Orb vs Slingbox For TV Streaming With TP2

**deadwrong03** · #1 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 02:04 PM

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

alex jb · #2 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 02:42 PM

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.

**jmorton10** · #3 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 02:58 PM

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

mhunt3 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadwrong03

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

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.

pleasestirme · #5 (**permalink**) 03-10-2010, 03:46 PM

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

**deadwrong03** · #6 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 09:29 AM

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?

mhunt3 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadwrong03

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?

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.

jkseger · #8 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 11:32 AM

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.

**deadwrong03** · #9 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 11:00 AM

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

**meatgel** · #10 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 11:09 AM

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.