# Do I need a slingbox?



## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

This is the second time I'm on vacation since I got the Tivo Plus last December. The first 2-3 days the tivo stream worked fine. And now it can't connect again. I've gone months at home without using away from home stream & would remember to test the stream & it was fine. But after constant streaming away from home network for 2-3 days in a row something happens. I was hoping to catch up on 1-2 shows a day. I'm thinking my only option to guarantee I can watch my recorded shows while I'm away is to get a slingbox. Or some remote app that let's me reset a surge protector with the router & Romeo plugged into it. Anyone know of a reasonable solution cheaper than a slingbox 350 or 500? 

I am still able to get to the Romeo to delete shows so I don't believe it's the home network.


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## sangs (Jan 1, 2003)

rucheridee said:


> This is the second time I'm on vacation since I got the Tivo Plus last December. The first 2-3 days the tivo stream worked fine. And now it can't connect again. I've gone months at home without using away from home stream & would remember to test the stream & it was fine. But after constant streaming away from home network for 2-3 days in a row something happens. I was hoping to catch up on 1-2 shows a day. I'm thinking my only option to guarantee I can watch my recorded shows while I'm away is to get a slingbox. Or some remote app that let's me reset a surge protector with the router & Romeo plugged into it. Anyone know of a reasonable solution cheaper than a slingbox 350 or 500?
> 
> I am still able to get to the Romeo to delete shows so I don't believe it's the home network.


I'll be a Slingbox advocate until they go out of business. I've used my 350 successfully with Tivo, FiOS DVRs and DirecTV DVRs. It's been 99.9 percent reliable.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

I would go for the Slingbox. I am currently using a Slingbox M1 along with a Mini for remote viewing. Having full control as if I were sitting at home is the best.

My only wish is to be able to use a real remote with my laptop and slingplayer.


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

rucheridee said:


> ...Anyone know of a reasonable solution cheaper than a slingbox 350 or 500?
> 
> I am still able to get to the Romeo to delete shows so I don't believe it's the home network.


Check eBay for a Slingbox Solo (generally around $50 to $60 last I looked). It will connect via component and gives a very good quality image on dicey network links (I've gotten very good results down to 1 MBit/sec and sometimes less).

The other thing to try is there is an option in the iOS app to reset the stream remotely...if you can attach to the DVR, that might work.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Diana Collins said:


> Check eBay for a Slingbox Solo (generally around $50 to $60 last I looked). It will connect via component and gives a very good quality image on dicey network links (I've gotten very good results down to 1 MBit/sec and sometimes less).
> 
> The other thing to try is there is an option in the iOS app to reset the stream remotely...if you can attach to the DVR, that might work.


Yes the error popped up screens that went thru trying to reset the stream. It wasn't working. But I happened to open up my iPad mini & noticed a download I started earlier in the car a couple days ago was still actively downloading. It finished & downloaded 2 more shows after that b4 it seemed to get stuck. Went back to my iPad Air & tried to download another. No error or setting up stream window - it went straight to calculating.

Whatever - at least I have 2 more shows to watch. But I don't like the unreliability especially when away from home. When I'm at home, no issues. I think I've had to reboot the tivo only once all year. I forget what issue I saw, but after rebooting it came back fine. This just happened within the last 2 weeks. I was like great - has to act up when I'm going away. Then I thought maybe this was best time so everything is reset b4 I leave & should be good for another 10 months.

I hope to pick up a slingbox soon with all the upcoming BF sales.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

rucheridee said:


> This is the second time I'm on vacation since I got the Tivo Plus last December. The first 2-3 days the tivo stream worked fine. And now it can't connect again. I've gone months at home without using away from home stream & would remember to test the stream & it was fine. But after constant streaming away from home network for 2-3 days in a row something happens. I was hoping to catch up on 1-2 shows a day. I'm thinking my only option to guarantee I can watch my recorded shows while I'm away is to get a slingbox. Or some remote app that let's me reset a surge protector with the router & Romeo plugged into it. Anyone know of a reasonable solution cheaper than a slingbox 350 or 500?
> 
> I am still able to get to the Romeo to delete shows so I don't believe it's the home network.


Have you tried just going through Setup again? I was able to do that remotely when I was on a trip recently and it fixed a similar issue.


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

Personally, I use the Roamio/Stream to download content so I can watch on airplanes. If I'm streaming, I use the Slingbox (more robust streaming, especially on slow links).

