Comments on: SlingCatcher Now Available

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:18:27 +0000

Does a Harmony remote control switching between multiple devices on the slingcatcher? E.g., I switch from a cable box to a tivo. Will the Harmony be able to know I have switched on the slingcatcher and change the codes being sent out?

By: CJ

CJ — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:59:39 +0000

When this box can do WiFi and HD, I will buy it.

By: moneytastesbad

moneytastesbad — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:43:40 +0000

Yep, it is official. This is not at all what I expected it to be. I am now going to take it back and get the Linksys Media Extender 2200. It costs less too. (Sling Catcher = $299 + Sling Link = $79 > Linksys 2200 = $349).

By: moneytastesbad

moneytastesbad — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:04:58 +0000

Well, I just purchased the SlingCatcher from Best Buy today. It does not have WiFi so, I also had to purchase the SlingLink Turbo also because my router is to close to my TV.

The main reason that I wanted this is to playback the many hours of video that I have on my PC which is located downstairs.

Since I am have been waiting over 30 minutes (so far) for the SlingCatcher to update its software, I decided to check for some reviews. That is how I found this site. Now I am reading that I have to either transfer the video to a usb drive or control them from my PC.

Let’s just say that I am glad that Best Buy is not going to charge me a restocking fee when I take this back first thing tomorrow morning.

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:55:07 +0000

Glenn, your description of Projector is correct. However once Sling.com is integrated directly into Catcher, perhaps some of the same shows will be available. MZ also alluded to a more sophisticated remote control at some point, but who knows.

KBlue, I’d buy if you can enjoy it as it is.

By: KBlue

KBlue — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:20:12 +0000

I was really hoping that this would be the perfect solution for me – connect all my TVs to my SkyHD STB, and allow me to play ripped DVDs too.

The DVD functionality is so nearly there – but falls at the last hurdle. Why oh why can’t I play ripped DVDs from NAS?? Seems like such an obvious requirement.

I’m tempted to buy a couple of these anyway, in the hope that they add the ability to play media files from NAS – but given how long it took for the slingcatcher to appear, I’m nervous as how long this would take to arrive…

Any thoughts?

By: Glenn

Glenn — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:21:20 +0000

Dave, thanks for the details. I just read the Sling Community review of the projector functionality, and I guess I’m still a little confused. Sounds like I have to initiate the selection of what to project (i.e. the rectangle) on the computer, and even click the play button?

So, if I want to watch some Hulu video on my TV, I have to initiate playback on the PC, then run upstairs before it gets too far? And there’s no way to control the playback, even to pause and restart it using the remote?

What I’d *like* would be to select at least certain sites using the remote, have it launch the browser on the PC, and allow me to select what part of the screen to blow up, as well as move the cursor around and click using the remote… any chance there’s a way to do any of this?

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:37:12 +0000

Bruce, yes it does up to 1080i – depends on the source, though. I linked the media formats above in the post and as you know higher res PRO-HD streaming is being worked on. Though I don’t know their timeline.

Bunklung, as Megazone said on the forums Catcher hardware was spec-ed out some time ago which probably explains certain native file resolution and bitrate limitations. The HD files I come across are Xvid, so it doesn’t personally impact me. Trancoding software will be a nice perk whenever it shows – most media extenders have some limitations of one sort or another, but most don’t provide a workaround. However, you’re right – the lack of real-time streaming/playback is something that gets me down.