Sling Player User Guide

SlingPlayer™ for the Macintosh™
Set Up and User Guide

© 2007 Sling Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Patents pending.
Slingbox, SlingPlayer, SlingPlayer Mobile, SlingStream, and SlingBar are the property of
Sling Media, Inc.
Apple, Apple TV, iPod, iPod Hi-Fi, iTunes, Mac and Macintosh are registered trademarks of
Apple Inc.
All other products and services, screen images, logos, and trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. All names used are fictitious and the similarity to any person living or dead
is strictly coincidental.
SlingPlayer uses the SoundTouch Sound Processing Library, which is licensed under the terms
of the GNU Lesser General Public License.
(http://sky.prohosting.com/oparviai/soundtouch/#license)
SoundTouch Library Copyright © Olli Parviainen 2001-2007.
All video images are simulated.
<SP Mac 1.0 UG 1.0 (en-US)>
2
Table of contents
What you need to know NOW .......................................................................... 7
What you need for viewing at home .................................................................................................... 7
A Slingbox ............................................................................................................................................ 7
SlingPlayer software for the Macintosh .............................................................................................. 7
A router, or a combined modem/router ................................................................................................ 7
A flashlight ........................................................................................................................................... 8
A Macintosh computer on a home network ......................................................................................... 8
Why these specifications matter .................................................................................................. 8
What you need for viewing away from home .................................................................................. 10
SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile software ...................................................................................... 10
A high-speed (broadband) Internet connection at home ................................................................... 11
A high-speed connection to the Internet wherever you’re viewing remotely ................................... 11
Connecting your Slingbox .................................................................................................................... 12
Before you connect any cables—get a flashlight ............................................................................. 12
Next, connect the cables .................................................................................................................... 12
Connect the IR Blaster ........................................................................................................................ 13
How does it all work? ........................................................................................................................... 14
How does it work when I watch at home? ........................................................................................ 14
How does it work when I do remote viewing? .................................................................................. 14
What’s the secret? .............................................................................................................................. 15
Where will you watch your TV? ......................................................................................................... 15
Installing the software for your Slingbox...................................................... 16

Before you begin installation of the software ................................................................................. 16
Installing SlingPlayer ........................................................................................................................... 18
Running the Setup Assistant .............................................................................................................. 18
Terms and concepts used in the assistant ......................................................................................... 23
Remote viewing........................................................................................................................... 23
Configuring your router for remote viewing................................................................................ 24
Port forwarding............................................................................................................................ 24
Slingbox Finder and your Slingbox ID ................................................................................................ 25
Installing SlingPlayer on a remote device ....................................................................................... 26
Locating your Slingbox ID ................................................................................................................... 26
SlingPlayer basics ............................................................................................ 27

Watching SlingPlayer at home on your Mac ................................................................................... 27
If you watch a single Slingbox ........................................................................................................... 27
Page 3
If you watch more than one Slingbox ................................................................................................ 27
Where things are in SlingPlayer ........................................................................................................ 27
SlingPlayer controls ............................................................................................................................ 28
Parking SlingPlayer windows ............................................................................................................. 29
Changing Aspect Ratio ....................................................................................................................... 30
Audio options ..................................................................................................................................... 31
Muting and unmuting audio ........................................................................................................ 31
Audio only.................................................................................................................................... 31
Using SlingRemote ................................................................................................................................ 31
Resizing SlingPlayer ........................................................................................................................... 33
Control Mode ...................................................................................................................................... 33
Viewing your Slingbox over the Internet .......................................................................................... 34
The remote viewing experience ......................................................................................................... 34
Customizing SlingPlayer .................................................................................. 36

Favorites .................................................................................................................................................. 36
Adding favorite channels ................................................................................................................... 36
Adding favorite controls ..................................................................................................................... 37
Accessing multiple rows of favorites ................................................................................................. 38
Modifying and removing favorite channels or controls ..................................................................... 38
Favorites Bars ..................................................................................................................................... 39
Using Favorites Bars.................................................................................................................... 39
Adding Favorites Bars.................................................................................................................. 39
Renaming Favorites Bars............................................................................................................. 39
Deleting Favorites Bars ............................................................................................................... 39
Exporting/Importing Favorites Bars............................................................................................. 40
Changing SlingPlayer preferences .................................................................................................... 40
General preferences ........................................................................................................................... 41
“Warning”.................................................................................................................................... 41
“Other options”............................................................................................................................ 41
Video preferences ............................................................................................................................... 42
“Buffer settings”.......................................................................................................................... 42
“SlingStream”.............................................................................................................................. 43
Encoding preferences ......................................................................................................................... 44
“Optimize stream Automatically”................................................................................................ 44
“Optimize stream Manually”....................................................................................................... 45
Connection preferences ..................................................................................................................... 46
Exporting and Importing Preferences ................................................................................................. 47
Editing other configuration information ............................................................................................ 47
Connection .......................................................................................................................................... 48
Configuration ...................................................................................................................................... 48
Page 4
“Change Name and Passwords” ................................................................................................. 49
“Change Audio/Video Setup”...................................................................................................... 50
“Change Network Settings”........................................................................................................ 50
“Update Slingbox Firmware”....................................................................................................... 51
Information ......................................................................................................................................... 51
More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options........................................................ 52

Using Slingbox Directory to view and add more Slingboxes ....................................................... 52
Adding another Slingbox to your Slingbox Directory ..................................................................... 53
Within your home network ................................................................................................................. 53
Outside of your home network ........................................................................................................... 53
By using its Slingbox ID............................................................................................................... 53
By using an IP address or domain name ..................................................................................... 54
Launching SlingPlayer if you have more than one Slingbox ........................................................ 54
Using multiple Slingbox audio/video inputs .................................................................................... 55
Connector glossary ............................................................................................................................. 57
Adding an additional device ............................................................................................................... 58
Switching between inputs ................................................................................................................. 58
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................ 59
Solving problems ................................................................................................................................... 59
I see green lines onscreen/I hear sound but I see no video .............................................................. 59
I can’t change some settings/preferences, they’re grayed out ......................................................... 59
SlingPlayer Remote won’t control my device, but I can see video .................................................... 60
I can’t see my Slingbox in the Slingbox Directory/
My security or firewall software keeps popping up an alert ............................................................. 60
I can’t get remote viewing to work .................................................................................................... 60
If you need more help ...................................................................................... 63

Additional documentation .................................................................................................................. 63
Additional help on our web site ......................................................................................................... 63
Updated SlingPlayer software and Slingbox firmware ...................................................................... 63
Technical Support ............................................................................................................................... 63
Feedback ............................................................................................................................................. 63
Index ................................................................................................................... 64
Page 5
1
Chapter
What you need to know NOW
Thanks for buying a Slingbox™. We know you want to see it in action, so let’s get
started.
What you need for viewing at home

Make sure that you have:
• a Slingbox
• SlingPlayer™ software for the Macintosh®
• a router (or a combined modem/router)
• a flashlight (to help you see behind your TV and behind your router)
• a Macintosh computer on a home network
For information on using SlingPlayer for the Macintosh with your Apple TV™,
Front Row, iPod ® Universal Dock or iPod HiFi™, see our web site:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support.html
Here are details about what you need to get started:
A Slingbox
Any of these models:
The original Slingbox Slingbox TUNER Slingbox AV Slingbox PRO

(The “Classic”)
or the
US100-100
SlingPlayer software for the Macintosh

A link to the software is on the CD that came with your Slingbox TUNER, Slingbox AV
or Slingbox PRO. You can also download the software from our web site at:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html
A router, or a combined modem/router

For a current list of all recommended routers, search for “recommended routers” on
our Support web site:
What you need to know NOW • Page 7

The recommended routers are not the only ones that will work with a Slingbox. The
key requirement is that you have an available Ethernet port on your router. You’ll also
need to have administrative rights to your router or modem/router, so that you can
change the settings.
A flashlight
It’s probably dark behind your TV and behind your router. A flashlight will help you
connect the cables easily and correctly.
A Macintosh computer on a home network

Your Macintosh should already be up and running on a home network for the initial
configuration. However, after you’re done with configuration, your home computer
does not need to be on when viewing your Slingbox remotely unless you’re using
SlingPlayer to control your Mac at home with Apple’s Front Row.
Your Macintosh computer must have either a PowerPC™ processor (700 MHz or
faster) or an Intel™ processor. To find out which processor your computer has, go to
the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. The window that appears tells you what
processor your computer has, as well as how much memory (RAM) is installed.
Together, the processor and installed memory determine the resolution of the video
window that displays on your home computer screen. These requirements do not
affect the ability to view remotely.
Why these specifications matter

SlingPlayer’s memory requirements vary, depending on the processor that your
computer has:
Processor: Memory Resolution of the video image on Minimum Mac OS X

(RAM) your computer monitor: version:
required:
(If you have this (and this (the maximum detail that will show on (With this combination of
processor in your much your home computer is:) processor and memory,
Mac...) memory you need at least this
installed...) version of Mac OS X to
run SlingPlayer:)
Any Intel processor 512 MB The maximum resolution of your monitor 10.4.7 and above
PowerPC G4 1 GB 640x480 resolution 10.3.9 and above

(1.2 GHz or greater)
or
PowerPC G5
PowerPC G4 512 MB 640x240 resolution 10.3.9 and above

(800 MHz or greater)
or
PowerPC G5

Processor: Memory Resolution of the video image on Minimum Mac OS X
(RAM) your computer monitor: version:
required:
(If you have this (and this (the maximum detail that will show on (With this combination of
processor in your much your home computer is:) processor and memory,
Mac...) memory you need at least this
installed...) version of Mac OS X to
run SlingPlayer:)
PowerPC G4 256 MB 320x240 resolution 10.3.9 and above

(700 MHz or greater)
or
PowerPC G5
An explanation of “resolution” follows.
Tip:
What’s resolution?
Resolution is the number of pixels in an image (a pixel is one of those tiny dots on
your computer screen). In the previous table, resolution is shown as the number
of pixels in the width of the image, and then the number of pixels in the height of
the image.
When the two numbers are multiplied, you get the total number of pixels in an
image. The more pixels that are in an image of a particular size, the better the
image looks.
In practical terms, resolution refers to the level of detail in an image. The images
below simulate a low, medium and high resolution picture of a flower.
Low Resolution Medium Resolution High Resolution
Note that resolution is independent of size—if you enlarge a low resolution video,
the pixels get further away from each other and the picture looks worse. If you
reduce the size of a low resolution image, the pixels get closer together and the
image will probably look better.
Your computer’s processor and memory configuration determine the resolution of
the video image in SlingPlayer.
If you want, you can configure your Slingbox and router using a PC, and then watch
your Slingbox on a Mac. Follow the installation and configuration instructions that
come with SlingPlayer for the PC, and then install and run SlingPlayer for the
Macintosh. If your Mac is at home, on your home network, SlingPlayer will
automatically find your Slingbox on the network. If your Mac is away from home, see
“What you need for viewing at home” below.

