Normally I like to focus my writing on products that have not been out for too long, have not been covered by every other gadget blog and have not found their way into millions of homes.

But the Slingbox is different. No matter how hard you try and explain what it does, there are still a lot of people that don’t quite understand it.

And since I’m a huge fan of the device (and have been since the day it hit store shelves), I’d like to try and explain in my own words what a Slingbox can do, and more importantly, what it can do for you.

The Slingbox 10 word version:

Slingbox transmits what you watch on TV over the Internet.

The much longer version:

The 10 word version usually doesn’t do a good job of explaining what a Slingbox does. So sit tight, and I’ll do the long version. For this story I will assume you have a cable box and a TV. But what I’ll explain just as easily applies to those with a TiVo, Satellite receiver or no cable box at all.

The Slingbox goes between the signal coming out of your cable box and the signal going to your TV. It intercepts that signal and "streams" it over the Internet. So in essence, what you watch on TV, is what gets sent over the Internet.

Now, sending something over the Internet is meaningless unless you have a way of watching it. That is where SlingPlayer enters the picture. SlingPlayer really does 3 things; it serves as the viewer for your programs, it serves as the remote control for your cable box and it lets you "login" to your Slingbox so not everyone on the Internet can take advantage of your 500 channels of "quality programming".

You’ll notice the part where I mentioned "controlling your cable box". One of the cables coming out the back of the Slingbox is a small Infrared "blaster". You stick this thing near your cable box, and the Slingbox can pretend it’s a remote control allowing you full access of it, using the SlingPlayer.

The best part about this remote is that Sling actually make it look like the remote you use at home, so even though you may be 2000 miles from home, your buttons will be where you expect them to be.

On the left you’ll see the virtual remote from my Slingplayer. Every button is exactly where it is on my real remote.

I can take control of my device (in my case a Tivo Series 3) and use every feature of it, just like sitting right in front of my own TV.

Since the Slingbox goes between your cable box and TV, you watch what is on the TV; this means that if you are watching channel 9, whoever is sitting at home is also watching channel 9. If either one changes the channel, the other one will see that channel change too.

Slingboxes do not have WiFi, so in most cases you will need an Ethernet cable to where the Slingbox is, or will have to invest in accessories to help get it there. If you don’t have an Ethernet cable to your bedroom or living room then consider the Slinglink "powerline" adapters. These boxes transmit a network connection over the  regular outlets in your house. Plug one in near your router, connect Ethernet. Then plug the other in where your Slingbox will be connected, and you are done. No configuring necessary.

Once everything is hooked up, it’s time to open SlingPlayer and watch something.

The SlingPlayer video window - this is what you see on your PC. You can resize the window, play it full screen or minimize it for when your boss is coming to check on you.

Picking the right Slingbox

Of course, nothing in life is easy. So when you decide to go shopping for a Slingbox you’ll have to decide between 4 different models.

Slingbox Tuner - This model is no longer for sale, but most vendors still carry it. It connects directly to your cable TV. No cable box is needed. Of course, this means you will be limited to the most basic (analogue) channels. And since some providers are eliminating analogue cable (Comcast for example), it’s obvious why this model is no longer being made.

Price: around $110

Slingbox AV - In most cases this will be the Slingbox you’ll need. It has AV connections, just like virtually every cable box out there. If you check the back of your cable box you will probably see a cable with 3 connectors going to your TV (yellow, red and white). These 3 connectors are for the video signal, and stereo audio. In some cases your TV is connected with an S-Video cable, the AV supports this too.

Price: around $110

Slingbox SOLO - The Slingbox SOLO has the same connectors as the AV, but adds connectors for an HD source (through component cables). It’s important to point out that this does NOT mean you can "stream" HD over the Internet, it’s just a higher quality connection which will make for a better picture quality. The SOLO also has the newest generation chips inside, so it’s capable of streaming at higher rates then any other Slingbox (at least in my experience).

Price: around $160

Slingbox PRO - The most advanced of the Slingbox lineup (at the moment). The Slingbox PRO has 4 different inputs and can connect to 2 AV sources, 1 HD source (with an additional $70 cable) and has an integrated tuner. The PRO is the only device that allows you to switch between these 4 sources remotely. You could control 2 cable boxes and an AppleTV for example. The additional HD cable even comes with a new 4 port infrared blaster so you can control these 4 different devices.

Price: around $190

Sling on the road

If my plan works, you now know what a Slingbox does. So, what does this all mean for you, the roadwarrior?

Picture yourself in your hotel room (where you probably are right now). Now turn on the TV and see how long it takes for you to give up trying to find anything decent to watch.

Now, imagine having full access to all the channels you have at home AND being able to control your Tivo (or other DVR). You can watch live TV, watch stuff you’ve recorded and even schedule new recordings, anywhere in the world you have broadband Internet access.

Lets take that scenario one step further; imagine being stuck on a flight waiting for a takeoff slot. The captain already said it’s going to be another hour or two (lies!) but in his unending generosity he’s allowed his passengers to turn on their phones and laptops. The folks around you start reading a book, but you sit back and turn on your laptop, connect to whatever broadband wireless service you use, and watch the game. Live.

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of a laptop, try the Slingplayer on your PDA.

Sling has players for most PDA operating systems (Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian and soon also for the Blackberry). Sorry, no iPhone support as of yet. To stream on your PDA you’ll need a fast connection, either over cellular or WiFi. My Sprint PDA runs the Slingplayer just fine, and the 1mbit connection means I’ve always got a fast enough stream to watch TV in decent quality.

There is just one catch; the mobile Slingplayer will cost you $29.99 (the desktop version is free).

If you use a PDA with old(er) technology or are on a network without 3G (like T-mobile USA) you really will need a WiFi connection, these slow connections are not fast enough for the Slingbox.

It all sounds quite easy, and that really is my experience with the Slingbox. I’ve never not been able to connect. The only downside to the Slingbox is that you can only watch TV on your laptop. In an upcoming article I’ll explain how you can "hack" the hotel TV so you can connect your laptop to it.

The Slingbox is available from most retailers, including Amazon.com.