Sling Media Inc. is an American technology company that develops placeshifting and

Smart TV A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features, which allows users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a techn ...

solutions for consumers,

multiple-system operator A multiple-system operator (MSO) is an operator of multiple cable or direct-broadcast satellite television systems. A cable system in the United States, by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) definition, is a facility serving a single commun ...

s and set top box manufacturers. The company is based in Foster City, California, and was a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (acquired in the fall of 2007). Their initial product, the Slingbox, debuted on the US market on July 1, 2005. The EchoStar business unit was part of a corporate assets exchange with

Dish Network DISH Network Corporation (DISH, an acronym for DIgital Sky Highway) is an American television provider and the owner of the direct-broadcast satellite provider Dish, commonly known as Dish Network, and the over-the-top IPTV service, Sling ...

at the beginning of 2017 and now operates as Dish Technologies Corporation under

History

The company was founded in 2004 by brothers Blake and Jason Krikorian from

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

, along with Bhupen Shah, who had the relationships to help establish Sling's presence in Bangalore. The idea for Sling originated during the 2002

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

season, when the Krikorian brothers, who are dedicated

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...

fans, often traveled far from home, and faced missing the best games of the season. On September 24, 2007,

EchoStar EchoStar Corporation is an American company, a worldwide provider of satellite communication and Internet services through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. EchoStar is based out of unincorporated Ar ...

announced an agreement to acquire Sling Media for approximately US$380 million. Blake and Jason left the company in January 2009. On August 3, 2016, Blake Krikorian died of a heart attack at age 48.

Products

Retail Slingbox Hardware

_{(see also Slingbox)} The original Slingbox, now referred to as the Slingbox Classic, was released July 1, 2005. It was designed by

Yves Béhar Yves Béhar (born 1967) is a Swiss-born American designer, entrepreneur, and educator. He is the founder and principal designer of Fuseproject, an industrial design and brand development firm. Béhar is also co-founder and Chief Creative Off ...

, and had the appearance of a "foil-wrapped chocolate bar."

Second Generation - AV, Tuner and Pro

Improvement came with the introduction of the second-generation line of Sling Media products: the Slingbox AV, the Slingbox Tuner, and the Slingbox Pro. While the Slingbox AV became a simplified unit with

s-video S-Video (also known as separate video, Y/C, and erroneously Super-Video ) is an analog video signal format that carries standard-definition video, typically at 525 lines or 625 lines. It encodes video luma and chrominance on two separate chann ...

and

composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials ...

inputs only, the Slingbox Tuner provided service for the other end of the spectrum, with only a single

coaxial In geometry, coaxial means that several three-dimensional linear or planar forms share a common axis. The two-dimensional analog is ''concentric''. Common examples: A coaxial cable is a three-dimensional linear structure. It has a wire condu ...

input for use by basic cable and antenna-only applications. The Slingbox Pro introduced a four input design, combining the capabilities of the AV and Tuner units while also allowing for the connection of high definition sources with the use of an accessory cable adding

component Circuit Component may refer to: •Are devices that perform functions when they are connected in a circuit. In engineering, science, and technology Generic systems * System components, an entity with discrete structure, such as an assem ...

and

digital audio Digital audio is a representation of sound recorded in, or converted into, digital form. In digital audio, the sound wave of the audio signal is typically encoded as numerical samples in a continuous sequence. For example, in CD audio, samp ...

inputs.

Third Generation - SOLO and PRO-HD

In 2007, Sling introduced the Slingbox SOLO, a third generation box that was a "streamlined version of the Slingbox Pro". It provided a high quality standard definition video stream and a lower price point. This model was followed up in 2008 by the Slingbox PRO-HD, a high-end device that supported placeshifting HDTV (1080i) video and currently is the only Slingbox to include an ATSC tuner for over-the-air HDTV broadcasts. The Slingbox SOLO was also later repackaged as the Slingbox 120 for special vertical and international markets. An unknown number of the third generation Slingboxes were susceptible to the

capacitor plague The capacitor plague was a problem related to a higher-than-expected failure rate of non-solid aluminium electrolytic capacitors, between 1999 and 2007, especially those from some Taiwanese manufacturers, due to faulty electrolyte composition t ...