I looked on eBay and used Solos are going for $30 to $50 or so..."new in box" ones are going for $75 or so ($100 less than when they were the current model). The Solos aren't HD units (they transcode to 480p) but that's more than adequate for small screens (and part of the reason it works at low bit rates).


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I use to have a Slingbox. My biggest issue with it was the lag. Getting past the commercials can be a PITA because there is a lag between what you're seeing on the remote computer/iPad and what is actually happening live on the TiVo. Using 30 second skip helps, but it's not 100% and the instant replay feature requires at least 2 presses to back up enough to compensate for the lag. With the Stream it knows where it is in the recording so seeking is completely accurate. 

The other issue was that it was a mirror of what was playing at home, so if my wife was watching TV I couldn't use the Slingbox because it would interrupt her. The Stream can play something completely different then what's being displayed at home.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Diana Collins said:


> Personally, I use the Roamio/Stream to download content so I can watch on airplanes. If I'm streaming, I use the Slingbox (more robust streaming, especially on slow links).
> 
> I looked on eBay and used Solos are going for $30 to $50 or so..."new in box" ones are going for $75 or so ($100 less than when they were the current model). The Solos aren't HD units (they transcode to 480p) but that's more than adequate for small screens (and part of the reason it works at low bit rates).


I don't watch much away from home, but I noticed there is a lot less interruption if I just start the download & watch ASAP. If I get a slingbox, I guess I couldn't download, but not bad as long as I can watch my shows when I want. Is there a lot of buffering like with tivo stream? I was just streaming at first, but the buffering lag was bad at times. With the download, the viewing experience was constant - as long as the download was able to complete which became my problem.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Slingbox has a much wider range of qualities so it can deal with slow connections better. However the quality on a really slow connection can get so bad it's unwatchable so just because it works doesn't mean it's useful.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Dan203 said:


> I use to have a Slingbox. My biggest issue with it was the lag. Getting past the commercials can be a PITA because there is a lag between what you're seeing on the remote computer/iPad and what is actually happening live on the TiVo. Using 30 second skip helps, but it's not 100% and the instant replay feature requires at least 2 presses to back up enough to compensate for the lag. With the Stream it knows where it is in the recording so seeking is completely accurate.
> 
> The other issue was that it was a mirror of what was playing at home, so if my wife was watching TV I couldn't use the Slingbox because it would interrupt her. The Stream can play something completely different then what's being displayed at home.


Thanks for this input. Maybe I'm a spazz bc I seem to have the first issue already. I guess I may have more of an issue with the slingbox.

So even with 6 tuners there's no way around the 2nd issue?

I guess I got lucky this time. Usually when I get a msg about no streaming devices found, I'm dead in the water until I get home & redo the stream or reboot the tivo. I was able to download a couple more shows on my Air & Mini. Does anyone know if u can download 2 different shows to 2 devices at the same time? When I was in the car, I attempted this but only 1 device at a time seemed to show any movement. I was using a mifi.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There is a delay when you skip on the Stream, but that's different then the lag I'm referring to on the Slingbox. The Slingbox has an internal buffer, so what you see on your remote screen is actually a few seconds behind what is actually playing on the TiVo at home. When you try to FF/RW you're sending the command to the TiVo via IR, so it's effecting what's on the TiVo at that moment which is different then what you're seeing on your screen. There isn't a pause like the Stream, but it takes a couple seconds for you to see the results of the command show up on your screen. That delay can make it very difficult to control.

Even with 6 tuners the TiVo only has one output, so there is no way around that issue. Unless you want to buy a Mini and dedicate it to the Slingbox.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> I use to have a Slingbox. My biggest issue with it was the lag. Getting past the commercials can be a PITA because there is a lag between what you're seeing on the remote computer/iPad and what is actually happening live on the TiVo. Using 30 second skip helps, but it's not 100% and the instant replay feature requires at least 2 presses to back up enough to compensate for the lag. With the Stream it knows where it is in the recording so seeking is completely accurate.
> 
> The other issue was that it was a mirror of what was playing at home, so if my wife was watching TV I couldn't use the Slingbox because it would interrupt her. The Stream can play something completely different then what's being displayed at home.


