PC behind the switch behind the Game Adapter.

Now it helps that I have a DS3 shared by about 10 people as my internet connection, but I have never had any problem running my slingbox PRO-HD at full 1080i over Wireless N

And that is why we have VPNs

I have the dream setup for Slingbox and VPN at home -- the new Slingbox Pro HD, a hardwired connection to my VPN router -- all set up in anticipation of the trip to China on which I'm presently on. It worked when I tested it from work. It worked in the airport lounge. And as soon as I got to Beijing . . .

either my VPN router or aDSL modem crashed and I can't make contact with my system, much less my Slingbox.

The speed isn't the problem, my experience is that wireless just isn't stable enough for a continued long stream of Sling.

Surely it depends what else is going on on your network?

I use an Airport Express (new n standard) as a network extender plugged into my Slingbox and I watch it regularly for 1 or 2 hours both on LAN and remotely and have done for a while. Previously I used a cable to connect it to my router.

I honestly notice no real difference between the wireless and the cable, the real benefit from a remote perspective came when my provider increased my upstream speed.

Whilst I'm not saying it never hangs or slows, it doesn't do it enough to affect by viewing nor does it do it perceptively more than when it was cabled.

YMMV I guess.

so, I have found that with the SLINGBOX, the best thing is homeplug solutions to get to a remote router. I use the netgear HD modules, and have EASILLY enough BW on this homeplug lan to get 75mb (and streams on the ProHD come out at about 8000kps)

I have three slingboxes, and then ALL play nice to a single point of contact at the router.

For the slingcatcher, it works GREAT to access any of these local slingboxes (or remotely of course) on the LAN I get about 7MB streams from the ProHD (although, it isn't HD yet - that will be coming) the image quality is very good indeed. Remotly, I get only 700kps or so with DSL and that too is just fine. Although at that speed, I don't really like hooking up the catcher to a 50" plasma (I have that and a 58" at home and it looks fine)

Now, as for what the slingcatcher DOES and DOESN'T do relative to peoples needs/wants/expectations.

It does slingbox streaming ont the LAN and WAN quite well. the whole point of the SC it to get rid of the PC and allow a set top box to be connected to a TV for Video and Audio (I always hated to have to get audio out of the PC and to a TV in a hotel room) and the of course one had to getup to controll the PC all the time, FF etc. That was a pain.

With the SC and the included remote, you just connect IT to the TV and you're done. Of course you need internet and there are many discussions about how best to do that.

Yes, it doesn't have WIFI. and I think that reasoning is sound. Too much to build into the SW, HW costs and a multitude of configurations needed and then it still might not work like in a hotel with paid WIFI. so, let the buyer figure out what works best.

The features like Clip&sling are NOT out yet. This will be coming, and sling.com is going live in a week or so. It rocks, and there are really neat features there that all slingbox owners are going to really enjoy.

The media streaming featurs of the slingcatcher are IMHO still limited. It is GREAT for playing DVD rips and some media files, but the number of formats supported is limited.

The slingprojector software needs more work, but again this is an ADDITIONAL functionality of the SC above and beyond what I think the core feature is.

So, many people will complain about the ADDITIONAL features that are somewhat weak and still being developed, but I look at it as doing one thing quite well. Allowing me to connect IT and ONLY IT to a TV either in the HOME or REMOTE and see all my SLINGBOX content, with a remote control and that is all I really need it to do.

could it be 199$ for that, probably. give it a month :-0

I just set up my Slingbox Solo and Sling Link Turbo in my home.
Its up and running perfectly in my home using my old Linksys G router.
Im curious what I should expect when I try to use it from remote locations...I will be travelling to Cali and Germany over the next few months.
I'm in the market for a new router and I'm curious what I should be looking for based on my future Slingbox use.

There was alot of info in this thread that went over my head, so I apologize if Im asking something that's already been answered.

(fyi...my home set up is a new Macbook, a 5 yr old Toshiba laptop, and a PC...I've heard that some of the new routers may not work well with my old Toshiba...I use Cablevision for my connection)

slingbox performance on the WAN, so outside the home and local area network LAN is really most impacted by outbound internet speed streaming capability. Have you run the test at speakeasy.net/speedtest ? Your OUTBOUND speed will tell you what you will get on the WAN.

With a decent 250-300kps stream, you'll get a pretty decent stream anywhere. With a nice 450-650kps stream, you'll get a nice step up in quality, actually more than quite decent.

With 700kps+ you can get HD quality streaming, but would need an HD box for that.

I will look into the speedtest tonight when Im on my home machine^
I'm fairly computer literate, but alot of you seem alot more tech savy then I am,lol. I appreciatte the feedback.^
Any advice on current routers I should be looking at? Linksys? N or G?

pesonally, if you are looking at getting a new router, I would try to get one that will allow you to use some of the open source firmware, like DD-WT or tomato software. these are very good at allowing one to setup QOS for the router outbound and inbound traffic, which is very good and necessary doing things like prioritizing VOIP streaming, media streaming from the LAN to the WAN, etc.

Linksys and netgear made routers that allow this. as does buffalo, but I think the first two are better.

Most of these are only G and B rated, you could try and find an N rated one, but personally I don't find an deficiency using G rated routers on the LAN still. Most of my large file transfers are done over a GIGE ethernet link.

700kbs is hardly HD, its a decent picture though not nearly as crisp as anything I would call high-def. Anything below 300 is hard to really watch in my experience.