What you need for viewing away from home
After you’ve set up home network viewing, use the Setup Assistant to guide you
through the process of setting up remote viewing. Once you’ve done this, you can use
SlingPlayer to watch your TV just about anywhere in the world. This is an optional step
that you can do now, or at any time later. For more information on the Setup Assistant,
see “Running the Setup Assistant” on page 18.
If you decide that you want to set up remote viewing, you need three additional things
wherever you decide to watch. Your Slingbox stays at home, no matter where you
want to watch your TV.
In addition to your Slingbox and router, you need:
• SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile software on a supported remote
computer or supported mobile device
• a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection at home
• a high-speed connection to the Internet wherever you’re viewing remotely.
Note:
You don’t need to leave your TV on to view the Slingbox remotely. You don’t need
to leave your home computer on, either, unless you’re using SlingPlayer to control
your Mac at home with Apple’s Front Row.
Your Slingbox, router, and modem must stay on. They must remain connected to
your home network.
You also don’t need to bring your Slingbox with you when you travel to watch your
TV. Your Slingbox stays at home and sends its signal through your home network,
then through your router and then out to the Internet.
Here are details about what you need:
SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile software

• SlingPlayer
If you want to watch remotely on a computer, you’ll need SlingPlayer
software running on that remote Mac or PC. It doesn’t matter which kind of
platform you use at home—you can have a Mac at home and run SlingPlayer
on a PC remotely, for example, or a PC at home with a remote Mac, or two
Macs or two PCs.
Downloads of SlingPlayer software for both platforms are available from:
The Mac or PC computer must meet the necessary requirements to run
SlingPlayer on that platform (For information about Macintosh
requirements, see “A Macintosh computer on a home network” on
page 8.). For information about PC requirements, go to the downloads page
listed above and click the button for the proper platform.

• SlingPlayer Mobile
If you want to watch remotely on a supported mobile device, you’ll need
SlingPlayer Mobile software running on that device. Free 30-day trials of
SlingPlayer Mobile are available from:
We’re continually adding additional mobile platforms, so keep checking the
above page to see if SlingPlayer Mobile becomes available for your mobile
device.
Note:
SlingPlayer Mobile works with your current mobile carrier. It does not require a
separate mobile service.
Contact your existing mobile carrier for information about your particular data plan. An
unlimited broadband data plan is highly recommended. Mobile carriers usually have a
separate plan for data that doesn’t impact the minutes you use for phone calls.
A high-speed (broadband) Internet connection at home

You need high-speed (broadband) Internet service at home in order to get quality video
when you watch remotely.
Note:
A slow Internet connection at home can affect picture quality when using
SlingPlayer remotely.
The typical home broadband service has one “downstream” bandwidth and a different
“upstream” bandwidth (Bandwidth refers to the speed and the amount of data being
transferred.).
Usually the downstream bandwidth is faster—often by a big margin—than the
upstream bandwidth. This allows you to quickly download big web sites and large files
from the Internet. What you typically upload typically are much smaller files, such as
emails and text documents. Uploading, in most cases, requires much less bandwidth.
When you’re viewing your Slingbox remotely, it’s uploading data, so the faster the
upstream rate, the more video data your Slingbox can send out to the Internet. An
upstream bandwidth of 256 Kbps (Kilobits per second) or more is recommended.
Check with your ISP to find out what your broadband upstream bandwidth is, and to
discuss upgrading to a speedier service, if necessary.
A high-speed connection to the Internet wherever you’re viewing

remotely
You just need a broadband connection. If you have a wireless connection where you
want to view remotely, your device must have wireless capability.

After you’ve used the Setup Assistant to set up your Slingbox, you can watch your TV
programming on any supported Mac or PC computer, or on any supported mobile
device at any time over a high-speed Internet connection. Only one computer or
mobile device at a time can view the Slingbox, though.
Connecting your Slingbox

Before you connect any cables—get a flashlight
The areas in back of your TV and router probably have poor lighting. A flashlight will
help you see behind them, so that you can connect the cables correctly.
Next, connect the cables

Now you connect your Slingbox to your home network and to your TV, DVR (such as a
TiVo® or ReplayTV® DVR), or a DVD player, or other video device. Think about what
you watch most often or what you’d like to watch the most and connect that particular
device.
This diagram gives a very basic overview of how your Slingbox and video device should
be connected to your home network (Of course, you may have additional computers,
more than one video device, or multiple Slingboxes). Your Slingbox comes with a
printed Quick Start Guide that has more detail.

Tip:
You may have a different configuration of modem and router. Check the label
that’s usually on the bottom of your equipment if you’re not sure what you have.
This guide assumes that you have one router or one combined modem/router. If
you two routers, or have VoIP (voice over Internet protocol, or Internet telephone
service) or some other configuration, go to our web site for further information on
how to set up your equipment.
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support
If you’re not sure about the different types of connections, see “Connector
glossary” on page 57.
If you have more than one Slingbox, see “Adding another Slingbox to your
Slingbox Directory” on page 53.
If you don’t have your Quick Start Guide, they’re also available online:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/documentation.html
There are Quick Start Guides for these Slingbox models:
The original Slingbox Slingbox TUNER Slingbox AV Slingbox PRO

(The “Classic”)
and the
US100-100
Connect the IR Blaster

The flashlight will also help you set up an IR Blaster properly. An IR Blaster allows you
to control your device, the same way that a remote control sends an infrared signal to
control your device. The original Slingbox (the “Classic”), US100-100, Slingbox AV and
Slingbox PRO use IR Blasters to control video devices like a cable/satellite box, DVD
player, DVR, or VCR. The Slingbox TUNER does not use an IR Blaster—it uses its
internal tuner to control your TV.
To set up an IR Blaster, you must first locate the infrared sensor on your video device.
The infrared sensor is on the front of your device, usually behind a dark, sometimes
reddish plastic window. If you don’t see the sensor, shine a flashlight through the
window and look for a small bulb similar to the one on the emitter end of the IR Blaster.
The emitter end

of the IR Blaster
The infrared sensor

Once you know where the infrared sensor is, you can position the IR Blaster properly.
The IR Blaster can be positioned above or below your device or on either side. It just
has to be close to wherever the infrared sensor is located.
Tip:
QuickTime® tutorials that step you through the process of setting up your
Slingbox TUNER, Slingbox AV or Slingbox PRO are available on our web
site. Look for them under “Top Tutorials” on this page:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support
How does it all work?

Slingbox translates your television signal (or other audio/video) and makes it available
through your home network. When you’re at home, you can watch on any supported
computer on your home network. When you’re away from home, you can watch on
any supported device hooked up to a high-speed Internet connection.
How does it work when I watch at home?

Slingbox makes your television signal (or other audio/video) available through your
home network, so you can watch your TV content in another room, on another floor,
even in your backyard—anywhere your home network works with your computer. If
you have a DVD player, you can watch your DVD movies whenever it’s convenient to
you. If you have another audio/video device, such as a VCR or a DVR (Digital Video
Recorder), you can watch your recorded programs and use all their familiar features,
such as pause, instant replay, fast forward, and more. You can even schedule new
recordings! SlingPlayer also can show you a working onscreen image of your
audio/video device’s remote control to make it all easy and simple.
How does it work when I do remote viewing?

If you set up your router and Slingbox for remote viewing, you can venture outside of
your home network’s range. When you do remote viewing, Slingbox sends your
television signal (or other audio/video), through your home network, and then only to
you via the Internet. You can have access to your TV from almost anywhere in the
world where there is a high-speed Internet connection. You can even watch and
control your VCR, DVD or DVR from the other side of the globe using SlingPlayer’s
onscreen remote control.
To watch your Slingbox from afar, all you need back at home is your Slingbox,
something you want to view, and a broadband Internet connection. Your TV doesn’t
even need to be on. On the road, you only need to have the SlingPlayer application
installed on your supported computer or supported mobile device (such as a supported
Macintosh, PC, or a PDA or phone with a data plan and Internet access). You’ll also
need to have broadband Internet access where you are.
You don’t need to bring your Slingbox with you when you travel to watch your TV,
either. Just start up the SlingPlayer application— it’ll connect to your Slingbox at home,
and within a few moments, your home TV is playing on your computer or mobile
device.

What’s the secret?
Normally, the quality of audio/video signals that are streamed (that is, travel) over the
Internet is dependent on the quality of all the network connections that are between
your home network and wherever you are with your computer—a few miles, or a few
thousand miles, away. This quality can vary literally moment to moment. This is
because some areas that your audio/video signal travels through might have varying
connection quality, or they might be busier or less busy with other network traffic.
Fortunately, that’s not a big challenge for SlingStream™, our patented technology.
SlingStream continuously monitors the quality of your Internet connection.
SlingStream then makes on-the-spot adjustments so that the video stream you’re
receiving works within the network capacity (known as bandwidth) that’s available at
any given moment. After “optimizing” the connection for a few moments, SlingStream
makes sure that the video you’re watching looks and sounds great, without skips or
jumps.
Where will you watch your TV?

Think of all the places that you can watch TV within your home network:
• While you’re in the kitchen, you can follow along with a cooking show.
• While you’re relaxing in your backyard, catch the game.
• While surfing the web or writing an email, you can keep an eye on the news.
• When you’re relaxing in your favorite chair, watch... well, watch whatever
you like!
With remote viewing, it gets even more exciting—you can watch your TV almost
anywhere. Just imagine all of the places that you can watch your TV:
• While you’re on the other side of the globe in a hotel room with broadband,
you can watch the TV news and sports from your home town.
• While you’re out of town, at an Internet cafe.
• When you’re commuting on a train that offers wireless service.
• While you’re waiting in an airport lounge. If they have broadband, you can
pass the time watching one of your movies.
With your Slingbox, where you watch your TV is now up to you!

