Slingplayer for Symbian S60 - Recap

First off, the Slingplayer application for all mobiles (Including Symbian) is not free. The program allows a 30 day trial , after which you can either purchase the full license or it will cease to function. SlingMedia was offering their Symbian port for free when it was first released (to select N95 users); however this deal appears to be long gone. 

The Hardware:
Before you dive into installing the Slingplayer, make sure you at least have a Slingbox to stream from. These devices range from $100-200 USD, and vary based on features and supported inputs (DVR, standard cable, Tivo, etc.)

I won’t explain much on the differences here, but if you're interested you can view more information and prices at Amazon.

Slingbox Pro  

Slingbox AV

Slingbox SOLO

Slingbox Tuner

Compatibility:

SlingMedia currently only lists the N95, N75, N73, E65, and 6120 as "tested and working" devices; however they admit several others will likely work as long as the requirements are met.

Device Requirements:

• A supported Symbian S60 phone (9.1 OS 3rd edition or above), with 3G (HSDPA or UMTS) wireless service and/or WiFi Internet connectivity
• Network download speed of 120 Kbps (or higher)
• 1.5 MB free memory on device to install

For those using the N95-2 (8gig), you may be out of luck. According to SlingMedia:

"Note for Nokia N95 8GB owners: We are aware of some video display issues where video may not appear or refresh.  We’re investigating these issues and will update this article if things change.  Until then, we don’t recommend using SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian S60 series on a Nokia N95 8GB.  Please note, that this issue does not affect the Nokia N95."

Once you setup your Slingbox, configuring your mobile Slingplayer couldn’t be easier. To install the trial (or the full program) navigate to http://www.slingmedia.com with your mobile; or download the software from here and install via Nokia PC Suite. I installed the application directly to phone memory without a hiccup, which added a Slingplayer icon to my application menu.

To add your Slingbox, browse to the Slingbox Directory in the options menu -then choose Add New Slingbox. Enter the SlingID or your IP address and your off an running.

Channel changing can be done by the keypad, making controlling the device a breeze. You can also launch the "remote", which gives volume control, favorites selection, along with basic channel controls. Video inputs can be easily changed within the options menu as well.

In terms of video quality: I  was satisfied but by no means blown away. Framerate was decent after a few seconds of buffering, after which pixelation went down to once every few minutes.

Heavy pixelation is apparent in the screenshot above(Commonly noticed on initial connection and channel changing). The audio quality was excellent on my N95 speakers, and seemed to experience very little studdering compared to the video. 

After letting Slingplayer buffer we saw quality of this nature. More than watchable on a mobile phone, and very handy while traveling. 

The Slingplayer surpassed my expectations, giving a whole new light to those times when you just can’t seem to find a useful game to play.  I am slightly discouraged about the price, given the version for your PC is free -not to mention you have already purchased their hardware. Finding wifi or 3G in most locations shouldn't be a issue, however video is still watchable in non-3G enviroment. 

Bottom line: If you have the hardware, don't think twice about purchasing the Symbian player. Otherwise, plan on adding $30 to the cost of your Slingbox if you want the action on your mobile. 

Comments (3)

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written by Maciek, November 30, 2007

Luckily I scored Sling player for free on my N95-1. Recently though I upgraded to N95-3 and was still able to get it through the Downloads section on the phone. I Love it. I'm in Poland at the moment and it's so nice to be able to watch my home tv from time to time on my phone in bed.

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written by PseudoFinn, November 30, 2007

I can't get enough of it. Same with me- had it on the N95-1, and snagged it through the download! on my N95-3.

I love Slingplayer on the N95. It blows everyone away when they see it.

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written by Maciek, December 20, 2007

The best part is that you can flip the middle finger to the operator. No worrying about DMB, DMV, PMP, PMS or whatever other acronyms they can come up with. After all the channel line up offered by ANY network operator sucks big monkey balls. With Sling you get what you like...YOUR OWN HOME TV. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

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