Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

which gives the best quality on the tp2? im finally getting cable friday and im wondering should i just try orb or fork over the money at best buy and getta sling box and set up slingbox?

how are the performance qualities of both and which is easier and more reliable to set up and use

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I use orb to watch movies from my home pc, perfectly watchable if you have a 3G/EVDO strong signal.
It's nice to be able to get at those files you forgot to transfer over ORB too.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I have used both ORB & my current SlingBox setup.

There is no comparison whatever IMHO, SlingBox wins hands down for live TV (especially with the new SB 2.0 software).

I still use ORB all the time for other stuff, but not for TV.

~John

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I haven't tried orb, but slingbox works great. Before you go to Best Buy, check Craigslist. I purchased a slingbox off craigslist for >50% off.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

It is hard to compare ORB to Slingbox. ORBs quality depends on your PCs hardware. For example, a busy or slow PC will produce poorer quality video. If you have a crappy TV tuner card, ORB will happily stream that crappy video to you. Even if you have a fast PC with a nice TV tuner card. If that PC is busy working on torrents or doing something else, ORB quality will be degraded.

Slingbox is a solution in a box. It does not require a PC. So it will always work the same, which is pretty well. Quality will still depend on your upstream connection to the WEB, just like with ORB. But you never have to worry about weather your PC too busy doing something else.

ORB is still great for viewing pictures and movies remotely but for just viewing TV Slingbox wins.

PleaseStirMe

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

thanks for the replies

So with both orb and slingbox if im away from home and i change the channels on my phone will it change the channels on whoever is watching tv at home? or can the phone and person at home be watching to different channels?

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I don't know how orb works, but I can tell you about the slingbox. It really depends on how you have it set up. You can set it up so that you can watch a different program on your tv, but you would need the right equipment and there are a lot of differrent combinations of equipment that would work. Keep in mind that in order to watch two different programs , you need two different tuners. If you have cable, one option is to split the signal from the wall and run one strainght to the tv and the other to the cablebox. You can use the slingbox to control the cable box and then use the tv seperately. Also, keep in mind that the slingbox HD Pro has a built-in tuner. Like i said, there are a lot of variables but you can make it work.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Can't speak for Orb but for Slingbox, the best way I found is to hook it up to the least used box, as it will change the channel of someone watching that tv. when we really got to thinking about it, there really wasn't that many times I'd be accessing the Slingbox when someone was watching...even our main TV, which is where it is now.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

alright guys my cables getting installed today so i think im going to go with slingbox since i wouldnt have to use a computer or anything with that.

so all i need to do is buy a slingbox and thats it?? do i need a app for the phone?

how easy is slingbox to set up? what do you have to do to the phone, slingbox or the router to get them to recognize each other?

and what slingbox should i get? i dont need the most expensive one but i would like to be able to change the channels from the device. i think i might head over to best buy after work to price them....maybe see if radioshack carries them as well

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Best Buy had 2 types of boxes when I got mine a few months ago ... I got the cheaper one because I didn't need the HD stuff. I am not a genius at this stuff, but I can follow directions and that is all that is really needed. I have DSL and my router is usually a pain when I have to configure it, but it hooked up easily. I forgot to run through the part that opens the ports so I can watch the box off of my network ... when I did that Sling had a great walk-though that even made that pretty easy.

I'd say don't stress. Also, if you get stuck, come back and ask the question. There is always help here.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Keep in mind that you must hardwire your slingbox to your router. This can be done with a direct connection to the router or you can use a wireless bridge. Setup is pretty simple but do your research and make sure you know exactly what you need before you make any purchases.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I went to best buy today but i saw their sales papers for the sales beginning tomorrow the Slingbox Solo goes on sale for $149.99, just a heads up for anybody else looking for a slingbox.... im going to wait till tomorrow to get it.

I have Dish Network VIP22k Receiver and i just wanted to know is it possible to set up slingbox before i go to best buy 2morrow? im gonna ask this anyway as im pretty sure u can hook it up but i just wanna be on the safe side

anybody else using slingbox with dish network?

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Just get the HD from craigslist for about 200 bucks. The solo price plus tax is pretty damn close to it already.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

but really whats the difference tho? the HD is a little over the top for me i dont need HD on the phone i can do without it for the cheaper price just as long as its clear (no hd) i think that would be fine.

but i will check ebay and craigslist right now now u mention it

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

You get what you paid for in a long run.

Classic (old cheaper version) don't even play full screen while PRO version (best version before HD came out) does.

I own PRO version, and am glad I paid about 50 bucks more from craigslist.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Subscription based, seems to work with more tv cards:

http://www.cyberlinklive.com/

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

does the solo version play in full screen on the tp2?

