Hands-on with the SlingCatcher
We knew the general details of the SlingCatcher based on Sling Media's announcements earlier this week, but this morning we were able to get some hands-on quality time with a working prototype of the device. It delivers two main functions: SlingPlayer for TV and SlingProjector.SlingPlayer for TV is exactly that: it lets you watch the same placeshifted video you can tap into with the software SlingPlayers, but on the expanse of a big-screen TV.So, if you want to watch any programs you recorded on the living room DVR (which would be attached to the Slingbox transmitter), you can stream them to the bedroom TV (connected to the SlingCatcher).On an average home network, the SlingCatcher should be able to deliver full-screen, 30 frame-per-second video at excellent quality.And while the demo unit wasn't nearly a final product, video quality was indeed solid and eminently watchable--more or less on a par with the quality you'd get from an analog cable TV channel.There's no reason the SlingCatcher can't work outside the home either--to stream your home cable or satellite box to your vacation home or hotel room, for instance--but bandwidth limitations will mean degraded picture quality.Like the software SlingPlayers, the SlingCatcher will let you have complete control over the remote device as well:it will be shipped with its own remote control that will be able to be mapped to the key functions of various source devices, such as DVRs, cable and satellite boxes, and DVD players. In the meantime, Sling was using a generic universal remote for the demo, and we were able to flip channels without a problem, though--as with all streaming devices--there is a delay because of the encoding buffer.One other note of interest: the SlingCatcher should work with all Slingbox models, including the original Slingbox Classic.SlingProjector mirrors anything on your PC to your TV screenCNETThe second big feature of the SlingCatcher doesn't even require a Slingbox source.SlingProjector is software you run on your computer that lets you mirror anything and everything on the PC screen to your TV.Because it works independently of file formats and codecs, there shouldn't be any annoying caveats and limitations for media types--if you can see and hear it on the computer, you can see and hear it on the TV.We were able to watch a few YouTube clips and watch a PowerPoint presentation, but there's no reason you couldn't "project" an iTunes playlist, a Flickr slideshow, or any other multimedia content, from a 30-second clip to a full-length movie.The caveats: the SlingProjector software is a one-way "push" from the PC, so you can't select files or access the PC-based media from the SlingCatcher--you need to do it from the computer.Also, you get exactly what's on the PC screen--including IM and e-mail pop-ups and the like.(SlingProjector was running on a Windows PC, but a Mac version is on the horizon as well.)The SlingCatcher packs in every possible A/V outputCNETThe SlingCatcher hardware packs a lot of features into its tiny frame.It's small enough to be mounted behind a flat-panel TV, but it offers the entire range of A/V outputs: composite, S-Video, component, and HDMI, along with analog stereo and digital coaxial outs. Sling recommends using the wired Ethernet connection for best results, but the Catcher will also be the first of the company's products to employ Wi-Fi networking as well.Rounding out the back panel are two USB ports.To that end, company reps showcased a hard drive module that snaps on to the SlingCatcher, but they remained vague as to what sort of functionality it would add--though it's a safe bet that some sort of local media storage is in the cards.All in all, SlingCatcher and its two headline features--SlingPlayer for TV and SlingProjector--look to further expand the Sling experience.The company continues to be the couch potato's best friend, letting you watch your home TV virtually anywhere and anytime, and with SlingProjector, it's letting users go beyond the TV to the wider world of digital media. We'll have a more thorough hands-on review of the SlingCatcher as soon as it becomes available later in 2007.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
The 404 591- Where we ice you bro (podcast)
The 404 591: Where we ice you bro (podcast)
Wilson's knee deep in his extended vacation, so Jeff and I set out to find a suitable host to fill his empty seat and actually get an upgrade in Peter Ha, an editor at Techland and Time Magazine.He joins us on today's episode of The 404 Podcast to preview Killzone 3 in 3D and chat about the official Quit Facebook Day, emotional college students, Internet bullying, and a new drinking game that takes shotgunning to a professional level.Sony recently announced plans to integrate stereoscopic 3D gameplay into all PlayStation 3s, and Peter tells us about his experience with Killzone 3, the first big franchise to use the technology. The third iteration of the acclaimed first-person shooter takes the action into the sky with jetpacks that add a creative element of in-flight combat previously unseen in the series.Sony hasn't announced the release date for Killzone 3 yet, but look for Peter on a future episode of PreGame for more in-depth news and reviews.The latest trend in public inebriation is a new drinking game called "icing," and like most of their kind, this game's rules are so simple that even a drunk can process