Customer Ratings & Reviews

I live in Chicago and work in New Jersey and the hotel only has limited channels so this is a life saver!! I can watch my games and DVR shows wherever! The only part that sucks is that two people cannot watch at the same time and that the app on the iPhone AND iPad are 15bucks each! But if your clever like myself just buy the iPhone app and you can still watch it on the iPad with the 2x zoom still looks great. I have unlimited data on my iPhone with Sprint and it even works on 3G!!! This is a MUST HAVE! Will give 5stars when the allow at least two people to stream at the same time.

I wish there can be more than one user at the same time, maybe at least two users. But overall this is a good product to have if your always on the go.

I purchased the Slingbox 500 to sling my TV signal to a Roku. Slingbox support told me that it does not work because I have too many Rokus. I unplugged all my Rokus except one and the Slingbox 500 still does not sling the TV signal when there is just one Roku. Slingbox support is unable to tell me why this does not work.

I have xFinity and was looking for a solution where I can watch shows recorded by the DVR downstairs and cable in general upstairs. Also, I was intrigued by the prospect of watching my home cable anywhere in the world. I didn't want to purchase another DVR and shell out $19 in monthly rental fees. So, I came upon Slingbox 500. At first I was very skeptical but decided to give it a try. I also needed a media player that would play Slingbox stream and found that WD TV Live does in fact play it. The setup was somewhat easy as I pretty much figured out the wiring process going from DVR to Slingbox and then from Slingbox to TV. The Slingbox was set up next to our DVR downstairs. It immediately found my home Wi-Fi, I connected to it, then it took another 10 minutes to update the box firmware. It asked me about my current cable provider, my zipcode and the make and model of my DVR and that was that. Keep in mind that you need to create an online account with Slingbox website. This way it knows how to find your Slingbox on the internet and in case you have set up more than one, it gives you a list of available devices. Then, I set up WD TV Live upstairs to my bedroom TV. It asked me for my Slingbox login and magically it worked. Now, I can watch my DVD downstairs upstairs in our bedroom in HD perfectly streaming. What I was not happy about is in order to watch Slingbox on your mobile device, they charge you $15 for each while streaming to a laptop/desktop is free. But it really works. We recently went to Mexico and 99% of the channels are in Spanish which I do not speak. I had my phone hooked up to a room TV thru its HDMI input using room Wi-Fi at about 1Mbs and it worked flawlessly, giving me my home channels in Mexico. This is a wonderful device that works as advertised.

Compared to the competing products (Monsoon Vulkano, Belkin @TV...which is just a rebranded Vulkano, by the way), Slingbox blows everything away. While a computer with a TV tuner card presents an interesting opportunity to stream media and a TV signal, the options with TV tuner cards are limited, and the price of building a computer capable of doing that well exceeds the price of a Slingbox. The issue with slingbox is the price. The 350 model can be had for as low as $130, which matches well with Vulkano or @TV, but feature-wise it does not stack up (solo HD input, no wifi, no hdmi-output, must setup device over internet, no USB). For the full range of features you need this 500 model, but it runs at a cost. $300 is steep, considering that both the 350 and 500 stream at the same quality. Then add in the fact that no Windows application exists (viewing through a web browser). Windows 8.1 has a Slingbox app (SlingPlayer) in the market but it does not sound promising from the reviews, especially at the $15 cost for the app. Both a tablet and phone version of the app are available in the Google App market for $15. The phone app is noticeably more polished than the tablet app - even using the tablet app on a 1920x1080 screen fails to show all the content in the window. Very odd. Using 2.7+ versions of the phone app lets you integrate with Roku. I was having trouble getting it to work with my friend's Roku - you click the button in the app, and it auto-detects the Roku on your network. You have to have the Sling channel installed on the Roku and it is supposed to auto-load, but I was not having success. There are no controls on the Roku channel to load anything - quite stupid in my opinion. The device has an HDMI input, but, because the device is not HDCP certified, you cannot use it with HDMI-output from a cable box or the sort. You are limited to devices that are not protected. An example of where it would be useful is an ATSC-over-the-air device, like a DTA converter box or an ATSC DVR box. Which brings up an interesting point: compared to the earlier HD product from Slingmedia (the ProHD), this is a step down. They have removed the built-in ATSC tuner. I never had the ProHD product, but I saw pictures of it on the web and certainly would have utilized the port if it was on the 500 model. I can't give this a 5/5 because the price is steep, ya know? $300, plus $15 for a Windows App, plus $15 for an Android app. It starts adding up. The product itself is high quality and is recommended for anyone looking to stream TV outside of their home, but just be ready to pay the price. You can sometimes find it on sale for as low as $260 on a lucky day,.

