Database Develop

SlingPlayer for Android tablets - my review

Full disclosure, I will be posting this same review over at the Xoom forums (http://xoomforums.com) site as well under the username JustDroid.
My set up at home is as follows: Time Warner Cable with a Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta) Explorer 8640 HDC DVR and a Slingbox SOLO. I have to 30/5 internet package.
The Good
Video quality is excellent. I have watched HD shows both on my home wi-fi and at work accessing across the internet and the picture and sound quality is astounding.
The Bad
I was not able to get an on screen remote other than the default remote. I tried several different settings via the online set up at http://setup.slingbox.xom. I tried the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300 HD, the Time Warner Explorer 8300, the Time Warner Universal Remote, and the Cisco Explorer 8640. The TWC Univeral and the Cisco Explorer 8640 remotes even show the default generic remote control on the website in addition to on the Xoom. With this generic remote, I have no way to access the recorded shows list on my DVR.
There is an 8 to 10 second delay in the function of the remote on screen and something actually happening on the DVR. This makes fast-forwarding through the commercials next to impossible. This wouldn't be a problem if you were watching a commercial free movie but for network TV this is a major pain in the a$$.
The Ugly
I purchased the Android tablet SlingPlayer app last Tuesday. After messing with it for a day, I gave up and called Sling support. The gentleman I spoke with did an OK job overall but was not able to help me. I gave him my Sling account username and password and he logged in to my account via the web interface and went through the same steps I did. This gentleman put me on hold for a couple of minutes while he looked for a tablet he could test on, but came back and said he didn't have one available. He had me test on the Xoom a couple of times, but there was no change to the on screen remote.
Friday afternoon, I still had not heard anything from Sling support so I called back. The gentleman I spoke with explained that this case was escalated and said he would transfer me to the team it had been sent to. After several minutes of me being on hold, the same gentleman came back on the line and explained that the second level team told him there was no resolution at this time. So I got the big brush-off. As of this morning I still have not heard anything from Sling support, however I did get a customer satisfaction email this morning, asking for my feedback on my recent support call. I explained that there has been no contact nor resolution in this case and left my contact information in the online form.
I have been in the customer support field for 15+ years, and I would never let my customers go 6 days with no contact after I had escalated an issue. And I would have followed up had I been the one the issue had been escalated to, even if there was no resolution, at least I would let the customer know we were still looking in to the issue.
My Impressions
This tablet version of SlingPlayer mobile was a beta product at best, and should not yet have been released to general availablility. It should have been tested on more tablet devices, it's not like the Xoom isn't a popular device.
I have always been pleased with Sling hardware and the phone version of the SlingPlayer software, both Windows Mobile and Android. This is the third Sling device I have owned, and I upgraded to better versions as I got HD cable at home. This experience has left me bitter and angry. I am not sure I could recommend Sling products in the future.
Thanks for listening to my rant and feel free to comment or if you have a suggestion to resolve this, I would be glad to hear it.

UPDATE - Your case has been escalated
My original case was escalated to the second level team the night I originally called it in. I have called several times since, and never actually get to speak with anyone in second level support. I hear the same thing that 'they are working on it and will call you when they have a resolution'!
I do technical support for a living and I would have been fired if I had a case open for 15 days and not notified my client of my progress.
Looks like I now have to call Google and ask for a refund.

were you able to get your refund? im waiting for this to come out for "trial"

[Q] Chromecast at Mainland China

Is anyone living in Mainland China using Chromecast well?
I only can access Youtube and Netflix via VPN, but some of my friends don't want to setup VPN, how can they enjoy Chromecast?

Move?

wyt2014 said:
Is anyone living in Mainland China using Chromecast well?
I only can access Youtube and Netflix via VPN, but some of my friends don't want to setup VPN, how can they enjoy Chromecast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If they don't use VPN or a DNS abstractor like Unotelly or Unlocator, then any apps that are not available in your country won't work. Likely this includes HBO Go, Netflix, etc. Any apps that pull content from a service that is supported in your country should work, but will only show content for your country (same as using a computer, or possibly more limited).

wyt2014 said:
Is anyone living in Mainland China using Chromecast well?
I only can access Youtube and Netflix via VPN, but some of my friends don't want to setup VPN, how can they enjoy Chromecast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI,
Can you give me a bit of advice how to make it work with VPN in CHina?
I had mine working locally, watching local files from my computer but never outside websites.
ANy help or advice you can offer will be appreciated. I am living in Shenzhen.
Thanks
Wylie

wyt2014 said:
Is anyone living in Mainland China using Chromecast well?
I only can access Youtube and Netflix via VPN, but some of my friends don't want to setup VPN, how can they enjoy Chromecast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chromecast works great two months ago (zh-CN).
But recently, you are not easy to see the chromecast icon in your app (except youtube, netflix).
On TV (chromecast), there is message like "LAN is ready, but internet is not connected."
Without VPN, sometimes, it works OK for media source (e.g.: sohu, youku) with y2cast.
I could use chromecast yesterday without VPN.

mimepp said:
Chromecast works great two months ago (zh-CN).
But recently, you are not easy to see the chromecast icon in your app (except youtube, netflix).
On TV (chromecast), there is message like "LAN is ready, but internet is not connected."
Without VPN, sometimes, it works OK for media source (e.g.: sohu, youku) with y2cast.
I could use chromecast yesterday without VPN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI,
Yes, these days my Chromecast says it's connected to the network but does NOT have internet access.
Is this a google block for devices that are inside of CHina?
How can I even get the device to work for me locally, streaming data from my laptop? It used to work but cannot work recently at all!!!
Thanks
Wylie

wylie99 said:
HI,
Yes, these days my Chromecast says it's connected to the network but does NOT have internet access.
Is this a google block for devices that are inside of CHina?
How can I even get the device to work for me locally, streaming data from my laptop? It used to work but cannot work recently at all!!!
Thanks
Wylie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes, you could see the chromecast icon, then it is OK for everything.
How do you stream from your laptop? chrome browser?
I always use app on android to stream media (UPNP/Samba etc) with y2cast+wondershare.

This is slightly related... Does anyone use a google nexus phone in mainland China? I want to get a HK Huawei Nexus 6P, but am worried the experience will be problematic on a hardware and essential software front. I have no problems sporadically using a vpn with wifi, but I don't think I could use the vpn consistently 24/7 during roaming. Anybody with experience of this? PLease let me know.
Thanks in advance.

I just traveled through China - Beijing, Ningbo, Hangzhou then Shenzhen - using Nexus 6p with Project Fi. In Beijing and Shenzhen, seemed OK, including receiving Gmail

boltd said:
I just traveled through China - Beijing, Ningbo, Hangzhou then Shenzhen - using Nexus 6p with Project Fi. In Beijing and Shenzhen, seemed OK, including receiving Gmail
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, this is good enough information for me to finally grab a nexus despite being in Beijing.

Anyone noticing disconnect not working? Netflix?

I've seen this with vGet, then Web Video Caster and now with the latest Netflix.
I'd seen this before with some apps, usually I switched to Netflix to get control and then disconnected from there.
The dev for Web Video Caster says he's using a Google library for the function and will contact Google after he checks further.
Latest Netflix - pause a show, disconnect, the show remains on the TV.
I wondered if this is widespread or not so I'm asking if others are seeing this.
I'm on the latest Chromecast version, stock.

i'm watching netflix right now on stock chromecast.

I have always had this problem since buying the chromecast in December, I have to cast YouTube to get out of netflix on both my htc one and my ipad. Are you by any chance using a dns service like unblock us? I am and Netflix said that could be the cause.

pandarock32 said:
I have always had this problem since buying the chromecast in December, I have to cast YouTube to get out of netflix on both my htc one and my ipad. Are you by any chance using a dns service like unblock us? I am and Netflix said that could be the cause.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, I'm as vanilla stock, out of the box as you can get.
This just cropped up for me, been using Chromecast since August.
@gianptune - thanks, but doesn't answer the question.

