My Digital Life

One side benefit from SlingPlayer and Directv; access to some Sirius channels

I am still waiting for the official Sirius iPhone application; rumors pop up every couple of weeks but nothing yet. I guess I could purchase Pocket Tunes Radio which supports Sirius/XM streaming but before plunking down $9.99 I would like to see what Sirius comes up with.

In the meantime I did stumble across a benefit of having Directv and a SlingBox; the ability to stream the Sirius channels available on Directv using SlingPlayer.

The Audio Only option allows you to save bandwidth and batter.

Even in the Audio Only mode, SlingPlayer is still stymied from AT&T's barring 3G support. Argh!!!!

iPhone - Sling Media SlingPlayer Mobile

One of the top 5 gadgets I use is a Sling Media Slingbox Pro. I can stream content from my Directv DVR from just about anywhere in the world. I have been using SlingPlayer Mobile for quite some time now on Windows Mobile and I have been patiently waiting for the iPhone version which has been in development since last year's announcement of the iPhone SDK. The wait is coming to an end, Sling Media has officially announced that they will be submitting the SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone to the App Store in March. This will a great addition to my iPhone...Here is Macworld 09 demo by theiPhoneBlog team.

The official Sling Media iPhone page also has some interesting information. You can sign up for an email alert to notify you when the SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone is available in the App Store. I think this is going to be big and bring a whole new set of customers to Sling Media.

Windows Mobile - SlingPlayer Mobile updated and it is worth downloading...

Per the Sling Media press release:  

 

"Sling Media, Inc., just released a new version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile. The new version of SlingPlayer Mobile provides support for 15 new Windows Mobile handsets including the Sony Ericsson X1, the Palm Treo Pro and the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro among others.  

   

SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile  

The following is a list of newly supported Windows Mobile handsets now supported in this SlingPlayer Mobile release. For more information on these and other supported devices, go to http://www.slingmedia.com/go/pocket-pc  

   

o   Sprint Treo 800w  

o   Sony Ericsson X1  

o   Palm Treo Pro  

o   Sprint HTC Touch Diamond  

o   Sprint HTC Touch Pro  

o   Verizon HTC Touch Pro  

o   Verizon Samsung Saga  

o   Verizon Samsung Omnia  

o   AT&T LG Incite  

o   AT&T HTC Fuze  

o   AT&T Samsung Epix  

o   HP iPAQ 910  

o   AT&T Pantech Duo  

o   Sprint Samsung ACE  

o   Verizon XV6900  

   

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via a PC, Mac or Windows Mobile-based device anywhere you can get a standard network connection (3G Cellular or WiFi). In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road." 

 

I just tried it on my Verizon Samsung i760 Windows Mobile 6.1 device and I have to say this is the best SlingPlayer Mobile to date. On Verizon's EVDO network the landscape full screen mode the video was excellent with very little pixelation and no lag time. Maybe some day soon we will see the iPhone version... 

Ramblings for the week of May 5th in My Digital Life

Unless you were living under a rock this weekend, the big technology news was that Microsoft bailed on the Yahoo acquisition. On its face value, I agree with the decision, I was never convinced that Microsoft could properly execute the merger. However, what I have found very interesting is the competition between the blogosphere and the traditional media in coming up with theories good or bad. Techmeme's front page is filled with links from both spheres. The one I found the most interesting (and it has nothing to do with my fascination with Apple...) was the post by fake Steve with the crank shot of Dr Evil (Ballmer) and Mini me (Gates). As the hard charging winner take all executive he is, I always think Ballmer has something up his sleeve and maybe he is gambling on Yahoo falling flat on its face, then picking up the pieces for next to nothing. We will just have to wait and see. In the end the  unfortunate issue in this story, is that Wall Street will decide Yahoo's fate rather than Yahoo, and we all know how fickle Wall Street can be...

I never got to put my 8GB micro SDHC card through it paces last week, by transferring my still pictures from my Sony camcorder. I found that my AT&T Tilt is very fickle when it comes to charging. In addition to the HTC charger, I have an iGo Juice and a Gomadic dual charger. Both of these allow me to charge multiple and different devices by changing the adapter plugs. Last month I had an issue with the iGo and the Tilt, the mini USB adapter I had used with the T-Mobile MDA and Wing did not work so I ordered one specific for the Tilt. This trip I took the Gomadic dual charger, (it does not charge laptops and is smaller), and the same is true, none  of the three adapters tips I had worked, at the end of the first day of travel the Tilt was dead. Good thing I took along my iPhone and Samsung i760. Unfortunately, the iPhone is not compatible with the Delkin USB Bridge and to my disappointment the i760 does not recognize the 8GB micro SDHC card. My planned experimentation was a bust...I was glad for GSM's SIM card technology so I could easily swap it into the iPhone, not true for Verizon's CDMA technology. If the i760 was my primary driver I would have been dead in the water since you can't easily swap phones...although EVDO worked great for watching Directv via my Slingbox.