Purchased slingbox after hearing two friends talk about it. It sounded almost too good to be true but once I started using it I was hooked. I travel a lot and like to stay up to date on my favorite shows (Shameless, Californication, Walking Dead, etc). Have traveled within the last month and have utilized it to watch the NBA Playoffs, SHOWTIME, HBO, NFL NETWORK and utilized it to watch shows I recorded via DVR....I even watched some of the shows on my Samsung Galaxy. In the event you have some downtime you can simply log onto the system via your cell phone and watch a quick episode of your favorite program or tune into the local or national news. This thing works great. The only downside to watching it on your phone is the fact you have to pay $15 bucks to install it, which may feel like a punch in the gut after already spending 300 bucks, but trust me you get over it. Also, if you don't want to spend the 300 bucks for the top of the line slingbox, you can splurge for the lower end model which is not a put down at all; it does the same thing but it just has to be connected and is not wireless. OVERALL, DARN GOOD PRODUCT!!

This machine is slick and is extremely easy to use. Tried to set it up connecting to older tv that has mostof our dvr shows with no hdmi connection and it couldn't be done. I know, I know, get a newer TV. So anyways, I set it up on a newer tv. Then moved the slingbox to the older tv (with no hdmi) and plugged it in. BAM! Works beautifully. Easy to understand instructions, great functionality. Glad I went with the 500. The remote doesnt show on the kindle or phone so it is harder to control but using a PC you can see the remote and control the tv like you would at home. Very happy with this purchase. $299 is a little high but I would still do it again and pick the 500 model.

I got the Slingbox HD and have not regretted getting it. The installation is straightforward and the on screen display is intuitive and easy to navigate through the setup process. Connecting it up was a breeze and all necessary cables are included, so there's no running back to the store to get cables. Video streaming is great, but can be jittery or even freeze when on 3G cellular. Broadband/WiFi video is great. I do like how the software optimizes the video quality based on the type of service throughput you're getting. If you leave the quality option on "auto" it will give you SD on lower bandwidth and HD on higher. Nice feature. There isn't really any glaring negatives about the Slingbox 500. A few minor items are one, at $299, it's a bit pricey, but obviously not so high that I didn't buy it. :) ; 2. The fact that you have to buy the software for Android or iDevices, for the price you pay for the unit, is rediculous. Normal prce for each platform is $29.95. They did have a 50% off sale during the holidays though. But for those with multiple platforms, be prepared to pay some extra cash, which raises the already pricey sum up even more; 3. The Slingbox 500 is an "odd looking duck". I've never seen a design like this. Fortunately it sits on top of my Blue Ray player, so it's quirky design is not a major issue. It's just a little strange looking at first take. Overall, I'm very pleased with the Slingbox 500's performance and capabilities. It's definitely a device I would recommend for anyone that want's to take their cable TV on the road with them.

I bought the sling tv with the intent to install on my brothers extra direct tv box, so i could cancel my contract with them. I hooked it up on my geni mini first to work out the bugs before i canceled my contract. It was fairly easy to hook up and works as billed, but not as good as i need. the picture is great streaming from phone to apple tv with little to no loss in quality. I use charter internet and high speed router, but it still pauses at times for loading and the lag time between functions makes surfing channels or skip forward(over comercials) impractical. So now i just use it for shows on my dvr or sporting events when I'am away from home. It's very cool and I didn't have to miss all the world series just becouse I had to work, but I't won't replace my direct tv.

Both my kids are at college but are avid pro football watchers. We use Directv about six months of the year solely for there Sunday Football Package whereby we get all the games. I thought this would be a nice present for them so they could watch with me from school. I got the upper end Slingbox with remotely hooks up to your router. The setup process took longer than anticipated maybe 30 minutes. The only issue that I had was that when I indicated that I had Directv the software for Slingbox did not have the exact model of my receiver. I chose a similar model of receiver which was on the Slingbox menu and it worked fine. NOTE: The Slingfox is connected directly to your received through a hdmi connection, then the Slingbox is connected to your tv. NOTE: I am 62 and pretty computer literate and have set up many tv's and computers. If you are not particularly adapt at computers or electronics I would highly recommend seeing if Best Buy offers installation. Once installed you set up your account right through the Slingbox. Then hop in the internet and go to the Slingbox web site, type in your account name and password and within a few seconds you are watching your tv on your computer from anywhere in the world. My kids have connected there computers with a hdmi connection to there tv and say the quality of reception if better than they anticipated. On my computer quality is hd and audio excellent. Very little lag in the picture. NOTE: The first time you long onto the Slingox website you will have to download a plug in I believe it is called. This can be done on most browsers but apparently not on Opera which is what I normally use. I opened Chrome and no problem. I gave my kids my password and told them whomever gets on first has to send a "guest invitaton" to the other brother. Apparently only one administrator can be logged on at once, although I have not tried to see if two people can be. Then I think you can invite either 1 or 2 guests who apparently receive an email with a ling to log on. NOTE: If you are watching from your computer when away from home the Slingbox program allows you to see the program guide for your provider right on screen. It is extremely user friendly to change channels from your computer. However, my kids have to watch the game/games/red channel that I am watching. I don't think it is possible to us to be watching different games at the same time. Other than this, I can't really think of any negative items Highly recommend!!!!!

