Digital media processor helps "placeshift" TV

The Slingbox Personal Broadcaster is a groundbreaking product from Sling Media that won numerous awards at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show.

Sling Media and Texas Instruments have collaborated on the newly introduced Slingbox Personal Broadcaster, the groundbreaking product from Sling Media that won numerous awards at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show.

This co-operative effort involves commitments to technology integration from both companies and audio and video technology from Microsoft Corp.

"Sling Media is driving to create engaging and empowering digital media products for consumers", said Blake Krikorian, cofounder and CEO for Sling Media.

"We are thrilled to have Microsoft and Texas Instruments join us in our effort".

"The quality and flexibility of TI's high performance solutions are integral to the uniqueness of the Slingbox".

The Slingbox enables consumers to watch their TV programming from wherever they are by turning any networked laptop or desktop PC into a personal TV.

The Slingbox redirects, or "placeshifts", the TV signal from any cable box, satellite receiver or personal video recorder (PVR) to a viewer's location and device of choice, whether in another room in the home or remotely with a high-speed Internet connection.

An elegantly designed compact box that fits neatly into a user's existing TV setup, the Slingbox will retail for $249 with no monthly service fees.

The product is due to ship in the first half of 2005.

Sling Media selected Texas Instruments' DSP-based digital media processor technology because of its flexibility, performance, and optimal peripheral set.

For the primary audio and video codecs, Sling Media turned to Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series, which provides superior quality and device compatibility.

These powerful platforms, combined with a proprietary streaming optimisation technology developed by Sling Media, enable the Slingbox to provide a high quality video experience across a wide range of network conditions.

"Given the unique challenges presented by bandwidth-constrained networks, Sling Media required the most advanced, flexible technology available in today's market", said Jonathan Usher, Director of the Windows Digital Media Division, Microsoft.

"With its unmatched quality, Windows Media 9 Series was a natural fit for an innovative product like the Slingbox".

The TI processor - the first DSP to be certified by Microsoft as a Windows Media encoding solution - features a level of programmability critical to the Slingbox.

In addition to providing a method for Sling Media to implement its proprietary streaming algorithms, the DSP-based approach allows for remote upgrades as well as the introduction of additional software and services once units are already in the field.

"Texas Instruments is committed to developing technology that enables consumer electronics manufacturers such as Sling Media to put pioneering innovations into the hands of consumers", said Henry Wiechman, Business Manager for TI's Streaming Media Group.

"The Slingbox truly takes on-the-go media to the next level with its simple interface and high-quality video delivery".

Back to top