Slingbox - school me?

[WRXtranceformed]

So I'd rather not pay for another DirecTV box, for the installation and another $60 a year just to be able to watch TV for a half an hour or so a day in my bedroom. Someone told me an HD slingbox is a good alternative. What are the pros / cons? What are you guys using for your TV setups? We've talked about this in some other threads, but you tech junkies know a lot more about getting stuff for cheap / free by using current hardware than I do :lol:

Here's what I have:
1) well-equipped laptop with HDMI outs
2) plasma monitor (no tuner) for my bedroom
3) HD DVR box downstairs

I want to be able to watch TV upstairs of course, and I'm assuming that I wont be able to watch two different channels on two different TVs on the same DVR box. I would like to be able to at least CONTROL the channels and DVR from upstairs in my bedroom if at all possible. I'll eventually add a blu-ray player and such upstairs but for now I want to be able to watch my Star Trek before I go to bed haha. Halp me!

[Apoc]

You need a slingbox HD to send the signal and a slingcatcher to receive it. You will be able to use a remote to control all the peripherals in the primary room.

[WRXtranceformed]

Ok, so I wouldn't be able to use the remote to control the DVR if I was in my bedroom? Assuming the slingbox and DVR are in my living room downstairs.

[Apoc]

You would. You'll get a new remote with the slingcatcher to keep in the bedroom. That remote will allow you to control all the components in the living room because the slingbox comes with IR senders. You doublestick tape them near the sensors for your DVR (et al) and you're golden.

[WRXtranceformed]

Cool thanks! Looking at all the hardware I'd need though (based on my setup, I would need a slingbox pro HD, 2 sling turbos or 4 total and a slingcatcher) it almost just makes more sense to pick up a cheap DirecTV box from my friend's husband who has a million of them (he works in the electronics business) and go the installed / monthly service route. It would actually be way less expensive initially, the only thing that would eat away from it would be the $60 yearly from DTV for the extra box. By going this route I can also watch two different channels upstairs and downstairs.

[Apoc]

Slingturbos simply do not work. It's not a problem with their model, I've just never heard a success story with networking via power outlets. If your house is not wired for ethernet, you're better off picking up a cheap DTV box.

[HAULN-SS]

you can also get a high frequency remote to control boxes in other rooms, btw.

[WRXtranceformed]

Slingturbos simply do not work. It's not a problem with their model, I've just never heard a success story with networking via power outlets. If your house is not wired for ethernet, you're better off picking up a cheap DTV box.

Good to know before I dropped lewt on them. My whole house is wired up through a central box, the issue is that the previous owner was dumb in where they placed the ethernet outlets. It's frustrating because the original house I bought down here (long story, cancelled my contract because the builder, the company I worked for, tried to fuck me) was perfectly wired for EXACTLY where I would want my televisions, XBOX, etc. This house, unfortunately, not so much.