2
Chapter
Installing the software for your
Slingbox
Now that your Slingbox has been connected to your TV and your home network,
double-check that all the cables are securely fastened, then plug in your Slingbox.
Make sure that everything else is plugged in and powered up. When the lights on the
Slingbox stop blinking, it’s ready to be configured.
This section explains how to install SlingPlayer for the Macintosh and to use the
software to configure your Slingbox.
Before you begin installation of the software

Now that you have the cables connected and everything is turned on, there are some
important things you must do before you start installing the software:
• Take some notes
Look at the cable box, satellite box, VCR, DVD player or DVR (or other
device) that you’ve connected to your Slingbox. Write down the brand and
model number of this device. If you plan on connecting more than one
device, write down the brand and model number for each of them. You’ll
need this information during the setup. Also, write down the brand and
model of your router. You may need it later on.
• Turn off recording temporarily
If you have a DVR, VCR or DVD recorder connected to your Slingbox, make
sure that it’s not currently recording and that it’s not scheduled to start
recording while you’re installing and setting up your Slingbox. Part of the
setup process involves checking that SlingPlayer can control your device.
This will interrupt recording.
• Turn off any personal firewall security software
Normally, the assistant and SlingPlayer will automatically find the Slingbox
on your network. Sometimes the Mac OS X firewall or other firewall
security software may block this process. SlingPlayer may then have trouble
communicating with your Slingbox. You may need to modify the settings in
this software before proceeding.
To modify the firewall built in to Mac OS X to allow your Slingbox to be found and used:
1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2. In System Preferences, click Sharing.
3. Click the Firewall tab. (In order to change the settings here, you may be
required to click the padlock at the bottom of the window and authenticate
with an Administrator's password).
4. Click Advanced and then deselect Block UDP Traffic, if it’s selected.
If you have an additional firewall product from another company, see the
documentation that came with it for more information.
Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 16

• Make sure that you can connect to the Internet from your Mac through
your router
Your network must be set up and running.
• Make sure that your router has DHCP enabled
In order to simplify connecting your computer to the Internet, most routers
are configured out-of-the-box to automatically assign a number to each
device on the network. This number is called an IP address (Internet
Protocol address) and it works just like a street address.
There are several ways that this assigning of addresses can be done.
Typically, you don’t need to worry about it—it’s done for you using DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). So, the first time you connect your
Slingbox to your network and anytime you reset it, DHCP has to be available
or the Slingbox will not appear in the Slingbox Setup Assistant. That’s why
you need to make sure that DHCP is available when you first configure your
Slingbox.
If you have questions about how to verify or change your router’s
configuration, see the documentation that came with it.
Tip:
Here’s a non-technical explanation of DHCP
Your network is a lot like a small community. The mayor and postmaster for this
community is your router. In order for “packages” (electronic signals) to be sent
and delivered properly, each community member (each device) must have a
unique address. Being the postmaster, your router is also in charge of assigning
these addresses. When you enable DHCP, you tell your router that it’s time to
make sure that all of the community members have a unique address (an IP
address) and if there are new community members (like your new Slingbox) to
give them an address, too.
Note:
If you have an Airport Extreme, see the documentation that came with it for
information on setting it up to enable DHCP.
There’s additional information on setting up an Airport Extreme on our Support
web site. Search for “Airport Extreme” on this web page:
If you need more information during setup, click the Help button. It’s at the bottom of
each screen.

Installing SlingPlayer
Let’s get started. To install the software on the Mac on your home network, follow
these steps.
1. Open the file, SlingPlayer.dmg
Your browser may open the file for you if you’ve set it to automatically open
“safe” files.
2. The Software License Agreement appears.
3. When you click Agree, the .dmg file opens and the SlingPlayer disk image
appears on your desktop.
4. A window opens, showing you the icon for the application and an icon for
the documentation. Drag the icon for the Application into your Applications
folder. You can place the documentation anywhere on your computer.
5. Open your Applications folder and double-click SlingPlayer.
6. After you’ve gone through the setup assistant and you watch your Slingbox
for the first time, you’re asked to register. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Running the Setup Assistant

If this is the first Slingbox on your home network, when you launch SlingPlayer for the
first time, the Setup Assistant launches. The assistant helps you properly configure
your Slingbox. It won’t take long, and we’ll walk you through it here.
If you’re changing your configuration you can launch the Setup Assistant from the Help
menu.
If you already have a Slingbox on your network and want to add another, see Chapter
5: “Adding another Slingbox to your Slingbox Directory” for more information.

Let’s get going. Read the Welcome page and when you’re done, click Continue.
One of the first things that you’re asked to do is check for updates. This is always a
good thing to do, and the Setup Assistant makes it easy.
When you click the Check for Updates Now! button, a browser window automatically
opens to the Sling Media Check for Updates web page. If you currently have the latest
SlingPlayer software that’s available, the page that’s displayed tells you so.

If your software needs to be updated, your browser shows you a Sling Media web
page where you can download the latest software. After you’ve downloaded it, quit
SlingPlayer and install the new version. After installing the new software, launch it. The
Slingbox Setup Assistant will start again. Click Continue until you get to the third
screen.
From the Check for Updates screen, click Continue. The Slingbox Found screen
appears.
If the cables for your Slingbox are connected correctly, video starts streaming in the
Setup Assistant window.
If you don’t see any video in the Setup Assistant window, recheck your connections.
and make sure all the cables are securely fastened. If the Slingbox has been previously
configured, you may need to enter your Slingbox password before you see video.
.
Note:
If you prefer, click the Mute Audio button to mute the sound while you’re setting
your SlingPlayer up. The Mute Audio button appears on each screen, so you can
always change your mind if you like.

When you are ready, click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.
Soon, you see the Connection to Your Slingbox window.
Your Slingbox shares your TV’s video source, usually using one of the three methods
displayed in this window:
Connection Description
RF/Coaxial Cable. If you have cable service or your own TV antenna, usually you’ll
connect using coaxial cable (sometimes called just “coax”). Coaxial cable is easy to
spot: it has a highly-visible center wire protruding from each end, and almost always
has threaded caps at each end as well.
Composite. If you use a TiVo, or some satellite TV services, your TV probably gets its
signals via “composite” cabling that consists of three separate cables, one cable
with a red connector, one with a white connector, and one with a yellow connector.
All you have to do to connect composite cable wiring is press the connections firmly
in place.
S-video S-video. Costlier video equipment often uses this kind of cabling.
S-video cables have multi-pin connectors. Since they carry no sound, they are used
in conjunction with red and white audio cables, as shown (The diagram shows a
composite cable being used with S-video. The yellow connector is not used).
What appears on your screen may be different, depending on the connections

available on your Slingbox.
Click in the window to select the type of connection that your television uses, then
click Continue (For more information about cables and connections, see the
Connector glossary on page 57.).
.

In the next panel, use the slider controls to set the picture to your liking. You can also
adjust the sound level. If you cannot hear any sound, make sure that you have not
selected the Mute Audio button (deselect it if you have). Also make sure that the
sound is turned up your Mac. Click Continue when your done with these settings.
In the Source Selection window, select the type of device that you’re going to use
with your Slingbox:
Choose one of the devices shown in the list:

• Cable box. For the purposes of this configuration window, it doesn’t matter
whether your cable service is analog or digital.
• DVD Player. You can set up your Slingbox to show you what your DVD
player is showing.
• DVR (Digital Video Recorder). If you have a DVR, such as a TiVo or
ReplayTV device, be sure to select this option if you are connecting your
Slingbox to a DVR.
• Miscellaneous Device. You can also connect other devices such as a VCR
to your Slingbox. Use Miscellaneous to connect to an AppleTV, Macintosh
with Front Row, iPod Universal Dock or iPod HiFi.
For more information on connecting these devices, see our web site:
http://us.slingmedia.com/
• Satellite/Free-to-Air Receiver. These would include services that use
small rooftop satellite dishes.
• Non controllable device. These kinds of devices would be ones that you
do not normally control with a remote control, like a digital video camera.
• Nothing. Choose this if you want to set up your Slingbox later.

Now that you have told the Slingbox what the source is of the video that you are going
to be playing, it now needs to know the brand and model of that device. The next two
windows ask you to do this.
The rest of the assistant walks you through completing setup. Remember to click
Continue after each choice that you make.
Important:
Make sure you specify the correct brand and model for your video source. If
you’re in doubt, look on the underside of the device, or check the box that the
device came in. It’s important that you enter this information correctly. Your
Slingbox uses this information to display the correct remote control for your
device (In almost all cases, it is an exact on-screen duplicate of your actual
remote control.).
Once you’ve finished setting up your Slingbox, if the incorrect remote control
appears onscreen, check to make sure that you told the Slingbox the correct
brand and model.
Terms and concepts used in the assistant

While running the assistant, there may be some terms and concepts that aren’t
familiar to you. Don’t worry. Just keep reading and we’ll explain them.
Remote viewing
You do remote viewing when you watch the video device connected to your Slingbox
outside of your home network. You do this, for example, when you watch on a laptop
in a hotel room halfway around the world.
If you plan to watch your Slingbox outside of your home network, select the box on
the Remote Viewing screen during setup.

If you don’t expect to view your Slingbox away from home, you can skip the Remote
Viewing section. You can always come back to it later.
Configuring your router for remote viewing

The assistant will configure many routers automatically. Some routers, however, don’t
support automatic configuration. You need to manually configure these routers. The
assistant will indicate if you need to do manually configure your router.
If your router does not configure automatically, go to our Support site for details on
how to manually configure many popular routers:
If your router is not listed on our web site, check the documentation that came with
your router on how to enable port forwarding.
For you techies, the assistant uses your router’s built-in Universal Plug and Play technology
(UPnP) or its built-in Network Address Translation Port Mapping Protocol (NAT-PMP) for
automatic configuration.
Port forwarding
Part of configuring your router involves setting up what’s called “port forwarding.” Port
forwarding allows remote devices (like a computer located away from your home, or
your mobile phone) to connect to a specific device (like your Slingbox) within your
home network.

Once it’s been set up, port forwarding forwards information from SlingPlayer through
the Internet directly to your Slingbox. It requires opening a designated port in your
router to allow only your traffic to connect to your Slingbox. Again, in many cases, our
setup assistant will do this for you automatically.
Tip:
Here’s a non-technical explanation of port forwarding
Again, your network is like a small community. Normally, the entrances (the ports)
to your home network are closed to anything from the Internet that tries to control
anything on your home network. These entrances are kept closed by the mayor
and postmaster (your router).
When you enable port forwarding, your router will open one of these entrances
only to those who have the proper “key.” In this case, SlingPlayer wants to enter.
To make sure that the entrance is open only to the right people and to limit their
access, SlingPlayer forwards the unique Slingbox ID, along with your Slingbox
password. When this forwarded information gets to your router, it opens the
entrance (the port).
Slingbox Finder and your Slingbox ID

Let’s say that you’ve set up remote viewing, and have configured your router for port
forwarding. You’re sitting in that hotel room on the other side of the globe. How do you
connect to your very own Slingbox out of the millions of computers and other devices
hooked up to the Internet? We make it easy.
Using your unique Slingbox ID, SlingPlayer automatically “finds” your Slingbox
regardless of its location.
If you didn’t write down your Slingbox ID during setup, you can access it again, as long
as you’re on your home network. See “Locating your Slingbox ID” on page 26.

