Sling Media has announced three new products to fit the varied needs of their customer base - the Slingbox AV, the Slingbox TUNER, and the Slingbox PRO. What varieties are we talking about exactly? Well Sling Media realized that not everyone has the same needs when it comes to their television recordings. Some people have high end home theater setups with HD components while others have a straight forward set top cable box while others just receive analog cable connections or heck a regular TV antenna! To meet the needs of all these segments, Sling Media decided to segment their devices into three products.

The Slingbox AV and the Slingbox TUNER will each sell for $179.99 while the higher end Slingbox POR will retail for $249.99. The Slingbox PRO will also support an optional HD component accessory called HD Connect which will retail for $49.99.

Here are the specs for the devices:

Slingbox PRO:

  • Designed for people with multiple AV devices and with HD requirements
  • Includes four sets of AV inputs and outputs which means you can control up to four separte video sources at the same time - you can now access your entire home theater practically from a remote connection
  • Supports optional HD component connection for HD set top box customers
  • Support for 16:9 displays
  • High quality programmable video compression
  • Easily connect to digital cable, satellite, DVR
  • Also has pass through connections for seamless integration into current A/V environments
  • Remote control
  • The Slingbox HD Connect is a separate component and includes all the cables necessary to connect HD component video and audio to the Slingbox PRO

Slingbox AV:

  • Designed for people who watch standard definition tv using cable boxes, satellite tv’s or DVRs
  • The Slingbox AV gives you complete control over your cable box, satellite receiver, or DVR. All controls are made accessible through the SlingPlayer interface
  • Watch and control TV from any internet connected PC/Mac/Laptop or Windows Mobile based device
  • Widescreen 16:9 support
  • High quality programmable video compression
  • Does NOT have a built in TV tuner

Slingbox TUNER:

  • Ideal for customers who don’t need to connect a set top box or satellite receiver or DVR to the Slingbox and want to be able to view the content from anywhere on the net.
  • The Tuner can connect to a basic coaxial connection without a TV present
  • This system is ideal for the basic user who just wants to watch TV from wherever they are at.

[Check it out]

Sling Media’s Next Generation Slingbox Family Delivers Enhanced Performance, Price and Style

SAN MATEO, Calif. –(Business Wire)– null,Sling Media, Inc., a digital lifestyle consumer electronics company, today announced the nationwide availability of three new Slingbox(TM) models that significantly increase performance, provide the customer with choice depending on their home TV setup and start at as low as $179.99. The new Slingbox family is designed to meet the varied requirements of today’s TV households whether that’s basic analog cable, standard definition cable or satellite or next generation high definition television. The Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox TUNER transform PCs, laptops and Windows-based mobile phones and handheld computers into personal portable TVs. Slingbox owners can now watch and control their home cable, satellite or digital video recorder anywhere they can access the Internet, from their back yard to Beijing and everywhere in between. All three products are available to U.S. customers only starting today. More information can be found at http://www.slingmedia.com.

Sling Media has enhanced performance, increased the feature set and segmented the new Slingbox models for specific customer needs, adding new hardware and software features specific to each market segment. With an entry price of $179.99, Sling Media is giving customers more power, functionality and choice for their money. The Slingbox AV and Slingbox TUNER will carry an MSRP of $179.99 and the Slingbox PRO will retail for $249.99 MSRP. Sling Media will also make an optional HD component accessory called HD Connect available for the Slingbox PRO later this fall, which will carry an MSRP of $49.99.

“Just over a year ago, Sling Media delivered to consumers a ground breaking product that has now been incorporated into their daily lives,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. “With our new products, we are setting an even higher standard by incorporating industry-leading video quality and streamlined setup all at price points we feel will make the Slingbox an ideal holiday gift. Our mission has and will remain the same — to create the best possible consumer experience with innovative products that our customers simply love.”

Which Slingbox is Right for Me?

