Slingbox PRO-HD starts shipping

Slingbox lovers have been waiting for the day the PRO-HD version would be available—and that time is now. While you could pre-order the device a couple of weeks ago, Sling Media has officially announced that it is now shipping, finally bringing the ability to stream HD recordings to a laptop (or soon a remote HDTV) to the Slingbox.

If you're not familiar with the Slingbox concept, it works this way: You attach the Slingbox to a video source, such as a cable or satellite set-top box, and then you can access the video from that source remotely via a computer or even certain smartphones. In the past, you could send an HD signal into the Slingbox, but it would not output that signal on the other end in HD. The PRO-HD takes care of that deficiency, with the help of the new version of the SlingPlayer client software.

Where the PRO-HD could get especially interesting is with the arrival of another new product, the SlingCatcher, which lets you play the Slingbox signal on another TV, so you can, for example, transmit HD programming from the downstairs cable box to your upstairs TV. SlingCatcher is currently available for pre-order, but will begin shipping soon.

In the meantime, you can check out my colleague Josh Taylor's impressions of the Slingbox PRO-HD in his hands-on review.