Installing SlingPlayer on a remote device
When you’re at the remote computer or mobile device, it’s simple to get your TV
programs to wherever you are.
Tip:
If you can, set up your remote device and test everything before you travel. You
don’t want to get to a hotel room far away and then realize that your Slingbox isn’t
plugged in.
To install SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile on a remote device:

1. Download and install the software for the proper platform from:
Make sure that your device meets the minimum requirements for that
platform.
2. Follow the included instructions that explain how to install the software on
the remote device.
3. Launch the software on the remote device.
You don’t need to configure your Slingbox again.
4. Enter your Slingbox ID and your password. If you didn’t write down your
Slingbox ID during installation, see” Locating your Slingbox ID” in the
section below.
5. Click OK and you’ll be able to watch your TV from almost anywhere!
Locating your Slingbox ID

To locate your Slingbox ID:
1. Launch SlingPlayer Mobile on your home network.
2. From the Window menu, select Slingbox Directory.
The Slingbox Directory appears.
3. Click the Slingbox that you want and then click Edit.
4. Click Connection.
5. Your Slingbox ID is shown in this window. You can write it down or you can
copy it and paste it into a document.

3
Chapter
SlingPlayer basics
SlingPlayer lets you watch your TV on any supported Mac, PC or mobile device. This
chapter will help you get to know the application on a Macintosh. It’s very similar on
other platforms.
Watching SlingPlayer at home on your Mac

Watching your Slingbox can be as easy as starting the SlingPlayer software.
If you watch a single Slingbox

If you’re like most people, you normally watch a single Slingbox. You can tell
SlingPlayer to remember the connection settings for that Slingbox, so you’ll connect
to it automatically when you launch SlingPlayer.
To launch SlingPlayer:
1. Open SlingPlayer .
If you don’t see it in your Dock, go to your Applications folder and launch it.
2. If you have only one Slingbox, click the start button in SlingPlayer .
You can also use the keyboard shortcut, K.
3. Enter your Slingbox password, if required. You can watch TV right away!
If you watch more than one Slingbox

If you’re a big Slingbox fan, and you watch more than one Slingbox, see “Using
Slingbox Directory to view and add more Slingboxes” on page 52.
Where things are in SlingPlayer

The figure below shows the controls in SlingPlayer for the Macintosh.
Volume control Streaming bit rate
Status display Buffer
Remote control SlingStream options

SlingBar
left/right
Start/stop button Show

additional
Mute on/off Favorites controls Favorites Favorites
SlingPlayer basics • Page 27

SlingPlayer controls
The table below describes the various controls and their function.
Button Button Function

name
Status display “Starting stream” appears briefly while connecting to
your Slingbox. If it remains visible for a long time, there
may be a connection problem.
“Locating” appears briefly while connecting to your

Slingbox. If it remains visible for a long time, there may be
a connection problem.
“Not connected” appears when SlingPlayer is not

connected to a Slingbox.
“Streaming” appears when SlingPlayer is working

normally.
“Optimizing” appears as SlingPlayer automatically

improves video quality by adjusting to your network
conditions.
“Pending” displays while SlingPlayer is sending

commands to your Slingbox. The number displayed is the
number of commands that still need to be sent.
“Controlling” displays when SlingPlayer is in Control

Mode.
Streaming This is the video bit rate. You can show or hide this number
bit rate by going to the View menu and selecting Show Statistics.
Buffer This bar graph displays the amount of data that is

currently in the buffer. It can be an indication of the quality
of the data stream. When the buffer is full, your network
conditions are stable. For more information about the
buffer, see “Buffer settings” on page 42.
SlingStream Click this button to open the Encoding preference settings.

options For more information, see “Encoding preferences” on
page 44.
SlingBar left/right Parks SlingBar on the left or the right side of the screen.
Remote control Displays or hides SlingPlayer remote control.
Start/stop button Starts and stops streaming from your Slingbox. If you have
more than one Slingbox in your directory, you’ll be
prompted to choose one when you click the start button.
When you’re viewing video, the button looks like this .
Click it to stop the video.

Button Button Function
name
Volume control Adjusts volume. Click and drag the volume control button,
or click on either side of the control to adjust the
volume.You can mute or unmute the sound by clicking
.
Favorites Click at the top of this button to add a Favorite to the

controls current list. In the window that appears, you can choose
from several channels and commands, or you can use one
of your own graphics as a channel logo or a control
button. See “Favorites” on page 36.
Click at the bottom of this button to view or edit your

Favorites lists.
Favorites If you have channels that you frequently watch, or

commands that you frequently use, you can add them as
Favorites. To view one of them, click the Favorite that you
want. See “Favorites” on page 36.
Show additional If all of your Favorites in a particular list don’t fit within one
Favorites in this row, you can access them by clicking this triangle.
list
Parking SlingPlayer windows

SlingPlayer lets you watch your TV in a variety of ways. You can park SlingPlayer and
SlingRemote™ on the left or the right of your screen. When they’re parked together in
a column like this, it’s called SlingBar mode. The table below describes the window
style controls and what they do.
Window Style Button Keyboard What it looks like

shortcut
SlingBar left: Puts SlingPlayer into SlingBar mode on <
the left side of your screen.
SlingBar right: Puts SlingPlayer into SlingBar mode on >

the right side of your screen.
Normal: If you’ve parked SlingPlayer, you can go to /

normal mode using this control.
Full screen None F

or double-
click on the
video image
while it’s
playing.

Window Style Button Keyboard What it looks like
shortcut
Toggles between a large and small window. None
Minimize: Minimizes SlingPlayer and puts it in your M

Mac’s Dock. The image in the Dock is a minimized
version of the full window (The upper diagram). The
image in the Dock looks like the lower diagram when
you minimize a SlingBar.
Close: closes and quits SlingPlayer. Q
Changing Aspect Ratio

Videos and movies are sometimes created or shown in differing screen formats, such
as wide screen, letterbox, pillarbox, and others. SlingPlayer can easily be adjusted to
handle various formats. Go to the View menu and select Aspect Ratio to see all of
the options available. You may need to experiment with the Aspect Ratio options to
get a proper picture.
Below are photos of the same flower as shown in the different formats.
Format Description What it looks like

Fullscreen (4:3) This is the standard television format.
(4:3 aspect ratio)
Widescreen (16:9) New movies are often filmed in widescreen format.

(16:9 aspect ratio)
Letterbox This fits a widescreen image within the width of a

standard format screen. Instead of cutting off the
sides of the image, it’s reduced in size and black
bars appear at the top and bottom.
Pillarbox This fits an image in standard format within a wide

screen. There are black bars on both sides of the
image that fill the extra space.
Windowbox An image that may have been widescreen originally,

but was reduced and cropped to fit into standard
format.

Audio options
SlingPlayer gives you a variety of audio options.
Muting and unmuting audio

If you only want to watch the video without the audio, mute the audio.
To mute audio:
• Go to the Audio menu and select Mute.
A checkmark will appear next to Mute.
To unmute the audio:
• Go to the Audio menu and select Mute.
The checkmark next to Mute will disappear.
Note
You can also mute audio by clicking the speaker icon in the SlingPlayer window
(It’s to the left of the volume slider).
Audio only
You can also choose to stream only the audio (without video). This is useful when you
are streaming in a place where there’s a slow or poor-quality Internet connection, or
when you are listening to music only and do not want to clog the network.
To listen in audio only mode:
• Go to the Audio menu and select Audio Only.
The main SlingPlayer screen is replaced by an image of a speaker and only
the audio is streamed.
You see this

onscreen
when you choose
Audio Only
Using SlingRemote
SlingPlayer includes SlingRemote, an on-screen remote control that you use just like
the real remote control that you hold in your hand. SlingRemote displays the correct
remote control on screen, regardless of which video source you’re currently using.
For example, if you’re using a TiVo DVR, the SlingRemote looks and functions just like
the remote control that is supplied with the version of the TiVo DVR that you have. If
you’re using your DVD player, then the on-screen SlingRemote image looks and
functions just like the familiar remote that you use with your DVD player. And so on.

To use the SlingRemote:
1. Start SlingPlayer and start watching your video.
2. Click on SlingPlayer to display the remote control, or use the keyboard
shortcut, R.
3. Use the buttons just as you always have with your remote control. If you’re
not sure what a button on the remote does, move your mouse over the
button for a description.
If you’ve parked SlingPlayer, or have reduced the SlingRemote window, you may not
be able to see the full remote control. If you can’t see the entire remote control image,
move the remote up and down by clicking the triangles at the top of the window.
Click here to move the remote up

and down in the SlingRemote
window.
You can also expand the SlingRemote window by dragging the resize handle at the
bottom of the window.
Click and drag here to expand the

SlingRemote window.
If you want to use menus instead of the buttons on your remote control, they can be
accessed by clicking the Remote button at the top of the remote control window.
Click here to see the

remote control’s menus.
The SlingRemote is designed to quickly respond to your remote control button

presses. You may, however, notice a slight delay between the time you press a button
and the actual change in the video. See “Control Mode” on page 33.
Tip:
Many SlingRemote buttons have their own keyboard shortcuts. For example, you
can use the arrow buttons on your keyboard to navigate in your remote. You can
see these keyboard shortcuts when you select things in the Remote menus.
Note that our SlingPlayer software contains the remote control images for a large
number of video devices. However, it isn't possible for the SlingPlayer software to
display a remote control replica for every possible video device. If a remote control
image isn't available, SlingRemote displays a generic remote control image. This
generic image contains the basic functions you'll need as you watch your TV remotely.
By customizing your Favorites bar(s) with additional controls, you can increase your
convenience even more.

Resizing SlingPlayer
When SlingPlayer is in normal mode, it can be resized to whatever size you choose.
To resize SlingPlayer:
1. Click and drag from the lower right corner.
2. You can move the remote anywhere on your computer screen. You can also
attach it to either side of SlingPlayer—just move the remote to either side
of the SlingPlayer window. When the edges of the two windows get close
enough, they’ll snap together.
After doing this, you can move the SlingPlayer window and the SlingRemote as
a unit by clicking and dragging the top of the SlingPlayer window. (If you drag
the SlingRemote, it’ll unsnap from the SlingPlayer window.)
When SlingPlayer is parked on the left or the right side of your screen, you can make
it wider or narrower by dragging the edge that’s closer to the center of your Desktop.
Click and
drag on the
edge to
expand it.
Control Mode
SlingPlayer is equipped with a feature called the Control Mode, which you can use to
switch between channels faster. Control Mode is also useful with your DVR, DVD
player, or VCR for extra control when locating a specific scene. While Control Mode
provides faster response times, it may also result in temporarily jittery video.
Control Mode can be set to Automatic or Manual:
• Automatic (default): When you select any SlingRemote button, SlingPlayer
automatically toggles into Control Mode to give you fast response. It
toggles back out of Control Mode when you’re done using SlingRemote.
• Manual: If you choose Control Mode from the Slingbox menu, your
Slingbox will remain in Control Mode until you deactivate it by choosing
Control Mode from the menu again. Manually selecting Control Mode can
be helpful when you’re focusing on controlling a device, such as finding a
specific scene in a video.

