Due to a discussion on another thread re receiving Canadian Satellite TV in the Southern USA specifically Florida or other Snowbird States I am curious as to whether a Slingbox would work.
We live in an RV/Manufactured home community in South-Central Florida. Expressvu works well there now but with all the discussion on whether Bell Expressvu will change their Satellites, whether this will enable Satellite TV to be available in only the very northern US states and shut out the Snowbird States I am wondering if a Slingbox might be an option.
As it is now we stay for six months and have a 10 Meg ADSL service from the Incumbant Telco Provider in Florida. In Canada we have a 1.5 Meg ADSL service at our Canadian home, this is maintained all year due to having Surveillance cameras at that location.
My questions are;
1.) Is there anyone familiar with using a slingbox to provide TV service at a remote end?
2.) If so how well does it work?
3.) How cumbersome is it?
4.) Can more than one TV be used at the remote location?
5.) What speeds are necessary both up & down to obtain optimum service?
There are no doubt more questions, if there is anyone familiar with this technology please post or send me a private message, I would really appreciate it, thanks!
On Edit----Just wanted to add we do not need High Definition service so that will keep the bandwidth down.
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Canadian Snowbirds
I used sling box while working away from home. It seemed ok at first, but then started having trouble and could not check it untill I got home, too much of a pain for me. I use express vu down south and will continue to do so. I don't believe the stories. I would put my money on Bell instead of Slingbox. Macktee
I have a Hava box, same idea. Reception all depends on band width. As we stayed at campgrounds they would throttle me down. Did stay at one where they had hi-speed, and it worked well. I use it to get programs I can not get any other way.
You can switch to Shaw Direct formally Star Choice and get Reception as far South as Guatemala. Why Anyone who travels South still uses Bell Express Vue is totally beyond Me.
As stated earlier a Slingbox will work as long as You have a good High speed Computer Connection but falls apart when limited Bandwidth is encountered.
I want dependable TV reception so use a Shaw Direct Dish which sets up quickly and easily any I stop. Takes about 5 Minutes most times to get a strong signal.
Rob & Jean
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robatthelake wrote: You can switch to Shaw Direct formally Star Choice and get Reception as far South as Guatemala. Why Anyone who travels South still uses Bell Express Vue is totally beyond Me.
As stated earlier a Slingbox will work as long as You have a good High speed Computer Connection but falls apart when limited Bandwidth is encountered.
I want dependable TV reception so use a Shaw Direct Dish which sets up quickly and easily any I stop. Takes about 5 Minutes most times to get a strong signal.
Perhaps those of us who have money invested in Bell Expressvu hardware, dishes, switches, PVR's is the reason why we still use Bell Expressvu.
"Perhaps those of us who have money invested in Bell Expressvu hardware, dishes, switches, PVR's is the reason why we still use Bell Expressvu."
The reason I don't switch to Shaw Direct is as above stated i.e. equipment invested plus the bigger more cumbersome dish, we do go to the State parks in Florida for a few days & are set up in two minutes with Expressvu, I have seen others with Shaw Direct (Former Star Choice) working for some time to get set up.
I do hear that Shaw have a much friendlier group of support personnel that actually help if the need arises, Bell apparently shut you down if they find out you are not where you are supposed to be.
However I will be staying with Bell, as I have no intention to go to Guatemala.
Also hear that Shaw Direct are moving to new Satellites, rumour or not Shaw Direct customers may be out of luck also.....if any of that is true----who knows until we all get down there this fall.
We live in condo and Bell installed a dish on the roof of the building. Now I can get tv from Bell and could take the dish south with us. I can't put a Shaw dish on the condo and I don't want to pay for two different services. So I will just watch the tv I can get from the antenna and get the Canadian news from the Internet.
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Falcon35 wrote: We live in condo and Bell installed a dish on the roof of the building. Now I can get tv from Bell and could take the dish south with us. I can't put a Shaw dish on the condo and I don't want to pay for two different services. So I will just watch the tv I can get from the antenna and get the Canadian news from the Internet.
(504)
If the Worst comes this Snowbird season and no EV, I intend to put up a Digital Antenna on my Florida house with rotation & pick up the US Stations, they are almost all HD over the air, better picture than EV anyway and all are free.
I can get some of the Canadian Stations that I want by going to the Internet albeit a bit later, BNN on EV is the one I watch mostly. Result....Save $60 a month, Bell loss is my gain!
This TV foolishness is so typical Canadian....cut their nose off to save their face, oh well if that is their way so be it.
* This post was
edited 06/23/12 05:28pm by Canuck Travellers *
We need to find someone in July/August who is a Canadian and is travelling in the southern US in order to confirm he or she is actually receiving a Bell signal from the new satellite.
I'm not sure how we can do this as we need confirmation before we leave this fall in order to make a decision if we need to switch satellite providers.
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