If you have Dish network (are they any of you out there?), the ViP 922 will let you schedule, manage and view your recordings (and plenty of 'em on the 1TB drive) from any web-connected machine; there's also a nifty new touchpad remove for when you're at home. Could have used that for Top Chef tonight—no Bravo at the Wynn. WTF??

It's available via your friendly Dish service man come Spring 2009 for an undisclosed sum.

DISH NETWORK® INTRODUCES WORLD’S FIRST
“SLINGLOADED” HD DVR AT 2009 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

New 1 Terabyte High Definition DVR with Integrated Slingbox, Touchpad Remote Control and Tile-based User Interface

Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 8, 2009 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider and the digital transition leader, today unveiled the world’s first
SlingLoaded™ HD DuoDVR™, the award-winning ViP® 922. The ViP® 922 is the first high definition digital video recorder that incorporates placeshifting technology.

The ViP® 922 was built by EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), and developed for DISH Network as an entertainment centerpiece that – combined with the only 1080p Video on Demand and 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming packages available today – will revolutionize the way consumers watch and enjoy their favorite programming. DISH Network will offer the ViP® 922 to customers in Spring 2009.

“DISH Network is pleased to add another award-winning product to our suite of MPEG-4 HD DVR ViP receivers: a groundbreaking set top box that offers consumers the true experience of TV everywhere,” said DISH Network Chairman, CEO and President Charlie Ergen. “By integrating Sling Media’s Slingbox technology into our industry-leading HD DVR, DISH Network is providing even more ways for our subscribers to view their TV programming – through their television sets, their desktops at home, their laptops on the road, and their smartphones including Blackberrys, iPhones and more.”

The ViP® 922 allows TV enthusiasts to watch and control their favorite TV shows and sporting events from anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. With five video sources, including satellite, broadband and optional over-the-air tuners, viewers will never run out of shows to watch. The ViP® 922 also features a multi-tuner DVR with up to 1,000 hours of recording time and supports connecting external hard drives for even more storage capacity.

An innovative touchpad remote control accompanies the ViP® 922, which eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control and provides cursor-like navigation on a TV screen. With a slide of the thumb, viewers experience scroll-over activation of the new user interface: on-screen widget-like tiles and pop-up menus. All features are selectable by an underside index finger trigger selection on the radio frequency-controlled remote, which offers two-way learning of codes from other AV equipment remote controls.

The ViP® 922 can also be controlled using SlingGuide™, a new way for consumers to control their TV viewing experience over the Internet. SlingGuide features a powerful search engine for the TV along with the ability to schedule the ViP® 922 DVR timers remotely.

Other ViP® 922 features include:
• News feeds located on the home screen, giving viewers instant access to national news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.
• Ability to organize channels by channel name or number.
• 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480i and 480p support.
• Internet-delivered DISH On Demand including 1080p content.
• Ability to move one day in the guide while browsing full screen EPG or partial EPG.
• Connections to home networks via Ethernet, HomePlug Turbo (the next generation of HomePlug that allows for faster in-home transfer of content using home power lines), or WiFi (with optional WiFi adapter).
• Powerful search capability across all available video sources, including IP, VOD, satellite or DVR.
• Intuitive timer creation and DVR management, allowing users to categorize programming by groups (video source, title, genres) or by content description (date, length, ratings and more).
• Ability to load photos, MP3s and selected Internet content.
• Future upgrades such as photo sharing, movie ticket purchases, family calendars, instant messaging, streaming audio, and the ability to transfer content within a home network.

EchoStar’s new user interface and remote control for the ViP® 922 were selected as CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honorees. Demonstrations of the ViP® 922 will be available at DISH Network’s Booth No. 14438, located in the Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 8-11. For more information about DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

As opposed to a standalone desktop client, Sling has opted to introduce SlingPlayer for Mac HD as a web-based app that runs through Sling.com. The move makes sense, as Sling has been gradually moving into the webspace over the last year with Sling accounts and their web TV portal.

As for the iPhone app, it has undergone some visual changes since the last time we saw it in June, and is now optimized for iPhone 2.0 software. In addition, it has some new features, such as a new remote control interface that changes according to your cable or satellite box, Sling.com account integration and new finger gestures that let you change channels with a swipe of the finger.

SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be available for free sometime in Q1 this year, while the iPhone Sling app will be submitted to Apple for approval around the same time (keep your fingers crossed on that one).

Sling Media to Demonstrate SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone and Slingbox HD Streaming on the Mac at Macworld

San Francisco — Macworld — January 6, 2009 — Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is demonstrating a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone being developed for the iTunes store at this year’s Macworld. Sling Media will deliver a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone to Apple for certification in Q1.

Sling Media is also unveiling a prototype of a new SlingPlayer for Mac HD which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream HD to their Mac desktop or laptop computer. The new SlingPlayer for Mac HD is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be accessible from Sling.com, Sling Media’s recently launched video entertainment web site.

“SlingPlayer Mobile is ideally suited for the iPhone’s large touch screen display and I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application’s availability,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. “Add to that HD streaming support for Slingbox PRO-HD customers and live TV support on our video entertainment site, Sling.com, and you can see Sling Media is committed to delivering great solutions for Mac users.”

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via your iPhone using a standard network connection (3G Cellular, WiFi). In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road.

Pricing and Availability
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone will be submitted to Apple for testing and approval in Q1. The price has not been determined at this time. SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be available for free via the web-based SlingPlayer within Sling.com later in Q1. Mac customers will be able to use either Safari or Firefox web browsers to get both HD streaming and Live TV within Sling.com.

The player will run on most BlackBerry phones, with the notable exception of the Storm, which it seems would be best suited for such purposes. According to the company, the app will run straight away and without caveat on the BlackBerry Bold, Curve 8900, 8820, Curve 8320, Pearl Flip 8220, and Pearl 8120, assuming they are updated to OS 4.5.

Beyond that, Sling says that the program may run fine on a variety of other OS 4.5 EDGE-only handsets, though these configurations will be unsupported. If our early hands-on is any indicator, a solid EDGE connection will generally do well enough, so for all intents and purposes this release will cover most of the operational BlackBerry line. The beta will open on 12/30. [Sling]

We got a hands-on with it earlier in the week and were pretty impressed. Some scenarios that we can think of are:

• Streaming HD from your DVR in your living room to your Slingcatcher in your bedroom.
• Dumping a bunch of BitTorrented DivX/XviD files onto a USB drive, taking it to the Slingcatcher, plugging it in and watching.
• Opening up ABC HD, turning on last night's Lost, and watching it on the TV instead of the computer.

Convenient! [Slingbox]

The patent goes into quite a bit of detail on the subject, but it is important to note that as far as anyone knows, Sling Media has not made any plans to use this technology. The patent simply illustrates that they could if they chose to do so —although it would probably be akin to suicide. [Patent Application via Sling Community]

[The Tomo Report]

We've tried the SlingPlayer Mobile on WinMo using a Motorola Q, and we're here to tell you that it's remarkable how well it works even when the connection is not all that good. Let's hope the Slingsters offer the software free to Blackberryites as the company has done for Symbian S60-based Nokia N95 users. [Pocketlint]

The idea of a cheaper, single-source HD-compatible Slingbox is a great one. Before we got this Slingbox Solo, we'd been using a Slingbox Pro for a year, and its variety of inputs has proven to be way more than we've ever needed. (Really, why would we want to watch a DVD via the Slingbox? TiVo is all we want to watch remotely.) But this Slingbox Solo ($179.99), positioned in the Sling product line between the Slingbox Pro ($229.99) and the Slingbox AV ($129.99), hit that Goldilocks sweet spot: It's just right.

The Slingbox Solo carries on that Aztec temple-like design of the Pro, but it's about two thirds the width. If you care about such things, its shiny piano-black surface is definitely a fingerprint magnet, but after wiping it off with a microfiber cloth, it still looks sparkly, low-slung and sophisticated as it takes its place on our component rack.

Looking out back at the business end of the Solo, you'll see that even though it only handles one input at a time, there's no shortage of places to plug in. Whether you choose component, composite or SVideo, any source can be passed through so you can also plug it into your TV after that Sling magic has been performed on your video.

We plugged in our TiVo Series3 HD PVR, and the Sling Solo's setup, functions and quality appeared to be identical to the Slingbox Pro. Just like the Slingbox Pro, even though HD sources go into the Solo at 720p, as long as you're watching the signal over a high-speed home network they come out at 640x480 and then are stretched out to 16:9. That's definitely better than standard definition but certainly not HD.