Viewing your Slingbox over the Internet
With remote viewing, you can watch your Slingbox from any place that you can access
a high-speed Internet connection. For this, you should have enabled remote viewing
during the initial setup. If you have not, see “What you need for viewing away from
home” on page 10.
Important:
If you want to watch your SlingPlayer remotely on a remote computer or remote
mobile device, SlingPlayer must be installed on that computer or device.
To view Slingbox remotely on a Macintosh, follow these steps:

1. Launch SlingPlayer.
2. Click at the bottom of the SlingPlayer window or go the Window menu
and select Slingbox Directory. You can also use the keyboard shortcut,
D.
3. Select the remote Slingbox you want to watch. If you don’t see your
Slingbox, you may need to add it to your directory using its Slingbox ID. See
“Using Slingbox Directory to view and add more Slingboxes” on page 52.
For more information on viewing with SlingPlayer on other platforms, visit our web site
and download SlingPlayer for that platform. Downloads are available from:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html.
The remote viewing experience

Using your Slingbox remotely works the same way as it does when you’re viewing in
your home. The streaming quality, however, may be affected by the Internet traffic
between your remote device and the Slingbox that you are watching.
The streaming quality—or audio and video quality—is represented by a number known
as the bit rate. The bit rate of the connection is indicated in Kbps (kilobits per second).
The higher the bit rate, the better the streaming quality. To see the streaming bit rate,
go to the View menu and select Show Statistics. You can then click on the bit rate to
show the streaming frame rate.
Note:
As you watch TV with your Slingbox, it’s actually controlling the TV source (DVR,
DVD player, tuner, VCR, etc.) that it’s connected to. This means is that if anyone is
watching the TV that’s sharing that source with the Slingbox, there may be a
battle.
As you change channels, fast-forward, set recording options, and so on, anyone in the
room watching the video source will see the changes you make—just as if you were
in the room using the actual remote control. And you’ll see remote control commands
that they make, too. (The Volume and Mute settings work independently.)

If you’re in the room with a Slingbox, you can tell whether or not someone’s using it
by looking at the word “sling” on the front of the Slingbox. If the letter “n” is lit up in
red, then someone’s using that Slingbox. (The other two small lights tell you that the
Slingbox is powered on and that it is connected to your network.)

4
Chapter
Customizing SlingPlayer
The SlingPlayer software offers a variety of settings and preferences that you can
change to best suit your needs. This chapter shows you how to do that.
Favorites
One of the most useful customizations is adding Favorites buttons. These buttons act
like one-click shortcuts, or “presets” for channels or controls. You can dress up
Favorites buttons by having them display the icons of the channels they take you to.
SlingPlayer offers many popular channel logos, but if you can’t find the one you want,
you can use your own custom picture as a channel logo.
Favorites buttons aren’t limited to changing channels. You can also use them for control
functions, such as Channel Up and Channel Down.
For quicker access, you can group Favorites buttons into sets, called Favorites Bars.
For example, you can combine all the sports channels into one Favorites Bar, and the
news channels into another.
Adding favorite channels

To add a favorite channel:
1. If you haven’t set up other Favorites Bars, skip to the next step.
If you have already set up other Favorites Bars, from the SlingPlayer window,
click the icon. This icon appears below the video. Select a Favorites Bar from
the list. (The list also offers you the option of creating a new Favorites Bar, or
importing one.)
Click here to add a favorite
Click here to select a Favorites Bar
2. From the SlingPlayer window, click the icon. It’s below the video.
The Favorites window opens.
Customizing SlingPlayer • Page 36

3. Select the Channel button at the top of the window. You can search for a
channel by name using the find field or you can scroll and find the
icon for the channel.
If you can’t find the icon you want, you have three additional options:
a. You can click Custom to browse and select a graphic image on
your computer. The image must be in .JPEG or .JPG format.
You can go to our web site for additional channel icons:
http://www.slingmedia.com/slingcentral
b. You can select Use channel name for button image. Type in the
name of the channel in the Name field and the number in the Num-
ber field. The channel number is required. If you need to press
Enter on your remote when you change the channel, select
Append Enter. Click Add. SlingPlayer adds the new button to the
Favorites Bar. You may need to move the Favorite Buttons window
to see the new button.
Continue this process to add more favorite channels.
c. When you’re done, click Close to close this window. See also
“Adding favorite controls” on page 37.
Adding favorite controls

A favorite control button allows you to control the connected device quickly, instead of
using the remote control.
To add a favorite control:

1. If you haven’t set up other Favorites Bars, skip to the next step.
If you’ve already set up other Favorites Bars, from the SlingPlayer window, click
the icon. It’s below the video. Select a Favorites Bar from the list. (The list
also offers you the option of creating a new Favorites Bar, or importing one.)
2. Click the icon from the SlingPlayer window.
The Favorites window opens.
3. Select Control at the top of the window.
4. You can search for the name of a control by name using the find field
or you can scroll and find the icon for the control. If you can’t find
the icon you want, you have three additional options:

a. You can click Custom to browse and select a graphic image on
your Macintosh computer. The image must be in .JPEG or .JPG
format.
b. You can go to our web site for additional control icons:
http://www.slingmedia.com/slingcentral
c. You can select Use control name for button image. Type in the
name of the control in the Name field. Click Select to choose a
command from the menus. The command itself is required. Click
Add. SlingPlayer adds the new button to the Favorites Bar. You
may need to move the Favorite Buttons window to see the new
button.
d. Continue this process to add more favorite controls. When you’re
done, click Close to close this window. See also “Adding favorite
channels” on page 36.
Tip:
You can make any onscreen remote more useful by adding controls to your
Favorites.
Accessing multiple rows of favorites

If you add several favorites, they may not all fit in a single row, and therefore they may
not display. Click the arrow on the end of the Favorites Bar to access these other
buttons.
Click here
Modifying and removing favorite channels or controls

• To remove a channel or control from your favorites, hold down the Control
key on your keyboard and click the button in the Favorites Bar. (If you are
using a two-button mouse, right-click the Favorites button.) Select Remove
from the menu that appears.
• To modify a channel or control’s settings, hold down the Control key on your
keyboard and click the button in the Favorites Bar. (Right-click it if you are
using a two-button mouse.) Select Modify from the menu that appears and
then make your changes.
• To remove all of your favorite channels or controls, hold down the Control
key on your keyboard and click any channel in the Favorites Bar. (Right-click
it if you are using a two-button mouse.) Select Remove All.

Favorites Bars
You can collect and store Favorites buttons into Favorites Bars. You can have as many
Favorites Bars as you want, and you can group Favorites buttons within Favorites Bars
however you like.
Using Favorites Bars

To use a Favorites Bar:
1. Click the icon within the SlingPlayer window.
2. Select a Favorites Bar from the menu.
The Favorites Bar shows all the icons of that group.
Adding Favorites Bars

To add a Favorites Bar:
2. Select New Favorites Bar from the menu.
The New Favorites Bar window appears.
3. Enter the name and a description for the new Favorites Bar.
4. Click OK.
SlingPlayer creates a new Favorites Bar.
Important:
The new Favorites Bar is not saved unless you add at least one button to it.
Renaming Favorites Bars

To rename a Favorites Bar:
1. Click the icon within the SlingPlayer window
2. From the menu, select the Favorites Bar that you want to rename.
The Edit a Favorites Bar window appears.
3. Update the name and description for the Favorites Bar.
4. Click OK.
SlingPlayer updates the Favorites Bar.
Deleting Favorites Bars

To delete a Favorites Bar:
2. From the menu, select the Favorites Bar that you want to delete.
A dialog box appears, asking you to confirm your choice.
3. Click OK to delete the Favorites Bar.
Important:
When you delete a Favorites Bar, you also delete the channel buttons and the
control buttons belonging to that Favorites Bar.

Exporting/Importing Favorites Bars
If you use multiple computers to access your Slingbox, you can import and export your
favorites instead of recreating them.
To export a Favorites Bar:
2. Select Export.
3. Navigate to the place that you want to save the file and click Save.
The favorites information is saved as a file with an .spf extension.
To import a Favorites Bar:
2. Select Import.
The Import Favorites Bar window opens.
3. Click Browse.
4. Navigate to a file with an .spf extension and then click Open.
The Favorites Bar is imported to your player.
Tip:
You can also download additional Favorites Bars from:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/slingcentral.html
Changing SlingPlayer preferences

You can make changes and adjustments to video, encoding, connections and other
options for the SlingPlayer software. You do that by working with SlingPlayer
preferences.
Important:
Some preference buttons and options may be unavailable and grayed out if you’re
watching something in SlingPlayer. Click the Stop button in the SlingPlayer main
window to enable changing these preferences.

General preferences
General preferences contains helpful Slingbox settings.

To change these settings:
1. Select Preferences from the SlingPlayer menu.
The SlingPlayer Preferences window opens.
2. Click General and update the settings, as explained below.
3. When you’re done, click OK to save the changes.
In General preferences, you can change these settings:
“Warning”
• Before switching to full-screen. This warning appears when you attempt
to watch your Slingbox at different resolutions than normal TV. Deselect this
option to stop seeing the warning.
• When Control Mode is enabled. The SlingStream Control Mode
technology gives you rapid response when you are changing channels or
otherwise controlling your cable/satellite box or DVR. However, this faster
response time may result in temporarily jittery video. You can choose to
have this alert display to remind you to turn Control Mode off to return to
normal viewing mode.
• When video quality problems are detected. SlingPlayer can detect if your
video quality has problems. It can also alert you to such problems if you
enable this option. Deselect this option to disable this feature.
“Other options”
• Automatically reconnect to last Slingbox when starting SlingPlayer.
Select this option, and whenever you launch the software, SlingPlayer
reconnects to the last Slingbox you were watching. If you only have a single
Slingbox, you may want to select this to streamline launching SlingPlayer.
• Select Language. You can change your language settings in SlingPlayer.
Select the language of your choice from the drop-down list. Select Auto
selection to base the language on the language of the operating system.