. While many enthusiasts replaced these capacitors on their own, Sling later addressed these issues in support. Remanufactured and refurbished third-generation Slingboxes have been fixed as well.

Fourth Generation - 350 and 500

In October 2012, Sling Media launched the Slingbox 350 and 500 to replace the Slingbox SOLO and PRO-HD. With the

digital television transition in the United States The digital transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of terrestrial television programming. According to David Rehr, then president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, t ...

, the desirability of a standard definition focused product no longer existed in Sling's main market. Therefore, both boxes include HDTV capability, though the ATSC digital tuner that was included in the PRO-HD was not included in either Slingbox. The Slingbox 350 is the base product, with one SD/HD audio-video input (composite or component) and an ethernet port to connect to the Internet. The Slingbox 500 was positioned as a platform for next-generation

capabilities. In addition to placeshifting, the Slingbox 500 included streaming apps from Dish Digital, including Dishworld and Blockbuster On-Demand, as well as the ability to manage and view personal media, including video. The Slingbox 500 had

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves ...

networking and

HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controlle ...

passthrough capabilities. However, because of restrictive

HDCP High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of digital copy protection developed by Intel Corporation to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections. Types of connections include DisplayPor ...

DRM, Sling still recommends that customers use component cables for placeshifting.

Fifth generation - Slingbox M1

In July 2014, Sling Media launched the award-winning Slingbox M1 to replace the Slingbox 350. With the introduction of this Slingbox, the entire line of Slingbox hardware now support Wi-Fi connectivity. In addition, users were now able to configure a Slingbox M1 using the Slingplayer for iPad, iPhone and Android phone, as well as the Slingplayer for Desktop that was reintroduced at the same time.Baumgartner, Jeff. Multichannel News, July 15, 2015
Sling Media Targets The Mainstream
(Retrieved July 17, 2014)

SlingTV and the Slingbox 500

Also introduced in July 2014, SlingTV was a free upgrade to the Slingbox 500 that provides a graphical user interface and information overlays for living room TV viewing in addition to providing place shifting capabilities. The interface also provides recommendations based on aggregate viewing data, popularity and social activity. It was released in September 2014 to current Slingbox 500 customers. With the licensing of the Sling brand to

for the Sling Television OTT service, the SlingTV box reverted to the Slingbox 500 product name.

Other Hardware and Accessories

In 2008, Sling introduced the SlingCatcher, a hardware device to view content from a remote Slingbox, as well as personal media. The product garnered mixed reviews from its limited capabilities, including no support for HDTV, complex nature and its price. Because early Slingboxes did not support Wi-Fi, connecting them to a network was difficult if a customer did not have an ethernet jack near their set top box. To address these needs, Sling released the SlingLink line of power line adapters. With the release of a Wi-Fi-enabled Slingbox 500, the product was discontinued and is no longer supported.

Slingplayer Apps

Viewing on the Desktop - Slingplayer for Desktop and Watch

When the original Slingbox Classic was launched, customers used free downloadable software for Windows or Macintosh to access video that was streamed from the Slingbox. That application was phased out with the introduction of the Slingbo
Watch
website, which utilized an NPAPI plug-in for video streaming. Because of the discontinuation of the NPAPI support on Chrome and demand from customers, Sling reintroduced the Slingplayer for Desktop application for Windows and Apple Mac OS X with the launch of the Slingbox M1. However, the relaunched desktop application is only compatible with the Slingbox M1 models. In addition, Sling has also added banner ads and periodic pre-roll video ads when using the Watch website.