That's what a Mini can be used for. I have one TiVo Mini dedicated to my Slingbox 350. It is headless and in a closet.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Dan203 said:


> There is a delay when you skip on the Stream, but that's different then the lag I'm referring to on the Slingbox. The Slingbox has an internal buffer, so what you see on your remote screen is actually a few seconds behind what is actually playing on the TiVo at home. When you try to FF/RW you're sending the command to the TiVo via IR, so it's effecting what's on the TiVo at that moment which is different then what you're seeing on your screen. There isn't a pause like the Stream, but it takes a couple seconds for you to see the results of the command show up on your screen. That delay can make it very difficult to control.
> 
> Even with 6 tuners the TiVo only has one output, so there is no way around that issue. Unless you want to buy a Mini and dedicate it to the Slingbox.


Cool - that would work for me. I was planning on getting a mini. Missed the sales back in Sep/Oct . Hope for another price drop soon.


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## Huzordaddy (Jan 10, 2012)

Slingbox 350 was less than $90 this week at amazon.com


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## CharlesH (Aug 29, 2002)

Does turning off the "Time Shift Buffer" option on the Slingbox 350 help with the lag issue? It seems to me that it helps, but for all I know, it is just a placebo effect.


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## Bytez (Sep 11, 2004)

Does the Tivo Stream have a 30 second lag when watching live tv with the Tivo app?


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Bytez said:


> Does the Tivo Stream have a 30 second lag when watching live tv with the Tivo app?


Not sure. I rarely ever watch live TV which is why I needed a TiVo.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Just a quick update - once the streaming started working again, it was good for the remainder of my trip. Maybe this time it was due to the weather at home(it snowed a few inches). 

I also set the TiVo with a static IP since my first vacation away from home so I don't know if that has helped as well. I was able to catch up with everything I could download so I kinda put the slingbox on the back burner. But I just realized, I skipped all the copywrited shows so I guess I do need a slingbox but not due to the initial technical reason I thought I was having. 

Can someone confirm, can I watch anything recorded from HBO/showtime, AMC or video downloads like AppleByte or cnet?


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## A J Ricaud (Jun 25, 2002)

Bytez said:


> Does the Tivo Stream have a 30 second lag when watching live tv with the Tivo app?


I think 2-5 sec. or so is the norm, according to my son, in GA, was watching content from our DirecTV HD receiver in CA. I don't think he watched anything on my Roamio [OTA only] but guess it is about the same amount of lag.

My guess is that it is affected by the robustness of the Internet connections at both ends.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

rucheridee said:


> Just a quick update - once the streaming started working again, it was good for the remainder of my trip. Maybe this time it was due to the weather at home(it snowed a few inches).
> 
> I also set the TiVo with a static IP since my first vacation away from home so I don't know if that has helped as well. I was able to catch up with everything I could download so I kinda put the slingbox on the back burner. But I just realized, I skipped all the copywrited shows so I guess I do need a slingbox but not due to the initial technical reason I thought I was having.
> 
> Can someone confirm, can I watch anything recorded from HBO/showtime, AMC or video downloads like AppleByte or cnet?


On FiOS, HBO and Cinemax are copy protected. When I try to stream a show from those channels it says I am not allowed to stream shows recorded from those channels while I am away from my home network. So I guess as long as I am home it will stream fine. But it won't work with out of home streaming.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yeah for some reason protected shows are prevented from streaming OOH, no explanation from TiVo as to why. AFAIK there are no specific rules against it in the CableCARD laws.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

rucheridee said:


> .........Can someone confirm, can I watch anything recorded from HBO/showtime, AMC or video downloads like AppleByte or cnet?


I can confirm, yes anything you can see from your video output that's connected to the slingbox you can view externally on your sling enabled device (iPad, iPhone, Android, laptop, PC, etc.). They don't use Macrovision (analog copy protection).


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Yes. I never had any problem viewing any channels with my Slingbox 350.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

HarperVision said:


> I can confirm, yes anything you can see from your video output that's connected to the slingbox you can view externally on your sling enabled device (iPad, iPhone, Android, laptop, PC, etc.). They don't use Macrovision (analog copy protection).


Thanks for that answer. I missed clarifying that question was for slingbox.

So the slingplayer app is $14.99 in iTunes. Do I buy it once and can download it to all my iDevices(iPhones & iPads)? Or is it $14.99 per device it's installed on? I could see a MacbookPro would be different since not iOS.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

aaronwt said:


> Yes. I never had any problem viewing any channels with my Slingbox 350.