Video preferences
SlingStream optimizes your viewing experience. But you can also choose custom
settings if:
• you have more than average bandwidth available for your video stream.
• you want to see the stream with a specific resolution.
• you want to know the characteristics of what you’re watching.
• you don’t want the SlingPlayer software to consume more than a certain
bandwidth.
• you still see a poor video quality image with SlingStream set to the default
options.
First, here’s how to make changes. An explanation of all of the terms and options in
these windows follows the steps.
To change the Video Preferences:
1. Select Preferences from the SlingPlayer menu.
2. The SlingPlayer Preferences window opens.
3. Click Video.
4. Change the settings you wish, as described in the paragraphs below.
You can change the following settings in Video preferences:
“Buffer settings”
You can change buffer settings from automatic to manual. Here’s an explanation of
what’s controlled by this option.
People often save money in savings accounts to protect them in case of unexpected
expenses. If there is an unexpected expense, they can take money out of the savings
account to cover the expense, rather than running out of money.
A buffer works in the same way. SlingPlayer tries to receive your video content faster
than it needs to display it, so it can store the extra—and always have just a bit more
content than is needed at any one time. If the Internet connection that SlingPlayer is

using slows down, it can draw from the content that is stored in the buffer, rather than
having to slow down or even freeze the TV picture until it gets more data. SlingPlayer
uses the buffer completely seamlessly, so your content is delivered smoothly.
For most users, letting SlingPlayer handle buffering automatically is by far the best way
to go. However, some advanced users like to adjust buffer settings for special
situations. Here are the settings available.
• Automatic Buffering. SlingPlayer selects the appropriate buffer size based
on your current network conditions. It is recommended that you leave
SlingPlayer in automatic buffer mode.
• Manual Buffering. Enter the desired buffer size, in seconds.
“SlingStream”
For most people the original settings that SlingPlayer came with are best. But you can
also change how the video stream is delivered to you if you like.
• Optimizer enabled. SlingStream is Sling Media’s patented technology. It
keeps the video playing smoothly, even in low or varying bandwidth
situations, without rebuffering.
• Fast start enabled. This will allow you to enjoy video as soon as you select
a Slingbox and press Start. You can enable this only if you enable
SlingStream.
When you first connect to your Slingbox, you may see the word
“Optimizing...” in the SlingPlayer status display. When fast start is active,
SlingPlayer connects and begins streaming video as soon as possible but
you may see lower quality video for the first few moments. When you
disable fast start, you have to wait for the buffer to fill up before video
playback begins. While the buffer fills, you may not see any video. You
should only disable fast start if you're having serious video playback
problems, or if you’re dealing with audio streams where the effect of fast
start is more noticeable. Audio streams may play more slowly while fast
start is on.
• High-Quality for local network viewing. High-Quality mode provides the
best video possible but it uses a lot of bandwidth. A LAN (a Local Area
Network), like your home network, in most cases, can accommodate this
high bandwidth, so this box is selected by default. Typically, the video and
audio information doesn’t need to travel very far over a LAN and therefore
doesn’t need to be compressed very much.
Even when you’re at home, if you see video quality problems when you
view SlingPlayer (such as jumpy video, out-of-sync audio, or color that looks
“chunky” or doesn’t transition correctly) you should deselect the box.

Encoding preferences
You may never need to adjust the streaming characteristics of Slingbox. However, you
can fine-tune the SlingStream based on the type of content you’re currently viewing.
To change the Encoding settings:

1. Choose Preferences from the SlingPlayer menu.
2. Click Encoding and update the settings to change the streaming options.
Instructions for doing that follow in the paragraphs below.
In Encoding preferences, you can change the following:
“Optimize stream Automatically”

SlingStream optimizes video as it’s sent and received over the Internet.
SlingStream optimization generally provides the best possible video
experience, although you can try manual settings as well. There are three
different TV profiles:
• using Low Action. Best used when the content you are watching has little
action but many details, for example during a news show where you want
to read the ticker at the bottom of the screen, or during a golf game.
• using Medium Action. Works best for most content, and normally should
be your default setting.
• using High Action. Best used for content such as action movies or fast-
paced sporting events.
In the initial streaming process, you may notice jittery video as SlingStream optimizes
and adjusts the stream for the first time. This is normal. See “How Control Mode
works” on page 49.

“Optimize stream Manually”
If you would like to make manual adjustments to your TV viewing experience, select
the Optimize stream Manually option. When in manual mode, SlingStream does not
actively monitor or adjust the video quality. If your network conditions vary, you may
experience poor video streaming. You’ll probably always want to use SlingStream’s
automatic mode, but experiment with changing these settings if you like:
• Video bit rate. Bit rate is a quantity of data per second. (Data is measured
in “bits,” so the bit rate is the amount of data that travels over a given period
of time.) The number you see here is in kilobits (KB, or sometimes just K)
which is thousands of bits per second. The higher the video bit rate, the
more information SlingPlayer gets per second, resulting in higher quality
video. If you increase the bit rate, the quality of the video may improve—but
the stream needs a connection with higher bandwidth than it needed with
a lower bit rate. If it can’t get data fast enough, video quality suffers. (It
works like a drinking fountain. If you increase the water flow rate, the water
will raise higher, making it easier to drink but you’ll use more water. If you
lower the flow of water a lot, the drinking fountain can’t get water fast
enough, so the height in the fountain suffers.)
• Bandwidth required. This shows the calculated bandwidth your stream
needs, based upon your manual settings. If the network conditions do not
provide enough bandwidth, you'll see the video pause from time to time.
This could mean that the profile you selected is too aggressive. If you can't
find an good manual setting, you may want to switch back to using
SlingStream.
• Video frames per second. Anything below 10 frames per second (fps)
looks jumpy; video displayed above 20 fps looks fairly smooth. If you
increase the frames per second, the quality of the video may improve, but
the stream will need more bandwidth.
• i-Frame interval. Video is compressed to make streaming over the Internet
possible. Compression technology analyzes the video frame-by-frame to
determine what parts of the picture are changing, and what parts are
remaining the same. For each video frame, the software transmits over the
Internet only the parts that are changing from the previous frame. This
reduces the bandwidth that the software needs to present a quality picture
to you.
For example, a compressed video of a car driving down the road would have
several frames of the car moving. This is the only part of the video that
would change. Most of the image, such as the background, wouldn't
change. The compressed video would only show a frame with both the car
and the background every few frames (normally too fast for you to notice).

I-frames are these “key” frames in a sequence that show the entire,
complete image, including the motion and the background. When intervals
between I-frames are shorter, the video quality is higher but it uses more
bandwidth. When intervals between I-frames are longer, less bandwidth is
used but the video quality is lower. If you’re having bandwidth problems, try
adjusting the interval between I-frames to get better video quality.
• Audio bit rate. This setting cannot be changed while streaming. bit rate is
the amount of data per second (Data is measured in what are called “bits.”).
The number you see here is in kilobits, or thousands of bits per second. The
higher the audio bit rate, the more information SlingPlayer gets per second,
resulting in higher quality audio. If you increase the bit rate, the quality of
the audio may improve, but you'll will use more bandwidth.
• Video Resolution. This is the size of the picture that is being encoded.
Higher resolutions result in improved picture quality but increased
bandwidth usage. Note that the computer system you have may limit the
resolution. See “What you need for viewing at home” on page 7, and “What
you need for viewing away from home” on page 10. Early Slingbox models
(versions 1.6 and before) may also limit the resolution.
• Video smoothness. When video is “smoother,” action scenes appear more
natural, but the details are fuzzier. When video is sharper, action may be
jumpier, but more details are preserved. To maximize smoothness, move
the control all the way to the left. To maximize sharpness, move the control
all the way to the right.
Connection preferences
Some companies use firewalls to prevent unauthorized entry into their network
systems. This might cause trouble if you’re trying to use your Slingbox from the office.
If you’re having trouble connecting to your Slingbox at work, try to connect to a Web
site from which video is playable. If you can’t stream from this site, you may not be
able to stream your in-home Slingbox from the office.
Additionally, some office locations use proxy servers for security between office
workstations and the Internet.
If you use a proxy server to connect to the Internet, you may need to enter this
information if you are having trouble viewing your Slingbox.
To enter proxy server information:

1. Go to the SlingPlayer menu and select Preferences.
2. Click Connection.
3. Select Use a proxy server for Internet connection.
4. Choose the proxy type, and enter the server information.
This information is specific to your network. Contact your system administrator
for details.
5. Enter your user name and password for this network.
6. Click OK to save the changes.
To undo your connection changes, click Default Settings.
Exporting and Importing Preferences

You can export and import your Preferences. This may come in handy when you want
to change the computer that you run SlingPlayer on, or for troubleshooting.
To export your Preferences:
1. Go to the File menu and choose Export Preferences.
2. Decide where you want to save the file and what you want to name it. It
may be easier to locate if you save it on your desktop.
3. Your preferences are saved with this icon:
To import your Preferences:

1. Launch SlingPlayer Mobile.
2. Go to the File menu and choose Import Preferences.
3. Navigate to the saved Preferences file and then click Import.
4. A warning message appears, asking you to confirm that you want to import
the saved Preferences. If this is what you want to do, click OK, otherwise
click Cancel.
5. If you click OK, SlingPlayer will relaunch with the new preferences installed.
Editing other configuration information

You can make other changes to your Slingbox configuration in the Slingbox Info
window.
To edit other configuration information:
1. Select Slingbox Directory from the Slingbox menu. You can also use the
keyboard shortcut, D.
The Slingbox Directory opens.
2. Select the Slingbox you want to change and click Edit.
In the window that opens, you can click Connection, Configuration, or
Information depending on what you want to do.

Connection
Here, you enter or edit the following information in order to connect to your Slingbox:
• Slingbox Alias
Here, you enter the alias for your Slingbox. An alias is the name that appears
in the Slingbox Directory. You can name your Slingbox according to where
it’s located in your house, for example. The alias that you type in here may
be the same as or different from your Slingbox’s name. If you have more
than one Slingbox, you can use aliases to help you distinguish between
Slingboxes with similar names.
• Password
Enter your password here. By default, the password that you enter is
assumed to be your user password. If you want to log in as Administrator,
select the checkbox.
You also chose a method to connect to your Slingbox:

• Slingbox ID
Each individual Slingbox comes with its own unique Slingbox ID. Enter it
here if you are viewing remotely.
• Direct Connection
If you’d rather use a domain name or IP address rather than the Slingbox ID,
choose this option. Next, enter the domain name or IP address and the port
number here. The port number is usually 5001.
Configuration
When you click Configuration in the Slingbox Info window, you can change the
following:
• Change Name and Passwords

Here you can change the name of your Slingbox and your passwords.
• Change Audio/Video Setup
You can adjust the audio and video settings and configurations here.