As I was rushing out the door last Tuesday, Sling Media decided to announce they had released an update to the SlingPlayer mobile for Windows Mobile and I neglected to modify the formatting used by pocketnow.com (bbphp) and my blog (HTML). All fixed now...

This week:

• Finnish and publish my review of SBSH Mobile Software Facade application for pocketnow.com. This is a smartphone (Windows Mobile Standard) today screen replacement.

Sling Media updates SlingPlayer Mobile

Sling Media has just released updates to SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile Professional and Standard.

The SlingPlayer Mobile version 1.6.0.100 for Windows Mobile Professional includes the following changes:

• UI added to change the AV offset value and toggle 'Use GDI only' in Advanced options screen
• Samsung i760 fix for garbled video issues when switching to landscape mode
• Mogul and Touch interim fix for AV sync and video stuttering issues

Added support for:

• SATELLITE | PVR – Star Choice - DSR505 | DSR207 | DSR317 | DSR/DVR530
• for SATELLITE - SAGEM - ITSD81 HD
• CABLEBOX- SAGEM - ICD 81 HD
• SATELLITE - SAGEM - ITSD83 250 HD
• CABLEBOX- SAGEM - ITCD 83 250 HD
• SATELLITE - Echostar/DISH/Expressvu - Homezone 622HZ HD DVR
• SATELLITE | PVR - Echostar Europe - DVR-747

A video of before and after with the Samsung i760 on Verizon Wireless EVDO Broadband network.

The SlingPlayer Mobile version 1.6.0.49 for Windows Mobile Standard includes the following changes:

• Admin password now masked in conflict manager
• Function key disabled while streaming (e.g. Alt+G goes to channel 6 instead of Guide)
• Enhanced streaming quality on Motorola Q9h with SlingStream enabled
• Function keys workaround on Motorola Q9h: Press and hold the phonebook key to disable the number keys, then press the letter shortcut keys.

Added support for:

• SATELLITE | PVR – Star Choice - DSR505 | DSR207 | DSR317 | DSR/DVR530
• SATELLITE - SAGEM - ITSD81 HD
• CABLEBOX- SAGEM - ICD 81 HD
• SATELLITE - SAGEM - ITSD83 250 HD
• CABLEBOX- SAGEM - ITCD 83 250 HD
• SATELLITE - Echostar/DISH/Expressvu - Homezone 622HZ HD DVR
• SATELLITE | PVR - Echostar Europe - DVR-747
• CABLEBOX | SATELLITE – WorldTV - SE-830
• Miscellaneous – Lorex - SHS-4QM2
• CABLEBOX - Time Warner - UR4-P360 - Version 1.1
• CABLEBOX | PVR - Motorola - QIP2500 | QIP2708 (DVR) | QIP6200 | QIP6416 (DVR)
• Matsui - DVDP - DVD229 DVD player
• SATELLITE | PVR - Motorola - DSR505 | DSR207 | DSR317 | DSR/DVR530
• CABLEBOX - Kansalaisboksi - Conax | Combo Conax | Kaapeli Conax 2.0
• PVR - ProCaster - PVR-62X0
• PVR – ProCaster - PVR-6100
• PVR - Sony - RDR-HXD870 – V1128
• SATELLITE – DirecTV – HR21
• SATELLITE - EchoSphere | Echostar/DISH/Expressvu - TR-40 | TR-50
• CABLEBOX - Comcast – DRC800
• CABLEBOX - RCN - RC-U63CDR
• PVR - TiVo Humax - DRT400 | DRT800
• SATELLITE - Echostar/DISH/Expressvu - Dish Broadcast Address

Updated 5/5/08 to fix formatting.

The week of December 17th in My Digital Life

I installed the latest release of Acronis True Image Home 11 last week (build 8053), unfortunately it did not solve my problem running separate tasks for full and incremental backups, I mentioned last week, where the incremental tasks claims to run out of disk space after the full task has been run.

I missed Directv's latest beta build this weekend for my HR20-700 and now I can't access some of my HD channels (error 721). This is really weird, however the build I am running (Ox1D9) provides much better fast forward/reverse functionality and the audio dropouts are now almost non existent. There is still some lip syncing issues, mostly on local broadcasts. They are bearable...

