Sling Adaptor Field Reviews

[TheForce]

My Sling Adapter troubles continue today-

I went to test the USB hub with power supply but when I attempted to check it out I couldn't get the SA to even work at all today when plugged directly into the 722K. Took a look at it and the light on it was out. Tried several 722k reboots including power cord reboot... nothing. SA is completely dead and cold. I left it plugged in all night with my laptop accessing it and when I went to bed it was disconnecting after about 5 minutes of play time. This morning it was dead cold.

Called Dish CSR and requested an RA number and was told the units are not returnable. Another Insa line of BS from the CSR. After a friendly reminder how long I've been a customer of DN and that I had huge CSR problems last year with a half dozen bad 622's, I had hoped they would not make me resort to the executive offices to file an official complaint ... Then she agreed to do an exchange listing the one I have as DOA reason for exchange. I agreed to try another.

I decided to try another because I appear to be the only one on these threads he is having trouble with the overheating of the SA. ( Likely this overheating is what caused the SA to die. ) She said the replacement is scheduled to arrive on the 30th.

 

[TheForce]

I'm interested if anyone else here is having success with using an EHD in combination with the SA either using the two USB ports or with a powered HUB into one port. In my opinion success is not a quick test but flawless running for over an hour playing an EHD program via the SA.

 

[Dirtydan]

Don, I would say you for sure had a bad SA. Mine never gets over 85 degrees, no matter what I am doing with it. I just wish I could get DVR recordings to work on my i-Pad.
Dan

 

[TheKrell]

Don, I would say you for sure had a bad SA. Mine never gets over 85 degrees, no matter what I am doing with it. I just wish I could get DVR recordings to work on my i-Pad.

I have been trying to figure out how to measure the temp on mine, but just my wag I'd say Dan is about right. Don's Adapter has fried itself. Not DOA maybe, but close enough!

I wonder why the CSR was being such a bonehead about this device which comes with a 1 yr warranty? What are we supposed to do with dead units? Pitch them?

 

[crenita]

major problems with the access for Sling adapter.

after more than 1 hr on the phone with Dish. appears. there is some conflict with the access from the sling player and the sling adapter in their networks
.. she said numerous problems today. all the same, unit keeps asking for me to register and then won't accept the registration. ..

Issue is now with the network engineers... no resolution expected for 24-48 hrs and may require a software update..

Stay tuned.

 

[Dirtydan]

Mine still works. But I still called Sling help at Dish, after about 20 minutes of dicking around I was sent to techie, but while waiting for one to be available, the line was disconnected.
Dan

 

[crenita]

UPDATE... what ever was wrong apparently they corrected it without anything from my end.
. I am up and running.. and smiling...

 

[eurosteve]

I have been trying to figure out how to measure the temp on mine, but just my wag I'd say Dan is about right. Don's Adapter has fried itself. Not DOA maybe, but close enough!

I wonder why the CSR was being such a bonehead about this device which comes with a 1 yr warranty? What are we supposed to do with dead units? Pitch them?

Plus, in the store it mentions a 30 day return policy.

 

[TheForce]

Let me be fare- I wanted to return it with no exchange. They will exchange the unit but not return for a refund. At first they wouldn't even do that but when I read the packaging back to her and asked if there are no returns why did Dish send me the return shipping label? She checked with supervisor and then I got the RA number and they will be sending me another.

Dirtydan- I know you can access the DVR hard drive recordings because when my unit was working on the first day, I watched a recording on mine. You have several options at the bottom of the screen. One is "Grid" another is "Watch Now" and another is "DVR" select that and you will get all your recordings on your hard drive. Then select a recording and when the window pops up, just select "watch" I even saw all the recordings on my EHD listed but when I tried to watch one of those it hung the system and rebooted the 722K. That was when I tried the EHD plugged into the front USB, SA in the rear.

I'm just happy I didn't fry my 722K in the process.

Even though I have the SA replacement on the way, I went ahead and ordered a Pro HD Sling Box as an upgrade to my classic box which still works great! Slingmedia has a $50 deal for upgrade so I decided to take advantage of that.


BTW- The iPAD is again working with the mobile Sling Player app and my classic box. They must have fixed it. I sent in a complaint about a week ago but never received an answer, just that it works once again. I no longer get a message that my box needs upgrading. Unfortunately, the mobile sling player on my HTC TP2 still does not function. Maybe they will get that fixed soon.

 

[Dirtydan]

Don, My DVR Recording problem was only on my i-Pad, worked fine on PC. I have found a solution, I have to put 722 in Dual mode before starting Dish Remote Access. When done with that, I have to hit Dual mode once to get Pip back, even though the blue light was not on after closing Dish Remote Access. One other little problem I had was that I recorded something from my i-Pad and it ended up being protected on my 722, so when I tried to delete it my pin# was not working, said it was wrong #. I got a re-hit through support chat. All is well now but for no new software that addresses i-Pad only, I would like full 1024x768 resolution.
Dan

 

[TheForce]

Great! Thanks for the update. My SA is packed up in the box waiting until Tuesday for return. I see in another thread one user has reported success with a power hub so I'm pleased to hear that. Glad no one else is experiencing the over heat issues with rebooting.

 

[TheKrell]

I have an update on my Android client malfeasance wrt playback of OTA recordings. I have a 722, not 722k, and when I attempt to play back an OTA recording, the Android client goes to TV2 live instead. Info shows the recording. And, get this. The TV1 output switches to the recording I selected on the Android client. I tested this 3 times and I'm sure that's the behavior.