Using the system over the internet, its quality ratchets down to 320x240 but is stretched out to widescreen. Away from the home network, its video looks a bit blocky and suffers dropouts here and there, but picture quality is mostly dependent on the speed of the internet connection. In both instances, the Solo's video looks just the same to us as the Pro model.

Solo is a worthy addition to the Slingbox line, and unlike the Slingbox Pro, requires no optional adapter to get it working with HD sources. Sure, we would've liked an HDMI port on the back of this baby (also lacking on the Pro), but component video will just have to do. And forget sending HDTV all over the world with the Slingbox—until bandwidth in the United States reaches that of Japan or Scandinavia, the Solo's kind of sub-HD resolution for watching TV all over your house or on the road will be just good enough for now.

Incidentally, Sling is also announcing that Solo also works in Canada ($199.99 looneys), and the UK (£129.99), calling it the company's "first worldwide model." The company's also launching the Slingbox Pro in the UK for £199.99, and that's packing a DVB-T tuner and includes an HD connect cable.

EchoStar Announces Agreement to Acquire Sling Media, Inc.

Combination Will Create Industry-Leading Digital Media Solutions Provider

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. and FOSTER CITY, Calif., September 24, 2007 -
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) announced today
that it has agreed to acquire Sling Media, Inc., a privately-held
digital lifestyle products company. EchoStar, through its DISH
Network(r), is the third largest pay-TV provider in the United States.
The transaction values Sling Media at approximately $380 million and
is payable in cash and EchoStar options. The transaction is subject to
customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the fourth
quarter of 2007.

Established in 2004, Sling Media has been a leading innovator in the
digital lifestyle space through the introduction of the
internationally-acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox and
SlingPlayer software. Sling Media's product line is distributed in
over 5,000 retail stores in 11 countries.

In 2006, Sling Media created the Sling Entertainment Group with the
mission of developing entertainment experiences and business models
that reach beyond the Slingbox. The group also fosters and manages
relationships with content creators and owners. Its first initiative,
Clip+Sling , dramatically changes the way consumers socialize around
TV by enabling users to clip and share limited segments of their
favorite television programming.

"As an early investor in Sling Media, EchoStar has been pleased with
the progress and commitment the company has made establishing Sling
Media and the Slingbox as powerful and beloved digital media brands,"
said Charlie Ergen, CEO and co-founder of EchoStar. "With today's
increasingly mobile lifestyle, EchoStar's acquisition of Sling Media
will allow us to offer innovative and convenient ways for our
customers to enjoy their programming on more displays and locations,
including TVs, computers and mobile phones, both inside and outside of
the home. This combination paves the way for the development of a host
of new innovative products and services for our subscribers, new
digital media consumers and strategic partners."

"We are psyched to make this announcement. We have worked closely with
EchoStar for more than two years, and have come to realize that both
companies have similar entrepreneurial cultures and mutual dedication
and passion for creating empowering experiences that benefit the
consumer and the media industry," said Blake Krikorian, co-founder,
chairman and CEO of Sling Media. "By combining strategies, resources
and technologies with EchoStar, Sling Media will be able to rapidly
expand our open multi-platform product offerings, not only for DISH
Network subscribers, but for digital media enthusiasts around the
globe."

Better yet, NHL clips will be categorized and sorted by teams so you (or anyone) can find clips of your favorite team stomping ass (or getting stomped) with little effort on Sling's upcoming video site.

I hope the PBA gets on board with this, as I'd like to be able to check out sweet Parker Bohn III action whenever I feel like it. Kidding. Kind of. – Matt Buchanan

Image via Flickr

Yeah, that's right. When you're on the road and just want to catch your home team's game via Sling, in the MLB's eyes you (and Sling Media) are acting illegally because of broadcast contracts written around geographical boundaries.

Since Sling refused to pay extortion licensing fees to the MLB, the league's currently contemplating that favorite of legal actions: a lawsuit. If Sling's still around, anyway, since according to the MLB Advanced Media's general counsel, "there's no guarantee that Slingbox will be around next year. It's a startup." Them's fightin' words. Which is surprising, coming from a pack of whining, weeping, crying crybabies. – Matt Buchanan

Sports Leagues' Slingbox Opposition Highlights New Game of Content Control [via Crave]
Image via Flickr