• Change Network Settings
You can make changes to the settings for your network here. You can also
set up remote viewing if you didn’t set it up earlier.
• Update Slingbox Firmware
Here, you can manually update the firmware for your Slingbox.
“Change Name and Passwords”

To change the name of your Slingbox or to change passwords:
1. Select Slingbox Directory from the Window menu. You can also use the
3. Click Configuration at the top of the window.
4. In the Slingbox settings area, click Change.
Slingbox Setup Assistant opens.
5. If you haven’t entered the administrator password for your Slingbox already,
you must enter it.
6. Click Continue.
7. Once a picture from your Slingbox appears, click Continue to make your
changes.
When it’s done loading your settings, the Name Your Slingbox window appears.
8. Enter a new name. When you’re done, click Continue.
The Set Your Password window opens.
9. If you want to change passwords, enter one on the first line, and then
confirm it on the second line.
10. If you want to change the Administrator password, enter one on the first
line, and then confirm it on the second line. When you’re finished, click
Continue.
11. After you see Setup Completed Successfully, click Done.
The assistant closes and makes the changes.
Important:
Select a unique password (both user and administrator) for your Slingbox. This
will also reduce the chances of someone else using your Slingbox without your
permission.
A good way to create a unique password is to use the first letters of the words in a
saying or the first letters of the words to a song. To make these passwords harder to
guess, add some numbers in the middle of them.
Here are a few tips for creating and safeguarding your password:
• Change your passwords periodically.
• Don’t share your passwords with others.
• Avoid words in the dictionary, first names, pet’s names and so on.
• Use a good mix of upper case and lower case letters and numbers.

“Change Audio/Video Setup”
If you change the cable connections to your Slingbox—for example, switching from
using the Antenna/Cable input on a Slingbox, to the A/V input—you must make this
change within SlingPlayer as well. You can also configure each Slingbox input as well
as configure the audio and the video picture settings.
To change the Audio/Video settings for your Slingbox:
1. Choose Slingbox Directory from the Slingbox menu. You can also use the
3. Click the Configuration tab at the top of the window.
4. In the Audio/Video Setup section, click Change.
Slingbox Setup Assistant starts.
If you haven’t entered the administrator password for your Slingbox already,
you must enter it.
5. Click Continue.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions.
The configuration steps will vary, depending on the type of your device.
7. Click Continue to move from screen to screen.
8. After you see Setup Completed Successfully, click Done.
Additional audio settings are available. To change these, go to the Player menu and
select Audio.
“Change Network Settings”

If you get a new Slingbox, computer or router, you may need to change your network
settings. You can easily change them.
To change Slingbox network settings:
1. Choose Slingbox Directory from the Slingbox menu. You can also use
the keyboard shortcut, D.
2. The Slingbox Directory window opens.
4. Click the Configuration tab at the top of the window.
5. Click Change Network Settings.
Slingbox Setup Assistant starts.
6. If you haven’t entered the administrator password for your Slingbox already,
you must enter it.
7. Click Continue.
8. Follow the on-screen instructions and click Continue.
9. Select the checkbox if you want to enable remote viewing. Click Continue.
10. Select the router configuration mode. Click Continue.
11. If you selected Semi-Automatic or Manual to configure your router:
a. Enter the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Click
Continue.

b. Enter the Port Number. Click Continue.
c. If you selected Manual, enter the generated Slingbox information
in your router’s administration screens.
12. Select Ready to continue and test remote viewing. Click Continue.
13. Make a note of your Slingbox ID. Click Continue.
14. Once the assistant verifies remote viewing, click Continue.
15. Click Done.
“Update Slingbox Firmware”

From time to time, there are firmware updates available for your Slingbox. A message
appears when there are updates. You can also check for them manually.
To update Slingbox firmware automatically:
1. When SlingPlayer informs you that a new version of firmware is available
for your Slingbox, click Yes in the dialog box.
The Slingbox Setup Assistant starts.
2. Click Continue.
3. Click Browse to select an alternate location for the Firmware file.
4. Select Update the firmware now.
5. Click Continue.
The assistant downloads the updates from the Sling Media site. You can
track the progress on this screen. The assistant then restarts your Slingbox.
6. Click Continue and then click Done.
You can also check for the updates manually

To update Slingbox firmware manually:
1. Choose Slingbox Directory from the Window menu.
The Slingbox Directory window appears.
2. Select your Slingbox, then click Edit.
3. Click Configuration at the top of the window.
4. Click Update Slingbox Firmware.
The Slingbox Setup Assistant starts.
5. If you haven't entered the administrator password for your Slingbox
already, you must enter it.
6. Click Continue.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Information
The Information window summarizes your Slingbox and SlingPlayer configurations. It’s
helpful if you need to call Customer Support. The settings that you see here cannot be
changed from this window.

5
Chapter
More SlingPlayer and Slingbox
options
Using Slingbox Directory to view and add more
Slingboxes
If you own more than one Slingbox, take a minute to learn how the Slingbox Directory
works. The Slingbox Directory lists all of the available Slingbox connections in your
network.
To open Slingbox Directory, go to the Window menu and select Slingbox Directory.
You can also open the Slingbox Directory using the keyboard shortcut, D.
The following table describes what’s shown in the Slingbox Directory.
Icon Description What it means

A Slingbox with arrows. You’re currently connected to this Slingbox.
A Slingbox with a green light. This Slingbox is available.
A Slingbox with a red light. This Slingbox is unavailable. It’s being used by someone
else.
A Slingbox with the light off. This Slingbox is outside of your current network.
If you’re viewing remotely, this Slingbox is typically your
Slingbox at home. To see if it’s available, select it, and
then click Watch.
More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options • Page 52

Below each icon in the Slingbox Directory, the network location of each Slingbox is
specified. The table below explains the terminology
Term Description What it means

LAN Local Area Network This is the network that you’re currently a part of.
If you’re at home, your local network is your home
network. If you’re at the office, your local network is the
office network.
Alias A Slingbox that you’ve manually Typically, if you’re viewing remotely, your Slingbox at
added to the Slingbox Directory home will appear as an Alias.
using its Slingbox ID, or its domain
name and its IP address.
Adding another Slingbox to your

Slingbox Directory
How you add another Slingbox depends on where you are:
Within your home network

Just connect the additional Slingbox to your network. SlingPlayer finds the new
Slingbox automatically, and adds it to your Slingbox Directory.
Outside of your home network

(Outside your home network's firewall, or trying to access your Slingbox via the
Internet):
In this case, you need to help SlingPlayer find the Slingbox that you want to access via
the Internet. There are two ways to do this:
By using its Slingbox ID

The Slingbox ID is a code that uniquely identifies each Slingbox. To locate a Slingbox’s
ID, see “Locating your Slingbox ID” on page 26.
To add a Slingbox to your directory using its Slingbox ID:
1. Go to the Slingbox menu and select Slingbox Directory. You can also use
2. Click Add.
3. Enter the Slingbox ID of the Slingbox you want to use in the Slingbox ID
field.
4. Give this Slingbox a name.
5. Click OK to add this Slingbox to your directory.

By using an IP address or domain name
If you know your home network's IP address (the unique number that identifies your
router to the Internet) or if your home network also has a domain name, you can also
connect using either of them. (This method is for advanced users, so it's okay if you
don't understand what these things are.)
To add a Slingbox to your directory using its domain name or the IP address of your
router:
1. Go to the Slingbox menu and select Slingbox Directory. You can also use
2. Click Add.
3. Choose Direct Connection (for advanced users).
4. Enter the domain name or the IP address of your router, as well as the port
number for the Slingbox you want to add.
5. Click OK to add this Slingbox to your directory.
Note:
If you haven’t set up a static IP address with your Internet Service Provider, your
public IP address will change from time to time. This will break the connection
between SlingPlayer and your Slingbox if you’ve used an IP address instead of a
Slingbox ID.
Launching SlingPlayer if you have more than

one Slingbox
When you have more than one Slingbox, you can you can connect to even more
Audio/Video sources. Launching and using SlingPlayer is still easy.
To launch SlingPlayer if you have more than one Slingbox:
1. Launch SlingPlayer.
2. Select the Slingbox that you want to view.

3. Click Watch.
4. Enter your password, if required.

Note:
If someone else is watching the Slingbox that you select, you’ll be prompted for
the administrative password. Enter the administrative password to redirect the
stream to your computer. The other computer will receive an alert message, and
then they will be disconnected.
Using multiple Slingbox audio/video inputs

You can connect additional devices to the SlingBox AV, PRO, Classic and US100-100.
With these models, you switch between sources in SlingPlayer.
The Slingbox TUNER is designed to be connected only to your cable TV or antenna.
The table below shows how many devices can be connected to each Slingbox model.
A short glossary follows, in case you’re not familiar with the terminology.
Slingbox Number Input connections Notes

model of
devices
The 2+ The mini-
original A/V input
Slingbox can be
(The attached to
Antenna/ S-video Mini-A/V
“Classic”) cable input input input a video
and the camera. The
US100-100 S-video
input can be
used
separately
for another
device
without
sound, like a
security
camera.
Slingbox 1 Connect it
TUNER directly to
your cable
Cable TV input TV line or
antenna.

Slingbox Number Input connections Notes
model of
devices
Slingbox 1+ If you use
AV the set of
composite
Set of composite S-video inputs for
inputs input one device,
the S-video
input can be
used
separately
for another
device
without
sound, like a
security
camera.
Slingbox 4* See the

PRO* important
note below.
Antenna/ Set of S-video Left/right Port for

cable input composite input audio the HD
inputs input Connect
cable*
Input 1 Input 2 Input 3 Input 4
You can also use the “pass-through” feature of your Slingbox PRO.
This passes the connection from your A/V source through the Slingbox
and then back to your television. Just make sure that you connect the
same cable type for the output back to your TV that you used for the
input to the Slingbox. For example, if you used the S-Video connection
to your Slingbox, make sure that you also use an S-Video connection
to your TV.
Important:
*This port is for the Slingbox HD Connect cable only. Its physical design is not
intended to accommodate an HDMI connection. To connect the Slingbox PRO to
an HD source, use an HD Connect cable, available separately from your retailer.
For more information, go to our web site:
http://www.slingmedia.com

Connector glossary
Here’s some helpful information about the various connectors. If you need to buy
additional cables, this may come in handy.
The input Also The connection The cable Notes:

is called: called: looks like: looks like:
Cable TV input Coaxial, or Used to connect to basic, analog
or Antenna/ “co-ax” cable service or to an antenna.
cable input connection
Composite RCA The white is for the left audio, the

inputs connection red is for the right audio, and the
yellow is for video.
Audio inputs — These are used for audio-only

connections. White is for left
audio, red is for right audio.
S-video input — An S-video connection produces

higher quality video. S-video
connections carry no sound. You
can use an
S-video connection in
combination with an audio
connection.
Mini-A/V input Mini-RCA Many video cameras have this

connection kind of connection. Typically, they
have a composite connection
( ), on the other end.
Port for the — (Not to scale) See the important

HD Connect note at the top of the page.
cable
Component — Used with high-end video

inputs devices. The device splits video
colors into their components:
green, blue and red. They carry
no sound, so they’re used with
audio cables.