Slingplayer for Mobile

Customers can also purchase the Slingplayer apps for their mobile smartphones and tablets. Supported platforms include iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android (phones and tablets),

Kindle Fire The Amazon Fire, formerly called the Kindle Fire, is a line of tablet computers developed by Amazon. Built with Quanta Computer, the Kindle Fire was first released in November 2011, featuring a color 7-inch multi-touch display with IPS tech ...

and Microsoft Windows 8.1 tablets.Sling Website - Slingplayer
(Retrieved July 15, 2014) Previously supported platforms include Blackberry, Palm OS and Symbian. Slingplayer apps also have the ability to "cast" their video stream to a TV screen through a Smart TV streaming box. Supported platforms include: * AppleTV via

AirPlay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

(iOS Slingplayer apps only) *

Roku Roku ( ) is a brand of hardware digital media players manufactured by American company Roku, Inc. They offer access to streaming media content from online services. The first Roku model, developed in collaboration with Netflix, was introduced ...

devices, which requires a Roku customer to download a Slingplayer for Roku app There were several native apps for Connected Devices that can view and control a remote Slingbox. Those devices included:Sling Support
Slingbox models compatible with SlingPlayer for Connected Devices
(Retrieved July 20, 2014) * WD TV Live *

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

Internet Player with Google TV * Netgear NeoTV *

Boxee Box Boxee Box by D-Link (officially "''D-Link Boxee Box DSM-380''") is a Linux-based set-top device and media extender that first began shipping in 33 countries worldwide on 10 November 2010. Designed to easily bring Internet television and other video ...

Logitech Logitech International S.A. ( ; often shortened to Logi) is a Swiss multinational manufacturer of computer peripherals and software, with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Newark, California. The company has offices throughout Europe ...

Revue These apps have been deprecated as of July 2014 and will no longer be supported.

OEM Solutions

In addition to developing products and services for consumers, Sling also provides

s and set top box manufacturers a solution for mobile viewing of licensed content and the integration of Smart TV technologies. These capabilities include an SDK,

cloud infrastructure Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage (cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over multi ...

and engineering resources. Sling's technology is currently embedded in the following products: *

Sling Adapter for ViP 722, ViP 722k and XiP 813 (Hopper) set top boxes. Also known as the Slingbox 700U. *

XiP 913 (Hopper with Sling) set top box *

ViP 922 * Dish Anywhere *

ARRIS In architecture, an arris is the sharp edge formed by the intersection of two surfaces, such as the corner of a masonry unit; the edge of a timber in timber framing; the junction between two planes of plaster or any intersection of divergent a ...

MS4000

Criticism and controversy

Early in its history, the Slingbox caused widespread speculation of its possible legal implications. High on the list of issues cited by critics, was the ability to provide a loophole around proximity control, potentially allowing people outside the approved viewing area for events, especially sports, in which distribution traditionally has been restricted by time and region. However, the practice of placeshifting is not unlike that of timeshifting, which has been upheld in courts across the world due to the personal nature of a timeshifted rebroadcast, which is deemed "non-infringing fair use". Furthermore, Sling Media's technology limits access to a single authorized user, which prevents unauthorized or multi-user access thereby maintaining the personal nature of the placeshifted content, and keeping it within the "private use" terms and conditions set by most copyright-protected content.

Broadcasting

Ironically, given the controversy, the retail Slingbox hardware has found an unexpected

niche market A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focused. The market niche defines the product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that i ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

Broadcast engineer Broadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting. Audio engineering and RF engineering are also essential pa ...

s at several

TV station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the eart ...

s have installed them at remote "towercam" locations to observe traffic and

weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...

conditions.

KPIX-TV KPIX-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to San Francisco, California, United States, serving as the San Francisco Bay Area's CBS network outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division alongside ...

has several connected with

wireless network A wireless network is a computer network that uses wireless data connections between network nodes. Wireless networking is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and business installations avoid the costly process of introducing ...

ing, using

EV-DO Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO, EVDO, etc.) is a telecommunications standard for the wireless transmission of data through radio signals, typically for broadband Internet access. EV-DO is an evolution of the CDMA2000 (IS-2000) standard which su ...

via a

cellular network A cellular network or mobile network is a communication network where the link to and from end nodes is wireless. The network is distributed over land areas called "cells", each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver (typically th ...

