Sling Media SlingCatcher SC100-100 Universal Media Player for TV

Customer Review: Mixed Review
I have setup and used just about all Sling products since the first Sling Box came out years ago. The concept of the Sling Catcher is great. The implimentation into the real world is a little disapointing. My laptop plugged into my large HDTV does a much better job than the Sling Catcher. The Sling Catcher has the advantage of the remote control. The last software update to the Sling Cacther made some marked improvements to the picture quality. The Sling Catcher has had problems staying connected to one of my Sling Boxes on the other side of the world, where my laptop just runs and runs. I would say that with a few more updates to the software I will be able to change my review from a 3 to a 4. Like most people I think it's over priced. I could nearly purchase a laptop and keyspan remote for the same price. There are some positives with the Sling Catcher. It's fairly easy to plug in and setup. The menus are easy to use except when entering passwords, emails addresses etc. It takes some time to scroll through and enter the correct characters. In all it's a great product but needs a little work with the firmware. If I was thinking of buying this product today I would. Just be aware that it needs a little improvement.
Customer Review: Max resolution is 480p. Useless with Pro-HD Slingbox
You can read all the reviews pro and con, but it really comes down to this. The Slingplayer software that runs on this box has a maximum resolution of 640X480. If you use a non-HD Slingbox, it does the job. Using it with the Pro-HD is pointless. Although the SlingCatcher has HDMI (& Component) outputs to an HDTV, the software that runs on the Box only supports 640X480 output. According to Sling Media, this may be corrected in the 1st Qtr of 2009. Until it does, avoid.

Although the price on an HD flat tv has gone down quite a bit over the past year, it's still not something that you just go out and buy without at least knowing a little of what you're doing. There are a ton of new technologies in these tv's, plasma, lcd, high-definition, and knowing what you want and why you want it, will help you save money and be happier with your purchase.

So, what should you be thinking about when you go shopping for an HD flat tv? Well, here are a few points that I think are important.

The first thing you need to consider is what brand you want to buy. Currently the big makers are Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and Toshiba. You don't have to go with the absolute industry leader, but choosing a company that's solidly behind your purchase is wise. Right now, just judging from what I see in the marketplace, I would guess Samsung is the industry leader. At least right now, Samsung seems to have more choice available for consumers.

The next thing I would do would be to decide what you're going to use your HD flat tv for. Are you just going to watch cable TV or DVD movies, or will you play video games on it. How about hooking it up to your computer? Knowing what you're going to use it for will make a difference in what you buy.

Next, I would consider what resolution TV I want to buy. Are you going to buy a very high resolution 1080p TV, or would something of a lower resolution suffice. What does it matter? Well, it all gets back to what you're doing with the TV and how much you're willing to spend. Also, some of the lower resolutions are so low that they don't qualify for being HD, or high-definition. The resolutions available are 480, 720, and 1080. These numbers refer to the number of lines that are scanned on the TV when it creates the picture. 720 and 1080 qualify for high-definition, while 480 is only standard definition (like your old TV!).

Finally, you need to decide if you want an LCD or Plasma TV. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. LCD tv's are lighter, so they can be easily hung on a wall. Their screens reflect very little light, so they work well in well-lit rooms. Disadvantages are they can have a problem with ghosting. Plasma TV's, on the other hand, have faster response time and higher brightness and contrast levels. Disadvantages are they need extra support if you want to hang them on the wall.

Want to learn more about buying your next flat screen tv? Check out my site at HD Flat TV Blog.

Rick Cole is a consumer technology enthusiast! You can find out more at his blog, http://www.hdflattvblog.com.

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