Although DISH Network's previous quarter wasn't anything to write home about, it sounds like the satcaster (EchoStar, technically) isn't going to allow its set-top line to grow stale in the process. During the recent Team Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, DISH's CEO Charlie Ergen reiterated that it would be beaming out "more than 100 national HD channels" by the end of 2008, and he also made mention that the EchoStar 11 satellite would lift off in July. Most interesting, however, was all the talk about the new STBs. The forthcoming ViP 722s will be the first HD DVR from the outfit with loads of Sling technology built in -- not too shocking considering the recent acquisition. Additionally, the box is said to feature an all new interface and the ability to browse to (select) websites, double as a SlingCatcher and even handle Clip & Sling duties. There's plenty more where this came from, so be sure and hit the read link when you've got some spare time for reading.

[Via GizmoLovers]

First spotted in FCC pics back in August, the Slingbox SOLO has finally hit the review circuit. Lacking the hardware-assisted HD streaming output of the just announced Slingbox PRO HD, the SOLO brings the original Slingbox Pro's HD inputs and VGA-res output to a dongle-less existence. The people at PC Magazine hooked up the 'box and found plenty to admire in Sling's software and easy setup, pausing only to lament the short included ethernet cable and lack of WiFi. With its $180 MSRP, this Slingbox is a good option when your HDTV is far away, at least until the PRO HD hits the streets.

Sling Media's starting up this year's CES blitz early (like just about everybody else this year) with the announcement of the Slingbox PRO HD box and SlingPlayer client for BlackBerry cellphones. The PRO HD has the full complement of built-in HD inputs, but will actually pass through and stream out video in HD (1080i, to be specific) in real time, unlike the Solo and PRO (which lack the PRO HD's more advanced hardware-accelerated encoding, and stream closer to VGA res). And, of course, the BlackBerry client does as it says -- you can finally use your strictly-business handheld to watch mobile video on the go. The PRO HD will run you $400 when launched in Q3; BlackBerry will be $30 when it comes out "this year," if that's not vague enough for you. Get in line, Sling fans.

Read - Press shot gallery
Read - Hands-on at Engadget classic

Late last night we learned that Sling Media has another box that is one step closer to what we want, but not quite there yet. Sure, built in component inputs are great -- even if the box can't encode HD -- but where is the QAM or ATSC tuner. With the release of the latest addition to the Sling Media family we are still left wanting, especially when we noticed that the UK version of the Slingbox Pro includes a DVB-T tuner. We suspect that it's coming when we consider that the new Sling site no longer showcases the Slingbox Tuner and with the rumors of a Sling cable device making its way through the FCC.

Microsoft, never content with just monopolizing one segment of the market, has decided to dip its big, scary toes into the Slingbox-ish world of anywhere-TV with a new piece of software for its Media Center PCs. Using the newly acquired (but not new) WebGuide component -- created by a gentleman named Doug Berrett -- you can now tune into your Media Center content from any place you have web access. The software actually goes beyond what Slingbox is capable of, giving you full control over your system remotely, allowing you to set record times, change schedules, and generally go buck-wild, even from a mobile phone or WiFi equipped PDA. Ballmer and Co. also added an ITV function to MC PCs, though apparently all it does is offer C-rate "internet" content for MCE users. Clearly, what's exciting here is WebGuide -- the software is free, and presuming you already have your system up and running, you could be "slinging" video around before you know it.

[Via Cedia]

You can now watch NFL football over the interwebs, free from regional restrictions! Excited? We thought so -- here's what you'll need. First, sign up for DirecTV's Sunday Ticket ($269/year). Second, add in the "SuperFan" program (an additional $99/year). Third, you'll need a Windows PC (sorry Mac users). Once all that is squared away, you can enjoy watching live games webwide in Internet Explorer. Meh, says we, especially when you look at MLB.TV. Admittedly, the SuperFan package is required for HD delivery of the games on DirecTV anyways (which the internet feed definitely won't be), so chances are that football nuts may already have these packages lined up. The NFL is keeping tight control over their content, but this is a step in the right direction. Meanwhile, "misplacing" a Slingbox at your buddy's place in another region is looking better and better.

The Sling Media family have been quite the busy bees of late. First, the TV-transporting company has just gotten approval on a brand new, unnamed variation of the Slingbox, which forgoes the external Slingbox HD Connect cable used with the Slingbox Pro (that gives you component ins / outs) and instead includes a single set of component hookups right on the box. Additionally, during a Revision3 interview with Blake Krikorian (Sling Media's CEO) the venerable Om Malik managed to get Blake to let loose new about the now-rumored Slingbox HD, which (after some arm-twisting) Krikorian says is coming in "January," though in what year he wouldn't say. Honestly, if it's any later than 2008, it's too late.

Read -- Slingbox FCC report
Read -- The GigaOm Show Episode 3 - Sling It, Baby

So we just got it straight from the horse's mouth -- the horse in this case being Sling Media's and Zatz Not Funny's own Dave Zatz -- that the company is hard at work on adding Apple's Apple TV to the growing list of devices compatible with your SlingBox. As Dave points out, not only will Apple TV compatibility allow you to placeshift your video content, you'll also be able to stream your entire iTunes library thanks to the 'Box's audio-only mode; who needs an iPod when you can access all your music directly from your Windows Mobile, Palm, and possibly J2ME-equipped cellphone sometime in the future? As usual, we'll let you know when you can start slinging your Apple TV swag, and of course, if and when Team Sling does decide to build a Java client (hint hint, nudge nudge).

