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Sling Media SlingPlayer User Manual

For the macintosh
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SlingPlayer
for the Macintosh
Set Up and User Guide

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Summary of Contents for Sling Media SlingPlayer

  • Page 1 ™ ™ SlingPlayer for the Macintosh Set Up and User Guide...
  • Page 2 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 ©...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    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...
  • Page 4 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...
  • Page 5 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 ...

  • Page 7: What You Need To Know Now

    (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 http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support.html Here are details about what you need to get started:...

  • Page 8: A Flashlight

    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™...
  • Page 9 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.

  • Page 10: What You Need For Viewing Away From Home

    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”...

  • Page 11: A High-Speed (Broadband) Internet Connection At Home

    SlingPlayer Mobile software running on that device. Free 30-day trials of SlingPlayer Mobile are available from: http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html 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 separate mobile service.

  • Page 12: Connecting Your Slingbox

    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.

  • Page 13: Connect The Ir Blaster

    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.

  • Page 14: How Does It All Work

    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).

  • Page 15: What's The Secret

    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.

  • Page 16: Installing The Software For 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.
  • Page 17 There’s additional information on setting up an Airport Extreme on our Support web site. Search for “Airport Extreme” on this web page: http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support.html If you need more information during setup, click the Help button. It’s at the bottom of each screen.

  • Page 18: Installing Slingplayer

    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.
  • Page 19 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. Installing the software for your Slingbox • Page 19...
  • Page 20 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.
  • Page 21 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.
  • Page 22 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.

  • Page 23: Terms And Concepts Used In The Assistant

    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.

  • Page 24: Configuring Your Router For Remote Viewing

    If your router does not configure automatically, go to our Support site for details on how to manually configure many popular routers: http://us.slingmedia.com/page/support.html If your router is not listed on our web site, check the documentation that came with your router on how to enable port forwarding.

  • Page 25: Slingbox Finder And Your Slingbox Id

    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.

  • Page 26: Installing Slingplayer On A Remote Device

    Slingbox isn’t plugged in. To install SlingPlayer or SlingPlayer Mobile on a remote device: Download and install the software for the proper platform from: http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html Make sure that your device meets the minimum requirements for that platform.

  • Page 27: Slingplayer Basics

    SlingPlayer basics Chapter 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.

  • Page 28: Slingplayer Controls

    “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.

  • Page 29: Parking Slingplayer Windows

    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.

  • Page 30: 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.

  • Page 31: Audio Options

    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).
  • Page 32 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.

  • Page 33: Resizing Slingplayer

    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.

  • Page 34: Viewing Your Slingbox Over The Internet

    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: Launch SlingPlayer.
  • Page 35 “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.) SlingPlayer basics • Page 35...

  • Page 36: Customizing Slingplayer

    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.

  • Page 37: Adding Favorite Controls

    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 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.)

  • Page 38: Accessing Multiple Rows Of Favorites

    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.

  • Page 39: Favorites Bars

    The New Favorites Bar window appears. Enter the name and a description for the new Favorites Bar. 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.

  • Page 40: Exporting/Importing Favorites Bars

    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.

  • Page 41: General Preferences

    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.

  • Page 42: Video Preferences

    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.

  • Page 43: Slingstream

    TV picture until it gets more data. SlingPlayer uses the buffer completely seamlessly, so your content is delivered smoothly.

  • Page 44: Encoding Preferences

    SlingStream based on the type of content you’re currently viewing. To change the Encoding settings: Choose Preferences from the SlingPlayer menu. The SlingPlayer Preferences window opens. Click Encoding and update the settings to change the streaming options.

  • Page 45: Optimize Stream Manually

    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.

  • Page 46: Connection Preferences

    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.

  • Page 47: Exporting And Importing Preferences

    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: Go to the File menu and choose Export Preferences.

  • Page 48: Connection

    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. Customizing SlingPlayer • Page 48...

  • Page 49: Change Name And Passwords

    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. Customizing SlingPlayer • Page 49...

  • Page 50: 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.

  • Page 51: Update Slingbox Firmware

    You can also check for them manually. To update Slingbox firmware automatically: 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.

  • Page 52: More Slingplayer And Slingbox Options

    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...

  • Page 53: Adding Another Slingbox To Your Slingbox Directory

    (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.

  • Page 54: By Using An Ip Address Or Domain Name

    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.

  • Page 55: Using Multiple Slingbox Audio/Video Inputs

    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.
  • Page 56 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 More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options • Page 56 Input connections Set of composite S-video...

  • Page 57: Connector Glossary

    Port for the — HD Connect cable Component — inputs More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options • Page 57 The connection The cable looks like: looks like: Notes: Used to connect to basic, analog cable service or to an antenna.

  • Page 58: Adding An Additional Device

    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. More SlingPlayer and Slingbox options • Page 58...

  • Page 59: Troubleshooting

    Some settings or preference buttons may be grayed out if you’re watching something in SlingPlayer. Click the Stop button and to enable these buttons. Buttons may also be grayed out if the Setup Assistant is running. in SlingPlayer’s main window to stop the video Troubleshooting • Page 59...

  • Page 60: Slingplayer Remote Won't Control My Device, But I Can See Video

    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.
  • Page 61 • 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. •...
  • Page 62 • 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.

  • Page 63: If You Need More Help

    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...

  • Page 64: Index

    Slingbox 48 video 58 SlingBar 29 Slingbox adding to directory 52 directory 29 ID 25 settings 48 Slingbox Finder ID 52 SlingPlayer close 29 maximize 29 minimize 29 starting 27 window controls 29 SlingRemote using 55 status 28 streaming, bitrate 28...
  • Page 65 status 28 unmute 31 video bitrate 45 no video, only audio 31 settings 58 video only 31 volume 29...

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