Three New Ways to Sling TV Anywhere

Slingbox, the brick-like, set-top box that sends TV programs from home TVs across the Internet to nearby and farflung computers, has some offspring to take TV anywhere to the next level.

Slingmedia introduced three new versions this week to better fit different TV setups in homes.

• The Tuner: An analog tuner for basic cable TV. ($180) It's smaller than the original Slingbox Classic, and comes with a built-in TV tuner, an Ethernet port and two coaxial inputs.

• AV: No TV tuner, but it connects to a system with DirecTV, Dish Network, a TiVo, or other DVR box. ($180)

• Pro: A tuner for homes with more complex home systems. It connects to and can control multiple video devices, and it has a high-definition port for HDTV boxes. ($250) But an extra $50 HD connector, available this fall, will be needed to run HD signals through the Pro.

So why the different versions? As Zatz reports, it's Slingmedia's attempt to better match the different ways people watch TV with improved hardware that offers a higher resolution (up to 640x480) at faster speeds.

The multiple options may be confusing if you've heard of Slingbox but haven't been sure it will work for your setup. Check out what's needed for each Slingbox version on this tech specifications page.

If you've been on the fence and want to give Slingbox a try, Zatz wisely says to watch for more prices drops (it already has dropped a bit) on the original Slingbox as the holidays approach.

And if you've been using Slingbox, let us know how it's working and how it's made a difference in your viewing lives. If you'll be upgrading or signing on to TV anywhere with any of these new models, let us know that, too.