them. It goes like this: if you're presented with a Smirnoff Ice, you must immediately drop to one knee and chug it no matter where you are, who you're with, or what business casual clothing you might be wearing.Icing rule No. 1: All players must remove shirts prior to the game....tank tops optional.http://brosicingbros.comIf icing sounds like a drinking game you've already played, you're either a full-blown alcoholic or you went to a college in the South because that's apparently where the trouble began. More frighteningly, the game is quickly making moves to tech companies in other locales including Yelp in San Francisco and IAC's College Humor, where players are even using ninja blitz tactics and "ice blocks" to punish attempted icings in the office.No one's sure why Smirnoff Ice is the preferred beverage currently used in the game, but icing historians do recall epic failures in early attempts at Hypnotiqing and EggNogging.Finally, we invite you to join your fellow Facebookers on May 31 for the official Quit Facebook Day. According to the Web site, the mass exodus is a protest of Facebook's lack of respect for your data, even after Zuckerberg's privacy reset, and they even offer social-networking alternatives like Twitter and Akoha for those who just can't shut up.What about you; are you in or out? Let us know your thoughts on this story or anything else! Leave us a voicemail at 1-866-404-CNET or send an e-mail to the404atcnetdotcom! We'll be back Tuesday with a brand new episode. Have a great Memorial Day everyone!EPISODE 591PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Wilson's knee deep in his extended vacation, so Jeff and I set out to find a suitable host to fill his empty seat and actually get an upgrade in Peter Ha, an editor at Techland and Time Magazine.He joins us on today's episode of The 404 Podcast to preview Killzone 3 in 3D and chat about the official Quit Facebook Day, emotional college students, Internet bullying, and a new drinking game that takes shotgunning to a professional level.Sony recently announced plans to integrate stereoscopic 3D gameplay into all PlayStation 3s, and Peter tells us about his experience with Killzone 3, the first big franchise to use the technology. The third iteration of the acclaimed first-person shooter takes the action into the sky with jetpacks that add a creative element of in-flight combat previously unseen in the series.Sony hasn't announced the release date for Killzone 3 yet, but look for Peter on a future episode of PreGame for more in-depth news and reviews.The latest trend in public inebriation is a new drinking game called "icing," and like most of their kind, this game's rules are so simple that even a drunk can process them. It goes like this: if you're presented with a Smirnoff Ice, you must immediately drop to one knee and chug it no matter where you are, who you're with, or what business casual clothing you might be wearing.Icing rule No. 1: All players must remove shirts prior to the game....tank tops optional.http://brosicingbros.comIf icing sounds like a drinking game you've already played, you're either a full-blown alcoholic or you went to a college in the South because that's apparently where the trouble began. More frighteningly, the game is quickly making moves to tech companies in other locales including Yelp in San Francisco and IAC's College Humor, where players are even using ninja blitz tactics and "ice blocks" to punish attempted icings in the office.No one's sure why Smirnoff Ice is the preferred beverage currently used in the game, but icing historians do recall epic failures in early attempts at Hypnotiqing and EggNogging.Finally, we invite you to join your fellow Facebookers on May 31 for the official Quit Facebook Day. According to the Web site, the mass exodus is a protest of Facebook's lack of respect for your data, even after Zuckerberg's privacy reset, and they even offer social-networking alternatives like Twitter and Akoha for those who just can't shut up.What about you; are you in or out? Let us know your thoughts on this story or anything else! Leave us a voicemail at 1-866-404-CNET or send an e-mail to the404atcnetdotcom! We'll be back Tuesday with a brand new episode. Have a great Memorial Day everyone!EPISODE 591PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
How I became a walking hot spot
How I became a walking hot spot
One of the gadgets I am road-testing is a 32GB iPod Touch, a device that, if it has access to a Wi-Fi connection, can do much of what the iPhone can do. But on a walk around a town you don't know, it's hard to count on finding such a connection, especially these days when most people password-protect their Wi-Fi.However, I also am carrying Verizon's MiFi 2200 mobile hot spot, which converts the carrier's EV-DO signal into a Wi-Fi connection that up to five people can share. I had already used the MiFi to provide a signal for the iPod Touch at the very beginning of the trip so that, while sitting on a boarding airplane, I could download a large file from iTunes.Now, I realized that by turning the MiFi on and sticking it in my back pocket, I could become, in essence, a walking hot spot, allowing me to get online on the iPod Touch, no matter where I was in town. That meant that I could use the Skype app to make a phone call, run several other apps for one reason or another, and look up good places to eat using the device's browser.Of