 

[brad1138]

Much better the pq on the 922 sucks compared to the new Sling adapter

Well good, no reason to upgrade my 722k to a 922 and loose my Absolute HD package. I found a while back I can't do a "Dishin it up" without upgrading to current programming.

 

[vicw]

I have an update on my Android client malfeasance wrt playback of OTA recordings. I have a 722, not 722k, and when I attempt to play back an OTA recording, the Android client goes to TV2 live instead. Info shows the recording. And, get this. The TV1 output switches to the recording I selected on the Android client. I tested this 3 times and I'm sure that's the behavior.

I've had similar results with the Android App, and see more reliable operation by always backing out of the app by steps, and restarting it when switching between recording playback and live modes. The App is definitely quirky, but still fun to use, and I'm hoping that it will be stabilized soon. I keep looking for updates, but so far, nothing has shown.

 

[eman1777]

I don't see how it could be going to the ISP, except when I'm going to the Droid X via Verizon cellular. Upload speed to my ISP is limited to 369kbps, and I'm transferring a stream around 8mbps upstream from the Adapter/722 combo for local operation. I'm positive it's taking a straight path through the router and down to my PC or Laptop or Droid X.

So far I'm pretty impressed with operation via browser or to the Droid X on the local LAN. The Droid X 3g cellular operation is as good as one could expect, given the limitations of much lower bit rates, as long as their is a good 3g signal available.

It was not until I read the further posts on this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/234408-satelliteguys-first-look-review-dish-sling.html#post2386321 that I realized that I needed to reboot my receiver. After rebooting the receiver, content now streams over my LAN. Before the reboot through, it was without a shadow of a doubt going through my WAN interface. I am now streaming at 8mbps over the LAN. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[lunercrab]

hey guys...i just got the 722k on saturday and i just got the sling adapter today....anyone on here using the dish remote access app on the iphone? i'm having issues trying to play back any of my dvr recordings....when i select a recorded show to watch on iphone and it connects all it does is connects me to live tv....no matter what i try to do i can't watch any of my recorded dvr shows on the iphone app....i can watch live tv and dvr shows on the laptop just fine..but for some reason it will only show live tv on the iphone and not recorded shows....anyone run into this type of situation?

 

[TheKrell]

There's a whole thread devoted specifically to that problem here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/235484-iphone-sling-adaptor-we-all-beta.html

 

[dwcleck]

I received my Sling Adapter yesterday and connecting it couldn't have been easier. Some specifics: Using VIP 722, wired connection to back of Linksys wireless router/hub going to BellSouth/AT&T broadband modem out to AT&T network using a 6 Mb connection. I get about 400 up and 5.5 down most times. Using iPhones and iPad and computer on Wired Network to View.

iPhone works great on WIFI and 3G, no real problems except the app did crash a couple of times while moving around in the grid, etc. But has not crashed while watching a broadcast. I do set my VIP 722 on Dual Mode before connecting as I never have a need to put on single mode anyway. I was able to watch broadcasts, set recordings, delete recordings and timers with no real problems.

The iPad app picture looks better than the iPhone even when both are connected via WIFI on my home network. I would think the iPhone somehow is set to pull down less data due to smaller screen. However when I say better I don't mean the iPhone picture looks bad. Its a wonderful picture. The iPad is even better to me. And being able to mostly zoom the video on both iPad and iPhone is great.

I liked the fact that if someone is connected to the SA and someone else in the family tries to connect a message pops up saying Someone else is connected would you like to override? If clicking yes it knocks off the other person....which I realize could cause a back and forth war to insue but if this did not work this way someone who accidentally left their device connected and left it, nobody else could connect until the devide ran out of battery and died.

The adapter is extremely high tech looking, basically a large extruded piece of aluminum where 75% of it is heat sink and the middle section is the actual electronics. It sits quite nicely on top of my 722 and nobody can even see it. Too bad in a way. It looks very cool. I suppose you could put an extender on the cable if you wanted to. There are no switches, buttons, resets of any kind on the device you would never need to reach it again except to keep it dusted.

I would highly recommend this device as its initial cost is very inexpensive for what you get, the service to use it is FREE and it works. Some of the very minor bugs will get worked out.

Also on the iPad onlyl (not the iPhone) you get an HQ or SQ setting option and the SQ is very watchable and the HQ is even better. I would think the SQ would be nice for a WIFI or 3G connection that isn't quite speedy enough for HQ.

Wish list:

1) Wish the grid on the iPhone would move to landscape mode when phone is in landscape.
2) Can't think of anything else at the moment but I will update later.

Happy Slinging!

 

[dwcleck]

Put your VIP box on Dual Mode folks....you'll have trouble if your box (right on the front of the panel) is set for Single mode. Recordings may not play correctly, etc.

 

[Character Zero]

Put your VIP box on Dual Mode folks....you'll have trouble if your box (right on the front of the panel) is set for Single mode. Recordings may not play correctly, etc.

I am finding this to be the case as well. Where now I switch over to Dual mode when I might use the SA. The problem I have with using Dual mode on the main TV is how it handles the tuners. In Single mode, if I am recording channel 5 and watching channel 5, when I change a channel it invokes the other tuner and switches seamlessly. In Dual mode if I am recording Channel 5 and watching channel 5 and I chaneg channels it asks me if I want to cancel the recording. How do I seamlessly navigate in Dual mode using both tuners? Is that possible?