Ah I was just thinking of recorded shows bc I rarely watch live. I forgot about live TV.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

rucheridee said:


> Thanks for that answer. I missed clarifying that question was for slingbox. So the slingplayer app is $14.99 in iTunes. Do I buy it once and can download it to all my iDevices(iPhones & iPads)? Or is it $14.99 per device it's installed on? I could see a MacbookPro would be different since not iOS.


As long as they're all using the same iTunes account then it can be installed for one price on all of them.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

HarperVision said:


> As long as they're all using the same iTunes account then it can be installed for one price on all of them.


Yes, one iTunes acct.


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## SrLANGuy (Dec 26, 2001)

Diana Collins said:


> Check eBay for a Slingbox Solo (generally around $50 to $60 last I looked). It will connect via component and gives a very good quality image on dicey network links (I've gotten very good results down to 1 MBit/sec and sometimes less).
> 
> The other thing to try is there is an option in the iOS app to reset the stream remotely...if you can attach to the DVR, that might work.


Do yourself a favor and don't buy an OLD Slingbox Solo. You can get the NEWER and "much better" Slingbox 350 right now at Best Buy for $90.


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## SrLANGuy (Dec 26, 2001)

Diana Collins said:


> Personally, I use the Roamio/Stream to download content so I can watch on airplanes. If I'm streaming, I use the Slingbox (more robust streaming, especially on slow links).
> 
> I looked on eBay and used Solos are going for $30 to $50 or so..."new in box" ones are going for $75 or so ($100 less than when they were the current model). The Solos aren't HD units (they transcode to 480p) but that's more than adequate for small screens (and part of the reason it works at low bit rates).


Trust me, you can still tell the difference on small screens. The HD picture quality on the Slingbox 350 is so much better than what you get with the Slingbox Solo, and it's only $90 at Best Buy.


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## hummingbird_206 (Aug 23, 2007)

rucheridee said:


> Thanks for that answer. I missed clarifying that question was for slingbox.
> 
> So the slingplayer app is $14.99 in iTunes. Do I buy it once and can download it to all my iDevices(iPhones & iPads)? Or is it $14.99 per device it's installed on? I could see a MacbookPro would be different since not iOS.





HarperVision said:


> As long as they're all using the same iTunes account then it can be installed for one price on all of them.


IME the Slingbox app only works on one device. I have it on my iPad. I cannot install it on my iPhone without paying for the app again. Both devices are on the same iTunes account. YMMV, Maybe I'm doing something wrong?


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

hummingbird_206 said:


> IME the Slingbox app only works on one device. I have it on my iPad. I cannot install it on my iPhone without paying for the app again. Both devices are on the same iTunes account. YMMV, Maybe I'm doing something wrong?


Oh good point. I forgot about the different ipad and iPhone apps. If you buy the iphone app it can be installed on the iPad also for no additional cost, but it will be the lesser iPhone experience and not the nicer iPad version.

But if you have multiple iPads and iPhones the specific apps can be installed on each respective device without additional cost.

My bad, thanks for clarifying hummingbird!


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

HarperVision said:


> Oh good point. I forgot about the different ipad and iPhone apps. If you buy the iphone app it can be installed on the iPad also for no additional cost, but it will be the lesser iPhone experience and not the nicer iPad version.
> 
> But if you have multiple iPads and iPhones the specific apps can be installed on each respective device without additional cost.
> 
> My bad, thanks for clarifying hummingbird!


Thanks. More decisions once I get to that point. Anyone try to stream from a slingbox to iphone in a car? That would probably be the only time I'd view on an iphone.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

I have watched the Slingbox iPhone app in a car while on 4G or LTE and it worked fine. Same can be said for watching while delayed on the runway in a plane. It all depends on available cell signal.


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## nycityuser (Dec 30, 2004)

I use both TiVo Stream and Slingbox depending on the circumstance.

I prefer using the TiVo app because (as mentioned earlier) there is much less lag and it is easier to control the playback. And, of course, you can only download to a tablet via the TiVo app. It is my default application unless there is a reason to use Slingbox.

The Slingbox app allows me to playback via a Roku and watch the content on an actual television so I'll do that when I'm away from home base but have access to the Roku. The picture on the TV via Roku is, however, somewhat distorted. I've played around and it still looks stretched. But a TV screen is bigger than an iPad screen.

