By Larry Anders, Librarian, Tampa PC Users Group
Larry@AndersNet.com

Last month I alluded to some really neat presents I have been receiving from my techie-geek daughter and son-in-law. Last month I told you about the Roku Soundbridge. This month I want to tell you about how I can now watch the TV in my family room anywhere I have a connection to the Internet; at work, in another state, or even in another country. Well, not actually watch that specific TV, but rather whatever can be viewed on that TV, and not only just viewed but controlled as if I were sitting there in my living room. Sling Media calls it “placeshifting” your TV to your PC, no matter where you are.

The Slingbox is a mechanical device that looks like a large silver chocolate bar that connects between the TV and a router, either by cable or wirelessly. The Slingbox is compatible with thousands of devices like TiVo, Comcast’s and Bright House's DVRs, Dish TV, Direct TV and many, many more. The initial automatic device setup asks you specifics about your equipment so that when you go to control your TV at another location you practically have the same ability as if you were home.

You can receive TV on an unlimited number of PCs without the hassle and cost of adding new hardware (i.e. TV tuner cards) and software drivers to every computer — and with no additional service fees. The only catch here is that only one connection to the Slingbox can take place at a time, kind of like AOL.

The setup really is painless — just follow the instructions. They provide a CD with the client software, or you can download the latest version from their website. Once the client software was installed on my notebook I started the program, opened up the remote that looks remarkably like the one I got from Bright House, turned on my TV at home and watched a program that I had recorded earlier, and it really was just that simple. And all the time I was in my hotel room in Houston, Texas.

I travel a lot with my job and this new accessory I have added to my notebook sure makes my travels a little more enjoyable now. As with all good things, there is typically a downside. If there is one with this, it’s that you have to have an Internet connection, the faster the better. It has built-in optimization that will automatically adjust to the speed of the connection to give you the best picture. I don’t always carry my notebook, but I always have my PocketPC, which will access my TV also. Again, you need an Internet connection with that. This past week I upgraded my cell phone to a new Motorola Q, which runs on a Windows Mobile Smartphone platform, and you guessed it, it accesses my TV, too. But with my Moto-Q, I carry my broadband Internet connection in the phone. So now, anyplace I can make a cell phone call, I can access my TV at home. The picture is obviously smaller, but the new Q has a high-resolution screen and the picture from the TV is remarkably clear.

The Slingbox sells for about $200, and if you’re a TV aficionado like I am, this is the best deal on the planet. Go here to see what you must have, what the minimum requirements are and other facts about the Slingbox: http://www.slingmedia.com/us/slingbox/.

Next month, more on my Motorola Q. By then I may have learned all it can do. u