Slingbox 350 and 500 Review

At the time when the world believed that watching television was confined only to the living rooms, emerged a path breaking product – Slingbox! One of the revolutionary products of the information age erased the boundaries of TV viewing and allowed the users to stream their cable TV content from wherever they are to any device such as the computers, laptops, tablets and the Smartphones. And the good news is that, Slingbox is back in the market with its recently launched two new devices modeled 350 and 500. So, let’s check out as to what the boss of flexible TV viewing has to offer:


Slingbox 350:
    On the build and design front, the Slingbox 350 looks like a box made of interwoven metal strands. The front panel of the device contains the company logo, an indicator (inverted U) that glows when in use, the Power indicator and a network availability indicator that are LED based. The rear panel of the device contains the connectivity options which include inputs for High Definition, port for the power supply, the Infra Red output and the composite cable connectors.

Slingbox 500:
    The Slingbox 500’s design resembles one of the gadgets from the Star Trek or Star Wars franchise. It has an unusual but appealing shape with similar connectivity options as like the 300. The notable differences include the flickering LED indicator, an additional HDMI input and output docks and a Wi-Fi connectivity option. One of the additional features that come with the 500 model is the remote that can be used to control and operate the device from a distance. Though it doesn’t cover the entire essential options of a remote control, it definitely is a welcome inclusion in the series. The device also contains a feature called SlingProjector that allows the Smartphones to stream pictures to their television screen.

The Installation and Performance:
        Unlike the earlier offerings from Slingbox, the installation and configuration of this device is not complex and doesn’t require any professional knowledge. The installation is as simple as connecting your Slingbox to the power supply, the source of the video and establishing a connection with your home network or the Wi-Fi. To receive the services and software from Slingbox, users are required to sign up for an account with the Sling Media. Regardless of whichever model you use, the software is going to remain the same. The device offers some user-convenient options such as a built-in programming guide, an option to invite guests to use your Slingbox and much more.

The devices are known for their adaptive features and perform exceptionally well in any environment. The system requirements for the device to operate are average and an internet connection of 2 Mbps is all that is required to stream the content. Also, the video quality offered is very impressive with near to perfect audio and video sync. The only issue comes when 1080p videos are played on a portable device. However, when 720p videos are streamed over the portable devices such as the Smartphones and the tablets, the quality is top-notch. You can set reminders to remind you about your favorite programs and even hide the visual and just listen to the audio of the TV content. Users can also connect their DVR equipment to the box using the Infra Red connectivity (which is sloooow)!

The Bottom Line:
    As they say, waiting is rewarding! The four year patience for the next great Slingbox device indeed pays off. The 350, priced at around $180 and the 500, priced at around $300 are packaged aptly according to their performance. Amidst those apps that offer anywhere television viewing, the re-emergence of such a device is sure to roll back a few portions of the population towards this device. Overall, this is a great device and deserves a Thumbs up!

This is a guest post by Teyona Dame - author who provides excellent information for services and promotions offered by Centurylink Internet and Verizon Fios Deals.