[Q] Chromecast with other countries and root ability

Hi, my brother will come from U.S and i asked for chromecast but he said chromecast wont work outside of U.S.
I'm living in Turkey and using airties n5440 router , probably chromecast will have newer firmware and can i root it ? if i can't for now(i read some threads,probably i won't be able to for now.), will be able to do that in a month or any other time??
if i can't use it in Turkey, i won't buy it.
And which services won't be available in here.. Can i use it basically transferring youtube video to it etc.?
I'm waiting for your replies. and if i can get that and root it. Maybe I can develop custom firmwares but i need rootable one and access content from here..
btw: how is the development status here?
Regards...

I believe YouTube will work. If Netflix works there it'll work too. And you'll probably be able to send your own video, photos and music to your chromecast with no problems. It's just what I think.
Newer chromecasts can't be rooted yet. Maybe in couple weeks someone finds a solution, maybe never.

extrem0 said:
I believe YouTube will work. If Netflix works there it'll work too. And you'll probably be able to send your own video, photos and music to your chromecast with no problems. It's just what I think.
Newer chromecasts can't be rooted yet. Maybe in couple weeks someone finds a solution, maybe never.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
netflix and netflix-like services doesn't work here.
but youtube works of course.. but its new device its chromecast so i'm not sure .

Chromecast itself will work fine, as long as your WiFi isn't using a channel that isn't allowed in the US (channel 13).
As you suspect, it's the services that may or may not work, because of regional restrictions on the service end.
The reason why people want root is to use a DNS redirector like UnblockUS, UnoTelly, etc so they can get content as if they were in the US (or elsewhere).
You already said YouTube works in Turkey, so that will work.
Netflix, as you said, will not work.
Hulu has regional restrictions so if Hulu works in your country, you will get your country's content.
HBO Go requires authentication with the cable provider to prove you are a subscriber, so it will not work for you.
Most likely Viki and the other services that don't do region checks will work.
See http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/apps.html

Youtube low bandwidth/constant buffering above above 480p

I have recently upgraded my Note 8 to a Note 9. I'm a T-Mobile One customer with unlimited 4GLTE data. I'm having a lot of issues steaming HD content on Youtube as it keeps on buffering. My current download speed on the Speed test is 70mbps. When I look at the youtube data bandwidth it's only reading 0-1.5mbps.....
I called Tmobile technical support without any luck. I've tried everything, I have even hard reseted the device and the constant buffering it's still there. I have no idea what's causing this issues because now apparently the Tmobile One doesn't have the binge on feature that would be most likely causing this problem.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Do you have the One Plus feature? And if you do, did you enable HD streaming in your T-Mobile app for your phone number? One Plus was free last year for a promotion, if you added it after that promotion it was $5/month, then upped to $10/month, and now it's just been upped to $15/month. Without the one plus feature you will only be able to stream 480p video across all video streaming platforms.
Source: I'm a manager for a T-Mobile location.

OSMANDONATE said:
I have recently upgraded my Note 8 to a Note 9. I'm a T-Mobile One customer with unlimited 4GLTE data. I'm having a lot of issues steaming HD content on Youtube as it keeps on buffering. My current download speed on the Speed test is 70mbps. When I look at the youtube data bandwidth it's only reading 0-1.5mbps.....
I called Tmobile technical support without any luck. I've tried everything, I have even hard reseted the device and the constant buffering it's still there. I have no idea what's causing this issues because now apparently the Tmobile One doesn't have the binge on feature that would be most likely causing this problem.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you just have T-Mobile One streaming is limited to 480p (DVD quality) you need the T Mobile One Plus add on which is $15/line and then you will get HD streaming