Adding an additional device
To add an additional device:
1. Connect the cables from the device to your Slingbox.
2. Place at least one IR Blaster on each device as shown. The emitter end of
the IR Blaster can either go above the infrared sensor, as shown, or below.
(See your Quick Start Guide for more information on doing this properly.).
The emitter end
of the IR Blaster
The infrared sensor
3. Go to the Window menu and select Slingbox Directory.

4. On the left side of the Slingbox Directory window, click the Slingbox that
the new device is connected to.
5. On the right side of the window, click Edit.
6. The Slingbox Info window opens.
7. Click Configuration, and then click Change Audio/Video Setup.
8. The Slingbox Setup Assistant opens.
9. Follow the onscreen instructions.
10. When you’re finished, click Done.
Switching between inputs

While watching video from your Slingbox, go to the Slingbox menu, select Video
Input and then choose your input. SlingPlayer switches to the input that you selected
and displays the appropriate remote control.

6
Chapter
Troubleshooting
Before you try anything else:
• Check the Quick Start Guide to make sure that everything is connected
properly.
• Make sure that all of the cables are firmly connected.
• Make sure that everything is plugged in and turned on.
Solving problems
I see green lines onscreen/I hear sound but I see no video
Make sure that your Macintosh meets the minimum hardware and operating system
requirements. See “What you need for viewing at home” on page 7 for more
information Also, double-check your cable connections.
If that doesn’t resolve the problem and you’re connecting to an iPod in an Apple iPod
Universal Dock, make sure that your iPod has TV Out enabled. Go to the main menu
for your iPod and choose Videos, then Video Settings. In Video Settings, choose
TV Out, and then set TV Out to On.
I can’t change some settings/preferences, they’re grayed out

Some settings or preference buttons may be grayed out if you’re watching something
in SlingPlayer. Click the Stop button in SlingPlayer’s main window to stop the video
and to enable these buttons.
Buttons may also be grayed out if the Setup Assistant is running.
Troubleshooting • Page 59
SlingPlayer Remote won’t control my device, but I can see video
Your IR emitter may not be positioned so that it can signal your device’s infrared
sensor. Use a flashlight to locate the infrared sensor on your cable/satellite box or DVR.
The infrared sensor is on the front of your device, usually behind a dark, sometimes
reddish plastic window. If you don’t see the sensor, shine a flashlight through the
window and look for a small bulb similar to the one on the end of the emitters.
The emitter
The infrared sensor
I can’t see my Slingbox in the Slingbox Directory/

My security or firewall software keeps popping up an alert
To modify the firewall built in to Mac OS X to allow your Slingbox to be found and used:
1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2. In System Preferences, click Sharing.
3. Click the Firewall tab. (In order to change the settings here, you may be
required to click the padlock at the bottom of the window and authenticate
with an Administrator's password).
4. Click Advanced and then deselect Block UDP Traffic, if it’s checked.
If you have an additional firewall product from another company, see the
documentation that came with it for more information.
I can’t get remote viewing to work

To view your Slingbox remotely (outside of your home network) you need to open a
port on your router. During the Setup Assistant, if you selected “Fully-Automatic
UPnP” mode, the software attempts to open a port on your router automatically. If you
were unable to use Automatic mode or you selected Manual mode, you must open a
port on your home router prior to activating remote viewing. Read below for
troubleshooting tips.
The final step of the Setup Assistant is a test that verifies remote viewing is properly
configured.
If this test fails, you can:
• Try again using the current router settings
This is the best first step to solve the problem. Occasionally the Setup
Assistant does not receive confirmation from Slingbox Finder in sufficient
time to complete the test (possibly due to Internet traffic, local network
congestion, or certain router makes/models). Before making any changes,
you should click Try Again once.
• Check your router and network settings
While configuring your router for port forwarding, it’s possible a typo or
other minor mistake was made. Click Change Network/Router Settings
to double-check Slingbox settings and confirm your router is properly
configured for port forwarding.
• Check your network settings

A quick way to find our how your network is set up is to open
System Preferences and select Network preferences.
a. In Network preferences, go to the Show pop-up menu. Make sure
you have Network Status selected. Below that you can find your
network connection (It’s the one next to the green indicator light
that tells you you’re connected to the Internet.). Unless you have
customized your setup, it's named either “AirPort” or “Built-in
Ethernet.”
b. Double-click on it and select the TCP/IP tab in the window that
appears. If you have not changed the default setup, the
Configure IPv4 pop-up menu will be set to Using DHCP. If it is set
to Using DHCP and you can connect to the Internet, you’re ready
to set up your Slingbox.
If the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu is not set to Using DHCP, find
out if DHCP is enabled on your network.
To find out if DHCP is available on your network:
a. First, make a copy of your current settings. You can do this by
choosing Edit Location from the Location pop-up menu and then
clicking the Duplicate button. Rename the new location, “Slingbox
Setup” and click Done.
b. Now choose Slingbox Setup from the Location pop-up menu and
click the Apply Now button.
c. Launch Safari and see if you can connect to the Internet.
d. If you can connect to the Internet, go back to the Network prefer-
ences and choose your original network location, which is probably
named Automatic, from the Location popup menu and click the
Apply Now button. You're ready to setup your Slingbox.
If you could not connect to the Internet using the Slingbox Setup
location, you don't have DHCP on your network and you'll need to
turn it on to start the setup. To turn DHCP on at your router, consult
the manual that came with it. Once you have turned on DHCP and
you are able to connect with Slingbox Setup location, you can
switch back to your original location and start to setup your Sling-
box.
• Disable remote viewing

If you want to enjoy your Slingbox within the home and configure remote
viewing later, simply click Disable Remote Viewing. You can then use your
Slingbox with any locally connected computer, and change the network
settings to enable remote viewing later.
• Continue Anyway
Sometimes it’s not convenient or easy to set up your router for Slingbox
remote viewing when you know the problem isn’t with Slingbox but with
your network. Fortunately, you can continue with the rest of the Slingbox
setup. Later, you can come back to the remote viewing activation when
you’ve resolved your network issues.
7
Chapter
If you need more help
There are several ways to get additional help.
Additional documentation
Updated guides for our hardware devices and software applications are available at:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/documentation.html
Additional help on our web site

Additional troubleshooting help, QuickTime tutorials and the most up-to-date tips and
tricks are always available at our web site. You can get to the Support site by going to
the Help menu, and then selecting Technical Support. Here’s the direct link:
Updated SlingPlayer software and Slingbox firmware

We’re constantly striving to improve our products. For the latest versions, visit:
Technical Support
Email help for the Mac is available on our web site at:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/contactsupport
There are also those times when nothing can substitute for talking with one of our
skilled Technical Support agents. Give them a call at:
1.877.GO.SLING (1-877-467-5464)
Feedback
We really want your feedback on our products, documentation and services. We’ve
made it easy—in SlingPlayer, go to the SlingPlayer menu and choose
Provide Feedback. Here’s the direct link:
http://us.slingmedia.com/object/macfeedback.html
If you need more help • Page 63

Index iPod 7
iPod HiFi 7
J
A Japanese 41
Apple TV 7 L
audio language, changing 41
audio only 31 listening options 31
listening options 31 bilingual audio 31
mute 31 left/right channels 31
no audio, only video 31 mono 31
settings 58 stereo 31
unmute 31 M
volume 29 multiple inputs
B switching 58
bilingual audio 31 mute 31
bitrate 45 P
bitrate, streaming 28 preferences
buffer 28 language 41
C R
Chinese 41 remote control 28
connections remote viewing 34
settings 46 S
control mode settings
enabling/disabling 33 audio 58
D connection 46
directory, Slingbox 29 Slingbox 48
E video 58
English 41 SlingBar 29
F Slingbox
favorites 29, 36 adding to directory 52
adding channels 36 directory 29
adding controls 37 ID 25
adding favorite bars 39 settings 48
deleting favorite bars 39 Slingbox Finder ID 52
exporting favorite bars 40 SlingPlayer
favorite bars 39 close 29
importing favorite bars 40 maximize 29
modifying channels 38 minimize 29
modifying controls 38 starting 27
removing channels 38 window controls 29
removing controls 38 SlingRemote
renaming favorite bars 39 using 55
using favorite bars 39 status 28
Front Row 7 streaming, bitrate 28
I U
ID 25 UI
status 28
unmute 31
V
video
bitrate 45
no video, only audio 31
settings 58
video only 31
volume 29

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SlingPlayer™ for the Macintosh™

Set Up and User Guide

<SP Mac 1.0 UG 1.0 (en-US)>

Installing the software for your Slingbox...................................................... 16

SlingPlayer basics ............................................................................................ 27

Customizing SlingPlayer .................................................................................. 36

More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options........................................................ 52

If you need more help ...................................................................................... 63

What you need for viewing at home

Here are details about what you need to get started:

The original Slingbox Slingbox TUNER Slingbox AV Slingbox PRO

SlingPlayer software for the Macintosh

A router, or a combined modem/router

What you need to know NOW • Page 7

A Macintosh computer on a home network

Why these specifications matter

Processor: Memory Resolution of the video image on Minimum Mac OS X

PowerPC G4 1 GB 640x480 resolution 10.3.9 and above

PowerPC G4 512 MB 640x240 resolution 10.3.9 and above

What you need to know NOW • Page 8

PowerPC G4 256 MB 320x240 resolution 10.3.9 and above

An explanation of “resolution” follows.

What you need to know NOW • Page 9

Here are details about what you need:

SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile software

What you need to know NOW • Page 10

A high-speed (broadband) Internet connection at home

A high-speed connection to the Internet wherever you’re viewing

What you need to know NOW • Page 11

Connecting your Slingbox

Next, connect the cables

What you need to know NOW • Page 12

There are Quick Start Guides for these Slingbox models:

The original Slingbox Slingbox TUNER Slingbox AV Slingbox PRO

Connect the IR Blaster

The emitter end

The infrared sensor

What you need to know NOW • Page 13

How does it all work?

How does it work when I watch at home?

How does it work when I do remote viewing?

What you need to know NOW • Page 14

Where will you watch your TV?

With your Slingbox, where you watch your TV is now up to you!

What you need to know NOW • Page 15

Before you begin installation of the software

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 16

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 17

2. The Software License Agreement appears.

5. Open your Applications folder and double-click SlingPlayer.

Running the Setup Assistant

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 18

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 19

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 20

What appears on your screen may be different, depending on the connections

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 21

Choose one of the devices shown in the list:

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 22

Terms and concepts used in the assistant

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 23

Configuring your router for remote viewing

Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 24

Slingbox Finder and your Slingbox ID