Zoom-in Online

Welcome to Zoom In Online™'s Tech Friday series. The goal of this content series is to review products and services that appeal to creative professionals. These products may range from daily peripherals, such as mice, to fundamental tools such as cameras and other imaging equipment. Each Friday, we'll review a product in the following format: Overview, Setup, Pros, Cons, and Conclusion.

We kick off this series with Sling Media's Slingbox Pro

Overview:
The Slingbox Pro allows you to watch video content on your broadband connected computer or network connected mobile device. The process is relatively simple: connect the Slingbox Pro to your video source, your local network, and run the setup wizard. Then, download and install the free software and access your video source(s) from anywhere in the world.

The Slingbox Pro can accommodate numerous analog or digital sources. By default, it supports the following inputs and outputs: a) Composite Video b) S-Video and c) Cable tuner. HD sources and destinations require the additional HD Connect cable.

Setup:
The setup process for the Slingbox Pro is relatively straight forward and can be accomplished in less than 10 minutes. Although it's necessary to connect the Slingbox Pro to a router, the process is effortless. The on-screen step-by-step graphic tutorials are extremely precise and worded appropriately for the everyday consumer or the experienced professional.

Pros:
Despite its back-end complexity, the Slingbox Pro is very straight forward and offers numerous benefits to a wide range of users. Some of it's pros include:
- Extremely easy and well-guided setup.
- Analog video/audio cables included.
- Network cable included.
- Supports multiple devices.
- Easy access via a broadband connected computer or network connected mobile device.
- Small footprint.

Cons:
- HD Connect cable is not included. This severely limits digital inputs and high-definition sources.
- At the end of the initial setup, the Slingbox Pro failed to register multiple times.
- The device requires a hard-wired network connection and does not offer the ability to use a wireless network. This could be an issue for many customers, especially if they lack a network connection next to their television.

Conclusion:
The Slingbox Pro can be used as a multi-purpose device. Apart from watching your video content anywhere in the world, the device lets you watch your content on a supported mobile device. The Slingbox software automatically adjusts the video quality such that you can watch video streams without interruption. Whether you want to access your media from anywhere in the world or use the Slingbox Pro as a device to monitor video cameras, it's a very complex device that can be used in numerous circumstances. Starting at $229.00, this device can be purchased online at www.slingmedia.com or numerous in-store retailers.