I'm sitting at a gate at Chicago O'Hare waiting for my flight back home. But instead of the usual boredom, I'm watching my home TV on my notebook computer.
While there have been numerous products that let us select when we watch our favorite TV programs, there's now a product that lets us decide where we watch.
The Slingbox lets you watch your home TV on your computer or smartphone from most anywhere in the world or even from another room in your house.
I've been trying out the newly released model, the Slingbox AV ($179). It's a small box that sits between your cable tuner or TiVo and your Internet connection. You pay just once for the box. There are no monthly fees since you're watching your own TV.
How does it work? The Slingbox transmits the broadcast from the cable tuner or TiVo over the Internet to a PC or Mac. (It also works with a Windows Mobile phone using optional software.)
You need a broadband connection at both ends for it to work. That means cable, DSL or satellite service in the home and EVDO, Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection on the road. Connect your computer to the Internet, open the Slingbox application and watch your programs.
What makes the Slingbox even more useful is using it with a TiVo (or other digital video recorder). This lets you view not only live TV, but also programs you've recorded. Using the screen image of the TiVo remote, select a program, record a new one, play one back, fast forward, etc. -- exactly the same way you would at home.
Being able to view and control your TV on your computer is one of those experiences that's easily described, but until you see it it's hard to fathom.
I tried it from airports, and from hotels in San Francisco and Chicago using a Sprint EVDO card, and it worked flawlessly. You can view the image in a window or on the full screen. Slingbox adjusts the picture based on your connection speed, and once it adjusts, displays a very good image.
What's happening at home while you're watching from afar? Your home TV set is turned off. You're watching the signals that are pulled from your TiVo or tuner that are always on.
I did run into a situation when I tried watching a recorded program on my TiVo from a hotel room. Every time I tried selecting a recorded program, the TV would go live. Was there a problem with the Slingbox? No, it was a case of "dualing remotes." My wife, Jane, was home trying to watch a live program at the same time as I was trying to watch a recorded one. Even from thousands of miles away, we can't agree on what to watch! It's a good thing we have two TVs and two Tivos.
Unfortunately, because of the copyright restrictions imposed by the broadcast networks, you cannot save the live programs on your computer and watch later, such as on a plane.
Setup is simple in most instances. Connect the included cables from the Slingbox to the output connectors on the back of your tuner or TiVo and attach the IR sensor to the TiVo's IR window. That allows the Slingbox to receive the video signal coming out of the TiVo and to control the remote functions. Next, you connect the Slingbox to a router connected to your high-speed modem using an Ethernet cable.
If your modem is not near your Slingbox, you can connect using the optional SlingLink boxes ($100 a pair) that use your house wiring to bridge the distance.
Lastly, install the software on the computers you want to use to view the programs. You can view from any number of computers, but can only use one computer at a time. I tried it on both a PC and Mac with equally good results.
The Slingbox is ideal for those who travel and want to see their favorite programs or sporting events from anywhere around the world. No longer are you confined to watching the local limited fare in your hotels or the repetitive CNN broadcasts from your overseas hotel. It's a great product that delivers what it promises.
Baker has developed and marketed consumer and computer products for Polaroid, Apple, Seiko and others. He is the holder of 30 patents and was named San Diego's Ernst & Young Consumer Products Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000. Send comments to phil.baker@sddt.com. Comments may be published as Letters to the Editor.
Battery chargers
If your Christmas toys and other electronics are already causing you to stock up on batteries, consider using rechargeable cells. They're more advanced than ever with large capacities, and they can be recharged in one to two hours. One of the most advanced units for AA and AAA cells is the Maha MH-C800S Eight Cell Smart Charger. It incorporates a large LCD screen displaying the charging status of each battery in English and a microprocessor that charges each battery to its maximum capacity without overcharging or undercharging. $65. (www.mahaenergy.com)
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