January 9, 2008 People who can’t bear to leave the lounge room because it means leaving their HD entertainment behind can now venture forth thanks to Sling Media, Inc., who have announced their next generation Slingbox PRO-HD. The unit is capable of streaming HD content from a home television source, including over the air HD digital signals, HDTV cable or satellite receivers, or HD DVR’s, to a laptop or desktop computer in and around the house. When paired with Sling Media’s new SlingCatcher - a set-top box that delivers broadcast TV, Internet-based content and personal media to the TV - the Slingbox PRO-HD will also transmit the HD signal to another TV in the house. Sling Media also announced SlingStream 2.0, which allows the Slingbox PRO-HD to adaptively stream high quality television content across virtually any network connection. With SlingStream 2.0, audio/video quality is noticeably improved for remote clients operating in a low bitrate environment as well as high definition players on a home network compared to the previous version of the company’s proprietary SlingStream technology.
Sling Media has also announced SlingStream 2.0, which allows the Slingbox PRO-HD to adaptively stream high quality television content across virtually any network connection. With SlingStream 2.0, audio/video quality is noticeably improved for remote clients operating in a low bitrate environment - as well as high definition players on a home network - compared to the previous version of the company’s proprietary SlingStream technology.
Designed to meet the varied requirements of today’s multi-faceted TV-viewing households the Slingbox PRO-HD includes standard (4:3) and widescreen (16:9) video support and features multiple integrated sets of audio-video inputs and outputs (ATSC/QAM HDTV Tuner, S-video, composite video, component video and either analog or multi-channel, 5.1 surround, digital audio) and features integrated looping outputs for each input. Slingbox PRO-HD transforms PCs, laptops, Macs and a variety of smartphones (including the just announced RIM BlackBerry) into personal, portable TVs and gives consumers the freedom to view their home cable, satellite or DVR programming on a wide range of devices anywhere they can access the Internet.
In fact, for customers who have a high speed broadband connection that features upload speeds of 1.5 – 2 Mbps or higher, Slingbox PRO-HD can even stream in HD outside the home to the office, to a hotel room or even to a remote TV when using SlingCatcher. The Slingbox PRO-HD sets itself apart from the existing Slingbox family, including the Slingbox SOLO and the Slingbox PRO, as it is the first and only Slingbox product that is capable of streaming HD content. While the Slingbox PRO and Slingbox SOLO down-convert HDTV sources to EDTV resolutions, the Slingbox PRO-HD preserves the original resolution of the feed and delivers it to a HD-compatible laptop or desktop computer or secondary TV when paired with a SlingCatcher.
Sling Media are demonstrating the Slingbox PRO-HD at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and the unit will be available for purchase in Q3 2008 for a suggested retail price of USD$399.99, while the SlingCatcher is slated for Q2 2008 retail availability at a price of USD$249.99.