I travel a lot and want to watch my tv and programs at times. This was very simple to set up, get a free account, download required apps and use. I have used on a tablet and laptop computer so far. Very easy and quick to get on to my tv etc. crystal clear picture and very little delay if any. Can view my recorded shows from my DVR and even fast forward by using on screen remote. Highly recommended!!

I wasn't sure if or how the Sling Box works but after having used it for a month now it is truly awesome. The set up is so simple, anyone can do it and it's like having your home programing and DVR with you everywhere you go. As long as you have an internet connection you can watch your stuff on your laptop etc. I plug it into my TV and watch it on the 42" and it's no different than sitting at home. I highly recommend this device!

The setup is is much easier than the Solo or Pro-HD. It only takes 5-10 minutes, using the on screen setup. Unfortunately the HDMI setup still requires the use of component cables along with the HDMI cables. Unlike the Pro-HD this slingbox is restricted to only one source. I also ran into a problem when I went to connect with my TiVo premium via the Slingbox 500 using the Facebook application. It would not display the TiVo remote and instead I got a generic remote, thus making it next to impossible to watch any of my recorded shows. I like the option of viewing my photos that are on my iPhone, but the Slingbox still hasn't updated the mobile app's so video from the iPad/iPhone can be viewed too. One last plus is being able to connect to the Slingbox using a wi-fi connection instead of using long Ethernet cables.

A great way to watch your home tv in other rooms of the house or any where in the world. Just remember that the tv you have the sling box connected to, other people will not be able to watch a different channel if you are watching it from the sling box. I have it connected to a spare tv to prevent that from happening.

This is a great gift for the ultimate sports fan. It allows you to watch sports on your mobile device through your home TV anywhere you are. The set up was easy enough. The problem may be that it is too easy to watch sports wherever you are. It may be too much temptation to resist!

I used to have a Slingbox Solo which did not work very well. It seemed like everytime there was a software change or update it would knock it off line. Getting it to work was a pain. Usually I could get a picture and sound but could not change channels remotely. I like the freedom of the Slingbox so I decided to buy the Slingbox 500. It was easy to set up and worked properly right from the start. When I relocated the TV and receiver to another room I had to set it up again and had no problems. I debated buying the Slingbox 350 because it was less expensive but ended up purchasing the Slingbox 500 and have no had any regrets. Also, the Slingbox 500 delivers HD to my computer or other devices. I have owned it and used it for over three months and it has been flawless.

Good box, it allows me to stream my DVR to my ipad anywhere in the world. It does disconnect a little more than i would like. I have stable internet but for some reason the iphone/ipad connections aren't as stable as on a computer.

Have been using for a while in Hungary to stream my Directv and it works flawlessly. If you need or want to stream anywhere anytime then this is for you. The phone app works great and the abilities this box provides are unmatched. It has been reliable every time. It was easy to set up and has done everything I wanted it to do.

This device will allow you to stream and control certain items from a simple interface. It also will allow passthrough video, and comes with a ir blaster. Overall a good product this will be my secondary device from along, there can be some lag while streaming and is usually caused by low upload speed, so know that if your upload mbps is below 3 mbps expect not to get hd and could get disconnects. Overall the device is a simple to use system that allows me to stream my t.v. to any other device I have in my house including my role and chrome cast. Setup is easy as plug and follow the prompts on the tv. But can be time consuming if you are setting up multiple interfaces (e.g. cable box, DVD player, security system)

I'm happy so far. Using this allows me to watch TV wherever I am in the world, which is nice because I travel for work. I also bought a Amazon Fire TV which has the sling box app and makes streaming through a TV nice and easy. A small lag when changing channels, using guide/DVR but streaming works good.