Slingbox 350 and 500 review: Sling Media finally upgrades its line of media streamers

Slingbox 350 and 500 review

It's hard to believe that the Slingbox has been around for seven years, but that only makes it harder to accept these are the first retail models that have been released since 2008. That finally changes today, though: Sling Media just introduced two new place-shifters: the Slingbox 500 and 350 (pictured). Available on October 14th for $299 and $179, respectively, these new set-top boxes replace the Solo and Pro-HD. While the 350 simply adds 1080p streaming for the same price, the 500 adds SlingProjector, a feature that lets you take photos stored on your iOS or Android device and send them to your television (video streaming will soon be supported as well). The Slingbox 500 will also soon be able to play content on USB-attached storage, but that will come in a future software update. The SlingPlayer apps get a refresh as well, adding reminders and an easier way to share your Slingbox with friends. What we set out to determine in this review -- and what you'll discover if you click through -- is how big of an upgrade this really is. Is it worth chucking your old hardware for one of these boxes? What if you're thinking of getting your first media streamer? We'll delve into all that after the break.

Gallery: Slingbox 500

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Slingbox 350 and 500 review: Sling Media finally upgrades its line of media streamers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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D-Link outs MovieNite Plus, still expects you to buy the popcorn

DLink outs MovieNite Plus, still expects you to buy the popcorn

D-Link has refreshed its MovieNite Apple TV / Roku competitor to enable the media streamer to add a wide variety of apps -- including Hulu Plus (soon). The 1080p video pusher is nearly unmistakable for the original edition, which was available for as little as $48 online, except that it won't be exclusive to Walmart anymore -- oh, and this time out it'll set you back $80.

Continue reading D-Link outs MovieNite Plus, still expects you to buy the popcorn

D-Link outs MovieNite Plus, still expects you to buy the popcorn originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How-To: XBMC 11 the XBMCbuntu way

For all intents and purposes, the original Xbox, with its NVIDIA GPU, 8-10GB hard disk and custom Pentium III processor was a high-end PC for its time -- albeit, one that connected to a television. What Microsoft didn't realize back then, though, was that when you put that kind of hardware in the hands of hackers and enthusiasts, it's only a matter of time before people start doing more than just playing Halo. Fast forward to 2003, the year the Xbox Media Center was born. Nowadays, it's simply referred to as XBMC, since it runs on more than just your Xbox. In brief, XBMC is an open-source software solution that enables a plethora of media streaming capabilities on all sorts of devices. What once was limited to the original Xbox, can now be put to use on everything from a bare-bones Linux desktop to an Apple TV. In this how-to, we'll show you how to build a simple XBMC setup using XBMCbuntu. Catch us after the break for the full step-by-step.

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How-To: XBMC 11 the XBMCbuntu way originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player

D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player
Better late than never, right? D-Link has finally decided to join the likes of Roku and Apple at the media streaming party with its new MovieNite device. It offers 1080p video content from Vudu, Netflix and YouTube, plus music streaming from Pandora and access to Picasa as well. Connectivity comes courtesy of 802.11n WiFi and a 10/100 Ethernet port, and plugs into your TV via HDMI 1.4 or composite video connections. You can control the thing with the included remote or via your handset with the free MovieNite remote app for Android or iOS. At 4.8 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches in size, it's a bit bigger than the offerings from Apple and Roku, but its $59.99 list price provides a cheaper avenue to 1080p content than either. It's available now exclusively at Walmart, and is currently a bargain at $48 online, though your in-store mileage may vary. PR's after the break.

Continue reading D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player

D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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