Tag Archives: SlingBox

Accessing Slingbox through Microsoft ISA Server

Posted on by
1

 

I recently had a reader of my SlingBox review from last spring inquire about my ISA Server configuration to allow me to remotely access it the Slingbox. Here’s what I did:

On the ISA Server:

Note: I am running Microsoft ISA Server 2006; these instructions should also work on Microsoft ISA Server 2004.  I am also assuming that you are comfortable with creating new protocols and firewall access rules.

  1. Create a new protocol (I called it ‘Sling’) with:
    1. Protocol type of TCP
    2. Direction of Inbound
    3. Port range of 5001.
  2. Create a new access rule (called it ‘Remote Slingbox’) with:
    1. Action of ‘Allow’
    2. Traffic using the previously created ‘Sling’ protocol
    3. From External
    4. Tto your Slingbox’s IP (I also have ‘requests appear to come from the original client’ selected, but the use of this option somewhat depends on how you have things set up) 
    5. Networks for the listener of ‘External’
    6. Schedule set to your preferences (I’m using ‘Always’).
  3. Apply the access rule and ensure it is enabled.

On the Slingbox:

  1. Connect to your SlingBox via SlingPlayer on your PC, then navigate to Slingbox > Properties in the menu.
  2. Select the Slingbox Configuration tab.
  3. Location the ‘Network Settings’ section. Click the Change button, this will launch the Slingbox Setup Wizard.
  4. Enter in the administrator password as prompted, hit next.
  5. Check the “I’m ready to setup remote viewing for my Slingbox” box.  Also check the “A do-it-yourself kind of person?” box (since we won’t be using UPnP to configure ISA) Click Next.
  6. Enter in the IP Address of your Slingbox, the subnet mask, and the default gateway (which, if it is your gateway, is the internal IP address of your ISA Server).  Also enter in the port number you want your Slingbox to listen on (I’m using the default of 5001). Click Next.
  7. Select the ‘Manually configure your router’ radio button (again, as we’re using ISA Server…). Click Next.
  8. Click Next on the ‘Manual setup’ dialog without making any selections.
  9. If you have your ISA Server already configured (see above), you might want to test your connection now, otherwise, select ‘I want to skip this for now’. Click Next.
  10. Click Finish, which returns you back to the Slingbox Configuration tab. Click OK.

At this point, you’re ready to test. Fire up your Slingbox client (I tested using my Windows Mobile Smartphone).

Something else that may be useful here is a dynamic DNS service to make it easier to find access your system remotely (which, if you’re running ISA Server at home, you very well already have).  I’d like to toss out a recommendation for DynDNS (http://www.dyndns.com).

Slingbox review

Posted on by
Reply

Update (2007-01-21):  After a combination of some internal network infrastructure changes and software/firmware updates, I can now give my ‘thumbs up’ to Slingbox [Classic]. The experience is much better than when I originally wrote this review.  I’m currently running SlingPlayer 1.40.206 on my laptop and home PC, firmware 1.0.96 (Slingbox classic), SlingPlayer 1.1.095 on my Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone, and SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Smartphone 1.0.5.42 on my WM5 Smartphone. 

I have now had my SlingBox for a few weeks and thought I’d share my experiences and my impressions.

I had seen a number of bloggers post about the SlingBox and there has been some lenthy chatter on some of our [Avanade] internal communities as well – all of which piqued my interest.  All that and I’m back on the road full time so I figured it would be a good help to avoid the junk on the five channels that I would get in a hotel.  My first stop was eBay where you can pick one up, new, for less than MSRP.  That done, I waited for it to arrive. It came in the middle of the week, so that gave me one more thing to look forward to when I arrived home Friday night (and I actually <gasp> waited until Saturday to futz with it, although I *did* take it out of the box). 

My first impression – it’s a lot smaller and lighter than I expected. That’s not a bad thing. Let me step back for a minute and talk about OOBE – out-of-box experience.  Awful. Just bloody awful.  Who designed the box? Wait, I don’t want to know.  It took me several frustrating minutes to get the Slingbox and other included parts out of the box (whilst resisting my urge to tear the box apart to get at its contents).  And I’m not partial to the fact that it was a clear plastic ‘box’ either.. just give me a cardboard box that opens easily at one of its ends (and the bonus is that I can readily recycle the box and don’t have to guess the type of plastic that it is (and whether or not my recycling company will take it)).  Frankly, it more of an issue of how things were packaged inside the box than opening the box.

At this point I’m going to talk about pre-requisites:
1) Broadband connection with a reasonably good upstream throughput (I’m on Time Warner’s RoadRunner network)

2) A compatible router that supports UPnP (note: That is SlingMedia’s requirement – you *can* set this up on a non-UPnP router, but make certain it has the ability to do port-forwarding and that *you* are comfortable configuring this. Or, as in my case, you don’t even need a ‘router’ – I use Microsoft ISA Server which works just fine (yes, I did have add a new publishing rule)).