The Slingbox will also allow me to watch shows when outside the country. I'll be going abroad later this month and look forward to having that capability.

And, as a FIOS customer, if I want to watch something on HBO or Cinemax channels while away from home then I must use the Slingbox. If I have that Roku capability, however, I'll just watch through HBO Go. But if I want to watch a Live show airing on HBO (like Bill Maher) I have to use the Slingbox because the show isn't available on HBO Go until the next afternoon.


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## tamathat (Sep 11, 2011)

I second the Sling 350 idea. And I love the mini idea! I actually have 2 slingplayers to avoid the mirroring problem. 

Slinging to my cell with the sling app and LTE/SPARK Sprint service works well in my area. I have been able to watch shows while sitting in my car waiting on friends.

I use my Sling + Sling app every weekend to catch up on my shows while at my weekend office using the Starbucks wifi next door. I use the Sling app on an android tablet with a bluetooth speaker while I work on my laptop. I have found this setup the most enjoyable. When its the only app running, the image and quality of the stream are acceptable. When it comes to commercials I just reach over and tap the skip button 4-5 times and then go back to working on the laptop. Image quality isn't the best depending on your wifi setup but it works well. I had 3 different tablets in rotation at one point but I found that the sling app quality varied from tablet to tablet. My older Acer tablet runs the sling app the best. 

I did find a sleep timer app that I use when I travel. I'm able to watch my sling until I fall asleep and then the tablet auto shuts itself down. I imagine you could also use a mini HDMI cable to connect to your hotel tv and stream the sling to the tv but I'm not sure what the quality would be.

The only disadvantage is the on screen remote. It makes sense to current Tivo users but when my brother uses my login to view the stream he is very confused by the Tivo interface since the Sling can also pause and fast forward the stream.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The 350 is on sale for $89 at Amazon. If you're you're going to buy now is the time.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> The 350 is on sale for $89 at Amazon. If you're you're going to buy now is the time.


New job with travel just came my way, so this is just what I was hoping to see, ordered!


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

Lots of good feedback - thanks everyone!

I'm trying to picture how I could setup the slingbox 350 with my mini. I don't think I can. I don't have Ethernet in my bedroom. The roamio plus was used to create the moca network & the mini is connected via moca & is working as expected. I have an old Sony & use the composite/component breakout cables to connect it to the mini. Where would the slingbox fit in & what other cables would I need?

If I use the roamio instead, how would that setup work? I have a newer HDMI TV in the living room & have easy access to my router.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Get an actiontec moCa adapter to split the Ethernet from the coax before it gets to your mini.

https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca


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## confinoj (Apr 2, 2003)

Network issue is solvable as above. Another option to avoid having to split moca signal is using above solution with an ethernet switch or just using a moca adapter with a built in switch. Splitting isn't usually a big deal but if you already have several splits it could potentially decrease moca bandwidth. Actiontec makes a 4 port gigabit moca adapter which is nice as you are not bottle necked by 100mb/s ethernet. In these scenarios mini would be connected via ethernet, not coax. You also would have extra ethernet ports for other devices if needed. Slingbox can pass through the av signals to tv (has audio and component/composite in and out) so that part should work.

Actiontec 4 port gige moca adapter


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## confinoj (Apr 2, 2003)

bradleys said:


> Get an actiontec moCa adapter to split the Ethernet from the coax before it gets to your mini.
> 
> https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca


I don't think the coax output on the adapters passes through moca (it's just for TV signal) so you would have to split the coax with one leg going to mini and one leg going the moca adapter. Or use other solutions I mentioned above.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

confinoj said:


> Network issue is solvable as above. Another option to avoid having to split moca signal is using above solution with an ethernet switch or just using a moca adapter with a built in switch. Splitting isn't usually a big deal but if you already have several splits it could potentially decrease moca bandwidth. Actiontec makes a 4 port gigabit moca adapter which is nice as you are not bottle necked by 100mb/s ethernet. In these scenarios mini would be connected via ethernet, not coax. You also would have extra ethernet ports for other devices if needed. Slingbox can pass through the av signals to tv (has audio and component/composite in and out) so that part should work.
> 
> Actiontec 4 port gige moca adapter


Ok I think I understand the networking part. So in general the A/V connections would go mini->slingbox->TV or roamio->slingbox->TV? I think I've seen the A/V cables supplied with the slingbox 350 or will I need to buy additional cables like I did for the mini?


