Sling Media Slingbox Pro

If you've ever wanted to watch your home TV when abroad, the Slingbox Pro is for you. It's an update of the original Slingbox, which won a Recommended award when launched almost 18 months ago.

Essentially, it digitises a video source and streams it onto the internet, which you can then access on PC client software either locally or remotely.

There's a new (although equally idiosyncratic) case and extra inputs, with S-Video, composite and a proprietary HDMI look-a-like connection, to which the included component video cable attaches. Each also has a passthrough so as not to disrupt your existing setup. While you can hook up an HD source (up to 1080i), the maximum resolution for streaming remains 640 x 480.

Importantly, though, Slingmedia has cranked the bitrate to 8Mb/sec; up from the 'classic' model's 2.5Mb/sec. With an HD DVD player, the full 8Mb/sec was soon saturated, whereas the built-in Freeview tuner never required more than 2Mb/sec. The difference in quality between the two was easily noticeable, with the former appearing much sharper and more detailed.

Most broadband connections have an upload speed of around 256Kb/sec, which hampers video quality when you're connecting via the internet rather than your local network. Fortunately, optimising algorithms can turn this low-bitrate stream into surprisingly watchable video.

Setup is simple. Connect the video devices you want to be able to watch remotely - a Sky+ box, a PVR or even a home security camera - and point the infrared emitters at a receiver. Popular models are pre-programmed - even down to an onscreen version of the remote in the PC software, and you can program new remote control codes if necessary.

The SlingPlayer software's wizard connects to the unit on your local wired network (Wi-Fi isn't built in, sadly) and helps you open the necessary port on your router for remote access. You're then given a Finder ID - a 34-digit code to identify your Slingbox over the internet. If you know your WAN IP address, you can use this instead to connect directly.

If you travel regularly, or just want to stream channels to a different room in the house, the Slingbox Pro is an attractive and flexible choice - just note that many corporate firewalls will block access to it. But, at £180, it also isn't cheap. You can still buy a Slingbox Classic for around £90, so if you can live with an S-Video input and 2.5Mb/sec streaming, it's a better value choice until the Pro's price drops.

Author: Jim Martin