It took them a while, but Sling Media has finally seen fit to officially release its current batch of Slingboxen in Canada, carting its Slingbox Pro, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner across the border. Canadians hoping for a little something extra given the delay, however, will likely be a bit disappointed, with the only changes coming in the currency. In Canadian dollars, the Slingbox Tuner will set you back $180, while the Slingbox AV carries a slightly higher $200 price tag, and the Slingbox Pro tops things off at $300 -- the HD Connect cable and SlingLink Turbo 4-Port will also both be available in Canada, running $60 and $180, respectively. In addition to the hardware, Sling also took the opportunity for officially announce its SlingPlayer Mobile software for Windows Mobile and Palm OS devices in Canada, with the former version now available for $35 Canadian and the latter still open for beta testers.

Although Sling Media's first CES announcements aren't until Sunday night, thanks to GigaOm we have a few details of Sling's latest product: the SlingCatcher. This is another device designed to bring more media to your TV; not only will it allow you to view content from your Slingbox like you can with your PC, but it also will allow you to view whatever is on your PCs screen, on your boob tube. The box is about half the size of a Slingbox Tuner and includes S-Video, Component, HDMI and a couple USB ports. It also includes a hard drive -- a first for Sling -- this will allow you to eventually buy content from Sling, although they haven't announced any deals with content providers just yet. Also, the device doesn't include WiFi, but it is capable, making it the first Sling product with wireless connectivity. We'll keep you updated as we learn more and of course a few pics when we get 'em.

Update: According to Dave Zatz the SlingCatcher will be released mid-2007 with a MSRP of less than $200. Contrary to our earlier reports the device will include Integrated WiFi and an optional Hard Drive.

Read Sling to Debut PC-to-TV Box at CES [GigaOM]
Read SlingCatcher Is Real! [Zatznotfunny.com]

If you're scouting the perfect placeshifting device to cure those television blues while stuck at your TV-less grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, the Slingbox might not be the obvious choice anymore. Granted, it'll probably be awhile before the current king is dethroned, Pinnacle is giving the shifting game its best shot with the PCTV To Go. Sporting built-in WiFi / Windows MCE support, this content liaison works essentially like any other timeshifting device out there, and channels MPEG4 video to wherever you're logged in (or MPEG2 if connected locally). It also allows full control over your attached DVR, giving you the opportunity to schedule a recording for that oh-so-critical rerun of Nick Arcade, Season One. It reportedly works seamlessly with your home entertainment system, acting as a pass-through device that won't complicate things when wiring it up, but there's no word on whether it supports HD signals. The Pinnacle PCTV To Go should be available just before Turkey Day for a very competitive $249.99.

[Via PVRWire]

When we first heard of the Slingbox PRO we thought it was interesting that Sling Media didn't jump on the HD marketing band wagon and call it the Slingbox HD, after all it has HD capabilities. Once the dust settled it all came together, the PRO's HD capabilities are pretty limited. The $50 component dongle allows HD input up to 1080i as well as component pass through, which is great for all those STBs with only one component output, but the Slingbox can only stream 640x480 at 16x9, uhhohh there go those rectangular pixels again that everyone gets in such a tizzy about. This gets down converted even more when streaming over a WAN connection. This isn't all bad as anyone who downloads HDTV sourced BitTorrent shows can tell you HD still looks better than SD when down-converted to 320x240. It is important to note that this is the first consumer product that can encode HD via component at 1080i, previously this has been too expensive for a consumer product. The other miss here is the lack of ATSC tuner, maybe they are saving the Slingbox HD name for a box that supports HD streaming from ATSC, Component, HDMI and hopefully CableCARD support, if CableLABs would ever approve such a device.

Details about all three of these already leaked out over the past couple of weeks, but Sling Media is formally introducing three new Slingboxes, the Slingbox PRO, the Slingbox AV, and the Slingbox Tuner. All three perform the same basic function -- they let you stream TV from your cable box (digital or analog), satellite receiver, or DVR to a computer or mobile device -- it's just that each is aimed at different segments of the market.

• The Slingbox PRO is their new flagship model, with additional inputs and outputs so you can control up to four audio or video sources (sadly, if you want to use high-def component inputs you need to drop an extra fifty bucks on a dongle they're calling the HD Connect -- there is no option for HDMI). The PRO also supports 16:9 widescreen aspect ratios. Retail price will be $249.99
• The Slingbox AV is aimed at users who have a digital cable set-top box, satellite receiver, or DVR, and don't want or need to control any other A/V sources. The AV also supports 16:9 widescreen aspect ratios and will retail for $179.99.
• The Slingbox Tuner is specifically for people who have analog cable and will retail for $179.99.

Click on for pics of the Slingbox AV and Slingbox Tuner.

Although we love Sling Media's Slingbox for helping us place-shift television from our homes to any Internet enabled display, we've been waiting for the evolutionary next slinging steps. Perhaps today's news will shoot us forward so that we can start Slinging some HDTV through our home (or to someone else's) as Sling Media just received $46.6 million in funding from Goldman, Sachs & Co., Liberty Media Corporation and Echostar Communications. Is this Charlie's next move in helping DISH Network slingshot past DIRECTV in the HDTV satellite space? Could we see some Slingbox integration with new DISH receivers and DVRs?

We're on the cusp of broadband everywhere, which removes one the largest bottlenecks to providing HDTV programming everywhere you want, whenever you want. Once that hurdle becomes nonexistent, we'll need new and innovative devices like the Slingbox to fully take advantage of the new era in HDTV. If you think moving your programming to your variable location isn't important, just think back to that not so little Sony Walkman that first allowed us to listen to our cassette tapes on the go. Then it was our CDs and of course, thanks to MP3 players and digital music stores like iTunes, it's now all of our digital music. Is digital video that far behind in the portability and place-shifting market?