Is slingbox my only answer?

[Sidekicknichola]

I will be moving from rural Wisconsin to Minneapolis in the near future... my condo complex will not allow any sort of satellite dishes on the property.... basic comcast cable and internet is provided from the association.

My thought is to leave my existing DirectTV service running (with NFL sunday ticket) and have an extra hd box dedicated to the slingbox which I will access from the new apartment (I'll have a HTPC running my setup anyway). So basic news, or whatever shows I can just use the basic cable, but for anything else I would run through the slingbox....

anyone else ever done something similar?.... is it do-able or is the lag between channel change/menus too frustrating? ... and is the quality on the HD pro pretty good?

Thanks!

 

[Chapbass]

Quality on the slingbox isn't too shabby...provided you have some decent bandwidth. It scales pretty heavily depending on that. What is your upload at your current place? You say rural wisconsin, which worries me...

 

[Sidekicknichola]

You say rural wisconsin, which worries me...

You and me both.

I consistently can get 1.5+meg upload from speedtest which is the "minimum" slingbox states... but minimum is always scary to be at.

The fastest connection offered is what she currently has with is 2meg for $60/mo..... yeah, 2megs, $60 a month.... there is zero faster option for where she lives.
.... also this ISP charges $7 extra a month to get outside of their firewall and allow slingbox uploading..... they have a monopoly and it shows.


I will have somewhere between 30-100meg at my new place (depending how much I want to pay) ....so my end will be fine.

Hoping to pick up a slingbox tonight and test it all out - but not sure if the ISP will allow me to "pop out" of their firewall for 60 minutes or so to test.

 

[abaez]

Uhh, isn't it illegal to ban satellite dishes? At least on your own balcony or living area..

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule

 

[TSDible]

Uhh, isn't it illegal to ban satellite dishes? At least on your own balcony or living area..

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule

They can if they are providing you with another option.

From your same link:

Under some circumstances where a central or common antenna is available, a community association or landlord may restrict the installation of individual antennas.

 

[fuzzymath10]

I've been using a slingbox for about 5 years. I only use it for analog (parents have just one HD box), but I briefly tested out the HD box and at least on a LAN, it was very nice. For analog over the internet (512kbps), I can get 30fps at 320x240 except in high action sports. For HD, I'm not so sure you could comfortably do it unless you had about 4mbps upload at the source and of course 4mbps down where you're living. Maybe 480P, which I'd be happy with.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

I picked up the Pro-HD last night... on my home network it was awesome (obviously), so hopefully today I at lunch I can try and stream something to see the quality... but so far so good.

I think the slingbox paired with the basic cable that will be provided at my new place should be pretty good.

 

[NutBucket]

They can if they are providing you with another option.

From your same link:

OTA is not the same as DirecTV. FCC is referring to an antenna for broadcast TV. It has nothing to do with DirecTV/Dish equipment.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Fired it up today at my cousin's apt.... speedtest was giving him ~5meg download speed and the stream I was getting was very smooth and consistent.

The quality was subpar though.... I was watching Sports Center on his 17.1" laptop and could read the headlines on the left side of the screen, but the items on the bottom ticker were too blurry.... so I'm not exactly sure what to expect when it is blown up to 110"

I guess it will really only be used for out-of-market sports games that I would be getting with NFL sunday ticket.... anything else will be through comcast, which should be plenty clear.

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[TSDible]

OTA is not the same as DirecTV. FCC is referring to an antenna for broadcast TV. It has nothing to do with DirecTV/Dish equipment.

I'm pretty sure it covers DirectTV and Dish as well.

They would fall under "Direct Broadcast Satellite" wouldn't they?

Even so, if tennants are given another option, I don't think there is much the OP can do to fight it either way.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Even so, if tennants are given another option, I don't think there is much the OP can do to fight it either way.

Comcast is included in my rent price, so like you said, I'm sure I don't have a leg to stand on..... I've made peace with the slingbox.

 

[KeithP]

I'm pretty sure it covers DirectTV and Dish as well.

They would fall under "Direct Broadcast Satellite" wouldn't they?

Even so, if tennants are given another option, I don't think there is much the OP can do to fight it either way.

Restrictions based on the availability of a central antenna will generally be permissible provided that: (1) the person receives the particular video programming or fixed wireless service that the person desires and could receive with an individual antenna covered under the rule (e.g., the person would be entitled to receive service from a specific provider, not simply a provider selected by the association); (2) the signal quality of transmission to and from the person's home using the central antenna is as good as, or better than, the quality the person could receive or transmit with an individual antenna covered by the rule; (3) the costs associated with the use of the central antenna are not greater than the costs of installation, maintenance and use of an individual antenna covered under the rule; and (4) the requirement to use the central antenna instead of an individual antenna does not unreasonably delay the viewer's ability to receive video programming or fixed wireless services.

I think #1 gives you the exception you need.

-KeithP

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Even if it was allowed I can almost promise my balcony would not be able to get a signal... It faces ENE and I doubt I could get enough angle to clear the corner of the building to get a southern enough view of where the satellite would be.

 

[phobsi]

I know you already bought it but did you consider the Vulkano. Its a Sling competitor and it may have more bandwidth efficient streams.