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.
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