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## Marty1781 (Jan 2, 2004)

rucheridee said:


> Ok I think I understand the networking part. So in general the A/V connections would go mini->slingbox->TV or roamio->slingbox->TV? I think I've seen the A/V cables supplied with the slingbox 350 or will I need to buy additional cables like I did for the mini?


To connect the Mini and the Slingbox 350, use the following setup:

1. Coax wall outlet to Actiontec 4 port GigE Moca adapter: http://www.amazon.com/ACTIONTEC-The...qid=1420252911&sr=8-4&keywords=actiontec+moca

2. Ethernet from Moca adapter to Mini; ethernet from Moca adapter to SB350

3. Mini component/composite breakout cables from Mini to SB350.

4. Standard/regular component/composite cables from SB350 to your Sony tv


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## confinoj (Apr 2, 2003)

rucheridee said:


> Ok I think I understand the networking part. So in general the A/V connections would go mini->slingbox->TV or roamio->slingbox->TV? I think I've seen the A/V cables supplied with the slingbox 350 or will I need to buy additional cables like I did for the mini?


Slingbox 350 comes with av cables. I think it came with an ethernet cable too but can't be sure. The Actiontec 4 port adapter comes with an ethernet cable too so if you bought those two devices I think you should have everything you need. By the way I have a very similar setup. Roamio basic (OTA) in living room with mini in bedroom. Mini is connected via ethernet to Actiontec 4 port gige moca adapter (I have another one at my main router). Tv connected via Hdmi to mini. Slingbox 350 connected to mini via breakout cables. Works great.


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## SrLANGuy (Dec 26, 2001)

Instead of buying:
$100 --- Slingbox 350
$90 ---- MoCA Adapter
----------------------------
$190 --- TOTAL​I'd go with:
$125 --- Slingbox M1​As long as you have good Wi-Fi in your home, the Slingbox M1 has Wi-Fi built-in.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

SrLANGuy said:


> Instead of buying:
> $100 --- Slingbox 350
> $90 ---- MoCA Adapter
> ----------------------------
> ...


Wifi would always be my absolute last possible option for a device that doesn't need to be mobile.

A $50 moCa adapter is going to give you a true LAN drop at that point - a far more stable option for a streaming box.

https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

SrLANGuy said:


> Instead of buying:
> $100 --- Slingbox 350
> $90 ---- MoCA Adapter
> ----------------------------
> ...


The wifi is not that good throughout the house. Before I got the mini, I watched my recordings on my ipad in bed and I'd never know if the signal could suddenly become degraded, so I just started downloading from the start. Less frustrations if it started acting up in the middle or worse yet the last few minutes of the show!


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## confinoj (Apr 2, 2003)

Agree, streaming video should be wired when it's an option. While wifi theoretically should be fine for the required bitrates the fact is it just isn't nearly as reliable. Moca has allowed me to wire everything in my bedroom, home theater setup up as well as add more routers to other locations for better wifi coverage. Overall just a much better trouble free experience.


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## rucheridee (Dec 22, 2010)

bradleys said:


> Wifi would always be my absolute last possible option for a device that doesn't need to be mobile.
> 
> A $50 moCa adapter is going to give you a true LAN drop at that point - a far more stable option for a streaming box.
> 
> https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca


Instead of the moca adapter/mini, could I also use the A/V outputs from the Roamio plus to the slingbox while still keeping the existing HDMI connection? I would still end up hijacking the main Tivo though if I wanted to watch via the slingbox remotely - right?

Thanks for all the input. I like to picture how everything would or could work before I pull the trigger for something I would use infrequently, but will be invaluable when it is needed on occasion.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

rucheridee said:


> Instead of the moca adapter/mini, could I also use the A/V outputs from the Roamio plus to the slingbox while still keeping the existing HDMI connection? I would still end up hijacking the main Tivo though if I wanted to watch via the slingbox remotely - right?
> 
> Thanks for all the input. I like to picture how everything would or could work before I pull the trigger for something I would use infrequently, but will be invaluable when it is needed on occasion.


On all the past TiVos sent the signal was concurrently live on all outputs, no reason to think it isn't on you Roamio Plus - that should work fine.

And yes, the slingbox takes over the Roamio.

Let me tell you what I would do... The Mini's are so inexpensive now, I would get one exclusively for the slingbox and set everything up in a convenient location - likely near the router sans TV.


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