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

alright guys i got the hook up of the slingbox going correctly so far but now im stuck on the remote part.

It says look up my reciever name and test out the ir remote, now the name of my receiver isnt up there i have a dish network vip 222k satellite and i see a whole lot of vip receivers but not my exact one

is it suppose to work with similiar receivers? i've tried all different ones but none of the remotes that come up changes the channels on my laptop can i jus go on from this step and come back later? i've checked the ir connection in my slingbox, and moves the ir cords around in front of the cable box and still no luck

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Just pick something in same brand name and it should work. My exact cable box isn't on the list but ones under same company name works.

Might have to google around a bit to find what you need.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

i used the live chat on the site and the guy took my password and set it up for me perfectly now its working this is great i havent even set it up on my phone yet lol

but when i change my channels with the on screen remote it changes the channels on my tv at home as well. How can i get it to change the channel on the slingbox site, but not on my tv?

i have a cable box that broadcasts to 2 tvs one via a antenna that controlls a tv in another roomm that can watch different channels and one tv that its directly connected to...

on the back of my box i have a set of av ports for the tv thats in another room, the tv that the cable box is connected to and another set of av ports that say

Y
PB
Pr

what are these ports for? and can i use these to watch different programming and change channels without changing the channel on my tv ?

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

tech support is free for 90 days so make sure everything works like it should.

You have to watch what the box is broadcasting.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Those connections are actually component video connections. They will not work if hooked up to standard red, white and yellow. Those connections are used if your tv does not have an hdmi port. It is the older way of getting high def to a slightly older high def tv. I hope that makes sense!

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

I have the Pro also, & I like that it has an internal tuner so I can watch a different channel than what is showing on my home TV (Using cable)

~John

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Hmn how is this done?

My setup is following.

actual cable line going into cable box, then the cablebox outputs to the slingbox via 5 cables/HD cable.

Pretty much have to watch same channel.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

ok everythings working fine. i just have to configure the remote to change channels better with the numerical input

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

If you put a 2-1 splitter in the line before the cable box, you can run one cable line to your component cable adapter & the 2nd cable line directly to the SlingBox.

You then run the setup assistant twice, once for each input.

At that point, from your phone you will have a choice of either
(under options>change device) COAX: basic cable or Component: Cable Box. If you choose COAX, you will only get basic cable (no premium channels like HBO etc) but it will not affect what is being shown on the home TV.

I find this handy in another way also. Sometimes if my network signal is kinda weak I can switch to the basic cable setup & get better Sling reception.

~John

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

ahh i see what you mean. my channels are way too limited that way though.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

im currently using the free 30 day trial version of slingbox on my phone, and i was wondering once u pay do you get a different user interface within the application on the phone??

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

no, same thing.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

What application are you all using to stream video on the TP2? I set up Orb. It streams perfectly on my other PC's but it is VERY choppy on the TP2 using the default Windows media player..... i have tried using the 3g data and Wifi and they are both the same.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Orb does that no matter what. choppy video while sling does tv very well.

I have both sling and orb and for tv, sling is better hands down. I use orb to watch video's from my server though.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Orb Streams video to my computers very well. It's not choppy at all. ( have tried on 3 different PC's and they all look and sound great.) However when I try on my Touch Pro 2, the audio is fine but it plays back video at like 2 to 3 FPS.

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

just after a couple work days of using this i've got to say this app is awesome....and surprisingly its not killing my battery life as fast as i thought it would. I've turned all kinds of heads at work and made a few people want to try the app out themselves lol

slingbox ftw

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

just installed slingbox....this thing is alright! no more choppy video or constant buffering, i've got all my cable channels plus the hd ones. now my phone is also a portable cable box along with everything else it does!

Re: Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2
 

Well if anyone is trying to get Orb working correctly on the TP2, here is how I've done it:

1. Use the "recomp-03" TCPMP here (or just google TCPMP-0.72RC1-ARM-PPC-recomp-03).

2. Download "WM5 WMV9 Codecs.zip" here and put the two .dll files into the Windows directory on your TP2.

3. In TCPMP, under the DirectDraw settings make sure "Use blitting instead of overlay" is checked. Under file association settings make sure PLS is checked.

4. In Orb, go into settings and change stream to use Winamp (.pls).

I've had problems before with streaming at very low bitrates to the TP2 (the audio slows down) but if I set the bitrate to 248K it streams just fine. If your picture doesn't stretch in fullscreen then check the blitting instead of overlay setting as mentioned above at #3. With TCPMP using these settings I've been able to have smooth clear streaming after many reflashings of MightyROM as well as the stock Sprint ROM.