Via Jason Langridge's blog, SlingMedia has posted an employee/affiliate special deal until 12/31/2007. They are selling the Slingbox Solo for $159.99 ($20 off) and are including a copy of the SlingPlayer mobile software ($29.99) for a total savings of $49.99.  This deal seems to be open to all US residents by going to this link.

I should be receiving an AT&T Tilt (HTC TyTNII) this week (courtesy of pocketnow.com). I am excited to see what it can do, given the mixed reviews out there.

This week: 

• Post my final video review of the tabletkiosk Sahara Slate PC i440D is continuing on pocketnow.com.

The week of December 10th in My Digital Life

I upgraded to Acronis True Image Backup version 11 a while back and I have been having a nagging problem. I run a full backup once a week and an incremental backup every night. The incremental backups error off displaying an out of disk space messages (there is plenty of disk space left). When I delete the full backup and let the incremental backup automatically create a  full backup the daily incremental backups work fine. I tried to set the weekly full to incremental but that did not work. It seems that having two different tasks is the issue. I will need to post a support issue.

Last week I blogged about my audio and video dropout problems on local channels with the Directv HR20-700 national firmware release version 0x1BE (link). The beta version 0x1D4 released on November 30th was a little better. Last Friday Directv released another beta version, 0x1D9. That seems better as well, but I have not used it enough to determine how much better. As long as you are willing to take a little risk (you can always revert back to the national release), this is a great way to get fixes and is a great way to for Directv to see if their fixes address user issues. As always you should never call Directv support to report beta problems (use dbstalk forum), but as always some individuals feel empowered to do so. That really irks me because a couple of individuals could muck up the whole process for the rest of us. I just don't get it these folks (my rant for the day)...

I found a workaround last week for the SlingPlayer Mobile full screen issue on the Verizon Samsung SCH-i760 (link). In full screen mode, you tap on the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This brings up the status bar and clears up the video. This is not a perfect fix since the status bar remains, but you can view video in landscape mode. If you have this issue make sure you contact Sling Media support. The more individuals with the problems will make this issue a higher priority.

This week: 

• My video review of the tabletkiosk Sahara Slate PC i440D is continuing on pocketnow.com.

Slingmedia sold to EchoStar Communications

Just last weekend, when I was using my Slingbox to view the Washington Redskins games off of my Directv HR20 DVR while I was in South Carolina, I was thinking how great it would be to have the Slingbox integrated into the DVR. This would eliminate the Digital to Analog and Analog to Digital conversions that occur going from the DVR to the Slingbox to IP streaming. The integration of Slingbox with the DVR would produce a better quality stream and help eliminate the remote control lag.

I guess I was not the only one thinking of this. EchoStar Communications, the owners of the Dish network, announced yesterday  (Sling Media press release) that it had purchased Sling Media for $380 million. This opens up a new front for the satellite TV service provider against Directv and the cable companies. EchoStar Communications is also investigating splitting up the company in two; a satellite television service unit (Dish Network) and a product/technology unit which would include Sling Media.

The week of September 24th in My Digital Life

I am returning from South Carolina today and was very happy to have access to my Slingbox to watch the Washington Redskins yesterday afternoon (unfortunately they lost). I was  able to connect my laptop to a 27" Samsung LCD TV. The quality was as good as standard definition television, although SlingPlayer had some rendering issues during fast play action. The action was viewable but a bit out of focus. I am sure having my Verizon FIOS 2Mbps upload at home, helped. The bottleneck was probably the DSL connection my PC was attached to.

I used my iPhone quite a bit over the last week. It touch screen is addictive and fun to use. Apple has a ways to go to provide more functionality and applications, but they have a great start. My biggest complaint (other than the lack of Exchange ActiveSync) is the Bluetooth stack (funny ,early Windows Mobile stack were lacking as well). Apple really needs to provide the  A2DP profile for stereo headphones, they also need to provide a filtering mechanism for transferring contacts to an in car Bluetooth phone adapter, as well as caller id and signal data. With the upcoming release of the iPod Touch on the 28th, it will be interesting to see what updates are provided to the iPhone.

My review of Ilium ListPro 5.0 has been published on pocketnow.com here.

This week:

• Finnish my review of the Etymotic ety8 Bluetooth headphones.
• Continue my comparison of Windows Live Search and Google Maps for Windows Mobile.

Posted via Verizon's EVDO Broadband network

New Slingbox is spotted on the FCC web site

The Sling community web site spotted the FCC approval of a new Slingbox (link). It looks like it could be a replacement for the Slingbox A/V with the addition of component inputs.

Sling Media has also officially announced the beta of SlingPlayer for Symbian devices. If you have a Symbian device (S60) and live in the US, you can apply for the beta here.