(

mobile phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whi ...

) provider. This costs only a few hundred dollars for each site, versus well over ten thousand for a setup with a

remote pickup unit A remote pickup unit or RPU is a radio system using special radio frequencies set aside for electronic news-gathering (ENG) and remote broadcasting. It can also be used for other types of point-to-point radio links. An RPU is used to send program ...

and auxiliary

broadcast license A broadcast license is a type of spectrum license granting the licensee permission to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses generally include restrictions, which vary f ...

s. However, the system is not yet reliable or

broadband In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections. ...

enough to handle live

remote broadcast In broadcast engineering, a remote broadcast (usually just called a remote or a live remote, or in news parlance, a live shot) is broadcasting done from a location away from a formal television studio and is considered an electronic field producti ...

s. Cable TV providers are also using it to provide proof of performance for companies that run TV ads on their systems. It is also used with

Amateur television Amateur television (ATV) is the transmission of broadcast quality video and audio over the wide range of frequencies of radio waves allocated for radio amateur (Ham) use. ATV is used for non-commercial experimentation, pleasure, and public servic ...

transmissions. There are also hosted Slingbox services where the slingbox and set top box are hosted in a

data centre A data center (American English) or data centre (British English)See spelling differences. is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommun ...

on behalf of the user. This means that the management of the devices is done by the host and that the user can access TV streams from their hosted Slingbox wherever, whenever and whatever device ( PC, Mobile, TV) they want.

Clip+Sling

During the 2007

Consumer Electronics Show CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event t ...

, the firm announced a future feature named Clip+Sling. It allows users to share clips of their favorite TV shows with each other through a hosted Web service. The announcement was made during

Leslie Moonves Leslie Roy Moonves (; born October 6, 1949) is an American media executive who was the chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation from 2003 until his resignation in September 2018 following numerous allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault and ...

' keynote speech. On December 2, 2008, Sling Media announced the public launch of Sling.com, an online video entertainment destination. Users can go to Sling.com to watch clips, TV shows, films, news and sports. This includes video programming from over 90 content providers spanning 150 content brands. In addition to the on-demand offerings, Slingbox owners could connect to their Slingbox through the website, making their Slingboxes available without a software client download. However, Clip+Sling was never launched and Sling.com eventually became the home of the web-based Watch player.Covert, Adrian. Gizmodo, January 6, 2009
Sling Updates: HD Streaming Coming to Mac, iPhone Sling App Scheduled for Q1
/ref> This signaled Sling Media's intent at the time to migrate users from using desktop software to Sling.com to access to their Slingbox.

Placeshifting patent litigation

In January 2013, EchoStar and Sling Media sued

Belkin Belkin is an American consumer electronics and networking company headquartered in El Segundo, California. It produces mobile and computer connectivity devices and peripherals for consumer and commercial use. These include wireless chargers, po ...

and

Monsoon Multimedia Monsoon Multimedia was a company that manufactured, developed and sold video streaming and place-shifting devices that allowed consumers to view and control live television on PCs connected to a local (home) network or remotely from a broadb ...

for infringing on five patents related to placeshifting. In March 2013, Sling Media also initiated a complaint with the ITC to block the importing of Belkin and Monsoon Media products related to the @TV and Vulkano products, respectively. The ITC complaint also targeted chips from C2 Microsystems. In May 2013, Belkin and Sling Media settled their portion of the suit. In December 2013, the ITC closed out the case and barred Monsoon Multimedia products from being imported into the US.Law360, December 6, 2013
Video Streaming Cos. Hit With Import Bans In Slingbox Row
(Retrieved April 18, 2014)

References

External links

* {{Dish Network Computer companies established in 2004 Companies based in Foster City, California Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area Defunct computer companies of the United States Defunct computer hardware companies Dish Network 2004 establishments in California 2007 mergers and acquisitions