course, this is the kind of workaround that isn't going to make sense for most people. If you're going to bother paying for an iPod Touch and a MiFi, you might as well just get an iPhone. But if you're road-testing a number of tech gadgets and you see a way to jerry-rig something to solve a problem, why not do it?It turns out that it's hard to find decent, inexpensive food in Aspen. But thanks to being able to get online while I walked around, I did end up at a terrific place where I had a good, moderately healthy meal for under $20. And, since I became a walking hot spot, I was also able to get online on my computer, as well, meaning that I was able to actually do some work while I ate, despite the fact that the restaurant where I found that inexpensive meal didn't offer Wi-Fi.In the end, one thing puzzled me, though. When I first linked the iPod Touch to the MiFi connection, I tried to locate myself using the device's map feature. But instead of pinpointing where I was in Aspen, it told me I was somewhere in Virginia. I thought that was odd, but I chalked it up to the fact that without a GPS chip, it figures out its location relative to the Wi-Fi signals it finds. Given that the MiFi is a loaner, I thought that maybe it had come from Virginia.Later, however, when I returned to my car and got ready to head out, I plugged in my iPhone and again, with some power, tried to see if it, with GPS, it could locate me. Oddly, though, the iPhone also told me I was in Virginia.My only conclusion for the fact that both devices told me this: that the folks in Aspen have figured out some way to trick Google Maps so as to keep out the hoi-polloi. But maybe it was something else. If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.For the next several weeks, Geek Gestalt will be on Road Trip 2009. After driving more than 12,000 miles in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last three years, I'll be writing about and photographing the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Colorado. If you have a suggestion for someplace to visit, drop me a line. And in the meantime, join the Road Trip 2009 Facebook page and follow my Twitter feed.
One of the gadgets I am road-testing is a 32GB iPod Touch, a device that, if it has access to a Wi-Fi connection, can do much of what the iPhone can do. But on a walk around a town you don't know, it's hard to count on finding such a connection, especially these days when most people password-protect their Wi-Fi.However, I also am carrying Verizon's MiFi 2200 mobile hot spot, which converts the carrier's EV-DO signal into a Wi-Fi connection that up to five people can share. I had already used the MiFi to provide a signal for the iPod Touch at the very beginning of the trip so that, while sitting on a boarding airplane, I could download a large file from iTunes.Now, I realized that by turning the MiFi on and sticking it in my back pocket, I could become, in essence, a walking hot spot, allowing me to get online on the iPod Touch, no matter where I was in town. That meant that I could use the Skype app to make a phone call, run several other apps for one reason or another, and look up good places to eat using the device's browser.Of course, this is the kind of workaround that isn't going to make sense for most people. If you're going to bother paying for an iPod Touch and a MiFi, you might as well just get an iPhone. But if you're road-testing a number of tech gadgets and you see a way to jerry-rig something to solve a problem, why not do it?It turns out that it's hard to find decent, inexpensive food in Aspen. But thanks to being able to get online while I walked around, I did end up at a terrific place where I had a good, moderately healthy meal for under $20. And, since I became a walking hot spot, I was also able to get online on my computer, as well, meaning that I was able to actually do some work while I ate, despite the fact that the restaurant where I found that inexpensive meal didn't offer Wi-Fi.In the end, one thing puzzled me, though. When I first linked the iPod Touch to the MiFi connection, I tried to locate myself using the device's map feature. But instead of pinpointing where I was in Aspen, it told me I was somewhere in Virginia. I thought that was odd, but I chalked it up to the fact that without a GPS chip, it figures out its location relative to the Wi-Fi signals it finds. Given that the MiFi is a loaner, I thought that maybe it had come from Virginia.Later, however, when I returned to my car and got ready to head out, I plugged in my iPhone and again, with some power, tried to see if it, with GPS, it could locate me. Oddly, though, the iPhone also told me I was in Virginia.My only conclusion for the fact that both devices told me this: that the folks in Aspen have figured out some way to trick Google Maps so as to keep out the hoi-polloi. But maybe it was something else. If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.For the next several weeks, Geek Gestalt will be on Road Trip 2009. After driving more than 12,000 miles in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last three years, I'll be writing about and photographing the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Colorado. If you have a suggestion for someplace to visit, drop me a line. And in the meantime, join the Road Trip 2009 Facebook page and follow my Twitter feed.
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