3) A supported device that you want to watch (most like a cable set-top box (STB)).  I failed to do due diligence on this point – we’ll see shortly how that came back to bite me.

I connected my STB, a Pioneer BD-V1100, to the Slingbox and lo-and-behold, I was soon watching TV on my computer.  “This seems quite easy” I thought at this point.  I then went back into the SlingPlayer setup and tried configuring it for my BD-V1100.  No explicit listing, so I tried each of the four ‘generic’ items.  Nope.  I searched the Internet and Usenet – nothing.  SlingCommunity forums – nothing.  So, I posted to the SlingCommuniity forums. No response after a few days, so I contacted support. No real help there either. So that following weekend I took my STB into the local Time-Warner office (Tri-County mall for any other Cincinnatians reading who live on the far north side of town) and exchanged it for a different box.  I picked up Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000 (which does the SlingPlayer does have codes for). 

I set this up on the Slingbox and still could not control it remotely. I carefully moved the IR emitters across the front of the unit a few centimeters at a time – nothing. I called SlingMedia support and they walked me through using my digital camera to ascertain if the IR emitters were actually working.  They weren’t, so SlingMedia sent me new ones.  Another week gone by.  My IR emitters show up and I hook them up – voila!  So, I can now control my Slingbox remotely (i.e. actually use it).

My first remote experience was from a Marriott Courtyard. How well did it work? So-so.  It was mostly watchable, but it got pixelated often.  My second remote experience was from a Marriott Towne Place Suites (over WiFi) – a so-so experience as well.  Quite simply, at both hotels the connection was simply too saturated for me to effectively watch my Slingbox.   At home it works great (of course).  All told, I’m a bit disappointed.

This brings us to the recently released SlingPlayer Mobile. The application installs in a straightforward fashion has pretty straightforward controls (as does the SlingPlayer for the desktop).  Unfortunately, I have found that the performance over my T-Mobile EDGE connection leaves a bit to be desired. SlingPlayer Mobile would work better over a UMTS or EV-DO connection.

In conclusion, I think that the Slingbox works well overall; however, I have several points of concern.
I see some weak links across two areas – the overall setup and the IR emitters. I’m not certain if most consumers will have an easy time of setting this up and may be confused around the UPnP requirement (given that, in the past, there has been much negative press about UPnP).  Additionally, I think that the IR emitters are a bit frail, but I may be biased in that assessment given my troubles with them. 

SlingMedia’s support could use substantial improvement – both the e-mail and phone support were less than stellar. The phone support could use better hours as well (currently 7am-7pm (Pacific) M-F).  A better overall route for support is through the forums SlingCommunity (http://www.slingcommunity.com) – yes, I think that the community at-large provides better support than does SlingMedia.  Additionally, the forums are some of the worst I have ever used – the search functionality is particularly poor. One other thing about the Slingbox – it runs hot, so be certain to give it good ventilation.

-Nino

 

A good week…

Posted on by
5

Some of my readers my wonder where I’ve been the last week or two as there has been no TMM  and I have, as they say, “gone ghost”.  Well, gentle readers, between working on some internal Avanade stuff, tending to some personal matters, and being in training in Chicago last week, I’ve been fairly busy.

Last week though, outside of a great deal of difficulty in getting to and from Chicago due to weather in the midwest, was a great week.  Let’s review:

  • I received a notice that my SlingBox had arrived at my house (more on my experiences with the SlingBox later)
  • I was in training, an internal course called Principles of Architecture II.  I got to see some old friends and make some new ones. This is a week-long course covering software and infrastructure architecture for senior folks.  During the week, there is a competition revolving around a scenario received on Monday.  Teams present incremental items during the week, and give a presentation that incorporates those items plus others on Friday.  I’m happy to say that my team won – we put forth a good deal of effort and it paid off.  Doug, Manohar, Vic and Phil – you guys rock. :-)
    • I was in Chicago. :)   Had some good times and great food.
  • I was confirmed for on a very large and important project on the east coast that I start on Monday. I hope I’m able to talk about this a bit…we’ll see.

    ….and

  • I have been named as a .NET Compact Framework MVP.  Sincere thanks to my nominator and to the folks at Microsoft. I am honored. 

That’s the best week I’ve had in a long time.  I had a really good weekend as well; I spent most of it outside doing landscaping and such in 50F degree weather.

What’s in my pipeline now:

  • [obviously] Starting the project I mentioned earlier
  • Working on something on the side I call “Project Fountainhead”.  This project was born out of pain that I have experienced in the past on Windows CE / Windows Mobile projects, and experienced this rather acutely while working on the ACA Devices asset for Avanade.  I’d like to distribute this publicly, but I’ll need to go through legal channels at Avanade, I think. 
  • Work on my blog.. lots of small stuff to do. Still hunting a great skin, and I have some other UI stuff to do.   I’m also fleshing out further ideas for things to blog about.
  • Getting deep with VSTS
  • Getting deep with MBAT
  • Writing
  • Work on upgrading my MCSD (.NET) to MCPD.

-Nino