Sun, 03 Sep 2006 12:00am

Tech | Why the Slingbox Rules

I've just been given a Slingbox as an early birthday present! If your reaction to this is 'a what?', or you think I've been given a pair of casual trousers, then you really need to read on, you're in for a treat.

Simply put, a Slingbox lets you access your TV via the Internet. It has a video input and an a broadband connection (and a built-in Freeview tuner in the UK version) and lets you connect to it via a networked device such as a PC, Windows Mobile phone, or (soon) Macintosh.

This is quite cool, you can sit at work and watch News 24 on your PC or Windows phone during your break, or the kids can watch Cartoon Network in their rooms without the need for their own TV aerial etc., however, it really comes alive when you connect it to a hard disk video recorder, such as a Sky+ box.

With a Slingbox you have access to your personal TV anywhere. Not only can you watch TV at work, but you can catch up on that episode of 24 that you recorded last night, or you can set reminders via wi-fi when you are in a cafe. I can watch BBC Breakfast when in Bulgaria, then set Sky+ to record a programme mentioned, then watch the film I recorded last week, all via my laptop and network connection.

Now, if this still hasn't grabbed you (not everyone likes TV) I suggest that you think about the wider implications of the Slingbox approach to accessing your personal media and how it differs from, say, the iPod's. I think it's nothing short of revolutionary.

Author: Sean Clark