With the three new Slingbox models, Sling Media has created a product that fits the needs of every consumer, no matter how basic or sophisticated their home TV setup. -0-

Slingbox PRO

The Slingbox PRO is designed for the consumer who has multiple
A/V devices or has made an investment in high definition TV. The
Slingbox PRO features four sets of audio-video inputs and
outputs including the optional HD component connection for HD
set-top box customers making for seamless integration into
current A/V systems. Other new features include widescreen
(16:9) support, high quality programmable video compression,
easy connection to set-top boxes (e.g. digital cable, satellite,
DVR) and remote control of A/V devices.

The optional cable for HD component set-top boxes is called the
Slingbox HD Connect and it includes all the necessary cables to
connect HD component video and audio to the Slingbox PRO. This
accessory will be available later this fall. Customers who wish
to seamlessly connect their HD receiver to the Slingbox PRO
using the component connection will need to purchase this
accessory.

Slingbox AV

The Slingbox AV gives consumers who watch TV using a standard
definition cable set-top box, satellite receiver or DVR, the
ability to connect their Slingbox AV seamlessly to their set-top
box. Slingbox AV features the ability to watch and control TV
from any Internet connected PC/Mac/laptop or Windows-based
mobile device, widescreen (16:9) support and high quality
programmable video compression.

Slingbox TUNER

The Slingbox TUNER is ideal for customers with cable who want to
easily view their line-up of television channels and do not
require access to a set-top box, satellite receiver, DVR or
other AV device. The Slingbox TUNER easily connects adjacent to
a cable modem or basic coaxial connection even without a TV
present. This allows the Slingbox TUNER customer to view their
cable channels without impacting another family member watching
TV anywhere else in the home.

New Level of Customer Care

With this product launch, Sling Media is introducing a new customer support capability aimed at providing first-time customers with easy installation. Technology embedded in Sling Media’s setup wizard allows “live” chats between customers and Sling Media technical support representatives when the customer is going through the installation process. In addition to this “live” chat support, a Sling Media technical support representative can remotely control a customer’s PC (with the customer’s explicit permission) to assist in real time with the installation.

“Our focus on simple installation — including the ability to have live interaction with a technical support representative or allowing the technical support representative to remotely control a customer’s PC to make any necessary adjustments — raises the bar, setting a new standard in the industry that is unmatched today,” continued Krikorian. “Sling Media has taken a huge step forward with this product launch demonstrating our commitment to customer support as we continue to make “place-shifting” a household word.”

Nationwide Availability

The complete Slingbox family is available in over 3,000 stores nationwide through our retail channel partners which include: Amazon.com, Best Buy, Buy.com, Circuit City, CompUSA, Fry’s, J&R Computer World and at SlingMedia.com. Sling Media would like to welcome its newest retail partner, Office Depot, who will begin carrying Slingbox TUNER and Slingbox AV products in October. All three products are available for sale beginning today but retail stock and availability will vary from retailer to retailer. We suggest checking with your favorite retailer prior to visiting or check online. Local store inventory levels may also be checked online at http://us.slingmedia.com/page/wheretobuy.html.

Canada and the Rest of the World

Sling Media is also making its SlingPlayer(TM) Mobile software available to Canadian customers through its web site starting today. Customers can now download and purchase a registration key from http://www.slingmedia.com for $34.99 CAD. The new Slingbox products announced today are expected to be available in Sling Media’s Canadian retail channels, including Best Buy, FutureShop, London Drugs and others within the next 60 days. Global availability details will be announced in Q1, 2007.

About Sling Media

Sling Media, Inc. is a digital lifestyle products company creating a family of consumer electronics solutions that are a natural extension of today’s digital way of life. The first member of the Sling Media family is the award-winning Slingbox(TM), a device that allows consumers to access their living room television experience at any time, from any location, using a variety of different displays including laptops and desktop PCs, PDAs and smartphones. The Slingbox is now available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Brazil through traditional retail channels and local service providers. For more information on Sling Media or the Slingbox, visit http://www.slingmedia.com.

Technorati Tags: