Slingbox Functionality in the box...

[drduuude]

After reading some of the posts about people hooking their slingboxes up to their tivos, I've been wondering - why can't the tivo itself stream over the network?

After all, a slingbox is just a tuner, a little computer, and a network connection. All those things are already in the tivo box. All these things are in place and simply need software to enable them:

- the tivo has all the necessary hardware - a tuner, a drive, & a net connection
- amazon unbox has already shown that you can address the box over the net
- they'd only need one remote control setup
- you could easily watch either the tuner or recorded programs
- hd is probably not doable, but mpeg standard def video could easily be streamed

I think it would be trivial to have a pc/mac application with a little on screen tivo remote that connects to your tivo and has it output over it's internet connection.

Am I way off base here? I'd think that the ability would actually be (relatively) trivial to program, and be a huge selling point for tivo (and definitely something that cable companies wouldn't EVER offer).

What do you guys think?

[zand94]

The biggest thing going for the slingbox is the fact that it re-encodes and adapts to the speed connection you're on in order to stream the video for the best viewing experience. Unfortunately even the most powerful TiVos (S3/THD) dont have the dedicated codec and processing power to handle it's normal functionality and these additional capabilities.

We would need to see cooperation between the 2 companies to create something that would work properly. Unfortunately i do not see this happening due to the purchase of Sling Media by Echostar and the current ongoing patent litigation going on between E* and TiVo. And I'm quite sure they dont want to do all the expensive R&D needed to come up with a truly tivo product offering that doesent infringe on the Sling Media patents that E* would surely be looking to enforce.

There is only one evident possiblity this could happen and you can see my thoughts on it below at #4


BTW if you really want to think about what E* did when they purchased SlingMedia they essentially gained access to technology that would allow them to truly provide a real broadband pipe and broadband company agnostic IPTV platform. See the possiblities?

1. DISH-Broadband TV (STB connected to ethernet and not coax)

This in itself allows DISH to go for the throat for all those other satellite companies worldwide. They can offer global service for any of their channels just by having downlink data centers wordwide connected to fiber.

2. DISH-Broadband on your PC (natural evolution of the slingbox video client)

3. DISH-Mobile - (forget all the wireless carriers sad attempts at streaming live video - again natural evolution of the slingbox video client for phones/pdas)

4. DISH-DVR (TiVo-N-E-Where) - this could occur only after the patent infrigment trial is over and TiVo comes out on top and DISH signs and agreement with TiVo to license their patents and TiVo agrees to assit in designing such a product on a cross license basis to allow for exclusivity with the DISH-DVR and TiVo boxes (thus excluding DISH from licensing to moxi or anyone else for a similar product)

All of these products would be VERY disruptive in the market for a huge number of companies

(of course my disclaimer - i do not own slingbox or DISH or have any ties to these companies - now if DISH would like to hire me to consult and oversee these directions they need to contact me